News

Keynote speaker of the conference “War Summer 1941 in the Baltic Countries: Objectives, Strategies and Operations of the Opposing Sides, Results and Consequences” was a world-known Professor Gerhard Ludwig Weinberg. His major works are related to Second World War history and he is one of the most published authors on the subject.

The conference brought together historians and military experts from seven countires, both on site at the University of Tartu Library as well as online. The presentations and discussions focused on:
1. The impact of the geopolitical situation on the strategies of the opposing parties on the territories of the Baltic states: goals, opportunities, obstacles and outcome.
2. The role and impact of political and military leadership during the summer campaign 1941 and German occupation.
3. Operational art and operations: the Wehrmacht offensive and the withdrawal of the Red Army and the Baltic Fleet; The Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland as war zones in 1941.
4. The role and cooperation of the combat arms and services in defence and offensive operations: roles of air force and navy, land forces.
5. Role of the Forest Brothers and irregular warfare during 1941 in the Baltics.
6. Propaganda and contemporary memory: winning hearts and minds next to war propaganda and terror, Weltanschauungskrieg (The war of worldviews).
7. Social impact of the war: mobilization, the evacuation of human and material resources to the Soviet rear area.

It was 12th Annual Baltic Military History Conference for the Estonian War Museum and 11th for the Baltic Defence College. Since 2020 the two organizations are holding this most important event of its kind in the region together.

Articles based on presentations will be published in the Estonian Yearbook of Military History of 2021 issued by the Estonian War Museum in cooperation with Tallinn University Library.