Mobilizations during World War I and national troop units in Estonia in 1914–1917

ABSTRACT

The aim of this article is to provide a more complete overview of the mobilizations that were carried out in Estonia during World War I, to give a more up-to-date estimate of the numbers of men that were mobilized, and to examine the formation of Estonian national units in 1917 as one of the more important pre-conditions for the achievement of Estonian independence.

KEYWORDS:

• World War I
• Estonia
• mobilizations
• military service
• national troop units

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. In the beginning of 1918, the Jägers returned to Finland, participated in the Finnish Civil War, and played an important role in ensuring the victory of the Whites over the Reds.

2. Russian State Historical Archives (hereafter RGIA), f. 1292, n. 5, s. 384: Report of the Russian Ministry of the Interior’s Directorate of Military Service on the drafting of recruits in 1910.

3. Here and elsewhere, all dates are given according to Old Style.

4. Estonian National Archives (hereafter RA), EAA.301.1.137, l. 1. A joint telegram from the Ministers of the Navy, the Seas, and the Interior to the Governor of Livonia, 17 July 1914.

5. RA, EAA. 37.2.5305, l. 1–2. A telegram from Czar Nicholas II to the Governor of Estonia, 17 April 1914.

6. Russian State Archive of Military History (hereafter RGVIA), f. 1343, n. 3, s. 27, l. 2–4p, 10–10p, 16–17p, 22–28. Reports of heads of the military from Võru, Tartu, Viljandi, Pärnu, and Saaremaa about the drafting of reservists in July 1914.

7. RGVIA, f 2000, n. 3, s. 2895, l. 92. The 1910 mobilization plan of the Russian army.

8. RGVIA, f 2000, n. 3, s. 2895, l. 2. The 1910 mobilization plan of the Russian army.

9. RA, EAA.37.2.5303, l. 18. A telegram from the Minister of the Interior to the Governor of Estonia, 19 July 1914.

10. RA, EAA.37.2.5303, l. 25. A telegram from the Head of Staff of the Russian Army to the Governor of Estonia, 20 July 1914.

11. RA, EAA.37.2.5303, l. 30–32. A joint telegram from the Ministers of the Navy, the Seas, and the Interior to the Governor of Estonia, 22 July 1914.

12. RA, EAA.37.2. 5303, l. 336p; EAA.301.1. 127, l. 159: Reports of the military draft commissions from the Estonian and Livonian governorates about the drafting of national territorial defense troops.

13. RA, EAA.37.2. 5303, l. 337; EAA.301.1.127, l. 161. Reports of the military draft commissions of the Estonian and Livonian governorates about the drafting of national territorial defense troops.

14. RA, EAA.37.1.124, l. 92p, 106–107, 141–141p; EAA.37.2.5303, l. 406–407; EAA.301.1.127, l. 161, 206, 389–390; EAA.301.1.146, l. 182, 329. Reports of the military draft commissions of the Estonian and Livonian governorates about the drafting of national territorial defense troops.

15. RA, EAA.37.1.124, l. 159–160p, 237p, 240, 303; EAA.301.1.147, l. 222, 326, 471; EAA.301.1.148, l. 146–147, 182. Reports of the military draft commissions of the Estonian and Livonian governorates about the drafting of national territorial defense troops. As official statistics concerning the number of recruits do not exist for all the mobilizations, the total numbers given for 1916 are in part estimations.

16. RA, EAA.37.2.5298, l. 108–111. A circular from the Ministry of the Interior to the Governor of Estonia, 3 September 1914.

17. RA, EAA.37.2.5310, l. 2–4p. Regulations for the drafting of volunteers, 23 July 1914.

18. RA, EAA.37.2.5298, l. 194–197; EAA.301. 2.135, l. 635p–636. Reports of the military draft commissions of the Estonian and Livonian governorates about the drafting of new recruits.

19. In the mobilization of the first years of the war, some men were freed from service for health or other reasons and provided with a corresponding certificate as proof – the so-called ‘white ticket.’ Beginning in 1916, however, ‘white ticket’ men started to be taken into service.

20. RA, EAA.37.2.5298, l. 167–8, 180–1; EAA.301.1.143, l. 102p, 132–40: Reports of the military draft commissions of the Estonian and Livonian governorates about the drafting of new recruits.

21. Russian State Navy Archives (hereafter RGVMF), f. 949. n. 1. s. 680, l. 1–3. Report of the Commander of Peter the Great’s Naval Fortress, April 1917.

22. The Estonian Provisional Diet or Landtag was a parliamentary body representing the people of the united Estonian governorate that was established in summer 1917 on the order of the Russian Provisional Government.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tõnu Tannberg

Tõnu Tannberg is Professor of Estonian History at University of Tartu. His research mainly concerns Estonian political and military history in the 19th and 20th century.