Upon their occupation of Estonia in 1941, Nazi authorities initially refused the formation of large Estonian military units. Estonians did, however, volunteer for Wehrmacht and SS units tasked with ‘security’ behind the Eastern Front. Security was a euphemistic term used to disguise genocide, in which Estonian units were involved. Due to the worsening situation for Nazi Germany and successful lobbying by Estonian students and youth, a voluntary Estonian Waffen-SS Legion was formed in late August 1942.By February 1944, approximately 15,000 men had served in the Estonian Legion. In late July 1944, Nazi Germany began to evacuate its troops from Estonia. The Estonian Legion was regrouped in Silesia and Czechoslovakia, where it fought until the Nazi capitulation. Estonian Legionnaires were then captured by the Allies. Those held by the Soviets were sent to prisoner-of-war camps or executed, while those held by the British and Americans were deemed to be forced foreign conscripts and therefore able to emigrate to the West.
