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] is a small town in ] in the cemetery of which a monument depicting an Estonian soldier in a ] ] uniform, resembling ]-uniform, was unveiled on ], ], with a dedication as follows: ''To Estonian men who fought in 1940-1945 against Bolshevism and for the restoration of Estonian independence''. '''Monument of Lihula''', located in the cemetery of the small ]n town of ], was a monument depicting an Estonian soldier in a ] uniform, resembling ] ]-uniform. It was unveiled on ], ], with a dedication as follows: ''To Estonian men who fought in 1940-1945 against Bolshevism and for the restoration of Estonian independence''.
] ]


==Controversy== ==Controversy==
⚫ As the dedication included those who fought in the ] and ] against ], it received international condemnation, especially from ] organizations, most notably the ]<ref></ref>. Most supporters of the monument, however, have clearly distanced themselves from the ] ideology, and view Estonians' serving in German army a as having been a necessary evil instead.


The Nuremberg Trials, in declaring the Waffen SS a criminal organisation, explicitly excluded conscripts in the following terms:
:Tribunal declares to be criminal within the meaning of the Charter the group composed of those persons who had been officially accepted as members of the SS as enumerated in the preceding paragraph who became or remained members of the organisation with knowledge that it was being used for the commission of acts declared criminal by Article 6 of the Charter or who were personally implicated as members of the organisation in the commission of such crimes, ''excluding, however, those who were drafted into membership by the State in such a way as to give them no choice in the matter, and who had committed no such crimes.''

In ], ], a message from the U.S. High Commission in Germany (HICOG), signed by ] to the Secretary of State, clarified the US position on the "Baltic Legions": they were not to be seen as "movements", "volunteer", or "SS". In short, they were not given the training, indoctrination, and induction normally given to SS members. Subsequently the US Displaced Persons Commission in September 1950 declared that:
:''The Baltic Waffen SS Units (Baltic Legions) are to be considered as separate and distinct in purpose, ideology, activities, and qualifications for membership from the German SS, and therefore the Commission holds them not to be a movement hostile to the Government of the United States.''

In 2002, the Estonian government forced the removal of a monument to the same division erected near the Estonian city of ]. The inscription ''To Estonian men who fought in 1940-1945 against Bolshevism and for the restoration of Estonian independence'' was the cause of the controversy, as it allegedly promoted ].

In 2004, the monument was reopened in Lihula but shortly after removed again because of the Estonian government opposed the opening. The munument in Lihula, unlike the one in Pärnu, did not have SS references on the soldier's uniform.

On ], ], the monument was finally opened in grounds of the private museum located in Lagedi near the Estonian capital Tallinn.

The ] had provided the Estonian government with information on alleged Estonian war criminals, all former members of the 20.Waffen-Grenadier Division der SS. After investigation, the Estonian government concluded that the claims were false and rejected the center's demands to try the veterans.

On May 22, 2004, the '']'' ran a story about the plans of some Estonian individuals to build a monument to the 20.Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS. International outrage followed, due to the criminal status of the non-conscript Waffen-SS, after the ]. Russia's chief ], ] condemned the action, stating it would breed anti-Semitism {{Fact|date=June 2007}}.

The matter of the Estonian SS is still hotly debated.


⚫ The monument had been erected once already in ] in 2002. This time, however, the SS references on the soldier's uniform were removed<ref></ref>. As the dedication included those who fought in the ] and ] against ], it received international condemnation, especially from ] organizations, most notably the ]<ref></ref>. Most supporters of the monument, however, have clearly distanced themselves from the ] ideology, and view Estonians' serving in German army a as having been a necessary evil instead. Mayor of Lihula, however, published book in 2004 in which he ]<ref></ref>, which adds an extra level of controversy.
{{seealso|20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian)}} {{seealso|20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian)}}


<!--Adding to controvercy was the fact that a mayor of Lihula published book in 2004 in which he ].<ref></ref> There is nothing in the sourse about holocaust denial on the part of the mayor. Only that he is a somewhat excentric person.-->
⚫ == Removal of the monument ==


⚫ == Removal of the monument ==
In 2004, some international organizations expressed protests against this monument and demanded that it be taken down. The ], possibly due to pressure from the ] and the ]{{Fact|date=February 2007}}, ordered the monument to be removed. In 2004, shortly after it was opened, the monument was removed because of the Estonian government opposed the opening. Some international organizations expressed protests against this monument and demanded that it be taken down. The ], possibly due to pressure from the ] and the ]{{Fact|date=February 2007}}, ordered the monument to be removed.


The ] which was to have removed the monument from Lihula could not enter the cemetery because of a crowd of protesting people. The Riot Police were called in, but as they arrived, local people started to throw stones at them and the driver of the crane. After a fight between the crowd and the police, the people were driven back, and some police were transported to a hospital because of superficial wounds.<ref></ref> The ] which was to have removed the monument from Lihula could not enter the cemetery because of a crowd of protesting people. The Riot Police were called in, but as they arrived, local people started to throw stones at them and the driver of the crane. After a fight between the crowd and the police, the people were driven back, and some police were transported to a hospital because of superficial wounds.<ref></ref>

Revision as of 14:09, 12 June 2007


Monument of Lihula, located in the cemetery of the small Estonian town of Lihula, was a monument depicting an Estonian soldier in a World War II uniform, resembling German Heer-uniform. It was unveiled on August 20, 2004, with a dedication as follows: To Estonian men who fought in 1940-1945 against Bolshevism and for the restoration of Estonian independence.

File:Lihula monument.jpg
Lihula monument

Controversy

As the dedication included those who fought in the Wehrmacht and Waffen SS against Bolshevism, it received international condemnation, especially from Jewish organizations, most notably the Simon Wiesenthal Center. Most supporters of the monument, however, have clearly distanced themselves from the Nazi ideology, and view Estonians' serving in German army a as having been a necessary evil instead.

The Nuremberg Trials, in declaring the Waffen SS a criminal organisation, explicitly excluded conscripts in the following terms:

Tribunal declares to be criminal within the meaning of the Charter the group composed of those persons who had been officially accepted as members of the SS as enumerated in the preceding paragraph who became or remained members of the organisation with knowledge that it was being used for the commission of acts declared criminal by Article 6 of the Charter or who were personally implicated as members of the organisation in the commission of such crimes, excluding, however, those who were drafted into membership by the State in such a way as to give them no choice in the matter, and who had committed no such crimes.

In April 13, 1950, a message from the U.S. High Commission in Germany (HICOG), signed by John McCloy to the Secretary of State, clarified the US position on the "Baltic Legions": they were not to be seen as "movements", "volunteer", or "SS". In short, they were not given the training, indoctrination, and induction normally given to SS members. Subsequently the US Displaced Persons Commission in September 1950 declared that:

The Baltic Waffen SS Units (Baltic Legions) are to be considered as separate and distinct in purpose, ideology, activities, and qualifications for membership from the German SS, and therefore the Commission holds them not to be a movement hostile to the Government of the United States.

In 2002, the Estonian government forced the removal of a monument to the same division erected near the Estonian city of Pärnu. The inscription To Estonian men who fought in 1940-1945 against Bolshevism and for the restoration of Estonian independence was the cause of the controversy, as it allegedly promoted anti-Semitism.

In 2004, the monument was reopened in Lihula but shortly after removed again because of the Estonian government opposed the opening. The munument in Lihula, unlike the one in Pärnu, did not have SS references on the soldier's uniform.

On October 15, 2005, the monument was finally opened in grounds of the private museum located in Lagedi near the Estonian capital Tallinn.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center had provided the Estonian government with information on alleged Estonian war criminals, all former members of the 20.Waffen-Grenadier Division der SS. After investigation, the Estonian government concluded that the claims were false and rejected the center's demands to try the veterans.

On May 22, 2004, the Jerusalem Post ran a story about the plans of some Estonian individuals to build a monument to the 20.Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS. International outrage followed, due to the criminal status of the non-conscript Waffen-SS, after the Nuremberg Trials. Russia's chief Rabbi, Berl Lazar condemned the action, stating it would breed anti-Semitism .

The matter of the Estonian SS is still hotly debated.

See also: 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian)


Removal of the monument

In 2004, shortly after it was opened, the monument was removed because of the Estonian government opposed the opening. Some international organizations expressed protests against this monument and demanded that it be taken down. The Estonian Government, possibly due to pressure from the EU and the USA, ordered the monument to be removed.

The crane which was to have removed the monument from Lihula could not enter the cemetery because of a crowd of protesting people. The Riot Police were called in, but as they arrived, local people started to throw stones at them and the driver of the crane. After a fight between the crowd and the police, the people were driven back, and some police were transported to a hospital because of superficial wounds.

After the removal of the monument it was subsequently placed in the Museum of Fight for Estonia's Freedom in Lagedi near Tallinn.

External links

References

  1. Monument unveiled despite criticism
  2. Riot police help remove controversial WW2 monument
  3. Estonia Restores Monument to SS Legionnaires, Russia Angered
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