Estonia and Tallinn 1941 year. Interesting and rare pictures

**Paul D** · 01-18-2009, 09:53 PM

Looks like the photo was taken at the same time as some of yours Dimas, the German vehicles in the Vene Street photo also have 61 ID Tac signs on the rear,

regards

Paul

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 01-18-2009 09:53 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

Tharapitala · 03-30-2009, 07:10 PM

by Dimas

Another picture of destroyed bridge, unrecognized place

While I'm not, yet, 100% certain. It's very very very similar to the bridge, church and landscape in Keila. I live there myself so to me that looks exactly like it. Only difference being the bridge in that image has 3 main supports where as the one standing today has only one. The image is taken from the opposite side of the angle in the photo. The original image could/would have probably been taken on the far right of the image here.

If indeed the river was made narrower then the supports on the far distance are the original ones just, they are on the ground now and not in the water.

Simplest of explanations could be the replacement of the bridge in later years and the fact the Russians made the river narrower perhaps.

I've sent the image to our local county museum for more info and I guess I'll find out if it's indeed from Keila or not.

**Dimas** · 03-30-2009, 08:20 PM

by Tharapitala

While I'm not, yet, 100% certain. It's very very very similar to the bridge, church and landscape in Keila. I live there myself so to me that looks exactly like it. Only difference being the bridge in that image has 3 main supports where as the one standing today has only one. The image is taken from the opposite side of the angle in the photo. The original image could/would have probably been taken on the far right of the image here.

If indeed the river was made narrower then the supports on the far distance are the original ones just, they are on the ground now and not in the water.

Simplest of explanations could be the replacement of the bridge in later years and the fact the Russians made the river narrower perhaps.

I've sent the image to our local county museum for more info and I guess I'll find out if it's indeed from Keila or not.

Thanks for info.
I think that the third picture in the post 14 is also that area, probably Vääna ?

**Dimas** · 03-30-2009, 08:22 PM

And probably the post 17- tanks is from the same area... Look at the landscape, it is similar to the coastal area of Paldiski or Keila-Joa

Tharapitala · 03-31-2009, 09:36 AM

The Museum just e-mailed back and yeah, the photo with the railway bridge is indeed from Keila. They couldn't give a year tho but logically it's from the ww2 era.

As for 14 and 17. I find it a bit hard to say. To me they could be any field any where in the whole country. Only exception being that large twin gunned turret. Those weren't put just anywhere and the ruins/foundations of a few of those are left around the country.

Also while I'm at it, thanks for all the photos here. I hadn't seen any of them before and didn't even know any photos of my town were taken like that.

**Dimas** · 03-31-2009, 09:47 AM

As far as I know that pictures was token after the Soviet troops leave the Tallinn, and the photographer made them in one or two days.
As I can now his way was Pirita-Lasnamäe-Kadriorg-Tallinn center-Hiiu-Keila-Paldiski, all that places are recognized, but this gun looks to me as a part of Imperial Coastal Battery https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/attac...elics.eu25.jpg

**Dimas** · 03-31-2009, 09:50 AM

And the tanks is a probaly Raasiku or line Rae-Punkt 21.4 or somewhere near Keila. The body is probably Kiviloo-Perila-Vaskjala-Ülemiste or Harku. That is the places where Estonian Häävituse battailons fought against 61 div

Tharapitala · 03-31-2009, 10:10 AM

The gun that looks like part of the coastal battery. The foundation on which it's standing looks like the kinds of foundation remains you'd see at Vääna and around here in general indeed. There's quite a lot of old fortifications and bases around here. From various points of time.

Say, if you don't mind me asking. Where did you find these photos to begin with

Because I'm quite sure our local Harjumaa county museum could be interested in a fair few of these. Just asking.

**Dimas** · 03-31-2009, 07:30 PM

The pictures came about 20 years ago, from one old house, and currently they are in private collection

Tharapitala · 04-07-2009, 01:08 PM

My parents just received some old photos today taken of Keila. Roughly pre ww2. Among them is a picture of the railway bridge from a different angle. I thought I might as well post it for the curious.

The railway bridge. The broken bridge image was taken from the far right facing towards the left. This one is taken from the side. Some things to note are that there's a strange lack of supports under the bridge in this photo. Compared to the one with the broken bridge. The metal on the walkway sides has a different pattern to it as well.

That kinda raises the question if this is a pre-war or a re-built bridge after the war. But it is the same place as the broken bridge photo. The church included.