[Funk, Aleksandr] Manifestation of Estonians on March 26, 1917, in Petrograd. Photography. 

[Petrograd], 1917. 
10,8х17,5 cm.

Photo mounted on cardboard.
Cracks, small losses to edges, owner mark.

The Beginning of Estonia's Political Struggle for Independence.

After Tsar Nicholas II's abdication and the establishment of the Provisional Government, there was a push to organize a demonstration in Petrograd to expedite the adoption of the Estonian autonomy act by the Provisional Government.
The date of the demonstration, April 8 (Old Style March 26), was chosen deliberately to commemorate the anniversary of the abolition of serfdom in Livonia. Unlike previous demonstrations in Petrograd, this one was well-organized and left a positive impression on both the residents and the Provisional Government.
Four days after the demonstration, the Provisional Government issued an order granting provisional autonomy to the Governorate of Estonia.
Following the October Revolution, the Estonian Provincial Assembly (Maapäev) refused to acknowledge the new Bolshevik regime. The Bolsheviks had seized control in the Governorate of Estonia and began persecuting their political opponents. Additionally, the Constituent Assembly election, in which two-thirds of the voters supported parties advocating for national statehood, was declared null and void. In response, the Salvation Committee was formed. The Republic of Estonia formally declared independence on February 24, 1918, after the Bolsheviks abandoned Tallinn and one day before German forces occupied the capital. The Estonian War of Independence against Baltic German and Russian forces lasted from 1918 to 1920.
In the lower left corner of this photo, it is noted that the author is Aleksandr Funk, a photographer who worked with Karl Bulla, known as 'the father of Russian photo-reporting'. This marking may be a rare clue to identifying the photographer, as the postcards made from this photo remain anonymous.