Waffen-Sturmbannfuhrer Paul Maitla

[Griffin brigade]

On 10th May 1945 Estonian Knights Cross Winner Paul Maitla was murdered after surrendering with other Officers of the 20th Waffen Division der SS ( Estnische no 1 ) at Nymburk , Czechoslavakia doe anyone know who the other officers were and how many in total were executed ?

Thanks in advance

Paul

[Mikedc]

Hey Paul,

I searched for this as well and all I could find out was that he indeed was murdered together with a bunch of others, but no names are given....

Greetings,
Mike

[coburg22]

Paul,

Wikipedia said that besides Maitla, there were four others who were executed as well by Czech Communists on May 10. 1945. I think it's interesting that it also said that the true fate of his death was not discovered until 2005.

Best,

James

[Griffin brigade]

I have a photo which shows Paul Maitla and four other soldiers from the Estonian Div just after their capture and prior to execution but only Maitla is named,

Regards

Paul

[Tapani K.]

According to the book Sinimägede sangar (Hero of the Blue Hills or something like that in English) by Voldemar Pinn there were four other men captured with Maitla. These four were Maitla's aide-de-camp, two other officers and Maitla's chauffeur Arnold Mägar. Mägar survived and he told his story to Pinn in 1998. According to this page by Michal Plavec and Reigo Rosenthal
http://paber.ekspress.ee/viewdoc/D6BFE0 ... 9E0023F502
Mägar had already told the story to Maitla's widow in 1992.

According to Mägar Maitla and his ADC were taken from their cell and shot sometime in the night between May 9th and 10th. When these two men had been killed, the executioners came to take the other two Estonian officers and shot them, too. Mägar, however, managed to hide with the help of German prisoners so that when the Czechs came for him, they could not find him.

Mägar does not remember the names of the three other officers killed, but according to the web-page mentioned above, Maitla's ADC might have been Captain Arved Laasi. According to Pinn, however, Mägar says that Laasi had been succeeded as Maitla's ADC and Mägar says he cannot remember the name of the new ADC. Plavec and Rosenthal also mention that one of the other officers might have been lieutenant Kalju Tamme.

regards,
Tapani K.

[Griffin brigade]

Many thanks Tapani great info and link,

Regards

Paul

[Mikedc]

It's not Kalju Tamme but Kalju Tamm.

And Kalju Tamm could have been one of the other officers indeed. This because he's perished since May 1945....., so he could well have been captured by Czech partizans and murderded together with Maitla...


Greetings,
Mike

[Griffin brigade]

Hello Mike,

Thanks for the clarification , hopefully someone out there will have some more info on this,

regards

Paul

[Mikedc]

Hey Paul,

You're welcome, just trying to contribute my share.


Mike

[Tapani K.]

Hello again,

A couple of minor points:

A correction to my earlier posting. It was Maitla's daughter Kai whom Mägar told his story in 1992, not his widow.

I think it's interesting that it also said that the true fate of his death was not discovered until 2005.

Since Pinn published his book in 1998 I think it might be said that Maitla's fate was discovered (and made public) at that time.

regards,
Tapani K.