Estonia
After the Nazi occupation of Estonia, a puppet regime headed by Hjalmar Mäe. The direct control of the Estonia (Generalbezirk Estland) as part of Ostland was done by SS Obergruppenführer Karl-Siegmund Litzmann. Both were directly responsible for organizing the persecution of Jews and other civilians.
Overall, 21 Concentration and Transit Camps were created in occupied Estonia in order to destroy foreign Jews and using the forced labour of prisoners in order to support the industrial potential of Nazi Germany at war.
Overall number of victims:
Estonia – around 1 000 people
Approximately 10 000 people died in the Vaivara labour camps, mostly foreign Jews.
Memorial:
There is a memorial obelisk dedicated to the victims of the massacres where the former Klooga Concentration Camp was. There are memorial signs in most of the places that were part of the "Vaivara system."
Overall, 21 Concentration and Transit Camps were created in occupied Estonia in order to destroy foreign Jews and using the forced labour of prisoners in order to support the industrial potential of Nazi Germany at war.
Overall number of victims:
Estonia – around 1 000 people
Approximately 10 000 people died in the Vaivara labour camps, mostly foreign Jews.
Memorial:
There is a memorial obelisk dedicated to the victims of the massacres where the former Klooga Concentration Camp was. There are memorial signs in most of the places that were part of the "Vaivara system."
The Klooga memorial
Memorial plate, telling of the murder of 2 000 prisoners on 19 September 1944.
Memorial stone at the Kalevi-Liiva massacre site
Element of the Klooga Concentration Camp memorial.
Bronze Soldier in Tallinn.
Chronology (press to read)
Central Prison, outside view
Military action on the Leningrad Front as part of the Liberation of Estonia.
The villa where the Wansee Conference took place on 20 January 1942
A WW2 Nazi poster, hailing the Estonian Waffen-SS legion
Central Prison, cells, modern view.
Central Prison, interior courtyard
In the Nazi classification and later history, the Estonian transit concentration camps are called the "Vaivara Camp System." They were clustered mainly in the North and North-East parts of occupied Estonia. The overall amount of prisoners in these camps at once was 10 000 people. Here is a list of these camps:
Ida-Viru County was where the majority of the Vaivara system camps were situated.
1. Vaivara - 190 km from Tallinn by the railway station and by a factory of mineral oils in the Vaivara region which is currently part of Ida-Viru County. It was active from August 1943 until February 1944.
2. Narva-Ost. By the Narva linen factory.
3. Gungerburg. In the resort town of Narva-Jõesuu in the Ida-Viru County (North-West Estonia)
2. Narva-Ost. By the Narva linen factory.
3. Gungerburg. In the resort town of Narva-Jõesuu in the Ida-Viru County (North-West Estonia)
View of old Gungerburg
4. Ereda. A separate "labour team" was in Kohtla. It was in Alutaguse village region in Ida-Viru (North-East Estonia)
5. Auvere. In the village district of the same name around Narva-Jõesuu.
6. Aseri. This camp was next to the Aseri parish in Vira-Nigula, which is part of Lääne-Viru County. It was classified as a labour camp.
7. Viivikonna. In the village of the same name in the Ida-Viru County (North-East). It was 8 km away from the Vaivara railway station. The village was founded 1935-1936 by the shale mines. Prisoners were also sent to the mines.
8. Sonda. In a small town next to the railroad station of the same name in the Western part of Ida-Viru in Lüganuse Parish).
5. Auvere. In the village district of the same name around Narva-Jõesuu.
6. Aseri. This camp was next to the Aseri parish in Vira-Nigula, which is part of Lääne-Viru County. It was classified as a labour camp.
7. Viivikonna. In the village of the same name in the Ida-Viru County (North-East). It was 8 km away from the Vaivara railway station. The village was founded 1935-1936 by the shale mines. Prisoners were also sent to the mines.
8. Sonda. In a small town next to the railroad station of the same name in the Western part of Ida-Viru in Lüganuse Parish).
Sonda, modern view.
9. Jõhvi. In the city of Jõhvi in North-East Estonia, the capital of Ida-Viru. It is a big center for shale mining. The prisoners of this camp were forced to gather and refine shale in harsh conditions.
10. Kunda. A city on the river of Kunda in Lääne-Viru County (North Estonia).
11. Kiviõli. Also in Ida-Viru in a town of the same name. It was also founded in 1922 as an industrial center, which is why they used forced labour in it.
12. Klooga. One of the most infamous concentration camps in Estonia. It was on the Harju County next to the Klooga village (38 km West of Tallinn). The Jews who survived in the Vilnius and Kaunas ghettos were sent there.
10. Kunda. A city on the river of Kunda in Lääne-Viru County (North Estonia).
11. Kiviõli. Also in Ida-Viru in a town of the same name. It was also founded in 1922 as an industrial center, which is why they used forced labour in it.
12. Klooga. One of the most infamous concentration camps in Estonia. It was on the Harju County next to the Klooga village (38 km West of Tallinn). The Jews who survived in the Vilnius and Kaunas ghettos were sent there.
Entrance to the Klooga concentration camp
19 September 1944 – When the Red Army was approaching Klooga, the Nazi leaders of the camps and Estonian National SS squads executed 2 000 prisoners of the camp (according to the other sources, 1 634 and 150 Soviet POWs)
13. Ilinurme. In the Illuka district, part of the Ida-Viru County in North-East Estonia.
14. Lagedi. It was next to a small borough in Rae Parish, Harju County. It was considered a "transport" camp.
15. Soska. Next to the small village of the same name on the bank of Lake Agusalu, Ida-Viru County.
16. Putki. Also near the Narva-Jõesuu settlement in Ida-Viru, next to Mustanina village (North-East Estonia).
17. Kuremäe. Near the Kuremäe village in North-East Estonia, in Illuka district, next to Ilinurme.
18. Kukruse. Near the village of the same name, in the Toila Parish, part of Ida-Viru (on the road from Tallinn to Narva). It was between the cities of Kohtla-Järve and Jõhvi
19. Saka. Near the village of the same name in Toila Parish (Ida-Viru County)
20. Petseri. Part of the Pechory city, which was part of the Estonian Republic as part of the Tartu Peace Treaty under the name of Petseri.
21. Kūdupe. Was in Northern Latvia, currently in the Pededze region, however it was part of the Estonian camp system during WW2.
13. Ilinurme. In the Illuka district, part of the Ida-Viru County in North-East Estonia.
14. Lagedi. It was next to a small borough in Rae Parish, Harju County. It was considered a "transport" camp.
15. Soska. Next to the small village of the same name on the bank of Lake Agusalu, Ida-Viru County.
16. Putki. Also near the Narva-Jõesuu settlement in Ida-Viru, next to Mustanina village (North-East Estonia).
17. Kuremäe. Near the Kuremäe village in North-East Estonia, in Illuka district, next to Ilinurme.
18. Kukruse. Near the village of the same name, in the Toila Parish, part of Ida-Viru (on the road from Tallinn to Narva). It was between the cities of Kohtla-Järve and Jõhvi
19. Saka. Near the village of the same name in Toila Parish (Ida-Viru County)
20. Petseri. Part of the Pechory city, which was part of the Estonian Republic as part of the Tartu Peace Treaty under the name of Petseri.
21. Kūdupe. Was in Northern Latvia, currently in the Pededze region, however it was part of the Estonian camp system during WW2.
Gallery of Executioners:
Aleksander Laak, commander of the Jägala concentration camp (photo from October 1940)
Hans Aumeier, commander of the Vaivara camp.
Hjalmar Mäe, head of the Estonian puppet regime giving a speech.
Johannes Soodla, head of the Eesti Omakaitse and Estland’s political police.
Karl-Siegmund Litzmann, leader of the Generalbezirk Estland
Martin Sandberger, organizer of Jewish massacres in Estonia
Members of the Estonian Nazi police Omakaitse
