Battle of Tannenberg Line - Excellent documentary available

Crossroads · (This post was last modified: 03-09-2011, 12:59 AM by Crossroads.)

While looking for some background information to a scenario I am about to start, I found this excellent document from YouTube.

Sinimäed, The Blue Hills, were the center of some fierce action as the Red Army moved towards West in the Baltics.

Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Tannenberg_Line

The document does an excellent job, capturing histories and moments for men, and a country, who were caught in the middle of an epic fight between two totalitarian regimes.

Interviews of Estonian veterans, from both sides, a German and Russian veteran, the document should provide for some very interesting viewing for anyone interested in one of the less documented, fierce battles of Eastern Front.

The location can be found using the search "Sinimae, Estonia" in Google Earth. It looks very tranquil at the moment.

The history buff that I am, I am often trying to find books to go with a scenario I play. I don't have that many scenarios going on, I have found this a nice way to enjoy history and to get an understanding of the both sides.

For Tannenberg line, I am considering buying this book:

Battle in the Baltics 1944-45

However, the reviews are not that good. Is anyone aware of a better book to document the histories of the three Baltic countries during the latter part of war?

For a better understanding of Estonia, I already ordered the book written b their previous prime minister:

War in the Woods, Estonia's Struggle for Survival

When the Nazis finally retreated, many Estonians turned their weapons on German supply columns, to arm themselves. The resulting guerilla organisation, "the Brotherhood of the Forests", consisting of Estonians having fought both on Red Army and on SS, fought relentlessly for Estonian independence, fighting until the 1950s. The last Forest Brother was killed, or killed himself, when found by KGB - in 1978... Many of them were betrayed by actions of the rogue British spy, Kim Philby.

Finally, the document - available, with English subtitles , at:

Sinimäed Document

It is 1944. The Red Army that moves nearly a thousand kilometres towards the west elsewhere in Europe cannot conquer three heights of land near the eastern border of Estonia - the Blue Hills. Concentrating on the destiny of Paul Maitla, a hero of these defence battles, the film tells a story of the young men who had to make their choice at this complicated time in between two totalitarian powers..

Personal histories, contemporary footage, current on location filming, interviews of surviving Estonians on both sides, Germans, Russians, discussing personal life and battle tactics... - highly recommended!

EDIT: Footage from at least these two WW2 German newsreels were included in the document (warning graphic images included)
The Battle of Narwa
Combats in Narwa

Comments, thoughts?

jonnymacbrown · 08-16-2011, 07:42 AM,

Here's the little I know of it: Estonian is an Uralic language related to Finnish. They are not Germanic but the Nazi did not schedule them in for racial extinction like Poles and Slavs and of course Jews & Gypsies. For this reason the Nazi occupation was a step up from the Soviet although the atrocities ceased after Stalin (I think, guessing some Estonian will set me straight).
jonny

Crossroads · (This post was last modified: 08-20-2011, 05:11 PM by Crossroads.)

The Baltic countries, like Poland, have a history of being walked over by marauding armies. Nevertheless, the people kept their own language of Fenno-Ugric family - mainly Estonian, Finnish, Hungarian, and a number of close to extinguished smaller languages in various areas what is now Russia.

Part of Russian Empire after Sweden convincingly lost her status as an empire after Great Northern War, Estonia declared her independence after Bolshevik revolution in 1918, fough Red Army, and made peace with bolshevik Russia ie Soviet Union in 1920.

Given to Russia in the infamous Molotov-Ribbentrop treaty, Germany withdrew Estonians german speaking population, before Stalin first demanded military bases, then forced a fixed election with bolshevik candidates only, and with a vote of 99% annexed Estonia into Soviet Union.

A typical terror started: intelligentsia (educated people), kulaks (anyone owning land), were shot or sent to prison camps, anyone suspectible of not being a proper homo sovieticus transported to Siberia labour camps.

Soon after, Red Army started to force Estonian men into Red Army, and the underground Estonian organization was loosely starting to take shape as men hid from Russians.

When Barbarossa begun, some action were taken to assist Germans in routing the Red Army from Estonia. Dreams for an independent Estonia very soon died, holocaust first really raised its ugly head in the Baltics as practically all Baltic jews were murdered.

Germans soon started to enlist Estonians to German army, but again the Estonian underground and people refused to participate. Only in 1944, when it was obvious Red Army is at the gates of Estonia again, volunteers started to join German army, especially as this time they got to serve in Estonia.

The plan was to organise a free Estonia once the Germans were gone and before Red Army would be in, with the assumed support of Western powers. This never got to take place, US and UK were of course not interested in this small region to make talks with Stalin due to fighting and destroying Nazies.

After Soviet terror came Nazi terror, again replaced by Soviet terror, both regimes ruthlessly killing their assumed enemies. The Forest Brothers organization fought the Soviet occupation until well into 1950s, waiting for the presumably unevitable WW III against Soviet Union that (luckily for the rest of world!) never came.

I recommend watching the document, it is very matter-of-fact, non-biased with interviews from both sides.

And a disclaimer to Estonian history lesson, I'm a Finn, not an Estonian. I expect to be corrected by an Estonian as well :)

EDIT: I just realised it is exactly 20 years ago today that Estonia broke her Soviet shackles again, in August 20 1991.

Happy birthday independent Estonia!!!

Party