Statue of the Estonian Black and Blue Cross and exhortations to municipal governments

The charity society Estonian Black and Blue Cross was registered in Tallinn on 13 November 1914. Its goal was to help soldiers’ families and soldiers wounded in war in Estonia and Livonia. The intention was to establish a military hospital for the wounded, a shelter for widows of soldiers, children deprived of fathers and invalids’ children and sanatorium aftercare for Estonian soldiers. The society had 1,000 roubles in starting capital with the rest to be derived from membership dues, fairs, lotteries, sales of society insignia and other donations.

It was a strongly nationalist organization. It was considered important that Estonians' amassed donations reach those in need of aid on behalf of Estonian organizations and Estonians in general. The objective was to focus on assisting Estonian soldiers and their families as well as to stress the loyalty of the Estonian people to the state. It was also hoped that the national element would help the society find more donors.
Its founders were Estonians of Tallinn, members of the board at various times included Konstantin Päts, Konstantin Konik and Jaan Poska.