Minister of Defence Hannes Hanso, who participated in the memorial event marking the anniversary of the Battle of Paju, said that the battles and heroes of the Estonian War of Independence remain relevant, even today.
“The Battle of Paju, one of the bloodiest and most decisive battles in the War of Independence, is a testament to the courage and determination of the Estonian Defence Forces. Alongside the Finnish volunteers, Sons of the North, the Kuperjanov Battalion seized the heart of the manor from the Red Army, re-opening the path to Valka and beyond, towards Riga and Pihkva,” Hanso said. “The battle itself, above all the death-defying advance of the Kuperjanov Battalion is considered by many war historians as one of the most pivotal battles ever fought on the Estonian soil - a true monument to the Estonian soldier.“
According to Hanso, the battle still echoes in the present day. “The key lies in the strength of the brotherhood-in-arms. In the War of Independence, an overwhelming majority of the Estonian men fought for the freedom of our nation. This was not a civil war - it was a war for independence. The Estonian soldier fought for the freedom of the fatherland, with only a handful attracted to the other side by the new, foreign ideology. The Estonian people fought for their land back then, and are still willing to do so today,“ said Hanso.
“Similarly, our allies played and continue to play a key role. During the War of Independence, we received help from volunteer Finns, Swedes, Danes and, naturally, the Estonian-based Russians, Germans, Jews and many others who took pride in fighting for the country’s freedom,” said Hanso. “To this day, we can rely on the assistance of our brothers-in-arms from the United States of America, and will also welcome the troops arriving this year from Germany and United Kingdom. The spirit of the brotherhood-in- arms, evident in the War of Independence, still survives.”
Today marks the 97th anniversary of the Battle of Paju, one of the most pivotal battles of the War of Independence. The Finnish volunteers, members of the Sons of the North regiment, were commemorated in St. John’s Church in Valga. All those fighting in the battle were commemorated by the monument to the Battle of Paju in Tõlliste.
In the battle fought on 31 January 1919 for the Paju Manor in Valgamaa, a mere 700 members of the Kuperjanov partisan regiment and Sons of the North regiment succeeded in taking the Paju Manor, defended by nearly 1,200 Red Army troops, mostly Latvian Riflemen. The battle took the lives of nearly 300 Red Army troops and 150 Estonian troops. The commander of the partisan regiment, Lieutenant Julius Kuperjanov was mortally wounded and died in Tartu on February 2.
