Kalevi-Liiva
Encyclopedia
Kalevi-Liiva are sand dunes in Jõelähtme Parish in Harju County
, Estonia
. The site is located near the Baltic coast, north of the Jägala
village an the former Jägala concentration camp
. It is best known as the execution site of up to 6,000 Jew and Roma Holocaust victims.
and Russian
origin.
The mass execution were carried out by Estonian
Nazi collaborators
under German supervision. At least two trainloads of Jews arrived at the Raasiku
railway station, one from Theresienstadt on September 5, 1942, and another from Germany in mid-September. The trains carried over 2,000 people, mainly German and Czechoslovakia
n Jews
, about 450 of whom were selected for forced labor and interned at the Jägala concentration camp
, the rest were transferred by bus to Kalevi-Liiva and immediately executed.
The Estonians in charge of the executions, Aleksander Laak
, Ain-Ervin Mere
and Ralf Gerrets were implicated in the Holocaust trials in Soviet Estonia
in 1961 and charged with murdering up to 5000 German and Czechoslovakia
n Jews
and Gypsies in 1942-1943.
Estimates of the total number of victims vary. The two memorial stones on the site cite 6,000 Jews and 2,000 Roma. Contemporary sources estimate at least 1,700 (probably 1,754) Jews killed at Kalevi-Liiva, other known victims include forty Gypsies and a number of "political prisoners" of mainly Estonian
and Russian
origin.
Harju County
Harju County , or Harjumaa , nowadays one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is situated in northern Estonia, on the south coast of the Gulf of Finland, and borders Lääne-Viru County to the east, Järva County to the south-east, Rapla County to the south, and Lääne County to the south-west.528,468 people...
, 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...
. The site is located near the Baltic coast, north of the Jägala
Jägala
Jägala is a village in Jõelähtme Parish, Harju County, Estonia. It had 139 inhabitants in 2007.-See also:*Jägala River*Jägala Waterfall*Jägala concentration camp*Jägala Army Base*Jägala Airfield-External links:* *...
village an the former Jägala concentration camp
Jägala concentration camp
Jägala concentration camp was a labour camp of the Estonian Security Police and SD during the German occupation of Estonia during World War II. The camp was established in August 1942 on a former artillery range of the Estonian Army near the village of Jägala, Estonia. It existed from August 1942...
. It is best known as the execution site of up to 6,000 Jew and Roma Holocaust victims.
Execution site
The Kalevi-Liiva site served as the execution and burial site for trainloads of Central European Jews transported to Estonia for extermination. Other victims include Gypsies and political prisoners of mainly EstonianEstonians
Estonians are a Finnic people closely related to the Finns and inhabiting, primarily, the country of Estonia. They speak a Finnic language known as Estonian...
and Russian
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
origin.
The mass execution were carried out by Estonian
Occupation of Estonia by Nazi Germany
After Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941, Army Group North reached Estonia in July.Initially the Germans were perceived by most Estonians as liberators from the USSR and its repressions, having arrived only a week after the first mass deportations from the Baltics...
Nazi collaborators
Collaborationism
Collaborationism is cooperation with enemy forces against one's country. Legally, it may be considered as a form of treason. Collaborationism may be associated with criminal deeds in the service of the occupying power, which may include complicity with the occupying power in murder, persecutions,...
under German supervision. At least two trainloads of Jews arrived at the Raasiku
Raasiku
Raasiku is a small borough in Raasiku Parish, Harju County, Estonia, with a population of 1,340 . Although situated in a parish with the same name, Raasiku is not the official administrative centre of the municipality...
railway station, one from Theresienstadt on September 5, 1942, and another from Germany in mid-September. The trains carried over 2,000 people, mainly German and Czechoslovakia
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...
n Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
, about 450 of whom were selected for forced labor and interned at the Jägala concentration camp
Jägala concentration camp
Jägala concentration camp was a labour camp of the Estonian Security Police and SD during the German occupation of Estonia during World War II. The camp was established in August 1942 on a former artillery range of the Estonian Army near the village of Jägala, Estonia. It existed from August 1942...
, the rest were transferred by bus to Kalevi-Liiva and immediately executed.
The Estonians in charge of the executions, Aleksander Laak
Aleksander Laak
Aleksander Laak was a lieutenant and the commander of the Jägala concentration camp during the German occupation of Estonia....
, Ain-Ervin Mere
Ain-Ervin Mere
Ain Mere was an Estonian military officer. During the World War II, he was an Obersturmbannführer in the Waffen SS and also the head of the Sicherheitspolizei in Estonia following its creation in 1942.He was born in Vändra and fought voluntarily in the Estonian War...
and Ralf Gerrets were implicated in the Holocaust trials in Soviet Estonia
Holocaust trials in Soviet Estonia
A number of Holocaust trials in Soviet Estonia were held in the 1960s.The best-known trial was brought in 1961, by the local Soviet authorities against Estonian collaborators who had participated in the execution of the Holocaust during the Nazi German occupation...
in 1961 and charged with murdering up to 5000 German and Czechoslovakia
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...
n Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
and Gypsies in 1942-1943.
Estimates of the total number of victims vary. The two memorial stones on the site cite 6,000 Jews and 2,000 Roma. Contemporary sources estimate at least 1,700 (probably 1,754) Jews killed at Kalevi-Liiva, other known victims include forty Gypsies and a number of "political prisoners" of mainly Estonian
Estonians
Estonians are a Finnic people closely related to the Finns and inhabiting, primarily, the country of Estonia. They speak a Finnic language known as Estonian...
and Russian
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
origin.
See also
- Ain-Ervin MereAin-Ervin MereAin Mere was an Estonian military officer. During the World War II, he was an Obersturmbannführer in the Waffen SS and also the head of the Sicherheitspolizei in Estonia following its creation in 1942.He was born in Vändra and fought voluntarily in the Estonian War...
- Collaboration during World War IICollaboration during World War IIWithin nations occupied by the Axis Powers, some citizens, driven by nationalism, ethnic hatred, anti-communism, anti-Semitism or opportunism, knowingly engaged in collaboration with the Axis Powers during World War II...
- CollaborationismCollaborationismCollaborationism is cooperation with enemy forces against one's country. Legally, it may be considered as a form of treason. Collaborationism may be associated with criminal deeds in the service of the occupying power, which may include complicity with the occupying power in murder, persecutions,...
- Holocaust trials in Soviet EstoniaHolocaust trials in Soviet EstoniaA number of Holocaust trials in Soviet Estonia were held in the 1960s.The best-known trial was brought in 1961, by the local Soviet authorities against Estonian collaborators who had participated in the execution of the Holocaust during the Nazi German occupation...
- History of the Jews in EstoniaHistory of the Jews in EstoniaThe history of the Jews in Estonia starts with individual reports of Jews in what is now Estonia from as early as the 14th century. However, the process of permanent Jewish settlement in Estonia began in the 19th century, especially after they were granted the official right to enter the region by...
- JudenfreiJudenfreiJudenfrei was a Nazi term to designate an area free of Jewish presence during The Holocaust.While Judenfrei referred merely to "freeing" an area of all of its Jewish citizens, the term Judenrein was also used...
- Occupation of Estonia by Nazi GermanyOccupation of Estonia by Nazi GermanyAfter Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941, Army Group North reached Estonia in July.Initially the Germans were perceived by most Estonians as liberators from the USSR and its repressions, having arrived only a week after the first mass deportations from the Baltics...