Documentation for Kaitseliit (Defence League)
July 16, 1992
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts
Kaitseliit having become part of the Estonian state structures six months ago, stopped being a purely public organization and became subordinated to the defence minister and the main headquarters of the Estonian defence forces
Sept. 16, 1992
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts
the Kaitseliit commander, up to 6,000 persons now belong in the league
Jan. 1, 1993
Karp, Regina Cowen, ed. Central and Eastern Europe: the challenge of transition. Oxford University Press, 1993, p. 304.
“In order to enhance the defence capabilities of the Baltic states, the republics are reviving the pre-war style voluntary armed organizations. Thus, the already functioning Estonian Defence Union (Kaitseliit), recognized by government decree of April 1992 as part of the state’s defence forces, numbers 6000 volunteers but will eventually reach the pre-war figure of about 40000 men.”
Dec. 2, 1993
The New York Times
Most of the Estonian Army soldiers are conscripts, paid a monthly wage equivalent to $5.50. The army is supplemented by a border guard force of about 4,000, as well as by the Estonian Defense League, an irregular militia of 6,500 volunteers.
July 15, 1994
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts
Thirty officers from Estonia's defence forces, Kaitseliit [defence league] and border guards are attending the exercises.
Nov. 9, 1995
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts
The Estonian voluntary paramilitary organization Kaitseliit (Defence League) has withdrawn all the mortars issued to its members, Estonian radio reported, quoting the 8th November edition of the newspaper Sonumileht'.
The reason for this was a tragic accident in the southeastern town of Voru on the weekend of 4th-5th November, the radio said.
During a birthday party, members of the Kaitseliit started to brag and demonstrate their equipment, and one of them, by mistake, shot a mortar bomb into a house,
Dec. 14, 1996
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts
Estonian defence commander dismisses unit commander after shooting incident
The commander of the Defence Forces, Johannes Kert, today [11th December] .. the commander of the Kaitseliit' s [defence league, voluntary part of Defence Forces] Raplamaa District unit, from his post, as it turned out after a check that the unit had failed to comply with the conditions set for the storage and issue of weapons.
The Kaitseliit headquarters began a check at the Raplamaa unit after an incident at the end of November when two members of the unit shot from a semi-automatic rifle at a car parked by the roadside and injured three people.
..The acting Kaitseliit commander, Neeme Vali, described the situation at the Raplamaa unit as being very sad
Aug. 19, 1997
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts
Once a year, units of the Kaitseliit [Defence League, an Estonian voluntary paramilitary organization] compare their skills and abilities. The tradition of Kaitseliit days began in 1926.
This year the event is being held
April 22, 1998
Baltic News Service
ESTONIAN PARAMILITARY BODY'S ADVISERS CALL FOR CANCELING ORDER ON NATIONALIZATION OF WEAPONS
The council of elders of the Estonian voluntary paramilitary Kaitseliit (Defense League) Tuesday advised Kaitseliit chief Lt. Col. Lui Jaanson to stop enactment of his order to register personal weapons of members as service weapons, thus virtually nationalizing them.
Jan. 29, 1999
Baltic News Service
Representatives of the Tallinn police force, Kaitseliit (Defense League) paramilitary and city government Friday signed an agreement on bringing Kaitseliit members out to patrol the city streets.
Starting from next week, 30 members of Kaitseliit will be ready to start patrols after having undergone training as assistant policemen, a spokesperson for the Tallinn police told BNS.
Aug. 11, 2000
Baltic News Service
Officers of the British territorial army will organize a patrol course for instructors and volunteers of the Estonian paramilitary Kaitseliit (Defense League) in the second half of August.
Nov. 16, 2001
Baltic News Service
The storm that swept Estonia last night wrecked an An-2 aircraft of the paramilitary Kaitseliit (Defense League) at the Amari air force base
March 22, 2002
BBC Monitoring Former Soviet Union - Political
Eyebrows are raised abroad because Estonia wants to keep its Kaitseliit, a voluntary defence force, properly funded for any eventuality, but there is no equivalent to this paramilitary structure in NATO countries.
Nov. 19, 2003
Baltic News Service
The flag will be granted to the division by the chief of the harbor unit of the Kaitseliit (Defense League) volunteer organization,
Oct. 16, 2004
BBC Monitoring Former Soviet Union
and the Kaitseliit Defence League, the voluntary part of the Defence Forces have placed about 20,000 Kalashnikovs in store because the so-called Israeli arms deal of 1993 provided Galil assault rifles, Sweden donated a consignment of AK4 rifles and the Americans, M14 rifles.
July 25, 2005
Baltic News Service
Pitting their strength against foreign entrants in the Aug. 2-3 competition will be teams of the Estonian defense forces companies of the voluntary Kaitseliit (Defense League) and the border guard.
June 5, 2006
Baltic News Service
Both the ESTGUARD unit formed on the basis of the Kaitseliit (Defense League) volunteer corps, which is serving in Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Nov. 21, 2007
Baltic News Service
It is known that the military police played a key role during the April riots, about which the Defense Ministry remains tight-lipped, however. It is known that military police served as advisers to the Kaitseliit (Defense League) volunteer corps as Kaitseliit members were joining the ranks of law enforcement as assistant police officers. Officers from the military police also provided training for assistant police personnel.
Oct. 13, 2014
Estonian Embassy in London: http://www.estonia.gov.uk/estonia/history/aid-904, last accessed on 13.10.2014
“In Estonia, an understanding was reached between the two rival political movements, and in defiance of approaching tanks, the Supreme Council in coordination with the Congress of Estonia adopted a decision on national independence on 20 August 1991.”
Oct. 13, 2014
Source: Kaitseliit Homepage: http://www.kaitseliit.ee/en/history1, last accessed on 13.10.2014
“Several armed services, the border guard, Prison Board, not to mention single military units, grew out of the voluntary national defence organisation established during the confusing times in November 1918, primarily for maintaining public order. A majority of the distinguished officers from the War of Independence and present day Estonia began their service in the Estonian Defence League.”
