1924 Estonian coup attempt

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1924 Estonian coup attempt
Date 1 December 1924 Location Estonia Result Estonian victory
Belligerents
Communists from Estonia and Russia Soviet Union	Estonia
Commanders and leaders
Jaan Anvelt August Lillakas	Johan Laidoner Johan Unt
Strength
279 armed militants and red soldiers, 56 sympathisers with 5 Thompson light machine guns, 55 rifles, 65 hand grenades, 8 explosive devices and 150 pistols	500-700 soldiers and cadets
Casualties and losses
125 killed 500 arrested	26 soldiers and cadets

The 1924 Estonian coup d'état attempt was a failed

The incapacity and death of Vladimir Lenin (January 21, 1924) triggered a struggle for power between Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin. The Soviet Union's foreign policy drifted during this period in relation to Estonia. On 1 December 1924 the Comintern attempted the communist coup in Estonia.

Planning

Sixty

The plan was hatched by Jaan Anvelt and Karl Rimm [et]. The latter was a veteran of the Russian Civil War. The plan envisaged the main attack aimed at Tallinn, with subsequent coups in Tartu, Narva, Pärnu, Viljandi, Rakvere, Kunda, and Kohila.

The revolt was supposed to start at 5:15 a.m. The 279 communists, mostly infiltrated from the Soviet Union,

A patrol of cadets stopped a car coming from the city. Seeing armed cadets, the driver tried to escape, but he and his companions were caught and brought to the military academy. Two of them turned out to be brothers of an insurgent, Rudolf Vakmann, who had been sent to bring weapons from the academy. A court-martial composed of three officers was formed. After a quick investigation it sentenced all seven defendants to death. The sentence was carried out late that night.

Nine cadets were wounded during the uprising. Cadets Arnold Allebras, Aleksander Teder, Aleksander Tomson and August Udras were killed.

Another strike team of communists attacked the Toompea Castle, where the offices of the State Elder, Riigikogu and the Government were located. A third group entered the apartment of the State Elder behind the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. The State Elder, Friedrich Akel, managed to escape through the back door.

The communists were successful in capturing the military airfield and barracks of the air division in Lasnamäe, where some soldiers joined them. However, the additional units that soon arrived forced the attackers to retreat. Two air force lieutenants were court-martialled for their collaboration with the attackers and sentenced to death. Seeing their failure, the attackers hijacked two military aircraft and tried to escape to the Soviet Union. One of the planes was forced to land close to Narva, but the other plane managed to cross the border unharmed.

In the motorised division the communists got some help from a non-commissioned officer, took over the tank garage and damaged some of the tanks, rendering them immovable. After the non-commissioned officer Loorents was shot by Rudolf Kaptein, another non-commissioned officer, the insurgents ran away.

Another group took over the main railway station, arrested the officer of the day and killed several police officers. As all passenger trains were halted by the insurgents, the Minister of Roads, Karl Kark, decided to check personally on the situation. He was shot and mortally wounded on the stairs of the railway station.

An exchange of fire also took place at the corner of Vene and Apteegi Streets where the Main Post Office was located. The Chief of the Tartu garrison, General Ernst Põdder was in Tallinn on an errand, and was having a drink in a mess with his friends close to the exchange of fire early in the morning. They noticed the skirmish in the street and rushed into the battle.

By 10:00 a.m. the government forces had the situation under control and had retaken all buildings captured by the rebels.

Aftermath

Although the attempted coup was over in five hours, the manhunt for participants continued for several days.

On December 5, 1924, a battle took place near Tallinn in Iru. Police officers shot three prominent Communists: Arnold Sommerling, Evald Ambos and Osvald Piiri. On December 7 there was a police operation in Vilmsi Street in Tallinn. The police raided a house at 50 Vilmsi Street and shot three Communists: G. Kreuks, V. Bogdanov and R. Pälson.

Some of the main organisers, including Jaan Anvelt and Rudolf Vakmann, managed to escape to the Soviet Union. Later, they were arrested and executed by Soviet authorities during the Great Purge.

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