History

In the early years of the Republic of Estonia (1918-1940), the sickly Baron Woldemar von Rosen, who was over 60 years old, and his wife Lucie (née von Hunnius, daughter of Dr. Carl Arthur von Hunnius from Haapsalu) managed the Saare Manor. At that time, their two sons fought against the Red Army in the War of Independence. The village of Saare and Kudan contained a manor and seven farms, five of which were owned by Swedes and two by Estonians. After the happy end of the War of Independence and the Tartu Peace Treaty, the elder son Friedrich, who had returned from the war, took over the Saare manor from his father. The land reform separated 9 new settlements from the manor (the owners were 4 Estonians, 4 Swedes and the Finn Tikka). The central part of the manor was now managed by Friedrich von Rosen with his wife Hedwig (née Normann) until they relocated in 1939. Two of the Normann brothers fell in the War of Independence or died wounded and sick shortly after the war. Only the third brother, Knight of the Cross of Liberty, later Colonel Johannes Normann, came home. Friedrich von Rosen used the Normann and Tikka lands together with his own part of the manor, and this was very important to him. The Normann family managed the Saare manor until the establishment of the Russian occupation in 1939-40.

In addition to his agricultural activities, Friedrich von Rosen had good contacts with the Swedish agricultural school in the village of Pürksi. In the 1930s, he established an international-level home-school in the Saare manor building instead of a primary and secondary school. Very good teachers were Mrs. Agnes Johannson and Mr. Adalbert Hirsch. Former students still living today include Hans Frhr. von Stackelberg, former captain of the famous German sailing ship Gorch Fock, Ervin Milvek (Canada), Prof. Hans von Rosen (Sweden) and others. After home-school, students went to Tallinn gymnasiums. Home-school in the Saare manor building was cheaper than the schools in Haapsalu and Tallinn and students could help with agricultural work. There were also mandatory control exams every year.
The current Saare manor complex was restored in 1995/2001. The ruins of the horse stable (18th century) have been restored in the original style, where the Lyckholm Museum is now located. The main house of the manor has a guesthouse, a coffee room and halls for events. The restorers are Dr. Gustav Fhrh. von Rosen and his wife Lore (née Crety). The current owner of the manor is Dr. Gustav Fhrh. von Rosen’s eldest son, Dr. Lothar Alexander von Rosen. The museum was opened on March 1, 1997, the main house in August 2001.