Estonian Jews in Red Army's file / תיק – יהודים אסטוניים בצבא האדום

The attached documents deal withThe complex history of Estonian Jewry, focusing on the period World War II and the years that followed. Sources include Historical studies On the participation of Jews in the fight against the Nazis, alongside Personal correspondence which criticizes the portrayal of the Estonian people as collaborators and the description of suffering under the Soviet occupation. Detailed lists document both War criminals In the Baltic region and Jewish warriors who served in the Estonian army and in the ranks of the Red Army. In addition, it is presented Interview with the head of the Jewish community After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, he discusses the processes of cultural revival and immigration to Israel. Together, the materials present a multifaceted picture of Identity, Heroism, and Trauma Among the Jewish minority in Estonia throughout the twentieth century.

The history of Estonian Jewry in the 20th century is characterized by extreme political upheavals, from a period of unique cultural autonomy, through the horrors of the Holocaust and Soviet occupation, to the revival of the community after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Key figures

Victims, soldiers and survivors:

• Avraham and Reuven Ami: Jewish brothers who served in the Red Army and fell in the battles for the liberation of Estonia in 1941 (H73-2f).
• Agu Kriisa: An Estonian born in Tartu whose family was targeted for deportation by the Soviets in June 1941. In his letter, he criticizes historical studies of anti-Semitism in Estonia and emphasizes Estonian suffering under "Russian terror" (H73-1f).
• Gennady Gramberg: Chairman of the Jewish Community Council in Estonia after regaining independence (1991), who worked to restore Jewish life in the country (H73-5f).
• Leo Abramovich and Shmuel Blinson: Veterans of the Estonian War of Independence (1918–1920), representing the integration of Jews into the building of the Estonian state (H73-4f).
• Victor Feigin and Aaron Taub: Jews who served in the Soviet secret police (GPU). Sources mention that they were known for their cruelty during torture and executions during the Soviet occupation, which aroused anti-Jewish sentiments among the local population (H73-1f, H73-2f).

Nazis and war criminals:

• Friedrich Jeckeln: SS general and police commander in the Baltic states, who declared the Nazis' intention to reduce the local population to only 30% (H73-1f).
• Altmeyer: A senior SS officer accused of murder (H73-3f).
• Hans Brunner: An SS officer (Hauptscharfuehrer) accused of murder (H73-3f).
• Mrs. Zibolts: Supervisor in the Gestapo women's department (H73-3f).
• Viktors Bucenieks: Registrar of the SD in Riga (H73-3f).

Expansion of important sources

The sources provide a multidimensional view of the Jewish fate in Estonia:

• Dov Levin's research on Estonian Jews in the Soviet Union (H73-2f): This is a thorough historical source that analyzes the Sovietization of Estonian Jewry in 1940, the deportations to Siberia in June 1941 (which included about 500 Jews), and the fighting of Jews in the Estonian divisions of the Red Army. The source emphasizes that, in contrast to other Baltic states, the proportion of Estonian Jews who managed to escape deep into the Soviet Union before the Nazi occupation was relatively high (H73-2f).

• Baltic War Criminals Poster (H73-3f): An important legal-historical document detailing lists of SS officers, Gestapo men, and local collaborators wanted by Jewish and international organizations for murder and crimes against humanity. The source includes names, ranks, and specific suspicions, and calls on witnesses to provide information for their prosecution (H73-3f).

• List of veterans of the War of Independence (H73-4f): This document is evidence of the role of Jews in the establishment of the First Estonian Republic. The detailed list presents dozens of names of Jews who served in various units, which strengthens the claim of their loyalty to the Estonian state before the outbreak of World War II (H73-4f, H73-5f).

• Interview with Gennady Gramberg (H73-5f): This source sheds light on the period after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Gramberg describes the challenges of rebuilding a community, the struggle against modern anti-Semitism in the Estonian press, and the complexity of the Estonian attempt to rehabilitate the names of nationalists who fought alongside the Germans against the Soviets (H73-5f) Interview with Gennady Gramberg Focuses primarily onEstonia's transition period to renewed independence (late 1980s and early 1990s), with reference to current events that occurred near the time of the interview in December 1992

The main topics discussed in the interview with Gennady Gramberg they:

• • Late 80s and early 90s: Gramberg reviews the Jewish revival in Estonia starting with the establishment of the "Jewish Cultural Association" inMarch 1988, until the unification of Jewish organizations and the re-establishment of the community in12 April 1992.
  • The years 1991–1992: The interview deals extensively with the political and social reality after independence, including The change of governments in 1992 (The National Front government until February 1992 and the right-wing government that came after that) Also discussed are anti-Semitic events that occurred inWinter 1991 AndSummer 1992, such as the desecration of cemeteries in Tartu
  • The Citizenship Issue (1940 onwards): The interview discusses citizenship laws based on the situation that existed until the Soviet occupation of6.1940, and their implications for the Jews living in Estonia at the time of the interview.
  • World War II period: A significant portion of the interview is devoted to attempts Purification (rehabilitation) of Nazi criminals Estonians who served during the war, and the public debate that arose following a conference of veterans of Estonian units that fought alongside the Germans (such as the 20th Waffen-SS Division)
  • Future forecast: Gramberg provides estimates of the size of the Jewish community in Estonia in the range of 5 Up to 10 years ahead From the date of the interview.

List of sources

• H73-1f : Exchange of letters and criticism of historical studies regarding anti-Semitism and relations between Estonians and Jews.
• H73-2f : Dov Levin's article on the fate of Estonian Jews under Soviet rule and their participation in the war against the Nazis.
• H73-3f : Poster and detailed lists of Nazi war criminals and collaborators in the Baltic states.
• H73-4f : A Semitic list of Jews who participated in the Estonian War of Independence.
• H73-5f : Interview with Gennady Gramberg on the revival of the Jewish community in Estonia in the 1990s.

H73-1f

H73-2f

H73-3f

H73-4f

H73-5f

 

** end of Estonian Jews in Red Army files **

**Press to go back to holocaust Table**