Interessengemeinschaft Ösel 1941 - 1944
A few years ago Ralf Baltes and Dr. Klaus Seeger travelled to the island of Saaremaa (Ösel) / in Estonia in the hope of finding respectively the graves of their grandfather and father, both of whom fell in November 1944 in the heavy fighting on the Sworbe peninsula. Of course they did not find the graves, because thousands of German soldiers still lie somewhere in unknown places. But Ralf Baltes and Dr. Klaus Seeger did not abandon their plans and in Kuressaare (Arensburg) they found an ally in Raul Salumäe. The year 2000 saw the birth of the "Interessengemeinschaft Ösel 1941 - 1944".
Today the society numbers some 110 members, friends and sponsors, from Germany, Austria, Estonia, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Canada, the USA and South Africa. These are those who took part in the fighting in 1941 - 1944 on Ösel, their sons, daughters, grandchildren and other who have historical interests.
What has been achieved so far?
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A memorial stone has been erected to the German soldiers who fell on the Sworbe peninsula
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Support for the „Saaremaa im 2. Weltkrieg“ (Saaremaa in the Second World War) exhibition in the Saaremaa Museum (Arensburg) with exhibits and donations
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Publication of the book „Halten bis zum letzten Mann“ (German soldiers’ experiences on Ösel 1941 - 1944)
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Group trips every two years to the Estonian island of Saaremaa (Ösel)
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Support for the search for the unknown grave sites of German soldiers in collaboration with the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge
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Annual meetings of the society in Berlin
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Publication of the book „Schicksalsinsel Ösel“ (about the heavy fighting for the island in autumn 1944)
Would you like more information?
Please contact::
Dr. Klaus Seeger
Amrumer Str. 56
25761 Büsum
Tel. 00 49 (0)4834-3099