Harald Nugiseks
Encyclopedia
Harald Nugiseks is a former SS-Unterscharführer
(Corporal/Sergeant) in World War II, who served voluntarily in the 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian) of the Waffen SS. Nugiseks is also one of the four Estonian soldiers who received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
.
Nugiseks was born in Särevere
, Järvamaa, Estonia
. In 1943, he voluntarily joined the Estonian Legion
. He received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
for leading the capture of the Vaasa-Siivertsi-Vepsküla
bridgehead. As the I Battalion, Waffen-Grenadier Regiment der SS 46 lost almost all of its officers, Nugiseks stepped in as the leader of the attack. He immediately changed tactics, loading the supply of hand grenade onto sledges so the attackers would not have to crawl back for the supplies over the mine field. With the hand grenades being passed on along the trenches, the bridgehead was squeezed in from the north by the "rolling" tactics.
Nugiseks was mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht
and in the magazine Signal
following his Knight's Cross award, which was personally given to him by the SA occupation head in Estonia, Karl-Siegmund Litzmann, while Nugiseks was in hospital. It was filmed.
Afterwards Nugiseks got demoted for fighting with some soldiers who were harassing Red Cross nurses. During the Soviet assault on Estonia in September 1944, Nugiseks's home was destroyed. Nugiseks was captured by Czech
partisans in May 1945 and put in a POW camp. After three unsuccessful escape attempts, Nugiseks served time after being handed over to the Soviets, who handed him 10 years in the Gulag
and 5 years deportation in Siberia
. Nugiseks managed to return to Estonia, where he worked until retirement.
In 1970s Nugiseks built a house for his family with his own hands. As a result of his service to his country, in 1992 Nugiseks was made a Captain of the Estonian Army. Nugiseks attended another Estonian Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
holder, Alfons Rebane
's reburial in Estonia in 1999 by the Estonian government. In October 2008, he was awarded with Medal of Gratitude by Estonian people, after collecting of 4229 signatures.
Unterscharführer
Unterscharführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party used by the Schutzstaffel between 1934 and 1945. The SS rank was created after the Night of the Long Knives...
(Corporal/Sergeant) in World War II, who served voluntarily in the 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian) of the Waffen SS. Nugiseks is also one of the four Estonian soldiers who received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
.
Nugiseks was born in Särevere
Särevere
Särevere is a small borough in Türi Parish, Järva County in central Estonia....
, Järvamaa, Estonia
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...
. In 1943, he voluntarily joined the Estonian Legion
Estonian Legion
The Estonian Legion was a military unit within the Combat Support Forces of the Waffen SS Verfügungstruppe during World War II, mainly consisting of Estonian soldiers.-Creation:...
. He received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
for leading the capture of the Vaasa-Siivertsi-Vepsküla
Narva Offensive (15–28 February 1944)
This is a sub-article to Battle of Narva.The Narva Offensive was a campaign fought between the German army detachment "Narwa" and the Soviet Leningrad Front for the strategically important Narva Isthmus. At the time of the operation, Stalin was personally interested in taking Estonia, viewing it...
bridgehead. As the I Battalion, Waffen-Grenadier Regiment der SS 46 lost almost all of its officers, Nugiseks stepped in as the leader of the attack. He immediately changed tactics, loading the supply of hand grenade onto sledges so the attackers would not have to crawl back for the supplies over the mine field. With the hand grenades being passed on along the trenches, the bridgehead was squeezed in from the north by the "rolling" tactics.
Nugiseks was mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht
Wehrmachtbericht
The Wehrmachtbericht was a daily radio report on the Großdeutscher Rundfunk of Nazi Germany, published by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht regarding the military situation on all fronts of World War II....
and in the magazine Signal
Signal (magazine)
Signal was a magazine published by the German Wehrmacht from 1940 through 1945.Signal was a modern, glossy, illustrated photo journal and army propaganda tool, meant specifically for audiences in neutral, allied, and occupied countries. It was available in the United States in English until...
following his Knight's Cross award, which was personally given to him by the SA occupation head in Estonia, Karl-Siegmund Litzmann, while Nugiseks was in hospital. It was filmed.
Afterwards Nugiseks got demoted for fighting with some soldiers who were harassing Red Cross nurses. During the Soviet assault on Estonia in September 1944, Nugiseks's home was destroyed. Nugiseks was captured by Czech
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
partisans in May 1945 and put in a POW camp. After three unsuccessful escape attempts, Nugiseks served time after being handed over to the Soviets, who handed him 10 years in the Gulag
Gulag
The Gulag was the government agency that administered the main Soviet forced labor camp systems. While the camps housed a wide range of convicts, from petty criminals to political prisoners, large numbers were convicted by simplified procedures, such as NKVD troikas and other instruments of...
and 5 years deportation in Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
. Nugiseks managed to return to Estonia, where he worked until retirement.
In 1970s Nugiseks built a house for his family with his own hands. As a result of his service to his country, in 1992 Nugiseks was made a Captain of the Estonian Army. Nugiseks attended another Estonian Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
holder, Alfons Rebane
Alfons Rebane
Alfons Vilhelm Robert Rebane, known simply as Alfons Rebane was an Estonian military commander. He was the most highly decorated Estonian military officer in the course of the Second World War, serving in various German military units against the armed forces of the Soviet Union.After World War...
's reburial in Estonia in 1999 by the Estonian government. In October 2008, he was awarded with Medal of Gratitude by Estonian people, after collecting of 4229 signatures.