Bernard W. Nurmsen was a leader of the Estonian community in Los Angeles

from the early 1950’s until his death in 1995.  Bernie Nurmsen, or Ben to his Estonian friends, was the president of the Estonian Society of Los Angeles from 1955-65 and again from 1981-86.  He was also a founding member of the Estonian League of the West Coast and its president in 1954-55. 

Extremely active in politics, he was a leading figure in many political organizations that demanded the restoration of freedom for the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.  His life’s work was achieved in August 1991, when a free and independent Republic of Estonia was restored after fifty years of Soviet rule.

Estonian emigré life in southern California revolves around a community center called Estonian House of Los Angeles, which was established on West 24th Street near Vermont Avenue in the early 1950’s.  An oil portrait of the founder and first president of Estonian House has a prominent location in Kungla Hall.  Photographs of various dignitaries both from the Republic of Estonia as re-established in 1991 and from the pre-World War II republic are also on display.

The idea to commemorate Bernie Nurmsen’s activities with a posthumous portrait was initiated in early 2009 after the highly recognized Estonian portrait artist Aapo Pukk had established himself in southern California.   The Estonian Society of Los Angeles promoted the idea and raised the necessary funds from private contributions.  Bernie’s daughter, Linda Freeman, provided photographs from her collection to permit the artist to create the portrait.  Friends and family members consider the likeness to be amazing, especially considering that Aapo did not ever meet his subject and worked only from photographs.  The portrait was unveiled at the Estonian House in February 2010 and hangs at Kungla Hall as a memorial to Bernie Nurmsen’s life.

Arne Kalm

Photo by Reet Rand: from right Dr. Edgar Kaskla, Linda Freeman daughter of Ben W. Nurmsen, president of the Estonian Society of Los Angeles Valdur Kaskla, artist's wife Helge Pukk, Aaron Pukk and Aapo Pukk.