https://www.amazon.com/Estonian-Sold.../dp/9949448263
https://www.amazon.com/Estonian-Legi...0972125&sr=1-6
I've just read these two monumental photo books from the small Estonian publisher Grenader. They are both written by Mart Laar, a well known military historian and a former Prime Minister and Defense Minister of Estonia.
They are both real coffee table book sized, ca 500 pages, good quality printing and filled to the brim with interesting and rare photos from a small country caught up in the maelstrom of WW2. They are not always the absolutely sharpest pictures but the majority is better than average.
"The Estonian Soldier in World War II" is the more general of the two dealing with both pre war Estonian army and both the units in the service of the German army as well with those serving the Russians. It ends with the story of the partisan movement The Forest Brothers. It has some 1500 illustrations in b/w with some color photos of posters and equipment like patches, documents and medallions.
"The Estonian Legion In Words And Pictures" deals with the Legion and its later history in the 3rd Estonian SS Volunteer Brigade and 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian). Famous names like Knight Cross winners Alfons Rebane, Paul Maitla, Harald Riipalu and Harald Nugiseks are shown to great detail but also the ordinary men and woman gets big space. It contains 850 b/w photos also with some color photos of posters and equipment like patches, documents and medallions.
Both books are fully Bilingual in English and Estonian.
On Amazon and other sites they fetch a hefty price tag but I was fortunate enough to get both books from my Library.
https://www.amazon.com/Estonian-Legi...0972125&sr=1-6
I've just read these two monumental photo books from the small Estonian publisher Grenader. They are both written by Mart Laar, a well known military historian and a former Prime Minister and Defense Minister of Estonia.
They are both real coffee table book sized, ca 500 pages, good quality printing and filled to the brim with interesting and rare photos from a small country caught up in the maelstrom of WW2. They are not always the absolutely sharpest pictures but the majority is better than average.
"The Estonian Soldier in World War II" is the more general of the two dealing with both pre war Estonian army and both the units in the service of the German army as well with those serving the Russians. It ends with the story of the partisan movement The Forest Brothers. It has some 1500 illustrations in b/w with some color photos of posters and equipment like patches, documents and medallions.
"The Estonian Legion In Words And Pictures" deals with the Legion and its later history in the 3rd Estonian SS Volunteer Brigade and 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian). Famous names like Knight Cross winners Alfons Rebane, Paul Maitla, Harald Riipalu and Harald Nugiseks are shown to great detail but also the ordinary men and woman gets big space. It contains 850 b/w photos also with some color photos of posters and equipment like patches, documents and medallions.
Both books are fully Bilingual in English and Estonian.
On Amazon and other sites they fetch a hefty price tag but I was fortunate enough to get both books from my Library.
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