| Abstract | The article discusses the 2006 civil unrest in Tallinn, Estonia in order to illustrate the role of collective memory and cultural narratives in the formation of ethnic identities. The article describes how Russian-Estonians rioted in response to a government decision to move the Bronze Soldier statue from the central square to a military cemetery. The move sparked ethnic and nationalistic tensions derived from events during World War II. The article focuses on the symbolic aspects of the statue in regard to its role in stirring nationalist, religious, and fascist feelings. Details are provided regarding the the role of vocabulary, narrative templates, and historical memory in the development of a culture's identity.
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