Estonian Legion

The Estonian Legion (; ) was a military unit of the Combat Support Forces of the Waffen-SS during World War II, mainly consisting of Estonian soldiers.

Under the collective name "Estonian SS Legion", SS military units composed of Estonians operated from August 1942 to May 1943. However, the terms "Estonian Legion" or "Estonian SS Legion" were mainly used in the press to refer to these units—no military unit with such an official name ever actually existed.

Creation

The formation was announced on 28 August 1942 by the German occupying powers in Estonia and formally established on October 1, 1942 with quarters in the SS-Truppenübungsplatz Heidelager at Pustków near Dębica in the General Government. Oberführer Franz Augsberger was named commander of the legion and of the later 3rd Estonian SS Volunteer Brigade. By October 13, 1942, 500 volunteers had signed up for the Legion. In the spring of 1943 additional men were drafted from the police forces and the number rose to 1,280.

Units

Battalion Narva

Battalion Narva formed from the first 800 men who finished their training at Dębica (Heidelager in 1943), and were sent in April 1943 to join the Division Wiking in Ukraine. They replaced the Finnish Volunteer Battalion, recalled to Finland for political reasons.

The Battalion Narva was in the focus of the Red Army's attack near Izium in Ukraine. The unit entered the battle with 800 men, and only one third were left able to fight. The Red Army however, suffered heavier losses, over 7,000 men, and over 100 tanks.''Terasest tugevamad: pataljon Narva ajalugu''.

Battalion Narva participated in the battle of the Korsun-Cherkassy Pocket. Retreating through the escape route called ''Hell's Gate'', the battalion came under heavy Soviet fire with little cover. The battalion lost almost all of its equipment during the carnage although most of the troops escaped the encirclement.

3rd Estonian SS Volunteer Brigade

The German occupying powers forcibly mobilized all Estonian men born between 1919–1924 in March 1943. As a result 5,300 men were conscripted into the Estonian Legion and 6,800 into the support service of the Wehrmacht. Of the conscripts was formed the second Estonian regiment and the Estonian SS Volunteer Brigade was established on May 5, 1943.

Another draft round was announced in October 1943 for men born in 1925–1926. As a result about 5,000 men escaped to Finland to avoid the draft. Most of these men volunteered for service in the Finnish Defence Forces and formed the Finnish Infantry Regiment 200. The conscripts were included in the Estonian SS Volunteer Brigade, renamed the 3rd Estonian SS Volunteer Brigade on October 22, 1944.

20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS

By January 1944 the German military situation in the Eastern front had worsened so far that a general conscription call was announced in Estonia on February 1, 1944. In hopes of restoring the independence of Estonia, the last prime minister of Estonia, Jüri Uluots, supported the draft. As a result about 38,000 men were conscripted, the units of the Estonian Legion and Finnish Infantry Regiment 200 were returned to Estonia and reformed into the 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian).

See also

*Estonia in World War II
* Latvian Legion
* Legion of French Volunteers Against Bolshevism

References

External links

Website dedicated to Estonian Legion (in Estonian)

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Legions of the Waffen-SS
Military history of Estonia during World War II
Military units and formations established in 1942
Military units and formations disestablished in 1943
Generalbezirk Estland
Estonian Waffen-SS personnel