The Armed Anti-Soviet Resistance in Estonia after 1944

Olaf Mertelsmann

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Chapter 3 The Armed Anti-Soviet Resistance in Estonia after 1944

In: Violent Resistance

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Olaf Mertelsmann

Olaf Mertelsmann
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Type:: Chapter

Pages:: 28–51

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.30965/9783657703043_004

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Summary

After a brief historical introduction the paper deals with the impact of the first year of Soviet rule 1940–1941, the armed resistance of summer 1941 and the German occupation of 1941–1944. The focus is, however, the post-war period. Sovietisation, economic exploitation and the politics of repression and outright terror led to armed resistance. Most of those who were labelled as ‘forest brethren’ simply went into hiding to avoid possible arrest or mobilisation into the Soviet army. Only a minority actively participated in armed resistance. The paper discusses the connection between the progressive reconciliation of the population with the Soviet regime and the decline of resistance as well as the way in which hopes of Western intervention or the breakdown of the Soviet order in Estonia proved to be unfounded. The paper analyses Soviet strategies in the eventually successful fight against the partisans. These ranged from amnesties and the legalisation of the forest brethren to the deportation of potential supporters and the use of informers and assassins. In any event, the forced collectivisation of 1949 made it much harder for peasants to support the forest brethren.

Summary in Estonian

Nõukogudevastane relvastatud vastupanu Eestis pärast 1944. aastat

Pärast ajaloolist sissejuhatust käsitletakse artiklis nõukogude võimu esimese aasta mõjusid 1940–1941, relvastatud vastupanu 1941. aasta suvel ja Saksa okupatsiooni aastatel 1941–1944. Tähelepanu keskpunktis on aga sõjajärgne aeg. Nõukogude sovetiseerimise, majandusliku kurnamise, rõhumise ja terrori poliitika kutsusid esile relvastatud vastupanu. Enamik inimesi, keda loeti metsavendadeks, olid aga lihtsalt põranda alla läinud, et pääseda võimalikust arreteerimisest või Punaarmeesse värbamisest. Ainult väike osa neist osales aktiivses, relvastatud vastupanus. Artiklis selgitatakse seoseid rahvastiku järkjärgulise nõukogude režiimiga kohanemise ja vastupanu hääbumise vahel. Lisaks osutusid lääne sekkumise või isegi nõukogude korra kokkuvarisemisega seotud lootused Eestis petlikeks. Peale selle uuritakse ka nõukogude strateegiat partisanidega võitlemisel, mis osutus viimaks ka edukaks. Edu tõid amnestiad, metsavendade legaliseerimine, aga ka võimalike toetajate küüditamised ning informantide ja hävitusagentide kasutamine. Pärast sundkollektiviseerimist aastal 1949 muutus metsavendade abistamine talupoegade poolt nagunii oluliselt raskemaks.

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Violent Resistance

From the Baltics to Central, Eastern and South Eastern Europe 1944–1956

E-Book ISBN:: 9783657703043

Publisher:: Brill | Schöningh

Print Publication Date:: 25 Jun 2020

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- History
  - Modern History

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Chapter 3 The Armed Anti-Soviet Resistance in Estonia after 1944

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Summary in Estonian

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Violent Resistance

From the Baltics to Central, Eastern and South Eastern Europe 1944–1956

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