Blue Mountains (Estonia)
Encyclopedia
The Sinimäed Hills are three linked hills in northeastern Estonia
. The heights which are aligned west-east, consist of Tornimägi, Põrguaugu mägi (also known as Grenadierimägi) and Pargimägi (also known as Lastekodumägi). They lie in Vaivara
municipality near the coastal town of Sillamäe
in Ida-Viru County
.
The hills are best known as the location of the Battle of Tannenberg Line, fought in World War II
on July 26–August 12, 1944. There, the Waffen-SS
defeated a Soviet attack against Estonia.
The location of the hills on a 5 km wide strip between the Finnish Gulf
and the woods and bogs of Alutaguse is the origin of their strategic importance. Tallinn-Narva highway (E20
) passes the hills from the north and Tallinn-Tapa-Narva railway from the south.
The hills have at their core huge blocks of limestone
, but their geological origin is not clear. They are believed to be formed either by continental glacier (terminal moraine
) or by clay diapir
s, or by the combination of both factors.
.
During World War I
, Pargimägi with its defensive structures was part of Saint Petersburg
's preliminary defence line.
The Blue Mountains saw fighting in 1919 in Estonian War of Independence.
Extensive battles took place at the Sinimäed towards the end of World War II
. (see Battle of Tannenberg Line). After defending the Narva bridgehead against the Red Army
for six months, the German army detachment "Narwa" fell back to the Tannenberg Defensive Line on the hills. In two ferocious battles lasting for 25–31 July and 2–10 August, 1944 with a break of a single day, the vastly outnumbered German army group held out under the pressure of the Estonian Operation of the Soviet Leningrad Front
.
In German, the eastern hill was known as Kinderheimhöhe, the central hill was Grenadierhöhe and the westernmost known as Liebhöhe. There is a memorial site to commemorate the fallen on the hill of Põrgumägi.
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
. The heights which are aligned west-east, consist of Tornimägi, Põrguaugu mägi (also known as Grenadierimägi) and Pargimägi (also known as Lastekodumägi). They lie in Vaivara
Vaivara
Vaivara concentration camp was the largest of the 22 concentration and labor camps established in Estonia by the Nazi regime during World War II. It had 20,000 Jewish prisoners pass through its gates, mostly from the Vilna and Kovno Ghettos, but also from Latvia, Poland, Hungary and the...
municipality near the coastal town of Sillamäe
Sillamäe
Sillamäe is a town in Ida-Viru County in the northern part of Estonia, on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland. It has a population of 16,183 and covers an area of 10.54 km²...
in Ida-Viru County
Ida-Viru County
Ida-Viru County , or Ida-Virumaa, is one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is the most north-eastern part of the country. The county contains large deposits of oil shale - the main mineral mined in Estonia. As oil shale is used in thermal power plants, the earth in Ida-Viru literally holds the largest...
.
The hills are best known as the location of the Battle of Tannenberg Line, fought in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
on July 26–August 12, 1944. There, the Waffen-SS
Waffen-SS
The Waffen-SS was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside...
defeated a Soviet attack against Estonia.
Geography
The Sinimäed hills are gently sloping mounds rather than mountains. Nevertheless, the hills are a dominant landform in the area - the height of the surrounding limestone plateau is on average 30 m above sea level, while the hills are up to 50 m higher. Pargimägi and Põrguaugu mägi are the two higher hills - 85 and 83 m, respectively, while Tornimägi is somewhat lower, 70 m. The ridge is about 3 km long.The location of the hills on a 5 km wide strip between the Finnish Gulf
Gulf of Finland
The Gulf of Finland is the easternmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It extends between Finland and Estonia all the way to Saint Petersburg in Russia, where the river Neva drains into it. Other major cities around the gulf include Helsinki and Tallinn...
and the woods and bogs of Alutaguse is the origin of their strategic importance. Tallinn-Narva highway (E20
European route E20
The European route E 20 is part of the United Nations International E-road network.It runs roughly west-east through Ireland, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Sweden, Estonia and finally Russia. The length is . The road is not continuous, at three points, a sea crossing is required. ...
) passes the hills from the north and Tallinn-Tapa-Narva railway from the south.
The hills have at their core huge blocks of limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
, but their geological origin is not clear. They are believed to be formed either by continental glacier (terminal moraine
Terminal moraine
A terminal moraine, also called end moraine, is a moraine that forms at the end of the glacier called the snout.Terminal moraines mark the maximum advance of the glacier. An end moraine is at the present boundary of the glacier....
) or by clay diapir
Diapir
A diapir is a type of intrusion in which a more mobile and ductily-deformable material is forced into brittle overlying rocks. Depending on the tectonic environment, diapirs can range from idealized mushroom-shaped Rayleigh-Taylor instability-type structures in regions with low tectonic stress...
s, or by the combination of both factors.
Military history
The western hill, Tornimägi, had an outpost during the Great Northern WarGreat Northern War
The Great Northern War was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in northern Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swedish alliance were Peter I the Great of Russia, Frederick IV of...
.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Pargimägi with its defensive structures was part of Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
's preliminary defence line.
The Blue Mountains saw fighting in 1919 in Estonian War of Independence.
Extensive battles took place at the Sinimäed towards the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. (see Battle of Tannenberg Line). After defending the Narva bridgehead against the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
for six months, the German army detachment "Narwa" fell back to the Tannenberg Defensive Line on the hills. In two ferocious battles lasting for 25–31 July and 2–10 August, 1944 with a break of a single day, the vastly outnumbered German army group held out under the pressure of the Estonian Operation of the Soviet Leningrad Front
Leningrad Front
The Leningrad Front was first formed on August 27, 1941, by dividing the Northern Front into the Leningrad Front and Karelian Front, during the German approach on Leningrad .-History:...
.
In German, the eastern hill was known as Kinderheimhöhe, the central hill was Grenadierhöhe and the westernmost known as Liebhöhe. There is a memorial site to commemorate the fallen on the hill of Põrgumägi.