One year of Red Army occupation commencing 15 June 1940, cost Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania collectively 100,000 Baltic citizens deported to Siberia on 13 June 1941, along with property confiscation, religious persecution and summary executions. Wehrmacht troops advancing into the Baltic States from 22 June 1941, under Operation Barbarossa were welcomed as liberators.
The German Occupation
German plans for the Baltic States were highly classified. The Nuremberg trials (November 1945- February 1947) revealed Hitler planned a mass deportation of Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians to replace them with German colonists. Baltic states attempts to restore independent governments led to arrests of activists. By July 1941 a German GeneralKommisar controlled an Estonian Civil Administration. German looking Estonians enjoyed particular favour. In August, an auxialiary police service (Schutzmannschaft - Defence Troops) was established, later, 700 man Schutzmannschaft-Batallione with a German liaison officer were established. Many of these battalions were sent to Russia where they came under German Army tactical command.
Estonians served in separate units in the German Army, Air Force, Waffen-SS and OT construction organisations contributing a total of 69,000 men to the German forces.
Estonians are related to Finns and Leningrad Ingrians
Finns, Ingrians, the Volga Finns (Komis, Mari, Mordvin and Udmurt) are inter-related along with distantly related Hungarians. Estonians joined the Finnish army to fight the Finno-Soviet Winter War (1939-40). After June 1941 Finland supported the Estonian cause.
Estonia was divided into six districts each with Police Prefectures and Self Defence Districts under Lt. General Litzmann with total strength reaching 32,000 by July 1943. By August 5 Estonian Security Battalions wearing German uniforms, with the Estonian tricolour arm shield on the left sleeve, served with the German 18th Army. These security battalions distinguished themselves during the siege of Leningrad and on the Volkhov front with Major Alfons Rebane (Estonian for Fox) awarded the Knight's Cross February 1944.
The Estonian SS Legion (Eesti Leegioni)
From spring 1943 Estonian defence battalions volunteered for the Estonian SS Legion and were integrated into Battle Group Jeckeln (Kampfgruppe Jeckeln) in June 1944, which included some Latvian units, to resist the Red Army's advance into the Baltic States following the destruction of Army Group Centre. Estonians who survived the Red Army onslaught were transferred to the Estonian 20th SS Infantry Division in Germany. In August 1942 the Estonian SS Legion was formed and became a brigade in May 1943 and redesignated 3rd Estonian SS Volunteer Brigade under SS Colonel Augsberger with 5,099 men. This unit was sent to Narva, Estonia to defend this city against the relentless Red Army advance.
The Karl Talpak Finnish Battalion
The Germans introduced conscription early 1943 which prompted Estonians to leave for Finland where they enlisted in the Finnish Army under Captain Talpak. Companies became Battallions and the contingent defending the Mannerheim Line in Karelia formed the Finnish 200th Infantry Regiment (pictured) under Finnish Lt. Colonel Kuusela which comprised 310 Finns and 2,340 Estonians. The massive Red Army offensive in September 1944 forced Finland out of the war.
The September 1944 Red Army Offensive
The Red Army offensive was repulsed along the Narva and Lake Peipus sectors, however the offensive broke through south of Lake Peipus and German and Estonian forces were evacuated by sea to Pomerania and German East Prussia. By November 1944 all of Estonia was under Soviet control. During the conquest of Estonia, in 1944, the 8th Rifle Corps of the Red Army ,was formed from Estonians who had emigrated to Russia during the Tsarist period.
127th Sea Reconnaisance Wing, 1st Squadron 1943
Arado Ar95A-1 floatplanes were flown by Estonian pilots to patrol the Gulf of Finland until with the fall of Tallinn some Estonian pilots flew to neutral Sweden causing the Luftwaffe to disband all Estonian and Latvian squadrons. The Baltic agreement of March 1944 recruited Estonian boys and girls for ant-aircraft units in Germany.
Estonians troops in Germany, England and Siberia
Germany insisted on Estonians being transferred to the German 20th SS Division for service in the Reich. In January this division helped to stabilise the Silesian front and retreated to Melnik, near Prague where they surrendered to the Red Army on 8 May 1945. Four Estonian pilots served with the Polish Air Force in England. Estonians resisted the Second Soviet Occupation (1944-1991) as 'Forest Brothers' guerrillas until the Soviet amnesty in 1955. Soviets deported 80,000 Estonians between 1946 and 1953 to Siberia to combat this resistance. Possibly 30,000 Estonian origin men served with US armed forces during World War Two.
Sources:
- Germany's Eastern Front Allies, Baltic Forces by C Jurado and N Thomas, Osprey Publishing 2002
- Panzer Leader by General Heinz Guderian, Futura Publications 1972
Michael Manning - ' The best lack all conviction while the worst are full of passionate intensity' W.B.Yeats
