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Revision as of 14:08, 15 February 2009 by Jaan (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Estonian resistance movement (Estonian Eesti vastupanuliikumine) was an underground movement to resist the occupation of Estonia by Nazi Germany, 1941–1944 during World War II. Due to the unusually benign measures implemented in Estonia by the German occupation authorities, especially in contrast to the preceding notoriously harsh Soviet occupation of Estonia (1940–1941), the movement was slower to develop effective tactics on a wide scale than in other occupied countries.
National Committee of the Republic of Estonia
The National Committee of the Republic of Estonia (Template:Lang-et) was formed by the underground resistance movements in March 1944. By April 1944, a large number of the committee members were arrested by the German security agencies.
The original initiative to form the committee came from the Estonian pre-war opposition parties but it was quickly joined by Jüri Uluots, the last constitutional pre-war Prime Minister of the Republic of Estonia and his supporters. The Committee aimed to establish of a provisional government during expected German withdrawal as the Red Army had reached the border of Estonia in February 2 1944.
The Committee succeeded in establishing a communication network with the Estonian diplomats in Finland and Sweden.
On April 20, 1944, The National Committee selected the Electoral Committee of the Republic of Estonia (Vabariigi Presidendi Asetäitja Valimiskogu, the institution specified in the Constitution for electing the Acting President of the Republic) held a clandestine meeting in Tallinn. The participants included:
- Jüri Uluots, the last Prime Minister of Estonia before the Soviet occupation,
- Johan Holberg, the substitute for Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces ,
- Otto Pukk, the Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies,
- Alfred Maurer, the Second deputy Vice-Chairman of the National Council,
- Mihkel Klaassen, Justice of the Supreme Court of Estonia.
The Committee determined that the Soviet-era appointment of Johannes Vares as Prime Minister by Konstantin Päts had been illegal and that Uluots had assumed the President's duties from June 21, 1940 onwards. On June 21, 1944 Jüri Uluots appointed Otto Tief as deputy prime minister. On September 18, 1944 Uluots, suffering from cancer, named Otto Tief the Acting Prime Minister and appointed a Government which consisted of 11 members. On September 20, 1944, Uluots, in failing health, departed for Sweden. Tief assumed office in accordance with the constitution and took the opportunity with the departure of the Germans to declare the legitimate Estonian government restored. Most of members of this government left from Tallinn on September 21 and Tief on September 22. As reported by the Royal Institute of International Affairs at the time: the Estonian national government was proclaimed in Estonia, the Estonian military units seized the government buildings in Toompea and ordered the German forces to leave. The flag of Germany was replaced with the Estonian tricolour in the main flag tower of the country. Tief’s government, however, failed to keep control, as Estonian military units led by Johan Pitka clashed with both Germans and Soviets. On September 22 the Soviets took control of Tallinn. Most of the members and officials , including Tief, were caught, jailed, deported, or executed by the advancing Soviets. Tief managed to survive a decade in Siberia and after return from deportation died back in Estonia in 1976. Only Kaarel Liidak, Minister of Agriculture, died in hiding on January 16, 1945.
After Uluots died on January 9, 1945 in Sweden, August Rei, as the most senior surviving member of the government, assumed the role of acting head of state. Rei was supported by the surviving members of the Tief's government in Sweden. Rei was the last Estonian envoy in Moscow before the Soviet annexation and had managed to escape from Moscow through Riga to Stockholm in June 1940.
On January 12 1953 the Estonian Government in Exile was established in Oslo, Norway.
Soviet resistance
A number of Estonians were involved in underground activities ranging from producing illegal publications, to espionage, to violent sabotage. They included Adolf Aitsen, Rein Alasoo, Eduard Aumere, Richard Ehrlich, Mercedes-Angela Jaus, Evald Kallas, Vera Kraubner, Hendrik Kuivas, Helmi Kurs, Georgi Loik, Aleksander Looring, Johanna Lunter, Mihkel Mihkelson, Jaan Nahodsen, Irmgard Nurmhein, Leonida Parvits, Erik Paulson, Villem Pivkan, Eduard Planken, Ludvig Prints, Kaarel Raidväli, Astra Randkivi, Ireene Reinhold, Aleksei Saar, Tarmo Talvi, and Artur Vaha, as well as others.
References
- Smith, David James (2001). Estonia: Independence and European Integration. Routledge. pp. pp. 36. ISBN 9780415267281.
{{cite book}}:|pages=has extra text (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - Miljan, Toivo (2004). Historical Dictionary of Estonia. Scarecrow Press. pp. pp. 21. ISBN 9780810849044.
{{cite book}}:|pages=has extra text (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - Laar,, Mart (1992). War in the Woods: Estonia's Struggle for Survival, 1944-1956. ISBN 9780929590080.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) - L. Mälksoo, Professor Uluots, the Estonian Government in Exile and the Continuity of the Republic of Estonia in International Law, Nordic Journal of International Law, Volume 69, Number 3 / March, 2000
- Chronology at the EIHC
- By Royal Institute of International Affairs. Information Dept. Published 1945
- Diplomats Without a Country By James T. McHugh, James S. Pacy; p. 183 ISBN 0313318786
- Rahvatasujad ("People's Avengers". In Estonian. 1963–1965)
See also
- Anti-fascism
- Category:Military history of Estonia during World War II
- Occupation of Estonia by Nazi Germany
- Resistance during World War II