Estonia in World War II - Battles in 1944

Battles in 1944

Further information: Battle of Narva (1944) and Battle for Narva Bridgehead

In January 1944, the Soviet Leningrad Front (the Soviet army group in the region of Leningrad) forced Sponheimer Group back to the former Estonian border. On January 31, the Self-Administration (puppet government of Estonia) announced a general conscription-mobilisation. Jüri Uluots, the last constitutional prime minister of the republic of Estonia, the leader of the Estonian underground government delivered a radio address on February 7 that implored the able-bodied men born in 1904–1923 to report for military service. Before this, Uluots had opposed Estonian mobilisation as illegal under the Hague Conventions. Uluots hoped that by engaging in such a war Estonia would be able to attract Western support for the cause of independence from the USSR. The mobilisation drew wide support among Estonians and 38,000 men were drafted. After the mobilisation there were some 50,000–60,000 Estonians under arms in Estonia. The volunteer Estonian Legion created in 1942 was forced under the Waffen-SS in 1944 and expanded into the 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian) as other Estonian units that had fought on various fronts on the German side were rushed to Estonia. In addition, six border defence battalions were formed. In autumn 1944, it is estimated that there was the same number of Estonians under arms as at the time of the Estonian War of Independence, in total about 100,000 men. Volunteers from Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium were also deployed in Estonia within the Sponheimer Group.