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Urve Tamberg
Growing up, I led a double life - though that's not remotely as exciting as it sounds. Rather, it was a fairly typical experience for a child of immigrants. My parents were from a country that did ...view moreGrowing up, I led a double life - though that's not remotely as exciting as it sounds. Rather, it was a fairly typical experience for a child of immigrants. My parents were from a country that did not exist anymore (Estonia) as the country was occupied by the Soviet Union. I had a name no one could pronounce (it's Er-va), and spoke a language with a plethora of weird vowels (õ,ö,ä,ü). I started going to Estonian school in the evenings when I was 6 years old, and as I grew up, I was immersed in cultural activities such as folk dance, choir, and Girl Guides – all in Estonian.
I loved writing but was side-tracked for couple of decades to pursue a career in health care as a physiotherapist, and then after completing my M.B.A., I assumed progressive leadership roles in strategy, marketing, and business development in Fortune 500 companies, hospitals, and start-ups.
But the stories I heard from my immigrant parents about the history, people, and culture of Estonia stayed with me. It is said that history is written by the winners, and as such, the complicated history of the Baltic countries during World War II, and their subsequent occupation by the Soviet Union, and the impact of communism is not widely known. I was inspired by tales of stubbornness, ingenuity, and bravery, so a few years ago I began to write historical fiction about little-known events during World War II and the Cold War. My ability to read Estonian allows me to access books and newspapers not available to most, and I love blending in folk culture, and details of daily life. Years of learning Estonian at night school finally paid off!
I hope my books about the past will connect with students as they try to understand the present, and envisage the future.view less