The President of the Republic received the participants of the global Schilling family reunion today at noon in Kadriorg. The number of the family members present on the reunion, which this year takes place in Estonia, is 125 instead of the expected 70; seven of the family members were born in Estonia and still remember the Estonian language.

A great deal of the Schillings living in Germany have visited Estonia several times after 1988, so they can base their assessments of Estonia’s progress on their own experience. The Schilling family was convinced that Estonia would be accepted to the European Union very soon and is just as rapidly moving towards NATO.

The estate in Särevere, Järva County, which belongs to one branch of the Schilling family, has decided to assume the leading role in home decoration next year.

The President of the Republic thanked the big Schilling family who had gathered on the yard of the Kadriorg Palace. Speaking of the relations between Estonia and Germany, the President said that Estonia understands the current strict economy policy of the German government, although we are naturally worried when this affects the scientific centres related to the Baltic Sea and the Baltic States. “For the Germans, more extensive investments to Estonia are unfortunately still peripheral, the President said, “from here we may conclude that the discovery of Estonia is something Germany still has to do.” Here, the Schilling family would like to play the role of an icebreaker.

The Baltic German Schilling family has throughout the ages produced a couple of dozens of scientists and one member of the Estonian Riigikogu; also Nikolai von Schilling, who discovered the Franz Josef Land, was a member of the Schilling family.


Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, July 25, 1999

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