Omakaitse

Omakaitse
Omakaitse in Pärnu, 8 July 1941
Active1917–1918;
3 July 1941 – 17 September 1944
DisbandedSeptember 1944
CountryEstonia
Allegiance Estonia (1917–1918)
 Nazi Germany (1941–1944)
BranchMilitia
Roledefence from Soviet Armed Forces
Size40,000
EngagementsRussian revolution,
World War II: Summer War, Tartu Offensive, Tallinn Offensive
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Friedrich Kurg, Johannes Soodla, Jaan Maide, Arnold Sinka
Insignia
Identification
symbol
White armband

The Omakaitse ('home guard')[1] 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.[2] After the German Occupation the Omakaitse became outlawed.

The Estonian Defence League was dissolved in 1940 after the Soviet occupation of Estonia.[3][4]

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.[5] 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).[6]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference kuusik1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Frucht, Richard (2005). Eastern Europe: an introduction to the people, lands, and culture. Bloomsbury Academic. p. 74. ISBN 9781576078006.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference kaasik was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "History of the Defence League". Estonian Defence League. Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
  5. ^ In some areas of southern Estonia, pro independence administrations were already in place by the time German troops arrived. Jüri Uluots set up a co-ordinating council in Tartu, yet stopped short of declaring a provisional governmentSmith 2001, pp. 34, 35
  6. ^ Resistance Archived 2010-05-23 at the Wayback Machine Occupation Museum of Estonia