wwii axis reenactment forum

I just watched an interesting Estonian documentary on the defence of the Blue Hills in Estonia in the summer of 44. Foreign WSS volunteers stopped the Russian advance there with heavy casualties on both sides. One of the commanders was an Estonian (later) Sturmbannführer Paul Maitla, whose diaries have survived. What shocked me was the ending of the documentary, which showed a recently resurfaced photo of Maitla and his fellow soldiers being captured by Czech partisans on 10th May 45. They were given a last cigarette before being shot.

One of the great Battles of the Eastern Front took place around Narva and the Blue Hills in eastern Estonia in Feb-Sept 1944 known as the battle of the European SS due to all the Waffen SS Volunteer units who fough there including the Estonian SS.

Paul Maitla won the Knights Cross on the Blue Hills in July 1944 but was unfortunately executed by Czech partisans after being capture in May 1945.

regards

Paul