Battle of Paju

Last updated

Battle of Paju
Part of Estonian War of Independence
Battle of Paju.jpg
Battle of Paju. Painting by Maximilian Maksolly
Date31 January 1919
Location
Paju Manor, near Valga
57°49′13″N26°06′42″E / 57.820144°N 26.111628°E / 57.820144; 26.111628 Battle of Paju
Result Estonian victory
Belligerents

Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia

Flag of Latvian SSR 1919.svg Latvian Socialist Soviet Republic
Flag RSFSR 1918.svg Soviet Russia
Commanders and leaders
Flag of Estonia.svg Flag of Finland.svg Hans Kalm
Flag of Estonia.svg Julius Kuperjanov   †
Flag of Estonia.svg Johannes Soodla 		Flag RSFSR 1918.svg Emīls Vītols
Units involved
Flag of Estonia.svg Tartumaa Partisan Battalion
Flag of Finland.svg Pohjan Pojat 		Flag of Latvian SSR 1919.svg Red Latvian Riflemen
Strength
Estonia:
300 soldiers
13 machine guns
2 field guns
Finnish volunteers:
380 soldiers
9 machine guns
4 field guns
Total:
683 soldiers
22 machine guns
6 field guns		 1,200 soldiers
32 machine guns
4 field guns
1 armoured train
Casualties and losses
156 300 dead

The Battle of Paju (Estonian : Paju lahing) was fought in Paju, near Valga, Estonia, on 31 January 1919 during the Estonian War of Independence. After heavy fighting, the Tartu-Valga group of the Estonian Army pushed the Red Latvian Riflemen out of the Paju Manor. [1] It was the fiercest battle in the early period of war. Estonian commander Julius Kuperjanov fell in the fighting.

Contents

Background

In early January 1919 Estonian forces had started a full-scale counterattack against invading Soviets. Their main objective was liberating north Estonia including Narva, which was achieved by 17 January. They then started to advance into south Estonia. On 14 January the Tartumaa Partisan Battalion, organised and led by Lt. Julius Kuperjanov, and armoured trains liberated Tartu.

At that time the only working railway connection to Riga, which the Red Army had captured on 3 January, passed through Valga, so defending it had strategic importance for Soviet Russia. [2] Among other units, a large part of the elite Latvian Riflemen were sent to stop the Estonians. [2] Commander-in-chief Johan Laidoner reinforced the Estonian advance in the south, including Finnish volunteers, The Sons of the North, led by Col. Hans Kalm. Finnish Gen. Paul Martin Wetzer became commander of the southern front. [3]

Battle

To liberate Valga it was necessary to capture Paju Manor. On 30 January Estonian partisans had captured it, but were soon pushed out. With his 300 men, two guns and 13 machine guns Kuperjanov decided to recapture Paju on 31 January. [4] Armoured trains were unable to support, due to the destruction of Sangaste railway bridge. The Latvian Riflemen had about 1,200 men with four guns and 32 machine guns. [5] They were also able to rely on support from a Soviet armoured train and armoured cars.

The Tartumaa Partisan Battalion attacked the manor directly over open fields. At 400 metres the Bolsheviks opened fire, inflicting heavy casualties. Kuperjanov led the attack personally, [4] as usual, and was badly wounded, dying two days later. When he was hit, Lt. Johannes Soodla took command of the battalion. Finnish Sons of the North units with about 380 men arrived later, bringing with them four guns and nine machine guns. They also assaulted the manor in a frontal attack, which caused heavy losses.

In the evening the Estonians and Finns finally pushed into the park of the estate where heavy hand-to-hand combat started, which resulted in the capture of the manor. Retreating Latvian Riflemen were subjected to heavy fire. The next day the Estonians marched into Valga without resistance. [6]

Aftermath

Battle of Paju memorial. Battle of Paju 1.jpg
Battle of Paju memorial.
Funeral of Julius Kuperjanov, Tartu, 1919 Julius Kuperjanovi matused, ees Karl Einbund (Kaarel Eenpalu). Vene tanav, Tartu, 1919., TM F 1445-1.jpg
Funeral of Julius Kuperjanov, Tartu, 1919

The bloody Battle of Paju resulted in the liberation of Valga the next day. The victory cut off the Soviets' railway supply line and denied them the use of armoured trains. Soon almost all of southern Estonia was liberated and Estonian troops advanced into northern Latvia.

To honour Julius Kuperjanov, who died of the wounds he sustained during the battle, on 2 February, the Tartumaa Partisan Battalion was renamed Kuperjanov's Partisan Battalion. [6] The current Estonian Defence Force still includes the Kuperjanov Battalion. [7] The battle is commemorated by a granite monument on a three–step pyramid of earth, which was reopened by Estonian President Lennart Meri in 1994 on the 75th anniversary of the battle.

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Jaan Maide (1933) [www.ksk.edu.ee/file.php?ID=1206 Ülevaade Eesti vabadussõjast] Kaitseliit publishing, Tartu
  2. 1 2 Traksmaa, August: Lühike Vabadussõja ajalugu, page 102. Olion, 1992
  3. ↑ Traksmaa, August: Lühike abadussõja ajalugu, page 105. Olion, 1992
  4. 1 2 Traksmaa, August: Lühike Vabadussõja ajalugu, page 106. Olion, 1992
  5. ↑ Kaevats, Ülo: Eesti entsüklopeedia 7, page 146. Eesti Entsüklopeediakirjastus, 1994
  6. 1 2 Traksmaa, August: Lühike Vabadussõja ajalugu, page 109. Olion, 1992
  7. ↑ Eesti Kaitsevägi:Kuperjanovi Üksik-jalaväepataljon Archived 2007-10-11 at the Wayback Machine

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Estonian War of Independence</span> War between Estonia and Soviet Russia in 1918–1920

The Estonian War of Independence, also known as the Estonian Liberation War, was a defensive campaign of the Estonian Army and its allies, most notably the United Kingdom, against the Bolshevik westward offensive of 1918–1919 and the 1919 aggression of the Baltische Landeswehr. The campaign was the struggle of the newly established democratic nation of Estonia for independence in the aftermath of World War I. It resulted in a victory for Estonia and was concluded in the 1920 Treaty of Tartu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Konstantin Päts</span> Estonian statesman and president (1874–1956)

Konstantin Päts was an Estonian statesman and the country's president in 1938–1940. Päts was one of the most influential politicians of the independent democratic Republic of Estonia, and during the two decades prior to World War II he also served five times as the country's prime minister. After the 16–17 June 1940 Soviet invasion and occupation of Estonia, President Päts remained formally in office for over a month, until he was forced to resign, imprisoned by the new Stalinist regime, and deported to the USSR, where he died in 1956.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johan Pitka</span> Estonian military personnel

Johan Pitka, VR I/1, was an Estonian entrepreneur, sea captain and a rear admiral (1919). He was the Commander of the Estonian Navy in the Estonian War of Independence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julius Kuperjanov</span> Estonian military personnel

Julius Kuperjanov VR I/2, VR II/2 and VR II/3 was an Estonian military officer who was well-known in Estonia for being one of the Liberators of Tartu during the War of Independence and commander of the Tartumaa Partisan Battalion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ernst Põdder</span> Estonian military commander

Ernst-Johannes Põdder VR I/1 was a famous Estonian military commander in the Estonian War of Independence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viktor Puskar</span> Estonian military commander

Viktor Puskar VR I/1 was an Estonian military commander (Colonel) during the Estonian War of Independence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaan Soots</span> Estonian general and politician

Jaan Soots was an Estonian military commander during the Estonian War of Independence and politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karl Parts</span> Estonian military commander

Karl Parts VR I/1, VR II/2, VR II/3 was an Estonian military commander during the Estonian War of Independence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaan Teemant</span> Estonian lawyer and politician

Jaan Teemant was an Estonian lawyer and politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ants Piip</span> Estonian politician and diplomat

Ants Piip VR III/1 was an Estonian lawyer, diplomat and politician. Piip was the 1st Head of State of Estonia and the 5th Prime Minister of Estonia. Piip played a key role in internationalising the independence aspirations of Estonia during the Paris Peace Conference following World War I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jüri Jaakson</span> Estonian businessman and politician

Jüri Jaakson VR III/1 was an Estonian businessman and politician.

The Battle of Cēsis, fought near Cēsis in June 1919, was a decisive battle in the Estonian War of Independence and the Latvian War of Independence. After heavy fighting an Estonian force moving from the north, supplemented by Latvian units, repelled Baltic German attacks and went on full counter-attack.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kuperjanov Infantry Battalion</span> Estonian military unit

The Kuperjanov Infantry Battalion is a battalion of the Estonian Land Forces. It is a part of the 2nd Infantry Brigade. Battalion headquarters is at Taara Army Base, Võru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Estonian partisans</span> Anti-Soviet partisans in Estonia active in 1940s and 1950s

Estonian partisans, also called the Forest Brothers were partisans who engaged in guerrilla warfare against Soviet forces in Estonia from 1940 to 1941 and 1944 to 1978.

The 1st Division was one of the three Estonian divisions created during the Estonian War of Independence, which was active until the Soviet occupation of Estonia. Since the restoration of independence in 1991 there are no divisions currently among the Estonian Defence Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paju, Valga County</span> Village in Estonia

Paju is a village in Valga Parish, Valga County in southern Estonia. It's located about 6 km northeast of the town of Valga. Paju has a population of 80 and an area of 9.341 km².

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Tartu (1919)</span> 1919 military conflict in Estonia during Estonian War of Independence

The Battle of Tartu was fought between the 13th and 14th of January, 1919 in the Estonian War of Independence between the units of the Estonian 2nd Division and the forces of the Red Latvian Riflemen. The battle was a significant battle in the Estonian War of Independence. As a result of which, Estonian troops were able to liberate the rest of Southern Estonia from the Red Russian forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alice Kuperjanov</span> Estonian independence fighter (1894–1942)

Alice Kuperjanov was an Estonian freedom fighter and nationalist, and the wife of Estonian military leader Julius Kuperjanov. She was a well-known figure in the 1918–1920 Estonian War of Independence, and in women's movements after that. After the 1940 Soviet invasion and occupation of Estonia during World War II, she was imprisoned, deported and executed by the Soviet authorities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Tapa</span> Battle in Estonia in 1919

The Battle of Tapa, also known as the Capture of Tapa, took place on 9 January 1919 in Tapa, Estonia, between troops of the Russian Red Army and Estonia. The goal of the Estonian troops was to capture and liberate the Tapa Railway Station from occupation by Russia. Three armored trains (soomusrong) were used in the engagement, led by Captain Anton Irv, Captain Oskar Luiga, and Captain Jaan Lepp.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Voldemar Karl Koht</span> Estonian military personnel

Voldemar Karl Koht VR II/3 was an Estonian soldier and commander of the Estonian Armored Train Regiment.

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.