The Tartu Peace Treaty that was signed on 2 February 1920 and ended the state of war between the Republic of Estonia and Soviet Russia has been written about often and thoroughly. Those actions that immediately preceded or followed the seminal event of 2 February, some of which are or minor importance, have drawn relatively less attention. In connection with the 100th anniversary of this peace treaty, it is appropriate to provide a brief overview of these details that have usually been overshadowed.

The representatives of both countries reached an agreement in principle regarding the text of the peace treaty in the latter half of January, and the government of Estonia approved the treaty on 25 January. The subsequent work of the bilateral redaction committee was completed by 31 January and the text’s type was set on the printing press that same evening. Unfortunately, a mishap took place at the print shop that required the reprinting of the already printed treaty. For this reason, the signing ceremony planned for 1 February was postponed by several hours and took place after midnight in the first hour of 2 February.

Although the peace treaty was held in high esteem in Estonia, no celebrations followed its signing. Admittedly, Jaan Poska, the leader of the Estonian peace delegation, had given a festive meal in honour of the Russian delegation on 1 February, which the Russians responded to by holding the same kind of meal on 2 February. Yet the most festive moment came on 3 February, when the peacemakers arrived in Tallinn. Leaders of the government and of the army gathered in the railway station to greet them, together with a large number of curious townspeople. The session of the Constituent Assembly that was held that same evening, where Jaan Poska delivered the text of the peace treaty to parliament, also took place in a somewhat more festive atmosphere than usual.

The ratification of the treaty followed. While Russia for its part had already done this on 4 February, the entire procedure took a little bit more time in Estonia. To begin with, the Constituent Assembly’s foreign affairs committee prepared the corresponding draft bill, which thereafter passed through three readings before parliament’s general assembly, receiving final approval on 13 February.

The speaker of the Constituent Assembly, the prime minister and the minister of foreign affairs signed the instrument of ratification on 20 March. A special delegation headed by Julius Seljamaa that was assigned to exchange letters of ratification departed by train for Moscow on 22 March. That event turned out to be rather ordinary as well. It took place on the evening of 30 March in the rooms of the Russian People’s Commissariat for Foreign Affairs with the participation of the members of Estonia’s special delegation and Russia’s head of foreign policy Georgi Chicherin.