Monument of Lihula
Lihula Monument | |
---|---|
Location | Lagedi, Estonia |
Coordinates | 59°23′23″N 24°56′27″E / 59.389615°N 24.94081°E |
Established | 2005 (firstly 2002) |
Monument of Lihula is the colloquial name of a monument commemorating the Estonians who fought for Estonia against the Soviet Union in World War II, located in a privately owned museum in Lagedi, Estonia. The monument has been controversial due to, in part, its dedication to those who served in the German Wehrmacht and particularly in the Waffen-SS.
The monument has moved twice before ending up in the current location. It was originally unveiled[by whom?] in Pärnu on 2002, but taken down only nine days after prime minister Siim Kallas had condemned the statue.[1][2] The statue was then located in Lihula in 2004, finally being unveiled in Lagedi on October 15, 2005.
Description
The monument depicts a soldier in a military uniform, with a
Controversy
As the dedication included those who served in the
Status of the Baltic Legions
Some Estonians joined these formations voluntarily, the majority were conscripted by Germans.
- Tribunal declares to be criminal within the meaning of the Charter the group composed of those persons who had been officially accepted as members of the SS as enumerated in the preceding paragraph who became or remained members of the organisation with knowledge that it was being used for the commission of acts declared criminal by Article 6 of the Charter or who were personally implicated as members of the organisation in the commission of such crimes, excluding, however, those who were drafted into membership by the State in such a way as to give them no choice in the matter, and who had committed no such crimes.
On April 13, 1950, a message from the U.S. High Commission in Germany (HICOG), signed by John J. McCloy to the Secretary of State, clarified the US position on the "Baltic Legions": they were not to be seen as "movements", "volunteer", or "SS". In short, they were not given the training, indoctrination, and induction normally given to SS members. Subsequently the US Displaced Persons Commission in September 1950 declared that:
- The Baltic Waffen SS Units (Baltic Legions) are to be considered as separate and distinct in purpose, ideology, activities, and qualifications for membership from the German SS, and therefore the Commission holds them not to be a movement hostile to the Government of the United States.
Concerns about Nazi glorification
The monument has been regarded as controversial, including by former Prime Minister Juhan Parts, who labeled the Lihula Monument a "provocation".[14] A number of rumours were circulated about the soldier depicted on the monument wearing Nazi symbolism, and thus constituting an attempt to glorify Nazism. As no such symbolism is on the bas-relief, sometimes the rumours have taken the form that these symbols were removed between the first and current installation.[15]
A semiotic analysis by professor
Moving the monument
In 2004, shortly after it was opened, the
The crane which arrived to remove the monument from Lihula could not enter the cemetery because of a crowd of protesting people. Riot police were called in, but as they arrived, locals started to throw stones at them and at the driver of the crane. After a fight between the crowd and the police, the people were driven back using teargas, and some policemen were treated for minor wounds in a hospital.[17]
After the removal of the monument, it was subsequently placed on October 15, 2005 on grounds of the privately owned Museum of Fight for Estonia's Freedom in Lagedi near Tallinn.[18] The monument has not been moved again.
The Conservative People's Party of Estonia have declared that they want to move the statue back to Lihula.[19][20]
See also
- Bronze Soldier of Tallinn, another controversial monument in Estonia.
References
- ^ "Eesti riik soovib Lihula ausammast endale". Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
- ^ "Estonia removes SS monument". July 24, 2002. Retrieved September 13, 2019 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ a b Postimees September 14, 2004: Semiootikaprofessor Toropi hinnangul ei ole Lihula sammas natslik Archived 2005-09-28 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Semiootikaprofessori hinnangul ei ole Lihula sammas natslik". Postimees. 2004-09-15. Archived from the original on 2013-02-13. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
- ^ "Semiootikaprofessor Toropi hinnangul ei ole Lihula sammas natslik" (in Estonian). Postimees. 2004-09-14. Archived from the original on 2005-02-22. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
- ^ "Semiootik Torop: Lihula mälestussammas pole natslik" (in Estonian). Eesti Päevaleht. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
- ^ Simon Wiesenthal Center August 25, 2004: Wiesenthal center protests erection of monument commemorating Estonian SS-division which fought with Nazis in World War II
- ^ "When giants fought in Estonia". BBC News. May 9, 2007. Retrieved May 13, 2010.
- ^ "Estonia unveils Nazi war monument". August 20, 2004. Retrieved September 13, 2019 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ FJC | News | Estonia Immortalizes Nazi Criminals Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Russia's Jewish Communities Federation: Setting up monuments to SS soldiers in Estonia is attempt to turn criminals and butchers into heroes of liberation war - Russian News - REGNUM". Archived from the original on October 9, 2007. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
- ^ "News Releases - SWC New Design Test". Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
- ISBN 978-0-8179-2852-0.
- ^ "Estonia Unveils Nazi War Monument". BBC News. 20 August 2004. Retrieved 9 October 2009.
- Baltic Times August 26, 2004: Monument unveiled despite criticismby Aleksei Gunter
- ^ SL Õhtuleht September 14, 2004: Ekspert Peeter Torop: Lihula mälestussammas pole natslik Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine by Kadri Paas
- baltictimes.com. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
- ^ "Estonia Restores Monument to SS Legionnaires, Russia Angered - NEWS - MOSNEWS.COM". Archived from the original on November 7, 2005. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
- ^ "EKRE Lihula osakond meenutas kohalviibimisega samba teisaldamise 13 aastapäeva | EKRE – Eesti Konservatiivne Rahvaerakond". Retrieved September 13, 2019.
- ^ Ilves, Kaie (August 25, 2018). "Lääneranna EKRE tahab Lihula samba tagasi tuua". Retrieved September 13, 2019.
External links
- Looking for the truth behind Lihula
- Muuseumisse pandud ajalugu (in Estonian)
- Lihula Samba Lugu (in Estonian)