What is "estophilia"

Estophilia (from Greek: φίλος, "dear, loving") refers to the ideas and activities of people not of Estonian descent who are sympathetic to or interested in Estonian language, Estonian literature or Estonian culture, History of Estonia and Estonia in general. Such people are known as Estophiles. Its opposite is Estophobia.

The term particularly refers to the activities of the Estophile Movement of the late 18th to early 19th century, when Baltic German scholars began documenting and promoting Estonian culture and language. This movement played a crucial role triggering the Estonian Age of Awakening almost 100 years later that eventually led to the Estonian Declaration of Independence in 1918, the Estonian War of Independence and the foundation of the Republic of Estonia.