Estonian Legion
Encyclopedia
The Estonian Legion was a military unit within the Combat Support Forces of the Waffen SS Verfügungstruppe during World War II
, mainly consisting of Estonian
soldiers.
Franz Augsberger
was nominated to be the commander of the legion and the later 3 Estonian SS Volunteer Brigade
. 500 volunteers had appeared and signed up for the Legion by October 13, 1942. In the Spring 1943 additional men were drafted from the police forces and the number rose to 1280. 90% of the volunteers had lost a relative in the Red Terror during 1940-1941.
(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 Izjum, 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 as they lost over 7,000 men killed and wounded, over 100 tanks were lost.
Battalion Narwa participated in the battle of the Korsun-Cherkassy Pocket
. Retreating through the escape route called The Hell's Gate, the battalion came under heavy Soviet fire with little cover. The battalion lost almost all of its equipment during the carnage while most of the troops escaped encirclement.
Another conscription call was announced in October 1943 for men born in 1925-1926. As the result in order to avoid the draft about 5,000 men escaped to Finland. Over half of these men volunteered for service in the Finnish Defence Forces
and formed the Finnish Infantry Regiment 200
. The conscripts were included with the Estonian SS Volunteer Brigade that was renamed the 3 Estonian SS Volunteer Brigade
on October 22, 1944.
gave his support to the draft. As the result about 38,000 men were conscripted, the units of Estonian Legion, the Finnish Infantry Regiment 200 were returned to Estonia and were reformed into the 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian).
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, mainly consisting of Estonian
Estonians
Estonians are a Finnic people closely related to the Finns and inhabiting, primarily, the country of Estonia. They speak a Finnic language known as Estonian...
soldiers.
Creation
The formation was announced on 28 August 1942 by the German occupying powers in Estonia and formally established on October 1. 1942. OberführerOberführer
Oberführer was an early paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party dating back to 1921. Translated as “Senior Leader”, an Oberführer was typically a Nazi Party member in charge of a group of paramilitary units in a particular geographical region...
Franz Augsberger
Franz Augsberger
Franz Xaver Josef Maria Augsberger was a Brigadeführer of the Waffen-SS.-Early life:Franz Augsberger was the son of a hotel owner in Vienna, then the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire...
was nominated to be the commander of the legion and the later 3 Estonian SS Volunteer Brigade
3 Estonian SS Volunteer Brigade
The 3rd Estonian SS Volunteer Brigade was a formation of the German Waffen SS during World War II. It was formed in May 1943, when the Estonian SS Legion , which was still undergoing formation in Dębica, , was upgraded...
. 500 volunteers had appeared and signed up for the Legion by October 13, 1942. In the Spring 1943 additional men were drafted from the police forces and the number rose to 1280. 90% of the volunteers had lost a relative in the Red Terror during 1940-1941.
Battalion Narwa
Battalion Narwa was formed from the first 800 men of the Legion who had finished their training at DębicaDebica
Dębica is a town in southeastern Poland with 46,693 inhabitants, as of 2 June 2009. It is the capital of Dębica County. Since 1999 it has been situated in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship; it had previously been in the Tarnów Voivodeship .-Area:...
(Heidelager in 1943), and were sent in April 1943 to join the Division Wiking in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. 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 Izjum, 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 as they lost over 7,000 men killed and wounded, over 100 tanks were lost.
Battalion Narwa participated in the battle of the Korsun-Cherkassy Pocket
Korsun-Cherkassy Pocket
The Korsun–Shevchenkovsky Offensive led to the Battle of the Korsun-Cherkassy Pocket which took place from 24 January to 16 February 1944. The offensive was part of the Dnieper–Carpathian Offensive...
. Retreating through the escape route called The Hell's Gate, the battalion came under heavy Soviet fire with little cover. The battalion lost almost all of its equipment during the carnage while most of the troops escaped encirclement.
3rd Estonian SS Volunteer Brigade
In order to recruit more men for the legion, the German Occupying powers turned to forced mobilization in March 1943 by calling up all Estonian men born between 1919-1924. As the result 5,300 men were conscripted into the Estonian Legion and 6,800 for the support service of the Wehrmacht. Out of the conscripts was formed the second Estonian Regiment and the Estonian SS Volunteer Brigade was established on May 5, 1943.Another conscription call was announced in October 1943 for men born in 1925-1926. As the result in order to avoid the draft about 5,000 men escaped to Finland. Over half of these men volunteered for service in the Finnish Defence Forces
Finnish Defence Forces
The Finnish Defence Forces are responsible for the defence of Finland. It is a cadre army of 15,000, of which 8,900 are professional soldiers , extended with conscripts and reservists such that the standard readiness strength is 34,700 people in uniform...
and formed the Finnish Infantry Regiment 200
Finnish Infantry Regiment 200
Infantry Regiment 200 or Soomepoisid was a unit in the Finnish army during World War II made up mostly of Estonian volunteers, who preferred to fight against the Soviet Union in the ranks of the Finnish army instead of the armed forces of Germany....
. The conscripts were included with the Estonian SS Volunteer Brigade that was renamed the 3 Estonian SS Volunteer Brigade
3 Estonian SS Volunteer Brigade
The 3rd Estonian SS Volunteer Brigade was a formation of the German Waffen SS during World War II. It was formed in May 1943, when the Estonian SS Legion , which was still undergoing formation in Dębica, , was upgraded...
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 the hopes of restoring the independence of Estonia the last prime minister of Republic of Estonia Jüri UluotsJüri Uluots
Jüri Uluots was an Estonian prime minister, journalist, prominent attorney and distinguished Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Tartu....
gave his support to the draft. As the result about 38,000 men were conscripted, the units of Estonian Legion, the Finnish Infantry Regiment 200 were returned to Estonia and were reformed into the 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian).