BATTAGLION “ERNA” – WHAT IT WAS REALLY
Published on
Seeing that the Estonian Government and some Governmetn’s ufficial sites offer the false and deceptive information about “Erna” battaglion with the aim to cheat the public European opinion, I give here some trouth information.
The site of the “Erna” organization and the site of the Estonian Ambassy in Great Britaing are the example of deception and dishonesty with the aime to glorify the Nazis’ crimes.
I use only the Estonian local information to avoid the accusation to be a “Putin’s agent” and other hysterical expressions. So, nothing Russian information.
So, “Erna” was a battaglion under the jurusdiction of the German 18-th Army which served the Abwehr and was composed of the Estonians drilled in Finland.
The Estonian scientist Rein Ruutsoo has openly accused the Estonian Government in falsification of the history, in deception, in rewriting of the history and in glorification of the Nazis’ crimes. The Rein Ruutsoo’s article “Erna – whose interests are served?” (Kelle huve teenib Erna?) in Estonian can be read at the next link
http://www.delfi.ee/news/paevauudised/arvamus/article.php?id=19477594 . The Russian amateur’s translation: http://fyysik.livejournal.com/1063573.html .
Ian Kaplinskij has written in his article published in the Estonian news-paper “Sirp”: “We begin to be tied of the creation of the heroes and of the interpretation of the political mistakes and losses as a heroical resistance, whether we talk either about the Sinimàe battle (the Estonian Waffen SS under the Hitler’s guide against the USSR Army) or the “Forest brothers”. I would added here the “Erna” raid.”
Rein Ruutsoo says that the version of deviated history of the Ministery of the Defence of Estonia is scarce and childish (“Olen varemgi osutanud, et kaitseministri Erna õigustamiseks esitatav versioon on lapsik ja vigane”). Ruutsoo contests to Ministery the differences in the offered texts in the different linguistic versions, so the Estonian version is different from the English one.
Ruutsoo accentuates the absence of the dates and the precise references in the texsts, a lot of important events are not mentioned (compare the “Erna” site text with my post “Estonia in the dates”). So, there are no one word about official directing of “Erna” – the Abwehr of Canaris, about its head – Cellarius and his personal giude and reccomandations to the “Erna” soldiers.
The tasks of “Erna” were: to inform Abwehr about the Soviet Army movements and placement. The aim of the “North” group (whom “Erna” gave the informations to) was the destruction of Sankt Peterburg (Leningrad) – so the “Erna” have a respobsibility of the death of the hudrends of thousends of Leningrad inhabitants.
Major Aksel Kristian was a member of Nazi’s Administration in Estonia – that means he was an another State officer. The “Erna”’s member had a contract of work with a Third Reih.
The participant of the raid an Estonian Henn-Ants Kurg were given an Nazi sign of honour, the members of “Erna” were given a right to study without paying in the Univercity of Germany. Henn-Ants Kurg continued his service in the Nazi’s Army: in 1941-43 he was in the Abwehr, later in he Waffen SS. Many of the “Erna” members did the same.
Before the raid to Estonia, in Finland, the Nazi’s Administration and Authority for Estonia were formed, it was clear that it wasn’t a mention about the independence of Estonia and all serious persons understood it well. Ruutsoo suppose that there was some manipulated and deceived Estonians who beleived to fight for independence of Estonia.
The Abwehr’s agents had exterminated a lot of Estonian families.
Ruutosoo gives attention at fact that the Estonian version of the Maks Jakobson’s summary of the Estonian history in 1940-1945 is different form the English version – what is the explicit manipulation of the history.
The “Erna” organization receives the money from the Estonian Ministry of Defence while the poor children suffer the hunger in Estonia and there are many grave social problems.
Ruutsoo understand that the heroisation of the crimes of “Erna” battaglion and the deception of the historical facts makes worse the image of Estonia. provoce the hatred against the Estonians and increase the conflict and problems with Russia.
“How long time the “Erna” myth will darken the Estonian politics and, as seems, the economy? The “Nashi” (“Nashi” is one Russian, antifascist, extremist, youth organization) have got a new reason to reunite and condemn the Estonian extremists dreaming about the conquest of Sankt Peterburg. Surelly, who wants to become angry will find a motive – but why we do ¾ of their work?” – asks Ruutsoo.
On the site of “Erna” it’s possible to read that the partecipant have expressed their compassion for the civil Estonians killed by Soviet Army – without metion that the civil victims were killed after the attack of the “Erna” to the Soviet Army and without mention that these victims would not exist if the “Erna” didn’t come to Estonia and didn’t attack the Soviet Army. Nobody have expressed the compassion to the civil victims killed by “Erna” members.
It’s possible to see the proposals to play into deportation or camp of extermination on some comments in Internet.
Efraim Zuroff – the head of the Center of Vizental has expressed his indignation and bitterness of sich a situation and a game of the Estonian Government with the human tragedy.
Friso Roskam-Abbing – a representative of the European Commission – have refused to give his comments about this game because for him this problem has not the all-European signification.
Rene Van Der Linder – the president of the Parliament Assembly of the Council of Europe – has announced that the situation of glorifiaction of Nazis in Estonia is inadmissible and he thinks that such a situation will be desputed on a PACE session.