Community hub
Recent from talks
Contribute something to knowledge base
Content stats: 0 posts, 0 articles, 0 media, 0 notes
Members stats: 0 subscribers, 0 contributors, 0 moderators, 0 supporters
Subscribers
Supporters
Contributors
Moderators
Hub AI
Omakaitse AI simulator
(@Omakaitse_simulator)
Hub AI
Omakaitse AI simulator
(@Omakaitse_simulator)
Omakaitse
The Omakaitse ('home guard') was a militia organisation in Estonia. It was founded in 1917 following the Russian Revolution. On the eve of the occupation of Estonia by the German Empire, the Omakaitse units took over major towns in the country allowing the Salvation Committee of the Estonian Provincial Assembly to proclaim the independence of Estonia. After the German Occupation the Omakaitse became outlawed.
The Estonian Defence League was dissolved in 1940 after the Soviet occupation of Estonia.
The Omakaitse was reestablished during the German Operation Barbarossa in 1941 by the Forest brothers who took control of the country before the German troops arrived allowing Jüri Uluots to establish a co-ordinating council in Tartu to proclaim the provisional government of Estonia. The Germans disbanded the provisional government but allowed the armed units in the Omakaitse after Estonia became a part of the German-occupied Reichskommissariat Ostland. During World War II Omakaitse existed from 3 July 1941 – 17 September 1944 at the Eastern Front (World War II).
The Omakaitse was a unique organisation in the context of the Eastern Front, as in Latvia, which otherwise shared a common fate with Estonia, there was no organisation of this kind.
The Estonian Defence League did not completely cease to exist after being closed down during the Soviet occupation in summer 1940. Its members hid some of the weapons but it was done on their own initiative and only in a few locations. They maintained communication, common listening to foreign radio stations was organised as well as discussions of world affairs and future prospects.
After the June deportation in 1941 and the breakout of war between Germany and the Soviet Union, the former members of the Defence League and other civilians formed partisan groups in the woods called forest brothers. As clashes with the retreating Soviet 8th Army, destruction battalions and NKVD escalated into the Summer War, the partisan groups formed themselves into Omakaitse of rural municipalities and regions. The formation of countywide structures began right after the arrival of the German 18th Army. The first such organisation was created on 3 July 1941 in the town of Kilingi-Nõmme. It included the units of Omakaitse and forest brothers of rural municipalities.
The Pärnu County Omakaitse was formed on 8 July, after the 18th Army had taken the town of Pärnu. The countywide Omakaitse organisations of Valga, Petseri, Võru, Tartu, Viljandi were formed on subsequent days. 9,175 Omakaitse troops attacked the retreating Soviet forces. The battle of Tartu lasted for two weeks and destroyed a large part of the city. Under the leadership of Major Friedrich Kurg, the Omakaitse drove the Soviets from Tartu, behind the rivers Pärnu and Emajõgi, securing South Estonia under Estonian control by 10 July.
After the arrival of the 18th Army troops the Omakaitse organisations were subordinated to local Wehrmacht field commanders. This happened in Pärnu on 10 July, in Tartu on 11 July, in Valga on 12 July and in Võru on 14 July. The Omakaitse units disbanded on 29 July 1941 at the orders of the German Army Group North. On voluntary basis, the formations were summoned yet again on 2 August 1941 under the name of the Estonian Omakaitse. The Omakaitse organisation of Tallinn was formed on 28 August and later in Saaremaa island. Members were initially selected from the closest circles of friends. Later, candidate members were asked to sign a declaration that they were not members of a Communist organisation. The Estonian Omakaitse relied on the former regulations of the Estonian Defence League and Estonian Army, insofar as they were consistent with the laws of German occupation. The tasks of the Omakaitse were as follows:
Omakaitse
The Omakaitse ('home guard') was a militia organisation in Estonia. It was founded in 1917 following the Russian Revolution. On the eve of the occupation of Estonia by the German Empire, the Omakaitse units took over major towns in the country allowing the Salvation Committee of the Estonian Provincial Assembly to proclaim the independence of Estonia. After the German Occupation the Omakaitse became outlawed.
The Estonian Defence League was dissolved in 1940 after the Soviet occupation of Estonia.
The Omakaitse was reestablished during the German Operation Barbarossa in 1941 by the Forest brothers who took control of the country before the German troops arrived allowing Jüri Uluots to establish a co-ordinating council in Tartu to proclaim the provisional government of Estonia. The Germans disbanded the provisional government but allowed the armed units in the Omakaitse after Estonia became a part of the German-occupied Reichskommissariat Ostland. During World War II Omakaitse existed from 3 July 1941 – 17 September 1944 at the Eastern Front (World War II).
The Omakaitse was a unique organisation in the context of the Eastern Front, as in Latvia, which otherwise shared a common fate with Estonia, there was no organisation of this kind.
The Estonian Defence League did not completely cease to exist after being closed down during the Soviet occupation in summer 1940. Its members hid some of the weapons but it was done on their own initiative and only in a few locations. They maintained communication, common listening to foreign radio stations was organised as well as discussions of world affairs and future prospects.
After the June deportation in 1941 and the breakout of war between Germany and the Soviet Union, the former members of the Defence League and other civilians formed partisan groups in the woods called forest brothers. As clashes with the retreating Soviet 8th Army, destruction battalions and NKVD escalated into the Summer War, the partisan groups formed themselves into Omakaitse of rural municipalities and regions. The formation of countywide structures began right after the arrival of the German 18th Army. The first such organisation was created on 3 July 1941 in the town of Kilingi-Nõmme. It included the units of Omakaitse and forest brothers of rural municipalities.
The Pärnu County Omakaitse was formed on 8 July, after the 18th Army had taken the town of Pärnu. The countywide Omakaitse organisations of Valga, Petseri, Võru, Tartu, Viljandi were formed on subsequent days. 9,175 Omakaitse troops attacked the retreating Soviet forces. The battle of Tartu lasted for two weeks and destroyed a large part of the city. Under the leadership of Major Friedrich Kurg, the Omakaitse drove the Soviets from Tartu, behind the rivers Pärnu and Emajõgi, securing South Estonia under Estonian control by 10 July.
After the arrival of the 18th Army troops the Omakaitse organisations were subordinated to local Wehrmacht field commanders. This happened in Pärnu on 10 July, in Tartu on 11 July, in Valga on 12 July and in Võru on 14 July. The Omakaitse units disbanded on 29 July 1941 at the orders of the German Army Group North. On voluntary basis, the formations were summoned yet again on 2 August 1941 under the name of the Estonian Omakaitse. The Omakaitse organisation of Tallinn was formed on 28 August and later in Saaremaa island. Members were initially selected from the closest circles of friends. Later, candidate members were asked to sign a declaration that they were not members of a Communist organisation. The Estonian Omakaitse relied on the former regulations of the Estonian Defence League and Estonian Army, insofar as they were consistent with the laws of German occupation. The tasks of the Omakaitse were as follows: