Source of the material for the book

• My father compiled three huge volumes of material – Detailed description of course material, facilities, and life at the Estonian Technical Military Academy – Detailed memoirs from many of the cadets – Photo album of life at the academy and beyond (over 300 photos) • All the material is now in the Estonian War Museum in Viimsi, BkBook consitists of five significant memoirs. They are those of:

• Victor Orav • Hugo Kubja • Edgar Reiksaar • Johannes Jaagus • August Vohma Book’s introductory pages are by Mart Laar, EtEston i’ia’s Min is ter of DDfefense

• EtEston ian stttatesman and historian • Prime minister of Estonia 1992 – 1994; 1999 ‐ 2002 • Studied history at the • Has written many bkbooks on Estonian and Soviet history Direct from the end of Mart Laar’s introduction to the bkbook… He wrote: Some of the following stories are simpyply fantastic. If one did not know that it is impossible to dream up such wild tales one would think them being simply unbelievable... Most of these men fou ght in both Sov iet and German armed forces... Their aim was to keep the Red Army out of Estonia but it could not be achieved. What they did achieve was to instill a tradition of resistance which bore fruit 50 years later when Estonia again won its freedom from the occupying foreign power. They were true EEtston ian soldiers.

Mart Laar Sept 4, 2011 The 1st chapter describes life at the Estonian Military ThilTechnical AAdcademy and the SSioviet takeover in 1940

• The academy was Estonia’s equivalent to WtWest PitPoint • Four year program of college level courses • Graduates were commissioned 2nd lieutenants 1940 Graduating Class The life of the cadets was disrupted by the arrival of the Red Army To avoid bloodshed, the Estonian government handed the country over to the Soviet Union in 1940 • SitSoviet military presence exceeded 125,000 soldiers • Estonian military consisted of about 15,000 men • Soviet staged protest were intended to show the world the peoples will Lt. Victor Orav

• Estonian officer • Life in the Red Army • Deserted from Red Army • POW camp 6 months • In the German Army • HilHeavily wounddded • Escape to Germany • Soviet POW • Escape & flight to the west Lt. Victor Orav’s war path:

Each of the five officers covered a lot of ground. The tracks of each of their exploits are illustrated in the bkbook. Lt. Hugo Kubja

• Deserted from the Red Army • Shot his way out of a situation to avoid capture • Survived in the forest • Led a company in the battle at Tartu • Served on the Leningrad front • Escaped to the west Ensign Kubja (leaning against tree) during more carefree days as cadet Lt. Edgar Reiksaar

• Deserted from Red Army • Captured and decreed to be a German paratrooper by a Soviet court • Sentenced to death • Escaped • Re‐captured • Executed • Survived • Recovered and re‐entered military service Lt. Reiksaar left Estonia as part of the Red Army’s retreat. It ended up being a four day and night march without food. At that poitint he jjdumped itinto the bbhrush and stttdarted bkback to EtEston ia. He did not enjoy his freedom long. Lt. Johannes Jaagus

• Served in Red Army • Lived thru communist intrigues and “death angel” fears • Saw action in Russia • SidSurvived bbbiombing raids • Deserted • Long term German POW • Flight west Lt. Jaagus lived thru the political pressures of the communist party. The daily routine for all Red Army soldiers was to get educated in the communist doctrine and the words of their “great and wise leader” Joseph Stalin Major August Võhma

• A true professional soldier • Promoted from 2nd lieutenant to major in 4 short years • AtiAction in RdRed Army • Action in German Army • Action in the Estonian Legion • Ranking Estonian artillery officer in Germany at war’s end • Escape to the west • His story is also a love story Captain Võhma and his artillery was relocated to the front at Narva in 1944 as part of the Estonian Legion. He later had to withdraw to the “Sinimäed” and defend the area south of it. Major Võhma’ s love story.

• Met Regina during the war in EtEston ia • Arranged for her flight to Germany • Got married (with Himmler’s permission) • Lost touch at war’s end • Intensive search for her with amazing twists of fate • Hollywood ending Summary

• I felt I had an obligation and responsibility to my father and all Estonians to bring these stories to light • Translating and editing the material has given me a deeper understanding of my heritage Future Options I have started to pursue:

• Many of these stories read like a Hollywood script. Major August Vohma’s story would make a great motion picture. • I will approach ETV (Estonian public television) to see if these stories can be the follow‐up to the popular Estonian TV series “Tuulepealne maa”. The book is available on line:

Publisher: Lakeshore Press (an Estonian enterprise) Pages: 260 Price: $25 + shipping http://lakeshorepressbooks.com

Also available from Amazon.com Estonian hard cover 380 page version now in Estonia’s bookstores and available on line at: http://www.apollo.ee/product.php/3020907 Cost, including shipping to USA: $40