OMAKAITSE
Omakaitse(Selbstschutz, Self-Defence)came to life more or less spontaneously in 1941 when the Estonian guerrilla forces established armed units with organization based on the pre-war kaitseliit disbanded by the soviet occupiers. At first Omakaitse was planned as a temporary organization but soon after the German occupation it was made permanent under the Estonian Omavalitsus (Self-Government) lead by Hjalmar Mäe. As such Omakaitse was not a part of the German armed forces or police.
Before the war Estonia was divided into 13 Kaitseliit districts, each of them forming local part-time units. Omakaitse used the same structure but an additional Railways Omakaitse was added so that there were 14 Omakaitse Commands. Omakaitse units were used for local duties such as guarding bridges, warehouses and other installations with military importance or hunting down Soviet agents dropped by parachute. Omakaitse units used the uniforms of either Estonian army or Kaitseliit, often with a brassard "Im Dienst der Deutschen Wehrmacht".
The situation in Estonia remained fairly stable until 1944 with Omakaitse performing their duties nominally under Estonian command, Still, even if the Estonian Self-Goverment was in fact a puppet government operating only subject to approval of the occupation forces, Omakaitse operated locally in the interest of the Estonian people. In 1943 Omakaitse numbered ca. 36 000 members under the command of Colonel Sinka, an active officer of the Estonian army.
In 1944 the situation changed. The Soviet army had advanced to the borders of Estonia and in February a mobilization was carried out with the support of all influential Estonian circles. Some of the mobilized men were used to create an Omakaitse Combat Regiment (Omakaitse lahingurügement) with four battalions of 500 men. The Regiment was initially named after the town of Narva, but soon it was renamed as Regiment Tallinn (rügement Tallinn) and the four battalions consolidated into three. The regiment was commanded by Major Rubach and the battalion commanders were Captains Purre, Jürgen and Möder. the battalions were sent to the Narva front and committed to battle piecemeal, each battalion separatley under the command of different German divisions. This regiment was disbanded in April 1944 and most of the men transferred to the Estonian SS-Division with some other units in order to expand the SS-Division into a three-regiment division with three battalions in each regiment.
In the autumn of 1944 with the Soviets mounting increasing pressure on Estonian borders Omakaitse formed three more Combat Regiments as follows:
Tartumaa Omakaitse lahingurügement (Tartu District Omakaitse Combat Regiment), commander Colonel Kivi. This regiment consisted of two battalions commended by majors Leisk and Kitsepea. The regiment was deployed in Lake Peipus coastal defence and saw action in Tartu area.
Sakalamaa Omakaitse lahingurügement, commander Captain Tiivel. This regiment had three battalions. The regiment was deployed in the area of Lake Võrts. Two of the battalions were commanded by Captain pork and Lieutenant Puupill.
Lääne-Harju lahingurügement consisted of two battalions : Läänemaa (Commander Captain Saidre)and Harjumaa battalions and it was deployed in the area of Lake Võrts. Läänemaa battalion saw combat in Kärevere west of Tartu in defence of a stragetically important bridge over the Emajõgi river.
In addition to the above units there were local companies and smaller units often thrown into combat with whatever larger unit happened to be in place. For all the Omakaitse units it was typical that thee were poorly equipped and often their training was not suited to combat with enemy armoured forces. Also, Omakaitse was a purely infantry force with no supporting arms such as artillery or engineers which made it impossible for even regimental-sized units to act independently.
In September, when the Germans had retreated from Tallinn and before the Soviets had managed to take the town, an Estonian Government was formed and Omakaitse units were used to protect the government and maintain order in the town. Some Omakaitse and other Estonian units saw some combat with the retreating Germans.
