Tuli selline ettepanek:
mul on ettepaneks uue polli-küsitluse osas:
Kellel on eesti avaliku elu tegelastest kauneim kann-(variandid)
värnik
ansip
savisaar
tauk
go bussi mehed
saagim
ingrid tähismaa
vändra aveli
inga raitar
õed ojasaared
jne. pakkuge veel välja!
Jah, miks ka mitte! Pakkuge veel variante, siis saame üles panna küsitluse.
neljapäev, 10. juuli 2008
Üks tagasiside/küsimus asendustegevuste ja hobide kohta ning meie vastus
Saabus selline kommentaar, mille panen kohe eraldi üles:
Loen su kirjeldusi mõningase murega, sest tunnen paljuski ära iseennast. Lasen naisel endale pähe istuda, et saada tasuks piisake kiitust, kui hoolas ja tubli ma olen olnud. Ning lepin tujutult sellega, et saan samavõrd noomida, kui olen midagi tegemata jätnud või omamoodi teinud.
Üks teema on veel mis on naisele vastukarva. Hobid. Naine tunneb, et hobid millega ma tegelen (neid on minimaalselt) ohustavad meie suhet. Täpsemalt, talle näib tunduvat, et ma tegelen mõne asjaga "liiga palju". Mis tähendab liiga palju? See tähendab paari korda kuus õhtul kodust ära olemist. Kuid ainuüksi tõik, et ma tegelen ka mingi muu teemaga, kui perekondlik heaolu, näib talle ohtlik olevat.
Minu mäletamist mööda on nii olnud iga tegevusega mida ma olen "liiga palju" teinud. Olgu see trenn või midagi muud -alati on tulnud jutuks, et kas ma püüan sellega midagi meie suhtes asendada? On see asendustegevus?
Mis on üldse asendustegevus ja miks naised seda meeste puhul kardavad? Miks on halb, kui mees käib paaril õhtul nädalas vibu laskmas, jõusaalis, mootorrattaga sõitmas vmt?
Kas pole loomulik, et mees püüab igapäevast rutiini mingi asendustegevusega mitmekesistada? Ma saan aru, et ka armukeste pidamine on asendustegevus. Vahest näevad naised selles mingit seost? Et motokrossist on ainult üks samm armukeseni?
Vahel on lihtsalt selline tunne, et naised tahaks meestel kõik lõbud ära keelata. Et ainus lõbu on see, et naise soove täita ja tema ostujutte kuulata. Ja pidevalt kinnitada kui kaunis ja sale ja ilust ta on.
Aga mees tahab ka muid asju teha! Mees tahab tunda, et ta elab ja trotsib ohte! Et ta suudab ka muud, kui poest kraami koju vinnata ja allahindlustel naisele riideid proovikabiini tuua.
Mis teie sellest asendustegevusest arvate?
Ja veel tahaksin küsida, kuidas saab blogspotis neid küsitlusi tekitada?
Pahur Seller
Inno:
väga huvitav kommentaar! Mina ise arvan nende nn hobide kohta, et see on valdkond, kus sinu enda olemus, see maagline "sina ise" püüab väljapääsu leida elumere lainetest, ahmib õhku vahepeal. Kus saad olla sina ise, sina ja sinu hobi, kui nii võib öelda. Ja naine näeb ses ohtu, sest ta on sinuga "tegelenud", ilmselt aastaid, sind mingis soovitud suunas muutnud, ja sa oled isegi nö andnud lootust, aga kui sa oma hobi juurest tagasi tuled, oled täitsa teistsugune jälle, kõik unustanud. Mil oled ilmselt lähedane sellele, kes sa tegelikult oled. Ja naine hoiab mõttes pead kinni, kakub endal juukseid, ja kui suu avab, siis süüdistab selles hobisid, saamata aru, et ta peab tegelikult võitlust sinu loomusega. Sinu endaga.
Tegelt peaks sobivas suhtes hobid kattuma. Või nad peaks olema sellised, millega teine pool rõõmsalt kaasa tuleb. Umbes, et, ohoo, huvitav, et ise sellega varem ei tegelenud, või et: olen sellest unistanud, aga pole saanud teha, pole olnud aega, ei lubatud. Ja see "hobi" võib vabalt olla ka voodis lesimine, pikutamine.
Ja mis asendustegevusse puutub, siis on sellised nn hobid, mida paar teineteisest eraldi toimetab, loomulikult asendustegevus. Millega siis asendatakse suhtes puudu olevat lähedust, isegi armastust. Ja otse loomulikult võib sellise "tegevuse" käigus ette tulla mõni inimene, kellest kohe ei saa end enam lahutada. Eks see ole ka oht naisele, kes on nii palju investeerinud ja panustanud olemasolevasse suhtesse, ja kes pole sest mingil juhul nõus loobuma.
Kuidas küsitlust panna: Blogspotis lähed ülevalt ribast paremalt "customize" alt, siis "add a page element", sealt valid "poll" ja klikid "add to blog". Siis täidad väljad ja hiljem saab selle küsitluse asukohta muuta sealt "customize" alt.
Loen su kirjeldusi mõningase murega, sest tunnen paljuski ära iseennast. Lasen naisel endale pähe istuda, et saada tasuks piisake kiitust, kui hoolas ja tubli ma olen olnud. Ning lepin tujutult sellega, et saan samavõrd noomida, kui olen midagi tegemata jätnud või omamoodi teinud.
Üks teema on veel mis on naisele vastukarva. Hobid. Naine tunneb, et hobid millega ma tegelen (neid on minimaalselt) ohustavad meie suhet. Täpsemalt, talle näib tunduvat, et ma tegelen mõne asjaga "liiga palju". Mis tähendab liiga palju? See tähendab paari korda kuus õhtul kodust ära olemist. Kuid ainuüksi tõik, et ma tegelen ka mingi muu teemaga, kui perekondlik heaolu, näib talle ohtlik olevat.
Minu mäletamist mööda on nii olnud iga tegevusega mida ma olen "liiga palju" teinud. Olgu see trenn või midagi muud -alati on tulnud jutuks, et kas ma püüan sellega midagi meie suhtes asendada? On see asendustegevus?
Mis on üldse asendustegevus ja miks naised seda meeste puhul kardavad? Miks on halb, kui mees käib paaril õhtul nädalas vibu laskmas, jõusaalis, mootorrattaga sõitmas vmt?
Kas pole loomulik, et mees püüab igapäevast rutiini mingi asendustegevusega mitmekesistada? Ma saan aru, et ka armukeste pidamine on asendustegevus. Vahest näevad naised selles mingit seost? Et motokrossist on ainult üks samm armukeseni?
Vahel on lihtsalt selline tunne, et naised tahaks meestel kõik lõbud ära keelata. Et ainus lõbu on see, et naise soove täita ja tema ostujutte kuulata. Ja pidevalt kinnitada kui kaunis ja sale ja ilust ta on.
Aga mees tahab ka muid asju teha! Mees tahab tunda, et ta elab ja trotsib ohte! Et ta suudab ka muud, kui poest kraami koju vinnata ja allahindlustel naisele riideid proovikabiini tuua.
Mis teie sellest asendustegevusest arvate?
Ja veel tahaksin küsida, kuidas saab blogspotis neid küsitlusi tekitada?
Pahur Seller
Inno:
väga huvitav kommentaar! Mina ise arvan nende nn hobide kohta, et see on valdkond, kus sinu enda olemus, see maagline "sina ise" püüab väljapääsu leida elumere lainetest, ahmib õhku vahepeal. Kus saad olla sina ise, sina ja sinu hobi, kui nii võib öelda. Ja naine näeb ses ohtu, sest ta on sinuga "tegelenud", ilmselt aastaid, sind mingis soovitud suunas muutnud, ja sa oled isegi nö andnud lootust, aga kui sa oma hobi juurest tagasi tuled, oled täitsa teistsugune jälle, kõik unustanud. Mil oled ilmselt lähedane sellele, kes sa tegelikult oled. Ja naine hoiab mõttes pead kinni, kakub endal juukseid, ja kui suu avab, siis süüdistab selles hobisid, saamata aru, et ta peab tegelikult võitlust sinu loomusega. Sinu endaga.
Tegelt peaks sobivas suhtes hobid kattuma. Või nad peaks olema sellised, millega teine pool rõõmsalt kaasa tuleb. Umbes, et, ohoo, huvitav, et ise sellega varem ei tegelenud, või et: olen sellest unistanud, aga pole saanud teha, pole olnud aega, ei lubatud. Ja see "hobi" võib vabalt olla ka voodis lesimine, pikutamine.
Ja mis asendustegevusse puutub, siis on sellised nn hobid, mida paar teineteisest eraldi toimetab, loomulikult asendustegevus. Millega siis asendatakse suhtes puudu olevat lähedust, isegi armastust. Ja otse loomulikult võib sellise "tegevuse" käigus ette tulla mõni inimene, kellest kohe ei saa end enam lahutada. Eks see ole ka oht naisele, kes on nii palju investeerinud ja panustanud olemasolevasse suhtesse, ja kes pole sest mingil juhul nõus loobuma.
Kuidas küsitlust panna: Blogspotis lähed ülevalt ribast paremalt "customize" alt, siis "add a page element", sealt valid "poll" ja klikid "add to blog". Siis täidad väljad ja hiljem saab selle küsitluse asukohta muuta sealt "customize" alt.
Üks huvitav tagasiside/kommentaar psühholoogia teemal
Saabus selline lugeja kiri:
Üks laiaks valgunud heietus, mis algas mõttest teatada heast psühholoogist. Minu kindel eelistus on Salli Põldvere. Kuid enne, kui ma teda kiitma ja teisi maha laitma hakkan, tahaksin peatuda ühel põhimurel. Üldiselt on kõik psühholoogid toredad. Ja nende sorav jutt sellest, kuidas tuleb ennast kehtestada koostöö ja ühiste eesmärkide kaudu on ju igati õige (väike stiilinäide: http://corners.kolhoos.ee/stories/storyReader$205), ainult et…Kõik see kehtib ainult sinnamaale, kus vastas istub adekvaatne suhtluspartner, kes on samuti valmis austama mõlema poole huvisid. Raske on aga leida ühtki õpetust selle kohta, kuidas lahendada konflikte psühhopaadiga, kes ei austa kokkuleppeid, ei näe teist inimest, ei tunnista ühtki muud lahendust peale domineerimise, teise inimese allasurumise. Millisest dialoogist võib sellisel juhul olla jutt? Aga kui suhtlemine on möödapääsmatu - kehtigu see eksabikaasade puhul, majanaabrite puhul, isegi valitsuse ja riikide puhul (sest tihtilugu käituvad riigid samuti nagu inimesed ja eks käitu meie idanaaber valdavalt nagu üks pesuehtne psühhopaat). Kui kaugele tuleks rahumeelse dialoogi arendamisega minna, enne kui tekib tungiv vajadus tõsta relvad hädamere vastu? Nimelt siin võiks olla koht, kus psühhiloogid leiaksid hoopis ägedama töömaa, keskendudes sellele, kuidas konfliktiks valmistuda, varudes soola, tikke ja püssirohtu, kuidas arendada pealetungi, hoida positsioone, vaimu üleval hoida ja, last but not least, konfliktist väljuda. Milline psühholoog õpetaks, kuidas kurjale pasunasse anda?
Isiklik küsimus: kas vanem poiss on juba üritanud ema surve alt väljapääsu otsida? Peaks juba olema nii vana, kus hakkab tekkima iseseisev mõtlemine? Lastele psühhopaadist vanema poolt tehtavale ajupesu mõju ei ole põhjust alahinnata. Kummatigi jääb selle mõju pärandina eluaegselt kummitama, pakkudes tööd ja leiba tulevastele psühholoogidele. Sellised vanemad, kes oma lapsi niimoodi töötlevad, et viimased tunnevad hirmu teise vanemaga suheldes jamadesse sattuda, on paadunud lurjused ja kurjategijad, keda ei õigusta mitte miski. Ega mõista ka nende oma lapsed - tulevikus. Paraku pole olemas jõudu ega seadust, mis suudaks neid praegu korrale kutsuda. Olemasolevad mehhanismid, mis takistaksid ühel vanemal ennast lapse või laste kaudu teisele vanemale kehtestamast on hambutud ja abitud. Psühhopaadile ei maksa midagi nende peale kaarega kusta - ja midagi ei juhtugi…
Võib-olla hakkavad lapsed ise kunagi mõtlema ja selle vastu protestima, kui nad suuremaks saavad. Sest juhtugu mis tahes, too teine, keelatud vanem on oma laste jaoks ju alati olemas. Tulebki tunnistada, et mina talitasin oma arvates mõistlikult, küsisin nõu ja abi, suhtlesin lastekaitsjate ja advokaatidega ning isegi Salli Põldverega, kuid lõppude lõpuks leian ennast ikka täpselt samasuguses olukorras. Psühhopaat ruulib ja ükski koer ei haugu! Ja ma pean taas hakkama Sinu kogemuse kaudu õppima, millised on selle karistamatu sigatsemise lühi- ja pikemaajalised mõjud lapse vaimsele tervisele. Kas nad suudavad sellest ükskord välja tulla ja millise hinnaga?
Parimate soovidega,
P.
Minu vastus:
Väga põnev tagasiside!
Kõigepealt Salli Põldverest, ta andis mulle ülikoolis suhtlemispsühholoogiat ja tundus, et ta valdab seda teemat, on oma ala asjatundja. Julgen teda küll soovitada, pealegi on ta aus ja julge, erinevalt paljudest teistest tegelastest, kellega olen kokku puutunud ja kes oma nimekaardile kirjutavad psühholoog.
Psühhopaadiga ei saagi mingeid asju lahendada, tõepoolest. Suhtest psühhopaadiga on ainult kaks väljapääsu: surm või põgenemine. Minu ema valis esimese tee (enda surma), mina teise (põgenemise). Eks aeg näitab, kumb õigemini talitas. Minu kõige suurem probleem seoses emaga oli see, et teda polnud enam olemas minu jaoks ajaks, kui ma ise psühhopaadist isa juurest vabaks rabelesin. Teatud paradoks: ta oli kogu aeg justkui olemas, kuigi tegelikult teda polnud. Ja polnud siis, kui teda just vaja oleks olnud. Ja ma heidan ise emale ette, et ta minema ei jooksnud. Ta kartis, et isa lööb kas tema enda või lapsed maha, teeb kõigile haiget, aga ma ei usu seda. Psühhopaat on tegelikult väga arg, pidevalt hirmul, aga ei tunnista seda, sellepärast ta ongi psühhopaat. Ja suhted psühhopaadiga on kindlasti hea teema, näiteks seesama dialoogi arendamine, mis on minu arvates mõttetu. Ta oskab sellised "dialoogid" alati enda kasuks pöörata. Ja siis muud sellised "paratamatud" suhtlemised. Omast kogemusest tean, et kui teda kõrvetada, siis tõmbab tagasi, nagu koer. Ja ega temasugusega muud lahendust pole, kui teda pidevalt kõrvetada, näiteks avalikustamisega, hoida teda keti otsas, piltlikult öeldes. Et ta pidevalt hüpleb, kuna ta kardab avalikustamist nagu tuld. Siis ta ei jaksa ise kurja teha. Ja siis selline külm sõda, kui lubate. Ühelt poolt ignoneerimine, temaga kokkupuudete vältimine, teiselt poolt endale kindlaks jäämine. Kuni teine pool vaikselt murdub, tema laip sust mööda ujub, piltlikult öeldes. Sest psühhopaadil on raske pikaajaliselt vee peale jääda, kui ta on jäänud ilma rõõmust end teiste najal upitada. Psühhopaat toitub teiste kottimisest, ammutab sellest jõudu, ja kui ta ära isoleerida, siis ta lämbub. Nii nagu juhtus NLiiduga.
Poistega mul side puudub, ja ma pole täiesti teadlikult kontakti loonud, sest see annaks võimaluse kottida nii mind kui lapsi. Ja nagu aru saan, tegelevad nendega põhiliselt sugulased, kes on täiesti toredad inimesed. Ma lähtun siin põhimõttest, tee teistele seda, mida tahad, et sinule tehtaks. Ma tahtsin, lapsena, et ema läheks isa juurest ära, ja vahet polnud kuidas ja mismoodi. Ja mul oleks olnud hea meel, kui ema oleks avalikustanud isa toorutsemise, tema tegeliku olemuse. Sest ka mu isa paistis väljapoole superisa. Kes külvas sõpru ja tuttavaid, sugulasi üle kallite kingitustega, ostis nad nö ära. Mul oli seda väga nukker kõrvalt vaadata. Ja mu paljud sugulased ei usu siiamaani, et mu isa meid, so oma lapsi ja naist peksis. Ja minu suurim soov on olla jätkuvalt oma lastele olemas, siis, kui nad mind vajavad. Et ma saaksin aru anda, küsimustele vastata, millise võimaluse mu ema mult ära võttis, kuna ta valis teise tee.
Ja enda kohta pean ütlema, et tulin sellisest vägivaldsest kodust suht kergelt välja (ja pean tunnistama, et ega koju jäänud ema ei suutnud oma lapsi kaitsta, ta tunnistas seda oma "viga" hiljem, aga ta ilmselt ohverdas end soovile näha oma lapsekesi, seda soovi on naisel ilmselt raskem alla suruda kui mehel, kuigi ka mina vahel nutan patja), ainult peamine probleem on see, et olen vägivalla suhtes immuunne (ma olen ise naljatamisi mõelnud, et oleksin võinud õppida arstiks, nagu oli mu ema soov). Ma ise kartsin, et võin muutuda samasuguseks nagu mu isa, samasuguseks psühhopaadiks, mul oli kunagi selline hirm, aga tegelikkuses juhtus hoopis vastupidine: sattusin ise psühhopaadi ohvriks. Ja olin ühel hetkel sealmaal, kus oli olnud minu ema. Samasuguste valikute ees.
Üks laiaks valgunud heietus, mis algas mõttest teatada heast psühholoogist. Minu kindel eelistus on Salli Põldvere. Kuid enne, kui ma teda kiitma ja teisi maha laitma hakkan, tahaksin peatuda ühel põhimurel. Üldiselt on kõik psühholoogid toredad. Ja nende sorav jutt sellest, kuidas tuleb ennast kehtestada koostöö ja ühiste eesmärkide kaudu on ju igati õige (väike stiilinäide: http://corners.kolhoos.ee/stories/storyReader$205), ainult et…Kõik see kehtib ainult sinnamaale, kus vastas istub adekvaatne suhtluspartner, kes on samuti valmis austama mõlema poole huvisid. Raske on aga leida ühtki õpetust selle kohta, kuidas lahendada konflikte psühhopaadiga, kes ei austa kokkuleppeid, ei näe teist inimest, ei tunnista ühtki muud lahendust peale domineerimise, teise inimese allasurumise. Millisest dialoogist võib sellisel juhul olla jutt? Aga kui suhtlemine on möödapääsmatu - kehtigu see eksabikaasade puhul, majanaabrite puhul, isegi valitsuse ja riikide puhul (sest tihtilugu käituvad riigid samuti nagu inimesed ja eks käitu meie idanaaber valdavalt nagu üks pesuehtne psühhopaat). Kui kaugele tuleks rahumeelse dialoogi arendamisega minna, enne kui tekib tungiv vajadus tõsta relvad hädamere vastu? Nimelt siin võiks olla koht, kus psühhiloogid leiaksid hoopis ägedama töömaa, keskendudes sellele, kuidas konfliktiks valmistuda, varudes soola, tikke ja püssirohtu, kuidas arendada pealetungi, hoida positsioone, vaimu üleval hoida ja, last but not least, konfliktist väljuda. Milline psühholoog õpetaks, kuidas kurjale pasunasse anda?
Isiklik küsimus: kas vanem poiss on juba üritanud ema surve alt väljapääsu otsida? Peaks juba olema nii vana, kus hakkab tekkima iseseisev mõtlemine? Lastele psühhopaadist vanema poolt tehtavale ajupesu mõju ei ole põhjust alahinnata. Kummatigi jääb selle mõju pärandina eluaegselt kummitama, pakkudes tööd ja leiba tulevastele psühholoogidele. Sellised vanemad, kes oma lapsi niimoodi töötlevad, et viimased tunnevad hirmu teise vanemaga suheldes jamadesse sattuda, on paadunud lurjused ja kurjategijad, keda ei õigusta mitte miski. Ega mõista ka nende oma lapsed - tulevikus. Paraku pole olemas jõudu ega seadust, mis suudaks neid praegu korrale kutsuda. Olemasolevad mehhanismid, mis takistaksid ühel vanemal ennast lapse või laste kaudu teisele vanemale kehtestamast on hambutud ja abitud. Psühhopaadile ei maksa midagi nende peale kaarega kusta - ja midagi ei juhtugi…
Võib-olla hakkavad lapsed ise kunagi mõtlema ja selle vastu protestima, kui nad suuremaks saavad. Sest juhtugu mis tahes, too teine, keelatud vanem on oma laste jaoks ju alati olemas. Tulebki tunnistada, et mina talitasin oma arvates mõistlikult, küsisin nõu ja abi, suhtlesin lastekaitsjate ja advokaatidega ning isegi Salli Põldverega, kuid lõppude lõpuks leian ennast ikka täpselt samasuguses olukorras. Psühhopaat ruulib ja ükski koer ei haugu! Ja ma pean taas hakkama Sinu kogemuse kaudu õppima, millised on selle karistamatu sigatsemise lühi- ja pikemaajalised mõjud lapse vaimsele tervisele. Kas nad suudavad sellest ükskord välja tulla ja millise hinnaga?
Parimate soovidega,
P.
Minu vastus:
Väga põnev tagasiside!
Kõigepealt Salli Põldverest, ta andis mulle ülikoolis suhtlemispsühholoogiat ja tundus, et ta valdab seda teemat, on oma ala asjatundja. Julgen teda küll soovitada, pealegi on ta aus ja julge, erinevalt paljudest teistest tegelastest, kellega olen kokku puutunud ja kes oma nimekaardile kirjutavad psühholoog.
Psühhopaadiga ei saagi mingeid asju lahendada, tõepoolest. Suhtest psühhopaadiga on ainult kaks väljapääsu: surm või põgenemine. Minu ema valis esimese tee (enda surma), mina teise (põgenemise). Eks aeg näitab, kumb õigemini talitas. Minu kõige suurem probleem seoses emaga oli see, et teda polnud enam olemas minu jaoks ajaks, kui ma ise psühhopaadist isa juurest vabaks rabelesin. Teatud paradoks: ta oli kogu aeg justkui olemas, kuigi tegelikult teda polnud. Ja polnud siis, kui teda just vaja oleks olnud. Ja ma heidan ise emale ette, et ta minema ei jooksnud. Ta kartis, et isa lööb kas tema enda või lapsed maha, teeb kõigile haiget, aga ma ei usu seda. Psühhopaat on tegelikult väga arg, pidevalt hirmul, aga ei tunnista seda, sellepärast ta ongi psühhopaat. Ja suhted psühhopaadiga on kindlasti hea teema, näiteks seesama dialoogi arendamine, mis on minu arvates mõttetu. Ta oskab sellised "dialoogid" alati enda kasuks pöörata. Ja siis muud sellised "paratamatud" suhtlemised. Omast kogemusest tean, et kui teda kõrvetada, siis tõmbab tagasi, nagu koer. Ja ega temasugusega muud lahendust pole, kui teda pidevalt kõrvetada, näiteks avalikustamisega, hoida teda keti otsas, piltlikult öeldes. Et ta pidevalt hüpleb, kuna ta kardab avalikustamist nagu tuld. Siis ta ei jaksa ise kurja teha. Ja siis selline külm sõda, kui lubate. Ühelt poolt ignoneerimine, temaga kokkupuudete vältimine, teiselt poolt endale kindlaks jäämine. Kuni teine pool vaikselt murdub, tema laip sust mööda ujub, piltlikult öeldes. Sest psühhopaadil on raske pikaajaliselt vee peale jääda, kui ta on jäänud ilma rõõmust end teiste najal upitada. Psühhopaat toitub teiste kottimisest, ammutab sellest jõudu, ja kui ta ära isoleerida, siis ta lämbub. Nii nagu juhtus NLiiduga.
Poistega mul side puudub, ja ma pole täiesti teadlikult kontakti loonud, sest see annaks võimaluse kottida nii mind kui lapsi. Ja nagu aru saan, tegelevad nendega põhiliselt sugulased, kes on täiesti toredad inimesed. Ma lähtun siin põhimõttest, tee teistele seda, mida tahad, et sinule tehtaks. Ma tahtsin, lapsena, et ema läheks isa juurest ära, ja vahet polnud kuidas ja mismoodi. Ja mul oleks olnud hea meel, kui ema oleks avalikustanud isa toorutsemise, tema tegeliku olemuse. Sest ka mu isa paistis väljapoole superisa. Kes külvas sõpru ja tuttavaid, sugulasi üle kallite kingitustega, ostis nad nö ära. Mul oli seda väga nukker kõrvalt vaadata. Ja mu paljud sugulased ei usu siiamaani, et mu isa meid, so oma lapsi ja naist peksis. Ja minu suurim soov on olla jätkuvalt oma lastele olemas, siis, kui nad mind vajavad. Et ma saaksin aru anda, küsimustele vastata, millise võimaluse mu ema mult ära võttis, kuna ta valis teise tee.
Ja enda kohta pean ütlema, et tulin sellisest vägivaldsest kodust suht kergelt välja (ja pean tunnistama, et ega koju jäänud ema ei suutnud oma lapsi kaitsta, ta tunnistas seda oma "viga" hiljem, aga ta ilmselt ohverdas end soovile näha oma lapsekesi, seda soovi on naisel ilmselt raskem alla suruda kui mehel, kuigi ka mina vahel nutan patja), ainult peamine probleem on see, et olen vägivalla suhtes immuunne (ma olen ise naljatamisi mõelnud, et oleksin võinud õppida arstiks, nagu oli mu ema soov). Ma ise kartsin, et võin muutuda samasuguseks nagu mu isa, samasuguseks psühhopaadiks, mul oli kunagi selline hirm, aga tegelikkuses juhtus hoopis vastupidine: sattusin ise psühhopaadi ohvriks. Ja olin ühel hetkel sealmaal, kus oli olnud minu ema. Samasuguste valikute ees.
kolmapäev, 9. juuli 2008
Üks küsimus muutumise/suhte kohta ja meie vastus
Saabus selline küsimus:
Ma mõtlen, et oleks päris huvitav võtta blogis laiale ringile diskuteerimiseks teema inimesest ja muutustest. Põhiküsimus siis: kas inimene muutub elu jooksul? Kas 25 aastane meesterahvas võiks olla 35-sena sootuks teistsugune, nii et partner, kes 25-sena tundus sobiv võiks 10 aastat hiljem sobimatuks osutuda? Miks? Või miks mitte? Küsimus on tähtis. Sest Inno ja Irja arusaamad sobivusest ja armastusest ja iseendaks olemisest adresseerivad inimeste soove ja vajadusi olla õnnelik ja armastatud. Ent terve see käsitlus muutuste kohta psüühilisel tasandil esitab hetkel veel sellele absoluutse sobivuse teooriale väljakutse. Kas võib olla nii, et sobiva kaaslase leiab ainult väljakujunenud isiksus, kes peab olema tunduvalt vanem, kui 20? Vähemalt ses valguses tundub tõesti hetkel veel kahtlane, et kas Inno ja Irja oleks ikka praegu juba 14 aastat õnnelikus suhtes, kui nad oleks kohtunud juba circa 1994, mil Inno oli 24 ja Irjake veel alaealine keskkooliplika. Kas Irja võis tollal olla veel väljakujunematu? Kas teismelisele tüdrukule võiks mingi meessoost tüüp ollagi vaid õige kaaslane õigeks ajahetkeks? Kui inimene üldse peabki välja kujunema kõigepealt, siis kaua võtab aega, et ta kristalliseerub mingit tüüpi inimeseks, kellega juba võikski keegi teine "väljakujunenud" inimene sobida ja kes jäävadki elu lõpuni sobima?
Ehk võiks suisa miski küsitluse üles panna? Et kas inimene muutub? Muide, kas kunagi on Inno + Irja blogis olnud üleval küsitlus teemal "Kas oled oma suhtega rahul"? Kui ei, siis oleks huvitav teada, kuidas blogilugejad oma suhteid hindavad. Kui jah, siis mis tulemused küll võisid olla?
Inno:
Tegelt inimene ei muutu. See on jama, et muutub. Kui 25selt sobis, 35selt ei sobinud, järelikult kumbki või üks nendest teeskles või kujutas ette midagi muud. On väga tavaline, et inimene on VALMIS muutuma, painutama end teise soovide ja tahtmiste järgi. Aga seda saab teha väga lühikeseks ajaks, pikaajaline muutmine tekitab ainult stressi. Inimene on küll valmis muutuma, ennast muutma, aga ta ei saa looduse vastu, kes ta on tekitanud just selliseks, kes ta parasjagu on. Kahjuks, või õnneks, kuidas kellelegi.
Ja see väljakujunenud isiksuse jutt on jama. Lihtsalt see tuleb sellest, et inimene kas ei jaksa teeselda kedagi teist lõputult, või ta ei tunne iseennast, ei julge olla see, kes ta tegelikult on. Seal võib olla teatud nn kasvatuslikke aspekte, või mingeid mõjutusi nn sõpradelt, ehk neilt, kellega inimene lähedalt kokku puutub.
Ja see suhteküsimus on mingil kujul üleval olnud, aga panen veel. Ja panen ka küsitluse selle kohta, kas oled suhtes õnnelik, sest suhtega rahulolu võib mõista mitmeti.
Irja:
mina võin öelda seda, et ainus, mis eristab 17-aastast Irjat 31-aastasest, on see, et siis ma olin palju usaldavam kui nüüd, kus ma olen pidanud paljudes inimestes pettuma. Ja see on kõik. Ma olin 17-aastaselt täpselt seesama inimene, kes ma olen nüüd. Mul on isegi täpselt needsamad unistused, mis mul olid siis. Ka tõekspidamised on samaks jäänud.
Kui ma oleks Innoga kohtudes olnud 17-aastane, siis ära oleks jäänud kõik need vahepealsed mõttetud suhted, mis ei andnud tegelikult mitte midagi, lihtsalt väsitasid. See on minu meelest alatu vale, et inimene peab kogema halba, selleks, et hinnata head. Inimene, kes on ise hea, oskab hinnata head algusest peale. Nii arvan mina ja tunnen südames, et nii ka on.
Ma mõtlen, et oleks päris huvitav võtta blogis laiale ringile diskuteerimiseks teema inimesest ja muutustest. Põhiküsimus siis: kas inimene muutub elu jooksul? Kas 25 aastane meesterahvas võiks olla 35-sena sootuks teistsugune, nii et partner, kes 25-sena tundus sobiv võiks 10 aastat hiljem sobimatuks osutuda? Miks? Või miks mitte? Küsimus on tähtis. Sest Inno ja Irja arusaamad sobivusest ja armastusest ja iseendaks olemisest adresseerivad inimeste soove ja vajadusi olla õnnelik ja armastatud. Ent terve see käsitlus muutuste kohta psüühilisel tasandil esitab hetkel veel sellele absoluutse sobivuse teooriale väljakutse. Kas võib olla nii, et sobiva kaaslase leiab ainult väljakujunenud isiksus, kes peab olema tunduvalt vanem, kui 20? Vähemalt ses valguses tundub tõesti hetkel veel kahtlane, et kas Inno ja Irja oleks ikka praegu juba 14 aastat õnnelikus suhtes, kui nad oleks kohtunud juba circa 1994, mil Inno oli 24 ja Irjake veel alaealine keskkooliplika. Kas Irja võis tollal olla veel väljakujunematu? Kas teismelisele tüdrukule võiks mingi meessoost tüüp ollagi vaid õige kaaslane õigeks ajahetkeks? Kui inimene üldse peabki välja kujunema kõigepealt, siis kaua võtab aega, et ta kristalliseerub mingit tüüpi inimeseks, kellega juba võikski keegi teine "väljakujunenud" inimene sobida ja kes jäävadki elu lõpuni sobima?
Ehk võiks suisa miski küsitluse üles panna? Et kas inimene muutub? Muide, kas kunagi on Inno + Irja blogis olnud üleval küsitlus teemal "Kas oled oma suhtega rahul"? Kui ei, siis oleks huvitav teada, kuidas blogilugejad oma suhteid hindavad. Kui jah, siis mis tulemused küll võisid olla?
Inno:
Tegelt inimene ei muutu. See on jama, et muutub. Kui 25selt sobis, 35selt ei sobinud, järelikult kumbki või üks nendest teeskles või kujutas ette midagi muud. On väga tavaline, et inimene on VALMIS muutuma, painutama end teise soovide ja tahtmiste järgi. Aga seda saab teha väga lühikeseks ajaks, pikaajaline muutmine tekitab ainult stressi. Inimene on küll valmis muutuma, ennast muutma, aga ta ei saa looduse vastu, kes ta on tekitanud just selliseks, kes ta parasjagu on. Kahjuks, või õnneks, kuidas kellelegi.
Ja see väljakujunenud isiksuse jutt on jama. Lihtsalt see tuleb sellest, et inimene kas ei jaksa teeselda kedagi teist lõputult, või ta ei tunne iseennast, ei julge olla see, kes ta tegelikult on. Seal võib olla teatud nn kasvatuslikke aspekte, või mingeid mõjutusi nn sõpradelt, ehk neilt, kellega inimene lähedalt kokku puutub.
Ja see suhteküsimus on mingil kujul üleval olnud, aga panen veel. Ja panen ka küsitluse selle kohta, kas oled suhtes õnnelik, sest suhtega rahulolu võib mõista mitmeti.
Irja:
mina võin öelda seda, et ainus, mis eristab 17-aastast Irjat 31-aastasest, on see, et siis ma olin palju usaldavam kui nüüd, kus ma olen pidanud paljudes inimestes pettuma. Ja see on kõik. Ma olin 17-aastaselt täpselt seesama inimene, kes ma olen nüüd. Mul on isegi täpselt needsamad unistused, mis mul olid siis. Ka tõekspidamised on samaks jäänud.
Kui ma oleks Innoga kohtudes olnud 17-aastane, siis ära oleks jäänud kõik need vahepealsed mõttetud suhted, mis ei andnud tegelikult mitte midagi, lihtsalt väsitasid. See on minu meelest alatu vale, et inimene peab kogema halba, selleks, et hinnata head. Inimene, kes on ise hea, oskab hinnata head algusest peale. Nii arvan mina ja tunnen südames, et nii ka on.
Teatage headest psühhiaatritest, seksoloogidest, perenõustajatest!
Lugejad küsivad, kes siis on Eestis head psühhiaatrid, seksoloogid ja perenõustajad?
Aidakem üksteist! Kirjutage, kasvõi anonüümsena, headest, ja miks mitte ka halbadest kogemustest.
Aidakem üksteist! Kirjutage, kasvõi anonüümsena, headest, ja miks mitte ka halbadest kogemustest.
Tüdrukute klubi pääses taas ekraanile!
Kujutis Kanal 2 ekraanilt.
Täna siis oli ekraanil Urve Palo, meie armastatud rahvastikuminister, Tüdrukute klubi liige, kelle kohta Päevaleht kirjutas, et jäi tiba jänni oma tööga. Mispeale tulid uudised, et võiks need portfellita tegelased üldse ametist lahti lasta. Mis oleks ka õige, mida on seal asjatada. Paras tagasi tööturule saata, erasektorisse, Urve oskab "pandavaimat" villa kindlasti paremini müüa kui rahvastikuasju ajada. Õigemini polegi ta neid eriti ajanud, tema kontorist on tulnud rohkem sooja auru. Ei ole ikka nii, et algul müüd villa, siis hops!, korrigeerid suhteid.
Siin veel mõned pildid, kus Urve on nagu natsa jobu näoga. Natuke ähmis nagu. Nagu õunavarguselt tabatud poisike, kes püüab end õigustada, vargust eitada, endal taskud õunu täis. Ja teisel pildil ka Olga "pandavaim" Šlõk (kutsutakse ka prževalski hobuseks), kelle Urve oma Isoveri kontorist oma büroosse üle tõi. Eks nad seal kahekesi siis asjatavad. Täna sahmisid ja otsisid dokumente. Aga kes neid ikka enam usub, eksole.
teisipäev, 8. juuli 2008
Eesti ei peaks taganema Tartu rahulepingust
Väljavõte SLÕhtulehest.
Ma olen alati arvanud, et kui maailma kabeliidu asepreseident, või mis ta oligi, Janek Mäggi sõna võtab, siis on midagi hullu lahti. Või midagi eriti olulist sündimas. Viimane kord oli see krooni devalveerimine, kus Mäggi kirjutas, et devalveerimine tuleb nagunii ja väga ruttu. Noh, ja nüüd on ta siis devalveeritud, eksole! Ja läheme edasi. Nüüd on siis teemaks Tartu rahulepe, millest peaks siis Eesti justkui lahti ütlema, ka piirileppe kaaskirjas ehk preambulas, kuna "Tartu rahu hala on mõtlevad Eesti inimesed ammu ära tüüdanud". Ma ei saa päris sest retoorikast aru. Et kui Eesti seoses ELiga liitumisega oma iseseisvusest nagunii loobus, kui trumm läks, siis mingu pulgad ka. Või mis?!
Aga mina nii ei arva. Sest sellest leppest loobumiseks pole põhjust. Isegi siis kui üks põhupea, kes pole midagi tarka Brüsselis oldud aastate jooksul teinud, ma mõtlen Toomas Savi, seda nüüd äkki soovitab. Ja Ilves samuti, selleks, et oma lollusi ja tegematajätmisi Venemaal korvata, üritab nüüd venelastele mett moka peale määrida ja midagi tekitada. Hilja, Toomas, hilja. Seda, suhete klaarimist, oleks pidanud tegema siis, kui sa seal olid. Mitte nüüd, takkajärgi. Ja mida ta siis teeb?! Ikka sama mida kunagi Päts ja tema kompanjonid: müüb tükikaupa Eestit maha. Vaieldagu minuga, kui see pole tõsi! Nojah, ja kui jätta kõrvale asjaolu, et tal on jänki kodakondsus ja saab alati uttu tõmmata, kui asi hulluks läheb, siis on Ilves samasugune turakas nagu need, keda Eesti 1939. aastal Moskvasse saatis ja kes tulid sealt, saba löntis tagasi sõnumiga, et Vene väed tuleb kohe sisse lasta. Kui oli juba laialt teada, et Saksamaa plaanib Venemaad rünnata ja selle riigiga on mõneks ajaks jokk. Mida kuradit, mille kuradi peale oli Eesti juhtidel loota? Nagu nüüd, mille kuradi peale loodab Ilves?! Et kui see Tartu rahu sealt piirileppest välja võtta, et siis tuleb suur transiit Eestisse tagasi vä?! No lubage naerda! Juba neli-viis aastat tagasi, kui Venemaa hakkas Narva taha sadamat ehitama, oli selge, mis värk on. Nüüd on kliima soojenemine sellele veel kaasa aidanud. Veelgi enam, Venemaa plaanib juba hakata Põhja-Jäämeres pumpama, mis saab varsti, või on juba saanud jäävabaks. Ja Eesti sadamaid, kui neid kunagi peaks vaja minema, on rohkem nagu tagavaralennuväljad. Selliste eriti karmide talvede puhuks. Ok, ma saan aru, et ELi jaoks on vaja Venemaaga suhted ära klattida, aga kas see peab olema eesti rahva ajalugu, mis taas ohvriks tuuakse? Ja ma saan aru ka sellest, et sotsid ja reformarid on asunud Ilvese möödalaskmisi puhtaks pesema, muutudes sellega suuremaks venkude perselakkujaks kui Savisaar on kunagi olnud või võinuks olla. Tekib küsimus, et mis nüüd lahti? Mis lahti selle Tartu rahuga? Ja selle leppega. Et kui teda pole saanud, ja seda vaatamata ELi "viljastavatele tingimustele" viimase 4 aasta jooksul sõlmida, et juhtub katastroof kui seda järgneva nelja aasta jooksul mitte teha. Las ta ootab! Ja laagerdub. Vaatame, kuidas kulgeb Vene vaidlus Jaapaniga Kuriilide üle. Oleks ju tobe sest Tartu rahust loobuda, isegi preambulas, kui venkud Kuriilid näiteks järgmisel aastal japsidele loovutavad. Ja eestlastele öeldakse, et ise olite lollid! Böö!
Ja selles ka Mäggi eksib, et Eesti on kõigest loobunud. Kuni Moskva pole seda lepet allkirjastanud, pole Eesti millestki loobunud. Ja kinnitamata lepet on võimalik alati vajadusel muuta, võiks Mäggi oma Õigusinstituudi juuraharidusega teadmiseks võtta. Ja isegi kui Eesti loobus neist maatükkidest, elab see lepe hinges edasi, koos õigusega eestlaste enesemääramisele. Ja see pole vähem oluline. Esiisade mälestus. Ja ajalooline tõde. Siis võiks samahästi ka Vabadussõja samba ehitamata jätta, see kah mõningaid "mõtlevaid inimesi" ammu ära tüüdanud, nagu lehtedest võib lugeda. Ning lasta venkudel kirjutada oma ajalugu, tähistada Eesti "ühendamise" 300. aastapäeva. Või mis?
Ühes asjas on Mäggil muidugi õigus: Eesti oleks saanud vabaks ka ilma laulva revolutsioonita. Aga võibolla mitte nii ruttu. Ja mitte nii valutult. Aga see ei tähenda, et Eesti peaks vanasse kaevu sülitama enne kui uus on valmis. Las Venemaa ratifitseerib enne leppe, siis võib selle rahu teema üle diskuteerida. Oleks ju eriti tobe, kui Eesti üksteise järel seda lepet kohendab, jääbki kohendama, ja venkud Kremlis peenikest naeru peavad, ning lepet ikka ei kinnita. Sest on ju veel igasugu asju nagu venelaste kodakondsuse küsimus ja mustmiljon muud pisiasja, mis vajaks lahendamist. Näiteks see, kas tagastada Tartu Ülikooli varad või mitte. Seda lubadust ei täitnud Venemaa ka 1920-1940. aastal, mil leping oli veel täiesti värske ja niisamuti kehtiv.
Nii noor, aga juba kanatädi valmis
Väljavõte Postimehe veebist.
Sandra Maasalu kirjutab tänases Postimehes: "Armastus ei saa mitte niisama üleöö otsa. Kui elukaaslane näib olevat maoks kehastunud, tuleks alustuseks ikka ise peeglisse vaadata. Eelkõige peaks püüdma kokku leppida, nii omavahel kui ka lastega, enda pärast ja laste pärast. Head suhted ja head inimesed pole tasuta saadud kingitus, vaid nende hoidmiseks tuleb vaeva näha. Mitte miski pole iseenesest mõistetav". Pildi peal paistab kena noor tüdruk olevat, aga jutu järgi juba kanatädi valmis.
Ma saan aru, et konservatiivne Postimees tahab eesti peresid iga hinna eest koos hoida, aga vaadakem siiski tõele näkku, eks. Kui armastus saab üleöö otsa, siis pole seda armastust olnudki. Ei ole nii, et mees ja naine, suur armastus ning ükspäev mees kadund. Ei tea, kuhu läks, imestab naine, olime nii õnnelikud! Polnud te õnnelikud midagi, igavesti õnnetud olite hoopis, sest kui mees oma naist armastab ja naine meest, siis ei lähe kumbki kuhugi.
Ehk siis, kui elukaaslane näib olevat maoks kehastunud, siis see mitte ainult ei näi nii, vaid ka on. Ja siis ei ole muud varianti kui ta juurest kähku pageda, enne kui tuleb surm, haigus või muu häda. Lastel on elu ees, nemad saavad hakkama, sest nende päralt on tulevik, ja nad saavad 18-aastaselt kodu ukse igasuguste süümepiinadeta jalaga kinni lüüa - päästmist vajavad hoopis isa ja ema, kes on oma eluga puntrasse jooksnud. Südamed on haiged täiskasvanutel, mitte lastel.
Ja ei ole vaja mitte milleski kokku leppida, sest kui suhe puruneb, siis mahajäänusse jääb kibestumus ning ta üritab äraläinule iga hinna eest kätte maksta. Äraläinu tunneb end süüdi ja üritab hea olla, mahajäänu näeb ses headuses nõrkust ning tormab seda kohe ära kasutama. Kõige targem on kõik varad rangelt pooleks jagada, mitte mängida dzentelmeni, ning maksta siis elatist sest oma poolest. Inno jättis Ingridile suurema osa varast ja nad leppisid kohtus kokku, et kui ta nii teeb, siis Ingrid viie aasta jooksul elatist ei küsi. Küsis küll ja ütles, et suuline lepe ei ole miski lepe.
Ja hea, sobiv suhe on küll tasuta saadud kingitus - ainus tõeliselt tasuta asi siin maailmas. Lihtsalt ei tohi end enne sobiva inimese leidmist valesse suhtesse mässida, ja kui juhtumisi siiski mässitakse, siis sest tuleb välja rabelda KOHE, kui sellest aru saadakse. Enda ohverdamine on suurim rumalus, mille inimene võib teha. Isegi lapsed ei anna seda teile kunagi andeks, kui suureks saavad.
Kas Galetin ja Piller on paar?
Indrek Galetin (vasakul) ja Taivo Piller, väljavõte Kroonikast.
Jätkame vahepeal unustusse vajunud homorindel. Nimelt kirjutab Margus Müili peatoimetatav ning üha huvitavamaks muutuv Kroonika ühest väga intrigeerivast seigast, mis leidis aset homoklubis Angel, kus purjus lilleseadja Taivo Piller läks kallale fotograaf Indrek Galetinile, valades talle kaks kokakoolat pähe. Seepeale valas Indrek Taivole klaasi vett pähe. Poiste tüli päädis sellega, et Piller vedas Galetini Angeli vetsu ja hakkas teda seal kägistama. Nii vähemasti kirjutab Kroonika, et kägistama, mitte vägistama. Täitsa huvitav, kaspole. Ints puhub oma sõbrantsidega mõnusasti juttu, nagu Kroonika raporteerib, ja purjus Taivo tuleb talle lihtsalt kallale.
Mis värk on? Kas
a) Taivot häiris, et Indrek rääkis homoklubis naistega, sest homoklubis peavad mehed ainult meestega rääkima;
b) Taivo oli armukade: Indrek on tema jagu ja naised hoidku eemale;
c) Taivo pidas Indrekut kellekski teiseks;
d) Taivot tabas ajutine meeltesegaduse hoog;
e) homomaailmas on see (kokaga ülevalamine) igapäevane asi
Mis teie arvate? Ja kas Kroonika ajakirjanik sai ikka asjast õigesti aru? Et toimus ikka kägistamine, mitte vägistamine??
Üks tagasiside/küsimus poliitiliste vaadete kohta ja meie vastus
Saabus selline küsimus/tagasiside:
Tere Inno,
Kuna sa aegajalt võtad oma blogis sõna ka poliitilistel teemadel ja üldse oled ka sel alal suht asjatundlik tüüp, siis mind paratamatult huvitab, kuidas liigitaksid oma poliitilisi vaateid? Ma ei pea silmas isegi mitte erakondlikku kuuluvust, vaid just teatud kontiinume nagu parem-vasakpoolsus, liberalism-konservatism, vabaturu-kapitalism-vs-sotsialism, või ka muid kategooriaid nagu libertaarlane, tsentrist. Et kuidas sina ja Irja ennast liigitate? Ma vaatan, et Orkutis olete mõlemad pannud endale political view alla "libertarian", kuigi sa Inno oled samas ilmselt libertaarlust blogis kritiseerinud. Millised on teie põhilised poliitilised uskumused üldse?
Kõike kena,
SM.
Inno vastus:
mina tõepoolest eelistan libertaarseid vaateid, libertaarsus siis vastandina autoritaarsele. Ma usun, et neid vaateid jagab enamik eestlasi, eriti kes sündinud enne 90ndaid, kui vaid aint seda endale ja teistele tunnistada julgetaks või tahetaks.
Libertaarsus asub klassikalisel skaalal ilmselt keskel või pigem paremal, kuigi evib endas ka vasakpoolseid vaateid, eriti mis puudutab isikuvabadusi, seoses seksuaalse orientatsiooni, usu, prostitutsiooni jms teguritega. Majanduslikult on libertaarlased selgelt parempoolsed: väiksem riigi roll, eraomandi kaitse.
Kaasajal on parem- ja vasakpoosuse mõiste hägustunud. Kõik sihivad nö kümnesse, USA vabariiklaste ja demokraatide programmid on, alates Clintoni ajast, väga sarnased. Sisuliselt valitakse isikut, kõik muu on tühi-tähi. Eestis niisamasugused lood, Reform lubab peredele ja pensionäridele, isegi venelastele sama mis Keskerakond (seda on nutikamad kommentaatorid juba märganud, näiteks Aivar Hundimägi Äripäevast: valid Reformi, saad Keski). Ja sotsid lähevad rõõmsalt kaasa maksukoormuse alandamisega. Ja kui aus olla, siis jagavad kõik erakonnad libertaarseid vaateid, nii nagu ka jagatakse rohelisi vaateid. Teatud variatsioonidega. Maailm liigub selgelt libertaarsuse suunas, seda isegi Venemaa, ja ka Hiina, ning isegi Kuuba. NSV Liidu kui autoritaarsuse kantsi hukk on sedavõrd hästi meeles ja põhjused teada. Loomulikult kaasnevad sellega teatud "probleemid" nagu need mäsud Hiinas, või Tiibetis, kus siis vabadusi tunnetavad inimesed hakkavad häälekamalt oma õiguste eest seisma. Aga pööret "vanasse heasse aega" kah enam teha ei saa, sest nii nagu kukkus putš läbi NLiidus, nii kukuks ta läbi ilmselt igal pool mujal.
Irja:
minu libertaarsusearmastus sai alguse sellest, et kui ma 17-aastaselt esimest korda Ameerikasse läksin, siis ma olin suures vaimustuses oma targast täditütrest Enest, kes oli olnud 5 korda abielus, neist ühe korra afgaanist vabadusvõitlejaga, ning suur poliitikahuviline. Ta käis poliitilistel kongressidel ning meeleavaldustel, kandis rinnamärke "Free Afghanistan" ja "Freedom to Estonia". Ene oli vaadetelt libertarian. Ta viis mind Libertarian Party piknikule, kus olid koos kõiksugu kihvtid tegelased, pikajuukselised noormehed ja lühikestes pükstes vallatud vanamehed, kes lõid siis, kui tähtsad jutud olid ära räägitud, muru peal omavanuste naistega tantsu. Kõigil oli lõbus, kõik näis nii iisi, et ma tahtsin ka kohe libertarian'iks hakata. Ma ei mõelnud siis, mispärast, lihtsalt need inimesed olid nii lahedad. Hiljem Ene selgitas mulle, et libertarian tähendab seda, et riik sekkub võimalikult vähe üksikisiku ellu, ja see sobis mulle ka. Ma olin noor ja otse loomulikult ei tahtnud ma, et keegi mu ellu sekkuks, häh.
Oma arust suur libertarian, hakkasin ma siis toetama Reformierakonda. Nemad ju reklaamisid end kui suuri ettevõtjate toetajaid ja kuna ma tahtsin ka väikest viisi ettevõtja olla, siis tundus see valik loomulik. Kiitsin siin blogis Reformierakonda taevani ning hakkasin Tartusse kirjanduskohvikut rajama. Et olen väike vahva ettevõtja selline. Vaevalt olin jõudnud astuda esimesed sammud, kui juba saabus mulle kuri kiri linnavalitsusest, et mis ma seal luba küsimata toimetan, ja ähvardati 18 000-kroonise trahviga. Kirjutasin siis reformierakondlasest linnapeale ja selgitasin oma olukorda, et mul suri alles isa ära ja ma tõesti ei ole teinud midagi seadusevastast, aga seepeale saabus vaid üks külm kiri, kus mulle öeldi sisuliselt sedasama, mis eelmises kirjas. Pärast seda helistas Innole veel Maksuameti tädi, kes teatas ülbelt, et talle olla linnavalitsusest öeldud, et ma ei saa Tartu linnas kunagi kohviku tegemise luba. Seks ajaks käis mul juba pea ringi, süda läikis ning kohvikutegemise isu oli ammu kadunud. Säh sulle libertaarsust. Säh sulle Reformierakonna toetamist. Aga eks ma ise olin süüdi.
Kui te vaatate Reformierakonna poliitikuid, siis näete, et nad ei ole normaalsed, soojad, südamega inimesed, vaid steriilsed ja küünilised, tundetud ja tuimad parteisõdurid, kes ei saa aru, kui nendega inimkeeles rääkida. Ja see mula ettevõtja toetamisest tähendav tegelikult seda, et toetatakse ettevõtjaid küll, aga vaid Reformierakonna enda ettevõtjaid, ehk siis Tartus Andrus Ansipi sõpra Neinar Seli, kel endal, tänan väga, kohvikuid küll. Ja rivaale ei ole vaja. Kes teab, võib-olla kui ma oleks Reformierakonda astunud, siis äkki mul oleks ka lubatud teha pisipisikene kohvikukene, mis poleks seisnud Seli kohvikul ees, aga ma ei taha ühtegi erakonda astuda. Mulle meeldib olla vaatleja-toetaja. Ma ei taha end siduda. Enne valimisi loomulikult ütlen, kelle poolt olen, aga see on kõik.
Mulle meeldivad targad, andekad poliitikud, kellest on näha, et nad hoolivad inimestest. Mulle meeldivad Mart Laar, Tunne ja Mariann Kelam, Edgar Savisaar, Siiri Oviir (ma olen teda kritiseerinud, aga ta meeldib mulle ja on mingis mõttes eeskujuks), Liina Tõnisson jt. Üha rohkem olen aru saanud, et võimule pääsemist väärib partei, mis räägib kõige rohkem inimkeeles. Mitte külmalt ja kliiniliselt ja seaduste-, vaid soojas ja südamlikus inimkeeles.
Tere Inno,
Kuna sa aegajalt võtad oma blogis sõna ka poliitilistel teemadel ja üldse oled ka sel alal suht asjatundlik tüüp, siis mind paratamatult huvitab, kuidas liigitaksid oma poliitilisi vaateid? Ma ei pea silmas isegi mitte erakondlikku kuuluvust, vaid just teatud kontiinume nagu parem-vasakpoolsus, liberalism-konservatism, vabaturu-kapitalism-vs-sotsialism, või ka muid kategooriaid nagu libertaarlane, tsentrist. Et kuidas sina ja Irja ennast liigitate? Ma vaatan, et Orkutis olete mõlemad pannud endale political view alla "libertarian", kuigi sa Inno oled samas ilmselt libertaarlust blogis kritiseerinud. Millised on teie põhilised poliitilised uskumused üldse?
Kõike kena,
SM.
Inno vastus:
mina tõepoolest eelistan libertaarseid vaateid, libertaarsus siis vastandina autoritaarsele. Ma usun, et neid vaateid jagab enamik eestlasi, eriti kes sündinud enne 90ndaid, kui vaid aint seda endale ja teistele tunnistada julgetaks või tahetaks.
Libertaarsus asub klassikalisel skaalal ilmselt keskel või pigem paremal, kuigi evib endas ka vasakpoolseid vaateid, eriti mis puudutab isikuvabadusi, seoses seksuaalse orientatsiooni, usu, prostitutsiooni jms teguritega. Majanduslikult on libertaarlased selgelt parempoolsed: väiksem riigi roll, eraomandi kaitse.
Kaasajal on parem- ja vasakpoosuse mõiste hägustunud. Kõik sihivad nö kümnesse, USA vabariiklaste ja demokraatide programmid on, alates Clintoni ajast, väga sarnased. Sisuliselt valitakse isikut, kõik muu on tühi-tähi. Eestis niisamasugused lood, Reform lubab peredele ja pensionäridele, isegi venelastele sama mis Keskerakond (seda on nutikamad kommentaatorid juba märganud, näiteks Aivar Hundimägi Äripäevast: valid Reformi, saad Keski). Ja sotsid lähevad rõõmsalt kaasa maksukoormuse alandamisega. Ja kui aus olla, siis jagavad kõik erakonnad libertaarseid vaateid, nii nagu ka jagatakse rohelisi vaateid. Teatud variatsioonidega. Maailm liigub selgelt libertaarsuse suunas, seda isegi Venemaa, ja ka Hiina, ning isegi Kuuba. NSV Liidu kui autoritaarsuse kantsi hukk on sedavõrd hästi meeles ja põhjused teada. Loomulikult kaasnevad sellega teatud "probleemid" nagu need mäsud Hiinas, või Tiibetis, kus siis vabadusi tunnetavad inimesed hakkavad häälekamalt oma õiguste eest seisma. Aga pööret "vanasse heasse aega" kah enam teha ei saa, sest nii nagu kukkus putš läbi NLiidus, nii kukuks ta läbi ilmselt igal pool mujal.
Irja:
minu libertaarsusearmastus sai alguse sellest, et kui ma 17-aastaselt esimest korda Ameerikasse läksin, siis ma olin suures vaimustuses oma targast täditütrest Enest, kes oli olnud 5 korda abielus, neist ühe korra afgaanist vabadusvõitlejaga, ning suur poliitikahuviline. Ta käis poliitilistel kongressidel ning meeleavaldustel, kandis rinnamärke "Free Afghanistan" ja "Freedom to Estonia". Ene oli vaadetelt libertarian. Ta viis mind Libertarian Party piknikule, kus olid koos kõiksugu kihvtid tegelased, pikajuukselised noormehed ja lühikestes pükstes vallatud vanamehed, kes lõid siis, kui tähtsad jutud olid ära räägitud, muru peal omavanuste naistega tantsu. Kõigil oli lõbus, kõik näis nii iisi, et ma tahtsin ka kohe libertarian'iks hakata. Ma ei mõelnud siis, mispärast, lihtsalt need inimesed olid nii lahedad. Hiljem Ene selgitas mulle, et libertarian tähendab seda, et riik sekkub võimalikult vähe üksikisiku ellu, ja see sobis mulle ka. Ma olin noor ja otse loomulikult ei tahtnud ma, et keegi mu ellu sekkuks, häh.
Oma arust suur libertarian, hakkasin ma siis toetama Reformierakonda. Nemad ju reklaamisid end kui suuri ettevõtjate toetajaid ja kuna ma tahtsin ka väikest viisi ettevõtja olla, siis tundus see valik loomulik. Kiitsin siin blogis Reformierakonda taevani ning hakkasin Tartusse kirjanduskohvikut rajama. Et olen väike vahva ettevõtja selline. Vaevalt olin jõudnud astuda esimesed sammud, kui juba saabus mulle kuri kiri linnavalitsusest, et mis ma seal luba küsimata toimetan, ja ähvardati 18 000-kroonise trahviga. Kirjutasin siis reformierakondlasest linnapeale ja selgitasin oma olukorda, et mul suri alles isa ära ja ma tõesti ei ole teinud midagi seadusevastast, aga seepeale saabus vaid üks külm kiri, kus mulle öeldi sisuliselt sedasama, mis eelmises kirjas. Pärast seda helistas Innole veel Maksuameti tädi, kes teatas ülbelt, et talle olla linnavalitsusest öeldud, et ma ei saa Tartu linnas kunagi kohviku tegemise luba. Seks ajaks käis mul juba pea ringi, süda läikis ning kohvikutegemise isu oli ammu kadunud. Säh sulle libertaarsust. Säh sulle Reformierakonna toetamist. Aga eks ma ise olin süüdi.
Kui te vaatate Reformierakonna poliitikuid, siis näete, et nad ei ole normaalsed, soojad, südamega inimesed, vaid steriilsed ja küünilised, tundetud ja tuimad parteisõdurid, kes ei saa aru, kui nendega inimkeeles rääkida. Ja see mula ettevõtja toetamisest tähendav tegelikult seda, et toetatakse ettevõtjaid küll, aga vaid Reformierakonna enda ettevõtjaid, ehk siis Tartus Andrus Ansipi sõpra Neinar Seli, kel endal, tänan väga, kohvikuid küll. Ja rivaale ei ole vaja. Kes teab, võib-olla kui ma oleks Reformierakonda astunud, siis äkki mul oleks ka lubatud teha pisipisikene kohvikukene, mis poleks seisnud Seli kohvikul ees, aga ma ei taha ühtegi erakonda astuda. Mulle meeldib olla vaatleja-toetaja. Ma ei taha end siduda. Enne valimisi loomulikult ütlen, kelle poolt olen, aga see on kõik.
Mulle meeldivad targad, andekad poliitikud, kellest on näha, et nad hoolivad inimestest. Mulle meeldivad Mart Laar, Tunne ja Mariann Kelam, Edgar Savisaar, Siiri Oviir (ma olen teda kritiseerinud, aga ta meeldib mulle ja on mingis mõttes eeskujuks), Liina Tõnisson jt. Üha rohkem olen aru saanud, et võimule pääsemist väärib partei, mis räägib kõige rohkem inimkeeles. Mitte külmalt ja kliiniliselt ja seaduste-, vaid soojas ja südamlikus inimkeeles.
Üks küsimus/kommentaar enesekehtestamise kohta ja minu vastus
Saabus selline tagasiside kommentaariumisse, mille tahaks kohe eraldi üles panna:
vaata, inno. üks asi on agressiivne käitumine, teine asi allaheitlik käitumine ja siis on veel kolmas, vahepealne - enesekehtestamine. tipi guuglisse ja otsi. oleks ehk üsna kasulik... ingrid võis olla ükskõik, milline, aga mitte miski ei keelanud sul IIAL ennast kehtestada. ja, muuseas, KA PRAEGU ei keela miski sul seda tegemast...
ei ole sina süüdi ingridi asjades ega ingrid süüdi sinu oi-kui-halvas elus. iga inimene vastutab ainuisikuliselt ise omaenda käitumise eest. ise. üksi.
Ja minu vastus:
Ingridiga suheldes oli ja jäi ainuvõimalik viis ennast kehtestada ainult vägivald, kõik muud asjad said ära ja läbi proovitud. Ingrid on selgelt psühhopaatiliste kalduvustega: teeb teisele kurja, haiget, siis anub, nutab ja palub põlvili, et enam kunagi ei tee, kuni järgmise korrani. Samas ise on teiste suhtes väga halb ja vägivaldne, see puudutab just lähedasi, aga varjab seda vägivaldsust. Näiteks kui mina tema juurest minema läksin, anus pisarsilmil Irja venda Vellot, et too aitaks mind Irjast ära lahutada. Kas pole sigadus?! Poeb ja lipitseb liidrite ees, et võita tugevate poolehoidu, nii et kui millegagi hakkama saab, siis usutakse pigem teda, mitte tema ohvrit. Väga ohtlik ja salakaval tüüp. Sellise inimesega ei kehti tavapärased enesekehtestamise viisid, isegi loomaga on lihtsam hakkama saada kui temaga. Loom on vähemalt ettearvatav. Kõige parem viis ennast kehtestada ilma vägivallata on temaga võimalikult suurt distantsi hoida, teha temaga tegemist nii vähe kui võimalik. Muidu haarab igast võimalusest kinni, et kottida.
Vaatame Irjaga Kanal 11 pealt Inglise vanglaseriaali Pahad tüdrukud (seal mängivad muide väga head näitlejad, osad tuttavad sarjast Jalgpallurite naised). Ja üks tegelastest, vangivalvur Di meenutab väga Ingridit. Di oli see, kes, nähes, et kolleeg Josh on armunud vang Crystalisse, hakkas Joshi endale ihkama, selmet teiste õnne üle heameelt tunda. Vahetas veel Crystali ja ühe narkari pissiproovid ära, et Crystalit süüdi lavastada. Pettus tuli õnneks välja, ent Di vingerdas sellest loost kuidagi välja, et peab ema eest hoolitsema, ja tal on raske. Tegelt peksis Di kodus oma ratastoolis ema ja hoidis rooja sees, töö juures valetas, kui oli mingi sigadusega hakkama saanud, et ärge palun lahti laske, ta on ainus hooldaja oma emale, muidu pannakse ema hooldekodusse. Kusjuures ema jaoks oleks just hooldekodu olnud hea lahendus, pääsemine vägivaldse tütre eest!
Mingis mõttes ma tundsin end ära selles Di ema rollis, minule mingist kehtestamisest rääkida on sama hea kui soovitada seda Di emale. Ma vajasin abi, mitte nõuandeid. Ja sellises olukorras on raske kuskilt abi leida, kui oled ise juba ratastoolis, Di ema oli seda füüsiliselt, mina moraalselt. Kuni Irja aitas mul end lahti rebida kogu sellest jäledusest, kus ma elasin. Irja on nagu inimene, kes toob Di ema sealt seapesast ära ja paneb ta kasvõi hooldekodusse. Tõesti, hooldekodu on sada korda etem kui selline vägivaldne kodu.
Praegu ma kehtestangi ennast, järk-järgult. Teen tagasi selle, mis mul tegemata jäi. Ma pean teavitama, milline inimene Ingrid on, et ta enam kellelegi kurja teha ei saaks. Seda on ehk raske mõista inimesel, kes pole minu olukorras olnud, aga neil, kes on, nemad saavad sellest aru. Ingrid on kurjategija, nüüd ma suudan seda juba endale ääri-veeri tunnistada. Mina olin liiga hea inimene, ma ei suutnud suhtes temaga tema kuritegusid paljastada, hoidsin end silmaklappides, sest reaalsus oli kole, muidu oleks olnud raske põhjendada oma kooselu kurjategijaga. Umbes nagu Di ema, kes ei suutnud end ise aidata, ja oma tütre kuritegusid paljastada. Ja kes suudakski lähedase inimese peale kaevata?!
Ja see süüdi-mittesüüdi värk pole samuti päris must-valge ja lihtne. Mina pole lihtsalt õige inimene, et Ingridit süüdistada, ma ei suuda seda. Ma olen selleks liiga hea südamega, valmis pigem isegi kuritegusid tolereerima. Sest pidin lapsepõlves tolereerima oma isa kuritegusid. Kui olen Irjale kirjeldanud, mis Ingrid minuga tegi, siis ütles ta, et oleks sellise inimese juurest kohemaid minema läinud ja politseisse teatanud. Ja ok, mina olin süüdi, et ei lasknud Ingridi juurest jalga, ei andnud teda politseisse või hullumajja, aga ma ei ütleks, et Ingrid polnud süüdi selles, mida ta tegi. Või mis siis üldse on süü? Kui kuriteod, mis seaduse, paragrahvi järgi on kuriteod, kui see pole süü? Iga jumala päev mõistetakse inimesi süüdi selliste tegude eest, mida Ingrid tegi kamaluga, ja Ingrid, vaeseke, pole süüdi. Miks tema teistest parem on? Ja väita, et Ingrid polnud süüdi minu oi-kui-halvas-elus on sama kui väita, et seriaali-Di polnud süüdi oma ema halvas elus. Otse loomulikult! Ema kaebles ilmaasjata! Oleks pidanud ennast kehtestama! Leidma kuskilt meeletu jõu, end kodust välja ajama ja ise hooldekodusse minema, kasvõi roomates! Eksole!
Umbes nii, et kui löön teise maha lambist, ja siis ütlen, et teine ise oli süüdi, et lasi end maha lüüa. Miks ta ei kehtestanud ennast! Kohtus naerdaks mind välja sellise jutu peale.
Aga sellega olen ma küll nõus, et igaüks vastutab ise omaenda käitumise eest. Di vist isegi lõpetas seal seriaalis vanglas, vangina siis, tõsi, mitte ema peksmise eest, vaid mingitel muudel põhjustel. Ka Ingrid on ära teeninud paar vangla-aastat, või siis tuleks ta isoleerida hullarisse, uurida ja ravida teda seal. Et ta enam kurja teha ei saaks.
vaata, inno. üks asi on agressiivne käitumine, teine asi allaheitlik käitumine ja siis on veel kolmas, vahepealne - enesekehtestamine. tipi guuglisse ja otsi. oleks ehk üsna kasulik... ingrid võis olla ükskõik, milline, aga mitte miski ei keelanud sul IIAL ennast kehtestada. ja, muuseas, KA PRAEGU ei keela miski sul seda tegemast...
ei ole sina süüdi ingridi asjades ega ingrid süüdi sinu oi-kui-halvas elus. iga inimene vastutab ainuisikuliselt ise omaenda käitumise eest. ise. üksi.
Ja minu vastus:
Ingridiga suheldes oli ja jäi ainuvõimalik viis ennast kehtestada ainult vägivald, kõik muud asjad said ära ja läbi proovitud. Ingrid on selgelt psühhopaatiliste kalduvustega: teeb teisele kurja, haiget, siis anub, nutab ja palub põlvili, et enam kunagi ei tee, kuni järgmise korrani. Samas ise on teiste suhtes väga halb ja vägivaldne, see puudutab just lähedasi, aga varjab seda vägivaldsust. Näiteks kui mina tema juurest minema läksin, anus pisarsilmil Irja venda Vellot, et too aitaks mind Irjast ära lahutada. Kas pole sigadus?! Poeb ja lipitseb liidrite ees, et võita tugevate poolehoidu, nii et kui millegagi hakkama saab, siis usutakse pigem teda, mitte tema ohvrit. Väga ohtlik ja salakaval tüüp. Sellise inimesega ei kehti tavapärased enesekehtestamise viisid, isegi loomaga on lihtsam hakkama saada kui temaga. Loom on vähemalt ettearvatav. Kõige parem viis ennast kehtestada ilma vägivallata on temaga võimalikult suurt distantsi hoida, teha temaga tegemist nii vähe kui võimalik. Muidu haarab igast võimalusest kinni, et kottida.
Vaatame Irjaga Kanal 11 pealt Inglise vanglaseriaali Pahad tüdrukud (seal mängivad muide väga head näitlejad, osad tuttavad sarjast Jalgpallurite naised). Ja üks tegelastest, vangivalvur Di meenutab väga Ingridit. Di oli see, kes, nähes, et kolleeg Josh on armunud vang Crystalisse, hakkas Joshi endale ihkama, selmet teiste õnne üle heameelt tunda. Vahetas veel Crystali ja ühe narkari pissiproovid ära, et Crystalit süüdi lavastada. Pettus tuli õnneks välja, ent Di vingerdas sellest loost kuidagi välja, et peab ema eest hoolitsema, ja tal on raske. Tegelt peksis Di kodus oma ratastoolis ema ja hoidis rooja sees, töö juures valetas, kui oli mingi sigadusega hakkama saanud, et ärge palun lahti laske, ta on ainus hooldaja oma emale, muidu pannakse ema hooldekodusse. Kusjuures ema jaoks oleks just hooldekodu olnud hea lahendus, pääsemine vägivaldse tütre eest!
Mingis mõttes ma tundsin end ära selles Di ema rollis, minule mingist kehtestamisest rääkida on sama hea kui soovitada seda Di emale. Ma vajasin abi, mitte nõuandeid. Ja sellises olukorras on raske kuskilt abi leida, kui oled ise juba ratastoolis, Di ema oli seda füüsiliselt, mina moraalselt. Kuni Irja aitas mul end lahti rebida kogu sellest jäledusest, kus ma elasin. Irja on nagu inimene, kes toob Di ema sealt seapesast ära ja paneb ta kasvõi hooldekodusse. Tõesti, hooldekodu on sada korda etem kui selline vägivaldne kodu.
Praegu ma kehtestangi ennast, järk-järgult. Teen tagasi selle, mis mul tegemata jäi. Ma pean teavitama, milline inimene Ingrid on, et ta enam kellelegi kurja teha ei saaks. Seda on ehk raske mõista inimesel, kes pole minu olukorras olnud, aga neil, kes on, nemad saavad sellest aru. Ingrid on kurjategija, nüüd ma suudan seda juba endale ääri-veeri tunnistada. Mina olin liiga hea inimene, ma ei suutnud suhtes temaga tema kuritegusid paljastada, hoidsin end silmaklappides, sest reaalsus oli kole, muidu oleks olnud raske põhjendada oma kooselu kurjategijaga. Umbes nagu Di ema, kes ei suutnud end ise aidata, ja oma tütre kuritegusid paljastada. Ja kes suudakski lähedase inimese peale kaevata?!
Ja see süüdi-mittesüüdi värk pole samuti päris must-valge ja lihtne. Mina pole lihtsalt õige inimene, et Ingridit süüdistada, ma ei suuda seda. Ma olen selleks liiga hea südamega, valmis pigem isegi kuritegusid tolereerima. Sest pidin lapsepõlves tolereerima oma isa kuritegusid. Kui olen Irjale kirjeldanud, mis Ingrid minuga tegi, siis ütles ta, et oleks sellise inimese juurest kohemaid minema läinud ja politseisse teatanud. Ja ok, mina olin süüdi, et ei lasknud Ingridi juurest jalga, ei andnud teda politseisse või hullumajja, aga ma ei ütleks, et Ingrid polnud süüdi selles, mida ta tegi. Või mis siis üldse on süü? Kui kuriteod, mis seaduse, paragrahvi järgi on kuriteod, kui see pole süü? Iga jumala päev mõistetakse inimesi süüdi selliste tegude eest, mida Ingrid tegi kamaluga, ja Ingrid, vaeseke, pole süüdi. Miks tema teistest parem on? Ja väita, et Ingrid polnud süüdi minu oi-kui-halvas-elus on sama kui väita, et seriaali-Di polnud süüdi oma ema halvas elus. Otse loomulikult! Ema kaebles ilmaasjata! Oleks pidanud ennast kehtestama! Leidma kuskilt meeletu jõu, end kodust välja ajama ja ise hooldekodusse minema, kasvõi roomates! Eksole!
Umbes nii, et kui löön teise maha lambist, ja siis ütlen, et teine ise oli süüdi, et lasi end maha lüüa. Miks ta ei kehtestanud ennast! Kohtus naerdaks mind välja sellise jutu peale.
Aga sellega olen ma küll nõus, et igaüks vastutab ise omaenda käitumise eest. Di vist isegi lõpetas seal seriaalis vanglas, vangina siis, tõsi, mitte ema peksmise eest, vaid mingitel muudel põhjustel. Ka Ingrid on ära teeninud paar vangla-aastat, või siis tuleks ta isoleerida hullarisse, uurida ja ravida teda seal. Et ta enam kurja teha ei saaks.
esmaspäev, 7. juuli 2008
Tüdrukute klubi tele-ekraanil
Tuvastasin eile tele-ekraanilt Tüdrukute Klubi liikme Veronika Elmeti, kes rääkis söömis-sõltuvusest. Oli teine end väga ära ehtinud, nagu vene jõulupuu:
Üks põnev tagasiside/küsimus puudega inimeste kohta ja meie vastus
Saabus selline tagasiside:
Ma lugesin teie blogi :) See on hea, see on isegi teisisõnu super.
Siiski jäin mõtesse, et räägitakse tänapäeval väga palju seksist. Jah, tõesti. Seks on hea. See on nagu üks osa igapäeva runtiinist. Osa meie elust. Väga hea, et on olemas inimesed, näiteks nagu teie, kes tahavad ja viitsivad rääkida seksist. Mul on suur sõprusringkond ja tõepoolest mitte keegi ei julge rääkida seksist (väljaarvatud mina).
Mitte sellepärast ma ei kirjuta teile. Asi oli siis nii, et teie blogi maht on suur ja ma ei suuda sealt nüüd kõike korraga lugeda, aga kirjutage natuke puudega inimestest. Miks? No ma kolisin Soomes. Tundsin, et Eestimaa jääb liiga väikseks mulle. Just need inimesed, kes mind depresiivses Eesti väikelinnas ümbritsevad, räägivad samu jutte ja arvavad, et nad on täiuslikud. Täpselt nagu Ingrid. Ja siin Soomes avastasin, et inimesed on väga julmad puudega inimeste vastu. Okei, olemas on kõik mis vajalik, iga ratastooliga inimene saab poodi, linna ja riik aitavad niipalju kui võimalik. Puudega inimese abistaja saab normaalselt palka. Ütleme, et elab nende rahadega ilusti ära. Aga inimesed vaatavad viltu. Näevad tänaval ratastoolis inimest, naeravad talle näkku (95% on purjus noored). Aga siis äkitselt tuli mulle meelde, et Tartus, kesklinnas, tahtis saada mees poodi, kus ta peab ise uksed avama. Mitte keegi ei aidanud teda. Mitte keegi. Ja jälle ma olen samas kohas. Vahet pole, kas ma elan Soomes või Eestis. Inimesed on ikka sama ülbed, kui Ingrid oma parklakohaga.
K.
Inno kommentaar:
ka mina olen seda tähele pannud, kuid Soome osas on see minu jaoks üllatus. Ma arvasin, et seal on asjad paremad. Sest Eestis, olgem ausad, ei pääse näiteks liikumispuudega inimene õieti kuhugi. Ja see, nagu aru saan, tuleneb sellest, et invaühing, või kes neid tegevuslube asutustele jagab, vaatab asjale läbi sõrmede, selle ühingu esindajad võtavad allkirja eest raha ja alkoholi, nagu vanal heal nõuka ajal, kui need asjad niimoodi käisid. Ja kellelgi pole sooja ega külma, poliitikud vaatavad samuti läbi sõrmede, sest puudega inimesi on vähe ja valimistel pole neilt suuremat toetust loota. Kurb lugu, samas sõnades justkui kõik ütlevad, et puudega inimene on ka inimene, neid peab kaitsma ja aitama. Tegelikkus on sootuks vastupidine. Neile justkui öeldaks, et miks sa siia sündisid üldse! Kärva ära juba! Nagu inimene oleks ise alati süüdi, et ta sündis siia ilma, või et temaga mingi õnnetus juhtus.
Ma lugesin teie blogi :) See on hea, see on isegi teisisõnu super.
Siiski jäin mõtesse, et räägitakse tänapäeval väga palju seksist. Jah, tõesti. Seks on hea. See on nagu üks osa igapäeva runtiinist. Osa meie elust. Väga hea, et on olemas inimesed, näiteks nagu teie, kes tahavad ja viitsivad rääkida seksist. Mul on suur sõprusringkond ja tõepoolest mitte keegi ei julge rääkida seksist (väljaarvatud mina).
Mitte sellepärast ma ei kirjuta teile. Asi oli siis nii, et teie blogi maht on suur ja ma ei suuda sealt nüüd kõike korraga lugeda, aga kirjutage natuke puudega inimestest. Miks? No ma kolisin Soomes. Tundsin, et Eestimaa jääb liiga väikseks mulle. Just need inimesed, kes mind depresiivses Eesti väikelinnas ümbritsevad, räägivad samu jutte ja arvavad, et nad on täiuslikud. Täpselt nagu Ingrid. Ja siin Soomes avastasin, et inimesed on väga julmad puudega inimeste vastu. Okei, olemas on kõik mis vajalik, iga ratastooliga inimene saab poodi, linna ja riik aitavad niipalju kui võimalik. Puudega inimese abistaja saab normaalselt palka. Ütleme, et elab nende rahadega ilusti ära. Aga inimesed vaatavad viltu. Näevad tänaval ratastoolis inimest, naeravad talle näkku (95% on purjus noored). Aga siis äkitselt tuli mulle meelde, et Tartus, kesklinnas, tahtis saada mees poodi, kus ta peab ise uksed avama. Mitte keegi ei aidanud teda. Mitte keegi. Ja jälle ma olen samas kohas. Vahet pole, kas ma elan Soomes või Eestis. Inimesed on ikka sama ülbed, kui Ingrid oma parklakohaga.
K.
Inno kommentaar:
ka mina olen seda tähele pannud, kuid Soome osas on see minu jaoks üllatus. Ma arvasin, et seal on asjad paremad. Sest Eestis, olgem ausad, ei pääse näiteks liikumispuudega inimene õieti kuhugi. Ja see, nagu aru saan, tuleneb sellest, et invaühing, või kes neid tegevuslube asutustele jagab, vaatab asjale läbi sõrmede, selle ühingu esindajad võtavad allkirja eest raha ja alkoholi, nagu vanal heal nõuka ajal, kui need asjad niimoodi käisid. Ja kellelgi pole sooja ega külma, poliitikud vaatavad samuti läbi sõrmede, sest puudega inimesi on vähe ja valimistel pole neilt suuremat toetust loota. Kurb lugu, samas sõnades justkui kõik ütlevad, et puudega inimene on ka inimene, neid peab kaitsma ja aitama. Tegelikkus on sootuks vastupidine. Neile justkui öeldaks, et miks sa siia sündisid üldse! Kärva ära juba! Nagu inimene oleks ise alati süüdi, et ta sündis siia ilma, või et temaga mingi õnnetus juhtus.
Tubli, Edgar!
Väljavõte Edgar Savisaare blogist.
Lahe oli Delfist ja Edgar Savisaare blogist lugeda, et ta veedab oma suve mõnusasti Hundisilmal ning loeb Kamasuutrat. Kohe näha, et inimene, mitte robot.
Meie veedame ka suve ühes väikses armsas Eesti linnakeses ja loeme raamatuid. Kamasuutra on mul, tõsi küll, juba läbi loetud ning see on tõesti üks väärt raamat. Aga kui juba suvelektüüri üle arutlemiseks läks, siis mõned minu suveramatud: Apollodorose "Raamatukogu" (parim pilt Vana-Kreeka mütoloogiast, aga kõrvale võiks vaadata Hesiodost), Plutarchose "Elulood", vanad viikingi saagad (praegu on käsil "Kuningas Hrolf Kraki saaga"), Jane Austeni "Uhkus ja eelarvamus", D.H. Lawrence'i "Pojad ja armastajad", Martin Amise uus romaan jm. Kui midagi kergemat tahan, siis võtan ette kas Dickensi "Pickwick klubi" või Cervantese "Don Quijote'i" - hea tuju on garanteeritud. Ja Piibli olen ma ka otsustanud, nui neljaks, selle suvega lõpuni lugeda, Moosese raamatud on juba läbi ning Markuse ja Matteuse evangeeliumid ka. Täitsa lahe lugemine, soovitan kõigile. Kui Aadama ja Eeva järeltulijate nimekirjast üle saate, siis läheb oi kui põnevaks - sekka viinajoomist ja hooramist ja muud intrigeerivat.
Edgar Savisaar kirjutab oma blogis ka, et on mõelnud, et saaks meiega hea meelega kokku ning vahetaks blogimise üle mõtteid. Mis saab meil sellise toreda ettepaneku vastu olla! Kohtume muidugi. Suvi ju!
P.S. Aga armsad blogilugejad, mida teie suvel loete?
Mis juhtus Eestis 1944. aasta sügisel/ What happened in Estonia during Fall 1944
Some more info searched out by Jerry Waters, an estophile:
The Times | September 21, 1944 A NEW BALTIC OFFENSIVE. DOUBLE THRUST IN ESTONIA RUSSIANS ADVANCE 45 MILES
The following Order of the Day from Marshal'Stalin to Marshal Govorov was issued last night:- Troops.of the Leningrad front, having passed to the offensive from the area north of Tartu IDorpatJ, broke through powerful German defenses and, in four days' offensive operations, advanced about 45 miles over a front of 75 miles, liberating more than 1,500 inhabited places. These, included Mustve [45 miles south-east of Rakvere on the north-west shore of Lake Peipus] and Ayinurne [35 miles south- east of Rakverej. At the same time troops of the Leningrad front went over to the offensive west of Narva and, in three days' fighting, advanced to a depth of 37 miles. occupying more than 300 inhabited places, including Vaskanarva [25 miles south of Narva] and Sonda [a railway junction 18 miles east of Rakverej.
The Times | September 25, 1944
FLIGHT TO THE SEA GERMANS ATTACKED IN PORTS
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT IN MOSCOW. Sept. 14 ... When Moscow's guns, followed by the playing of the Soviet and Estonian national anthems saluted Marshal Govorov and his men for the capture of Parnu on the Gulf of Riga, the Germans had been forced to relinquish all Estonia except the hinterland some 40 miles deep behind Haapsaiu port and two islands, Saaremaa (Oesel) and Hiiumaa (Dagol, the scene of a heroic Russian stand in the early months of' the war. The thrust made by tanks and infantry who covered more than 50 miles in a dark, far outpaced the enemy's futile attempts to organize resistance along the main road from the north-east, and many vehicles are reported to have fallen intact into the hands of the Russian,. who cutoff lengths of the highway in. a series of neat flanking moves.
The Times | September 26, 1944
LAST STAGE IN ESTONIA BATTLE FOR THE I ISLANDS RUSSIANS CLOSING ON RIGA
The. Russian High Command announced last night:- In west and south Estonia our troops developed their offensive to-day and captured more than 800 inhabited localities, including the port of Haapsalu. West of Rujiena 125 miles north-west of Velga] and Valmiera our troops captured the town and railway station of Nlasswate and more than 200 other places.
MOSCOW. SEPT. 25 The Red Army's whirlwind campaign in Estonia and Latvia, now in its second week has become a battle for the narrowing strip of the Estonian coastline, with the islands of Oesel, Dago, and Moon that: enclose the Gulf of Riga. and for Riga itself. In the north the time when the remnants of the German Sixteenth Army are driven into the sea may be very near. There are still strong forces to be disposed of on the approaches to Riga. Perhaps the most significant of the latest news is the passage of the Baltic Red Fleet through the Gulf of Finland, for the Germans laid many mines in these waters., the chief region of resistance inland is now in the low hills of the central Latvian plateau and on the north bank of the Dvina. The Russian successes in the Valmiera region have had their- effect on the fighting in progress on the main Pskov-Riga highway, which crosses the northern part of THE plateau. There is still a fairly large German force south of the Ptskov road on or about the Gutlbene railway, but it vas forced back across the Gauija yesterday and was last re- ported in retreat to the south-west. It will need to move quickly to avoid being squeezed between the closing jaws of the Russian advance, for SaturdayVs break-through cast of Riga was on a high scale, and there are no natural barriers between it and the Latvian capital. Meanwhile General Bagrarnyan's men, still holding the enemy from MitaLu on their left flank, stand on the lower Dvina outside Riga. a broad stream which is difficult to cross. As THE Russians objective is the (destruction of THE German armies it is unlikely that any attempt will be made to storm Riga until THE forces north of the river have come forward.
The Times | October 12, 1944
The Campaign in the North
Since the Russians took Tallinn by storm on September 22, their progress towards the complete reconquest of the Baltic republics has been both continuous and rapid. With a strategic caution none the less well judged because it disappointed the excessive hopes of some who expected the swift advance to Kovno in the summer to be followed by an immediate invasion of East Prussia, they refrained from stepping upon German soil while the group of hostile armies distributed between the Niemen and the Gulf of Finland still impended over their flank. The enemy, for his part, planned to use the threat of these armies to impose the greatest possible delay on the Russian advance, even at the cost of seeing them eventually cut off and prevented from taking part in the final campaign for the defence of the Reich. The defection of Finland from the German cause gravely weakened their position, by giving to the allies control of the northern shores of the gulf; and four days after the fall of Tallinn the German oversea news agency acknowledged that the Russians had occupied the whole of Estonia. The stage now in progress is the reduction of the German garrisons in the two southern republics of Latvia and Lithuania, the continued resistance of which has come more and more to depend on their capacity to hold the great port of Riga. Riga, protected by a heavily fortified zone, has been partially invested since the beginning of August; indeed at one time the Russians, by penetrating to the shores of the Gulf of Riga on the west of the city, cut the whole German force in two, until a counter-offensive in the third week cap- tured Tukkum and reopened a narrow corridor of communication with the armies to the north. The Russian armies, advanc- ing from the occupation of Estonia, have now closed in upon Riga until it is encircled on the landward side at distances ranging from about five to thirty-five miles. The enemy has ordered the town to be evacuated of civilians-presumably of Letts as well as of the large German colony. To complete the investment and make sure of preventing the escape of the garrison requires control of the approaches from the sea; and for this reason the Russians during the last fortnight have been fighting for the mastery of the two large islands that cover the mouth of the Gulf of Riga. They have cleared Dago the more northerly of the two, and most of the more southerly. Oesel: but on the latter a German force still clings tenaciously to the narrow peninsula of Soerwe, which juts out to within a few miles of their positions on the Latvian shore, and for the time being prevents Russian ships from entering the gulf. Meanwhile
The Times | October 17, 1944
EVOLUTION IN ESTONIA A SURVEY AFTER THE GERMAN WITHDRAWAL SOVIET SECURITY IN THE BALTIC
From Our Moscow Correspondent. (Who appears to be a Commie)
With their peculiar taste in bad jokes at the expense of weaker peoples, the German soldiers in the Lettland and Estland (Latvian and Estonian) garrisons referred to them as Fettland and Essenland, and, indeed, it was fattening and feeding they were up to there during their three years' occupation. These descendants of . the Knights of the Cross, who established themselves with methods no less cruel in Estonia 700 years ago, consumed the land's plenty, and when they had to leave they made the peasants drive their cattle before them, or scared them into flight. with tales of Russian frightfulness. They took the timber; they overworked the factories till the machines wore out, then blew them up. They brought nothing into Estonia except propaganda. Lacking thread as well as joy, the peasants stopped embroidering. A representative of the peasants of Harjumaa region, a burly, scowling fellow, who has come to Tallinn to report to the authorities, told how the occupation had affected his community of about 140 farm- steads. Jan Poeder was one of 50,000 Estonian farmers who received land under the 1940 reforms; his holding was in- creased to the extent of 30 acres, and that year for the first time he was able to discard homespun for a suit of manufactured cloth. The German occupation resulted in the revocation of both land reform acts of 1940 and 1919, though in their own in- terests the Germans dared not fully restore the feudal conditions in which the Baltic barons had farmed their Estonian estates. Instead, they were maintained through co- operatives or local authorities, with the vital difference that the State gave nothing in return, either in cash or in kind.
THE GUERRILLA MOVEMENT Thus Poeder, with his holding reduced to 10 acres, and with farming becoming increasingly unremunerative as the short- age of fertilizers, transport, and labour grew, was obliged to surrender half his rye crop, two thirds of his eggs, and 661b. of meat each year; for every pig in his sty half the meat, all the hide; most of the wool from every sheep slain; half the hide and a third of the meat from every ox slain. In return for this during three years he received one pair of wooden- soled boots. In addition he was obliged to meet the demands of German punitive forces frequently stationed in the village. Shortly before the Russian Baltic offensive the Germans ordered the peasants to assemble with their livestock for evacuation. In Poeder's village only 158 out of 1,400 peasants obeyed the order, the rest taking to the woods. In the confusion many lost their livestock. The 158 villagers who obeyed the German order disappeared. In effect, the German occupation re- established a class of poor peasants like that which had earlier existed in Estonia, but at the same time, by generally reducing the living standard of the entire farming community, it forfeited any political advantages that might have been gained by the return of land to richer peasants who had been one of the pillars of authoritarian government overthrown by the establishment of Soviet power in 1940.
The traditional anti-German feeling was revived in the country, and this appears to have prevailed decisively over certain anxieties about the possibility of collectivization resulting from a Russian victory. Evasion of German regulations became widespread. The guerrilla movement received general support, and the Germans' final measures aimed at stripping the country of its livestock were stubbornly resisted. Estonian officials conspired to cheat their masters in regard to deliveries, and German inspectors tended to turn a blind eye on sabotage if well-filled with bacon and schnapps. The Estonian guerrilla movement seems to have been as well led and effective as circumstances permitted. There were rarely fewer than 150.000 German troops in Estonia-at least one German for every seven Estonians. It was necessary for the guerrillas to work in bands of 50 to 80 men and for operative purposes in groups of five or six men. Various detachments were organized by a central command constantly in touch with the Red Army and with much the larger partisan forces in the Leningrad and Pskov regions. These guerrillas' activity was threefold. They played a kind of Robin Hood game in the countryside, protecting the poor and oppressed and exacting vengeance on local traitors; they spied on the land and passed information back to the Leningrad front: they carried out a series of daring, unnerving raids on important objectives. A young railway worker of the Petsere region described one characteristic operation thus:- We received the order to seize an important list of names from the German garrison. Wc made careful preparations and learned the password needed to get in and got hold of two German uniforms. Then we made a diversionary attack at another place in order to drain forces from the garrison. Eight of us in civilian dress with two others disguised as Germans then made for the objective. The password was given to the sentries, who thought it was more prisoners being brought in. We got past all the guards into a staff room, where we found six officers. We killed them quietly by stabbing them, searched them, got what we wanted, and left the way we came. But we had not gone far before our work was discovered. It was a question of ' Dai bog nogi " (with God's help, let's run for it), and all but two of us got away.
BARE CUPBOARDS Peasant resistance was matched by that of the workers. The Germans removed advantages which the poorer workers had gained in 1940, and went considerably farther than the Estonian Government of 1933, in suppressing workers' rights. Wages were reduced. A lack of consumers' goods caused severe hardships, especially among those elements of the population which had little in their cup- boards when invasion came. Without money or goods to barter. workers were unable to use the black market available to the more well,to-do townspeople and peasants. Tallinn workers resisted Ger- man attempts to wreck the power station and other public services on the eve of their departure. Contacts with the inhabitants of Tallinn during walks through the narrow medieval streets revealed that, if the peasants and workers entertain little doubt about the advantages of liberation, there are others whom the events of the past four years have left in a confused state of mind. I found none who expressed approval of the Nazi regime in Estonia, and it is doubtful if more than a very small proportion of those who fled to Germany and Sweden on the eve of liberation had any real sympathy for the Germans.
TALLINN A NAVAL BASE The Estonian Government. which has been in exile during the last three years, has restored the 1941 status quo. Dispossessed peasants have already taken over their former holdings. The law permits private enterprises where less than 10 persons are employed. No collectivization of land is envisaged, but voluntary cooperative movements are encouraged. Freedom of religion is guaranteed. and an organ for regulating the relations between the Church and the State has been created. An Estonian army, in wlhich most of the officers are Estonian, many of the former Estonian army, is being formed. Already a corps of several divisions, raised in the Soviet Union. larger, better equipped than any army Estonia has had in the past, is now increasing with the addition of many who deserted from the forces which the Germans raised during the occupation. The Government includes a number of Liberals and Socialists, and its program indicates that it is less conscious of the need for legislative hurry than during the feverish period before the war. The measure of popular support it gains will, however. probably depend more on THC methods used to carry out the program than on its contents. Russian spokesmen in Tallinn have made it clear that Tallinn is destined to become an important naval base for the Baltic Fleet and that Russia does not intend to permit anyone to interfere with plans for making Tallinn a bulwark of Soviet security.
The Times | October 25, 1944
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES Sir,-I was very glad to sec your Moscow Correspondent pointing out once again the age-old anti-German feeling in Estonia: " the traditional anti-German feeling was revived in the country," he writes in your issue of October 17. It needs explaining, however, why this antipathy was less obvious in 1941, at the end of the Soviet occupation of the Baltic States. The reason, is that tens of thousands of Estonians escaped to Finland and to Sweden. It is that the Soviet occupation of 1940-41 was not so. beneficial as your Correspondent implies. Will two easily verified examples suffice ? During the so-called authoritarian period of Estonian independence (1934-38) the trade unions lost, true enough, their political rights, but only these. During the Soviet occupation they obtained the right, if a privilege it is, to be directed by the Communist Party spokesmen sent from abroad. And this direction applied in political as in all other matters of the trade unions. Secondly, as to the cloths made of " manufactured cloth," in independent Estonia a laborer had to toil for two weeks to be able to buy a suit. and these days to buy a pair of shoes: under Soviet occupation he had to labor over six weeks for a similar suit, and a fortnight for a pair of shoes. Yours faithfully. Mng's OLUcge,
The Times | September 21, 1944 A NEW BALTIC OFFENSIVE. DOUBLE THRUST IN ESTONIA RUSSIANS ADVANCE 45 MILES
The following Order of the Day from Marshal'Stalin to Marshal Govorov was issued last night:- Troops.of the Leningrad front, having passed to the offensive from the area north of Tartu IDorpatJ, broke through powerful German defenses and, in four days' offensive operations, advanced about 45 miles over a front of 75 miles, liberating more than 1,500 inhabited places. These, included Mustve [45 miles south-east of Rakvere on the north-west shore of Lake Peipus] and Ayinurne [35 miles south- east of Rakverej. At the same time troops of the Leningrad front went over to the offensive west of Narva and, in three days' fighting, advanced to a depth of 37 miles. occupying more than 300 inhabited places, including Vaskanarva [25 miles south of Narva] and Sonda [a railway junction 18 miles east of Rakverej.
The Times | September 25, 1944
FLIGHT TO THE SEA GERMANS ATTACKED IN PORTS
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT IN MOSCOW. Sept. 14 ... When Moscow's guns, followed by the playing of the Soviet and Estonian national anthems saluted Marshal Govorov and his men for the capture of Parnu on the Gulf of Riga, the Germans had been forced to relinquish all Estonia except the hinterland some 40 miles deep behind Haapsaiu port and two islands, Saaremaa (Oesel) and Hiiumaa (Dagol, the scene of a heroic Russian stand in the early months of' the war. The thrust made by tanks and infantry who covered more than 50 miles in a dark, far outpaced the enemy's futile attempts to organize resistance along the main road from the north-east, and many vehicles are reported to have fallen intact into the hands of the Russian,. who cutoff lengths of the highway in. a series of neat flanking moves.
The Times | September 26, 1944
LAST STAGE IN ESTONIA BATTLE FOR THE I ISLANDS RUSSIANS CLOSING ON RIGA
The. Russian High Command announced last night:- In west and south Estonia our troops developed their offensive to-day and captured more than 800 inhabited localities, including the port of Haapsalu. West of Rujiena 125 miles north-west of Velga] and Valmiera our troops captured the town and railway station of Nlasswate and more than 200 other places.
MOSCOW. SEPT. 25 The Red Army's whirlwind campaign in Estonia and Latvia, now in its second week has become a battle for the narrowing strip of the Estonian coastline, with the islands of Oesel, Dago, and Moon that: enclose the Gulf of Riga. and for Riga itself. In the north the time when the remnants of the German Sixteenth Army are driven into the sea may be very near. There are still strong forces to be disposed of on the approaches to Riga. Perhaps the most significant of the latest news is the passage of the Baltic Red Fleet through the Gulf of Finland, for the Germans laid many mines in these waters., the chief region of resistance inland is now in the low hills of the central Latvian plateau and on the north bank of the Dvina. The Russian successes in the Valmiera region have had their- effect on the fighting in progress on the main Pskov-Riga highway, which crosses the northern part of THE plateau. There is still a fairly large German force south of the Ptskov road on or about the Gutlbene railway, but it vas forced back across the Gauija yesterday and was last re- ported in retreat to the south-west. It will need to move quickly to avoid being squeezed between the closing jaws of the Russian advance, for SaturdayVs break-through cast of Riga was on a high scale, and there are no natural barriers between it and the Latvian capital. Meanwhile General Bagrarnyan's men, still holding the enemy from MitaLu on their left flank, stand on the lower Dvina outside Riga. a broad stream which is difficult to cross. As THE Russians objective is the (destruction of THE German armies it is unlikely that any attempt will be made to storm Riga until THE forces north of the river have come forward.
The Times | October 12, 1944
The Campaign in the North
Since the Russians took Tallinn by storm on September 22, their progress towards the complete reconquest of the Baltic republics has been both continuous and rapid. With a strategic caution none the less well judged because it disappointed the excessive hopes of some who expected the swift advance to Kovno in the summer to be followed by an immediate invasion of East Prussia, they refrained from stepping upon German soil while the group of hostile armies distributed between the Niemen and the Gulf of Finland still impended over their flank. The enemy, for his part, planned to use the threat of these armies to impose the greatest possible delay on the Russian advance, even at the cost of seeing them eventually cut off and prevented from taking part in the final campaign for the defence of the Reich. The defection of Finland from the German cause gravely weakened their position, by giving to the allies control of the northern shores of the gulf; and four days after the fall of Tallinn the German oversea news agency acknowledged that the Russians had occupied the whole of Estonia. The stage now in progress is the reduction of the German garrisons in the two southern republics of Latvia and Lithuania, the continued resistance of which has come more and more to depend on their capacity to hold the great port of Riga. Riga, protected by a heavily fortified zone, has been partially invested since the beginning of August; indeed at one time the Russians, by penetrating to the shores of the Gulf of Riga on the west of the city, cut the whole German force in two, until a counter-offensive in the third week cap- tured Tukkum and reopened a narrow corridor of communication with the armies to the north. The Russian armies, advanc- ing from the occupation of Estonia, have now closed in upon Riga until it is encircled on the landward side at distances ranging from about five to thirty-five miles. The enemy has ordered the town to be evacuated of civilians-presumably of Letts as well as of the large German colony. To complete the investment and make sure of preventing the escape of the garrison requires control of the approaches from the sea; and for this reason the Russians during the last fortnight have been fighting for the mastery of the two large islands that cover the mouth of the Gulf of Riga. They have cleared Dago the more northerly of the two, and most of the more southerly. Oesel: but on the latter a German force still clings tenaciously to the narrow peninsula of Soerwe, which juts out to within a few miles of their positions on the Latvian shore, and for the time being prevents Russian ships from entering the gulf. Meanwhile
The Times | October 17, 1944
EVOLUTION IN ESTONIA A SURVEY AFTER THE GERMAN WITHDRAWAL SOVIET SECURITY IN THE BALTIC
From Our Moscow Correspondent. (Who appears to be a Commie)
With their peculiar taste in bad jokes at the expense of weaker peoples, the German soldiers in the Lettland and Estland (Latvian and Estonian) garrisons referred to them as Fettland and Essenland, and, indeed, it was fattening and feeding they were up to there during their three years' occupation. These descendants of . the Knights of the Cross, who established themselves with methods no less cruel in Estonia 700 years ago, consumed the land's plenty, and when they had to leave they made the peasants drive their cattle before them, or scared them into flight. with tales of Russian frightfulness. They took the timber; they overworked the factories till the machines wore out, then blew them up. They brought nothing into Estonia except propaganda. Lacking thread as well as joy, the peasants stopped embroidering. A representative of the peasants of Harjumaa region, a burly, scowling fellow, who has come to Tallinn to report to the authorities, told how the occupation had affected his community of about 140 farm- steads. Jan Poeder was one of 50,000 Estonian farmers who received land under the 1940 reforms; his holding was in- creased to the extent of 30 acres, and that year for the first time he was able to discard homespun for a suit of manufactured cloth. The German occupation resulted in the revocation of both land reform acts of 1940 and 1919, though in their own in- terests the Germans dared not fully restore the feudal conditions in which the Baltic barons had farmed their Estonian estates. Instead, they were maintained through co- operatives or local authorities, with the vital difference that the State gave nothing in return, either in cash or in kind.
THE GUERRILLA MOVEMENT Thus Poeder, with his holding reduced to 10 acres, and with farming becoming increasingly unremunerative as the short- age of fertilizers, transport, and labour grew, was obliged to surrender half his rye crop, two thirds of his eggs, and 661b. of meat each year; for every pig in his sty half the meat, all the hide; most of the wool from every sheep slain; half the hide and a third of the meat from every ox slain. In return for this during three years he received one pair of wooden- soled boots. In addition he was obliged to meet the demands of German punitive forces frequently stationed in the village. Shortly before the Russian Baltic offensive the Germans ordered the peasants to assemble with their livestock for evacuation. In Poeder's village only 158 out of 1,400 peasants obeyed the order, the rest taking to the woods. In the confusion many lost their livestock. The 158 villagers who obeyed the German order disappeared. In effect, the German occupation re- established a class of poor peasants like that which had earlier existed in Estonia, but at the same time, by generally reducing the living standard of the entire farming community, it forfeited any political advantages that might have been gained by the return of land to richer peasants who had been one of the pillars of authoritarian government overthrown by the establishment of Soviet power in 1940.
The traditional anti-German feeling was revived in the country, and this appears to have prevailed decisively over certain anxieties about the possibility of collectivization resulting from a Russian victory. Evasion of German regulations became widespread. The guerrilla movement received general support, and the Germans' final measures aimed at stripping the country of its livestock were stubbornly resisted. Estonian officials conspired to cheat their masters in regard to deliveries, and German inspectors tended to turn a blind eye on sabotage if well-filled with bacon and schnapps. The Estonian guerrilla movement seems to have been as well led and effective as circumstances permitted. There were rarely fewer than 150.000 German troops in Estonia-at least one German for every seven Estonians. It was necessary for the guerrillas to work in bands of 50 to 80 men and for operative purposes in groups of five or six men. Various detachments were organized by a central command constantly in touch with the Red Army and with much the larger partisan forces in the Leningrad and Pskov regions. These guerrillas' activity was threefold. They played a kind of Robin Hood game in the countryside, protecting the poor and oppressed and exacting vengeance on local traitors; they spied on the land and passed information back to the Leningrad front: they carried out a series of daring, unnerving raids on important objectives. A young railway worker of the Petsere region described one characteristic operation thus:- We received the order to seize an important list of names from the German garrison. Wc made careful preparations and learned the password needed to get in and got hold of two German uniforms. Then we made a diversionary attack at another place in order to drain forces from the garrison. Eight of us in civilian dress with two others disguised as Germans then made for the objective. The password was given to the sentries, who thought it was more prisoners being brought in. We got past all the guards into a staff room, where we found six officers. We killed them quietly by stabbing them, searched them, got what we wanted, and left the way we came. But we had not gone far before our work was discovered. It was a question of ' Dai bog nogi " (with God's help, let's run for it), and all but two of us got away.
BARE CUPBOARDS Peasant resistance was matched by that of the workers. The Germans removed advantages which the poorer workers had gained in 1940, and went considerably farther than the Estonian Government of 1933, in suppressing workers' rights. Wages were reduced. A lack of consumers' goods caused severe hardships, especially among those elements of the population which had little in their cup- boards when invasion came. Without money or goods to barter. workers were unable to use the black market available to the more well,to-do townspeople and peasants. Tallinn workers resisted Ger- man attempts to wreck the power station and other public services on the eve of their departure. Contacts with the inhabitants of Tallinn during walks through the narrow medieval streets revealed that, if the peasants and workers entertain little doubt about the advantages of liberation, there are others whom the events of the past four years have left in a confused state of mind. I found none who expressed approval of the Nazi regime in Estonia, and it is doubtful if more than a very small proportion of those who fled to Germany and Sweden on the eve of liberation had any real sympathy for the Germans.
TALLINN A NAVAL BASE The Estonian Government. which has been in exile during the last three years, has restored the 1941 status quo. Dispossessed peasants have already taken over their former holdings. The law permits private enterprises where less than 10 persons are employed. No collectivization of land is envisaged, but voluntary cooperative movements are encouraged. Freedom of religion is guaranteed. and an organ for regulating the relations between the Church and the State has been created. An Estonian army, in wlhich most of the officers are Estonian, many of the former Estonian army, is being formed. Already a corps of several divisions, raised in the Soviet Union. larger, better equipped than any army Estonia has had in the past, is now increasing with the addition of many who deserted from the forces which the Germans raised during the occupation. The Government includes a number of Liberals and Socialists, and its program indicates that it is less conscious of the need for legislative hurry than during the feverish period before the war. The measure of popular support it gains will, however. probably depend more on THC methods used to carry out the program than on its contents. Russian spokesmen in Tallinn have made it clear that Tallinn is destined to become an important naval base for the Baltic Fleet and that Russia does not intend to permit anyone to interfere with plans for making Tallinn a bulwark of Soviet security.
The Times | October 25, 1944
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES Sir,-I was very glad to sec your Moscow Correspondent pointing out once again the age-old anti-German feeling in Estonia: " the traditional anti-German feeling was revived in the country," he writes in your issue of October 17. It needs explaining, however, why this antipathy was less obvious in 1941, at the end of the Soviet occupation of the Baltic States. The reason, is that tens of thousands of Estonians escaped to Finland and to Sweden. It is that the Soviet occupation of 1940-41 was not so. beneficial as your Correspondent implies. Will two easily verified examples suffice ? During the so-called authoritarian period of Estonian independence (1934-38) the trade unions lost, true enough, their political rights, but only these. During the Soviet occupation they obtained the right, if a privilege it is, to be directed by the Communist Party spokesmen sent from abroad. And this direction applied in political as in all other matters of the trade unions. Secondly, as to the cloths made of " manufactured cloth," in independent Estonia a laborer had to toil for two weeks to be able to buy a suit. and these days to buy a pair of shoes: under Soviet occupation he had to labor over six weeks for a similar suit, and a fortnight for a pair of shoes. Yours faithfully. Mng's OLUcge,
pühapäev, 6. juuli 2008
Mõned uudised suvest 1944/ Some news about Estonia from summer 1944
Such info searched out by Jerry Waters, an estophile.
June 28, 1944
GERMAN TROOPS IN HELSINKI . FIRST "TOKEN OF SOLIDARITY" RIBBENTROP'S PROMISES
STOCKHOLM, June 27.-German troops marched through the streets of Helsinki to-night towards the Finnish eastern front, as the first token of the "solidarity and perfect understanding" between Finland and Germany. A detachment of Germans marched past the Finnish Parliament building while the deputies were in session. -A.vsociated Press. FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT STOCKHOLM, JUNE 27 According to the best-informed circlcs here Ribbentrop, during his three-day visit to Helsinki, succeeded in persuading the Linkomies Cabinet to shelve their plan for the reconstruction of the Government and to stay in office and continue the war against Russia at Germany's side. It is less certain whether this is the last word in the development of the Finnish situa- tion. The newspaper Aftoni Tidningen reports that Ribbentrop went to Helsinki after Marshal Mannerheim had refused an invitation io Berlin. The last-minute cancellation of the secret session of Parliament last night indicates that the Cabinet is fearful of Parliament's attitude, for the intention was to announce this newdeci- sion then. Strong opposition i.s certain within the *Social Democratic, Liberal, and Swedish Party groups. The postponement of the Social Democratic Party congress scheduled for July 1, which is announced to-day, may also have something to do with Tanner's wish to avoid an open clash with his party colleagues. Since German threats have lost most of their sting, Ribbentrop's foremost means of persuasion was the promise of increased mili- tary help from Germany. Some anti-tank formations, it is reported, are being shipped from Estonia to the Viipuri front.
The Times | June 29, 1944
KEITEL IN HELSINKI
From Our Correspondent STOCKHOLM, JUNE 28 The chief of the German armed forces, Field Marshal Keitcl, has arrived in Hel- sinki to organize German military rein- forcements on the Finnish front. The notorious S.S. Gcneral Sepp Dietrich, chief of the " Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler," is also expected. German spokes- men make much of German chances of restoring the Finnish military position, and specifically describe the fall of Viipuri as " purely temporary." A curious remark by one Berlin spokes- man to-night indicates that General Dietl, hitherto commander of the German divi- sions in north Finland, may be out of the picture. He referred to rumours abroad -which nobody here has heard-that Dieti had been killed in an aeroplane crash, and said he was not in a position to confirm them. In addition to an anti-tank brigadc from Estonia, tile Germans have sent an infantry division to southl Finland, the first to operate outside Dictl's north Finnish sector. The Lufivaffe have also contributed fighters and fighter-bombers for the defence of the Karelian isthmus. The announcement of. Ribbentrop's visit to Finland, which was published in Helsinki last night, showvs that President Ryti and the Forcign Minister, Ramsay. committed Finiand to continued cooperation with Germany with- out even formally consulting Parliament. The announcement says that Ribbentrop complied with the Finnish request for armed aid. Actually, it is authoritatively learnt that Ryti and Ramsay, in return for this promise, pledged Finland to political solidarity with Germany and renounced the right to make a separate peacc-an undertaking wvhich Finland has refused or wriggled out of several timcs before. As the Government have obviously given up any idea of submitting-so Parliament thc ne'v arrangement with Germany-involving com- plete abandonment of the hitherto jealously guarded, principle of Finland's " own war `- the only constitutional way which rc- mains of forcig a debate is for the Opposi- tion to put a formal questicT, to the Prime Minister. This step is now being considered in the Opposition camp. Parliament will sit again on Friday. Swedish newspapers of all political shades to-day, with striking unanimity. deplore the Finnish pledge to continue the war at Germany's side. and most of them represent it as tantamount to sealing Finland's doom
The Times | July 4, 1944
RUSSIANS' HOT PURSUIT
From Our Military Correspondent The Russian pursuit has continued at an almost incredible speed. In previous offensives this year and last the Russians have been handicapped by inadequate mechanization; they lacked motorized divisions and were therefore unable to give proper support and backing to their armoured thrusts. On this occasion they appear to be better off, and it is said that lorry-borne infantry is following close upon the heels of the armour. Another factor in their favour is that they have so little armour against them. The Germans are believed to hold most of their remaining Panzzer divisions on this front south of the Pripet. The transfer to France of a whole Panzzer army corps is particularly crippling to German defence in view of the deterioration of the infantry-and, incidentally, it may be because of this deterioration that Roimmel is using his Panzer divisions so largely for defence at Caen: seven Panzer or Panizer S.S. divisions to only four inlfantry divisions. n f The Germans themselves state that their forces on the Bcresina vere extricated and felt back, hotly pursued by the Russians, to the area of Minsk. But on both flanks the Russians were moving parallel with the retreat, and moviig faster; and their loiig tcntacles have now closed in on the city. Nothing could be more certain than that it has been impos- sible to clear Minsk, which is understood to have been the main German advanced post on the northern front, of its stores. The Russians must have captured a great quantity of booty. A YAWNING BREACH The Germans are hanging on to the flanks of the break-through, attempting at all costs to prevent the yawning breach from widening still further. At Polotsk the garrison held its ground for some time, but has now been driven out, and previously the Russians had been pouring througlh south of the towvn, moving iS miles in 24 hours. Again, the Germans claim to have checked the Russians west of Slutsk, in the southern arm of the enveloping movement round Minsk, but again the Rttssians have swept past it. A double thleat to the trunk line frotn Warsaw to the nortlh is developing at Vilna and Dvinsk, especially at Vilna. Should this rail- way be ctit it is deemed untikely that the enemy would be able to maintain his northern front for long. He might have to clear out of Estonia ancd fall back to some position such as from the Gulf of Riga to the western side of the Pripet marshes, using the middle stretch of the Niemen where it would serve his pur- pose by running conformably to his dis- positions. This would leave him still in touch with his Volhynian and Galiciati front south of the Plripet. But lie seems to be feeling no small anlxiety about that front also. As our Special Correspondent in Stockholm reported yester- day, the Germans prophesy that this will be the scene of the main Russian offensive this summer. They probably hold it in greater strength, but if the offensive against it is, as they suggest, going to put that in White Russia into the shade, they may well wonder what it is going to be like. Within a day or two it will be apparent whether the Germans can avoid complete collapse oti their hard-pressed White Russian front. They have not yet reached that stage, except locally, but they do not appear to be far from it. The official report yesterday annotinced the death in action of two full generals and otle lieutenant-general, an extra- ordinary occurrence wllich throws fresh light on the nature of the fighting.
The Times | July 12, 1944
THE DRIVE TO THE BALTIC
The victorious Russian armies, exploit- ing their triumph in the battle of Minsk, stride westward day by day with ever more majestic authority. They have conceded no chance of recovery from the great German collapse. Although it is probabie that the enemy has, called reinforcements from north and south to the 'support of his dissolving armies on the north-central front, nothing that he can do gives any suggestion that he can reorganize suffi- ziently to fight another pitched battle. ,ll pretence of maintaining a continuous front has been abandoned; and where ordered formations can still be held' together in the path of the irresistible advance, the best they can do is to shut themselves up infortresses, as they have n the notable strategic centre of Vilna. rhe Russians waste no time before these positions, but sweep on, well knowing that :hey need not be anxious about the result )f a siege where the enemy is in no condi- ion to attempt relief. They have pene- :rated well into Lithuania, and the frontier )f East Prussia lies only.some eighty miles shead. At the present astonishing rate of sdvance, which there is nothing to check !xcept the difficulties of a lengthening line 3f communications, they would. stand on aerman soil within a few days. This is a time for looking at large maps nd taking comprehensive views. Survey- ng the whole area of the three Baltic -epublics, there are two obvious routes by s'hich the Russians may march to the sea; hey lie on either side of the jutting mass f Courland. One, to which the capture 3r masking of Dvinsk would be the pre- iminary step, leads down the valley of the Dvina to the Latvian port of Riga. The )ther is still s!prter, and has been already 3artly opened up by the thrust of the irmoured columns past Vilna. It follows he valley of the Niemen through Kovno md Tilsit into the territory of Memel, nce a 'protectorate of the League of .ations, which was added to East Prussia ay one of the earliest acts of Nazi aggres- ;ion. This is not only the shortest way to :he sea but the direct route to East Prussia, nd wouid have the advantage of cu'tting Aff an even larger group of armies than the ine from Dvinsk to Riga. If the Russians .hoose to pursue 4t-and, for all the enemy :an do to interfere, their choice is prac- tically free-they will complete a revolu- ionary transformation of the whole -astern front of war. XFirst and foremost, they are now cer- tain of winning the race of the United Nations for entry into the German Reich, an honour that none of their allies will grudge to a people who have endured so much and made so outstanding a contribu- tion to the common cause. The moral -ffect of this first invasion of Germany, which it is certain the enemy cannot long postpone, may prove to have considerable weight even in a strategic calculation. East Prussia may appear only as a detached province on the modern map-that by the bvay is the original grievance by which the Nazis excused their aggression against Danzig and Poland-but its hold upon German sentiment is unique. It is. the original Prussia, as distinguished from Brandenburg; the symbol of the secular German ambition to export Teutonic cul- ture into the Slavonic lands; the breeding ground from which the mixed Slav-Teuton race brought into medieval Germany that creed of iron and blood which we call Prussianism; the kernel of military Ger- many from FREDERICK the GREAT to Bis- MARCK and HINDENBURG. The Nazis have fully identified themselves with the cult, and the approaching demonstration that they are powerless to defend the shrine may react disastrously on that prestige of the regime which is one of the imponder- ables in the conduct of German war. For the enemy's forces in the north the direct consequences of a penetration to the Baltic shore are in any event catastrophic. The whole of the armies occupying Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia and maintaining the bridgehead at Narva will be cut off from the main body and from home. There is no need for hesita- tion in reckoning these allied gains, for the essential line of communication of the northern armies, the railway from Warsaw through Vilna and Dvinsk, has been cut at several places, and their position is already beginning to crumble. There are minor lines' farther west by which sup- plies may be sent for a little longer, and these may be supplemented from the sea through the ports of Tallinn, Pernau, Riga, Libau, and Memel; but by the time the Russians reach the coast at any point and thereby intercept the remaining land routes these avenues, must prove in- adequate to maintain the front. The Ger- mans have earned a reputation for cling- ing to, lost positions unexpectedly long, often magnifying the consequences of their defeats by so doing; but it seems now'impossible that they can evade the necessity for evacuation by sea. The withdrawal of the northern armies must be acknowledged to be within the capacity of the enemy's sea-power in the 'Baltic. It will be a grievous confession of failure,. incapable of being interpreted, like the evacuation from Dunkirk, as reculer pour ml2ieux saurer; but the operation is not of comparable 'danger. The Russian air force, whiph with the decline of the Lufjwagie has played a more dominant part in this year's campaign than hitherto, with corresponding'effects u'pon the speed of the victorious armies, can and certainly will harass the reirgat by land and water. But on the surface there can be little impedimnent to the evacuation, for the Russians have no forces in the Baltic- or even in the Arctic, willh which canal communlication was opened by the suc- cesses in Finland-capable of keeping the sea against such formidable units of naval strength as the cruiser Hipper and the pocket battleship Admiral Scheer. . But even if the armies of the north escape from their precarious position to fight again elsewhere, the territory they will be forced to abandon is of high strategic importance. It includes the whole southern shore of the Gulf of Finland; and its occupation by the Russians must open up an easy way. of approach to 'Finnish territory, including the capital city of Helsinki, just across the Gulf. The Russians,.who since the open- ing of the battle of Minsk have been taking their campaign in Finland somewhat easily, are no doubt content to do so because they foresee that it will soond be in their power to overrun Estonia, cut the connexion between the Finns and their German patrons, and place: the Finnish Government in a situation in which it has no alternative to surrender. Meanwhile the breakdown of German strategy in the north must compel the Ger- man rulers to face the realities of their military position. This vast calamity, with the still vaster consequences that are inexorably flowing from it, derives from the situation in which their campaigns of aggression have placed them; they have grasped at a continental expanse of terri- tory which it is now far beyond their man- power to defend. The logic that seems to be dictating the next moves on the Baltic has its application in a wider field; and it may be that a shortening of the line every- where offers the enemy the best chance of delaying the end. If he-follows this line of thought he will perhaps hold on to Riga at all costs, while he abandons the Baltic territories farther north, Withdraws from the Balkans to the Danube, recalls KESSELRING for a stand along the Alps, and prepares to stand a siege within the shorter frontiers of the Reich and France. This is the logic of the situation. But the rider of so high a horse as HITLER'S can- not always afford to foliow logic when it enjoins him to dismount.
The Times | July 14, 1944
CHANGE OF TUNE IN BERLIN " TEMPORARY SHORTENING I OF THE FRONT"
General Eremenko's smashing blow at the Panther Line, which was designed to prevent inroads into the Baltic States, has caused quick reactions in the Berlin pro- paganda departments. Even before Dittmar's widely quoted utter- ance, somc German military commenmators, in- cluding writers in the Deuische Aligeneilie Zeitung, began cautiously talking about the expediency of a drastic straightening and shortening of the lines, hinting at an intention to withdraw w-holly or partly from the Baltic States if the Russians continied their rapid advance. Berlin propaganda spokesmen even yesterday were still insisting that the Germans wouild not budge from the Baltic States, and that a dramatic counter-blow was; being pre- pared against the most vulnerable Russian flank. To-day they have swvttng round, and now try to explain tihe advantages for the defence of Germany of withdrawing the northern German flank. Tlley claim that they will thus be able to obtain reinforcements for a temporarily shortened front, adding that this Is merely an incident of the war and that the Baltic States will soon be reoccupicd. The Germans apparently intend to make a deter- minied effort particularly to hold part of Estonia as a bridgehead protecting the gulf of Finland, even if it is cutt off by ihe Russi:an advance to the Bay of Riga. For the same reason the Germans will very possibly try to hang on to the imporiant islands. particularly Oesel and Dago. The Russians; they say, M-ill not easily dislodge them from the northern ccast of Estonia,whilich is protected from the ealst by the long l.,ake Peiputs and- thc im3pregnably"-, fortified. Narva Isthmus. Apcording to the latest trustworthy informa- tion from Germany every available man is being sent to France. Even men home on leave from th- Eastern front, according to this information. are not being sent back to their own units, but most of them are being sent to fill gaps in the formatior,s on the Western front.
The Times | July 14, 1944
ENEMY PROBLEM IN THE BALTIC COST OF A DELAYED WITHDRAWAL
FROM OUR MILITARY CORRESPONDENT While there has been a slight decrease in the pace of the Russian advance in the main Vilna sector, it is still rapid. For example, NVednesday's progress towards Grodno was about 20 miles. Meanwvhile the smashing attack of the 2nd Baltic front covered 21 nmiles in two days in'the general direction of Riga. The commander, General Eremenko, wvho has succeeded General Popov, will be remembered for his success in command of the Maritime Army in the Crimea. - This Baltic offensive is particularly interest- ing in view of the fact that statements made by Gerrnan spokesmen during the days preceding it showed signs that directions had been issued to them to prepare the mind of the public for a withdrawal from the Baltic States. The enemy may, not for the first time, have waited too long-not that the Russian offensive is likely to prevent him from evactiating Estonia and half of Latvia and Lithuauiia if that is in his mind, but because delay may make the task muclh more costly. RAILWAY NETWORK No sign of withdrawal has Yet beeti rc- ported either from Rtussia or from Sweden, which constitutes in this case a good bow window. The present situation may not make withdrawal a necessity, but it has only to develop in its present direction for a few days more to put any alternative out of the ques- tion. The Germans might still hold on to Riga and the middle reach of the Niemen between Kaunas and Grodno, btit would be more likely to have to go back to the frontier of East Prussia, wlhere the Masurian Lakes and a network of roads and railwavs many times as dense as those of Russia would favour defence. - Dietl's successor in command Of the German forces in Finland is Rendulic, like him an Austrian, buE by his name of Yugoslav blood. Hle served in the Austro-Hutngarian army in the last war. A year ago he was commanding an army corps in the Orel sector in Russia. He has also commanded the Second Panzer Army in the Balkans. He wag promoted to the rank of colonel-general thi. year. e German versions of the fighting in Russia, which admit withdrawals in many sectors, a
The Times | July 28, 1944
RED ARMY'S SWEEPING VICTORIES LIBERATION OF LVOV AND DVINSK NEW THRUST TOWARDS BALTIC OUTFLANKING NORTHERN OF ENEMY'S GROUPS
A succession of sweeping victories was announced by the Russians last night. In the north by the capture of Siauliai, the key junction controlling all the railways and main roads in Lithuania, they have cut the main link between the German armies in Latvia and Estonia and East Prussia. Dvinsk and Rezekne have also been captured. The capture of Bialystok and new gains north-west of Lublin have increased the threat to Warsaw. Street fighting has broken out in Siedlce. Lvov and Stanislavov have been occupied, and the bridgehead across the San has been widened. NEARER TO WARSAW STREET FIGHTING IN SIEDLCE The Russian High Command an- nounced last night:- Soutil-west of Pskov Our troops fought tlvir way forwird and occupied Pankinovo, a dis- trict centre of the Leningrad region, and also over 40 other inhabited places. Troops of the 2nd Baltic front, developing their offensive, carried by assault the towns of Dvinsk (Daugavpils) and Rezeknes (Rezhitsa), and fought their way into more than 400 other inhabited places, including six railway stations. Troops of the Ist Baltic front by a swift blow with tanks and infantry capttired the town or Siauliai (Shavli). and foughit their way into more than 150 inhabited places, among them seven railway stations. [Siauliai is the key junction cointrolling all Lithuania's railways and main roads. By its occupation the Russians have cut the main link between the German armies in Latvia and Estonia and East Prussia. Siauliai is 80 miles south of Riga and less than 90 miles from the Baltic.coast at Memel.] Troops of the 2nd White Russian front, as a result of two days' fighting, to-day carried by assault the town and large industral centre of Bialvstok, an important railway junction and a powerful stronghold in the enemy's defences covering the roads to Warsaw, and also fought their way into over 30 other inhabited places. In the Brcst Litovsk direction our troops con- tinued to wage offcnsive battles during which they occupied more than 50 inhabited places. Northi-west of Lublin our troops, developing their successful offensive. captured the towns of Nasutow. Zhelekov, and over 250 other inhabited localities, incliding Gornolin [37 nmiles south-east of Warsawl. Our troops were engaged in street fighting in the town of Siedlce [50 miles cast of Warsaw on the railway from Brest Litovsk]. West of Zamoscze our troops were engaged in offensive battles during whicih they occtipied three towns and fought their way into more than 200 inhalbited places. BRIDGEHEAD WIDENED West of the towin of Lyubatin otir troops car-. ried out successftil offensive operations for the videniing of their bridgehead on the western bank of the River San. They cap- tured the town of Rtidnik, on the western bank of the river, four other towns and over 300 other inhabited places. Troops of the 1st Ukminian front, developing their successful offensive, to-day occupied the large railway centre and strategically impor- tant strongliold. the regional capital of the Ukraine. the town of Lvov. in the foothills of the Carpathians, as well as the regional centre of the Ukraine, the town of Stani- slavov. They also fought theil way into 200 inhabited places. On Wednesdaiv otiI troops on all froniis dis- abled or destroyed 131 German tanks and( shot down 42 acr-oplancs. The following additional report was broadcast last night by Moscow radio:- Ouir air forces last nigilt carried out a mass raid on the railway junction of Tilsit, in Eastern PTrussia. Many fires were seen, railway wagons and military dumps were left blazing. Five German military trains were blown tip by direct hits. Big explosions were seen, whichi wvere particu- larly violent in the soutih-western and caster n sections of the junction. The fires were visible for a distance of 120 miles. FESTIVE PROGRAMMES For the whole of last cvening Moscow'radio ptit out an tinrehearsed, festive programme of victorious news mingled with triumphant folk tunes of the liberated areas. Wireless recep- tion in Britain was good, and Moscow's guns, booming out the tinprecedented number of 80 victory salvos, were clearly heard in London. In the short intervals between the rapid suc- cession of the orders of the (lay Polish, Ukrainian, and Lithuanian songs and marches Nvere played. Thc scleduled radio programme went by the board.-Reitier.
The Times | August 3, 1944
BALTIC ARMIES OUT OF THE FIGHT
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT MOSCOW, AuG. 2 The isolation of two German armies under General Lindemann's conmmand in Estonia and northern Latvia, which was announced last night, spells the beginning of the last phase of Hitler's Leningrad adventure. Whatever fate has in store for the divisions that six months ago were in sight of the dome of Saint Isaac's Cathedral, there is little possibility that they will take any further part in this war. Their liquidation may take time, though in Estonian circles here there is a high optimism that the liberation of Tallinn will not be long delayed; a substantial number of troops may escape by sea, but, shorn of equipmiient and shattered by their ignominious experience, it will be manv months before the remnants of the Nord group can play any significant part in the war. To-day's news fr6m the front is dominated by the successful conclusion of the battle of Kaunas, which was celebrated last night by a salute from 224 guns, followed by the play- ing of the Russian and Lithuanian national authemsn. The battle opened on the night of July 25, wlheni from a sccret assembly point in the forest on the bridgchead across the Sventoji near Ukmerge, 40 miles north-east of Kaunas, Russian tanks advanced 20 miles to Jonava fanning otit westward to reach the River Nevezh is. Last Saturday armour operating north of Kaunas broke through and reached the city outskirts. In the, south a Russian battalion crossed the Niemen after the fall of Rumsishkis and. occupyinig a horse-shoe shaped area caused by a loop in the river, protected the left flank of the main forces advancing along the Vilna road. Striking across the Nevezhis north-west of Kaunas other infantry tnits cut the Tlilsit road and reached the Niemen. Kautins was thus almost encircled. According to data, so far incomplete, the defence of Katnas cost the enemy nearly 10,000 men, of whom at least 8,000 were killed.
The Times | August 12, 1944
NEW DRIVE IN ESTONIA 43-MILE FRONT GAINS ON CENTRAL SECTOR
The Russian High Command announced last night: - West and south-west of Pskov our troops, having resumed the offensive, advanced up to 15 miles along a front of about 43 miles and captured the town of Pechory, a district town of the Estonian Republic, and more than 200 other inihabited places. [Pechory (or Petseri) is 27 miles west of Pskov on the railway rUnning west which later branches north to Tallinn and south to Riga.] West of Krustpils, on the western Dvina, our troops, developing their offensive, fottght their way into more than 50 inhabited places, including Rozhy, and two railway stations. North-west and west of Bialystok Our troops continued to wage offensive battles, in the Course of wvlhch tihey occupiea over Ulu in- habited places, including the railway station of Kryshy. North and north-west of Siedlce our troops fought their way forvard and occupied over 100 inhabited places, including the railway station of Kossovruski. West of Sandoniierz our troops were en- gaged in repelling enemy counter-attacks launched with infantry and tanks. They fought to extend their bridgehead on the western bank of the Vistula. On Thursday on all Fronts our troops dis- abled or destroyed 50 enemy tanks and shot do,n 29 enemy aeroplanes in air combat or by A.A. fire.
The Times | August 15, 1944
ADVANCE IN ESTONIA MOVE TO SPLIT ENEMY FORCES,
RONI OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT MOSCOW, AUG. 14 Swift progress is being made in art attemnpt to split the Germiain Sixteenth and Eighteenith Armies by severing theralialion- Riga railwav.- The Russians this morning were repolrted to be less than 30 miles tIomil thc line. In addition to Cap1turing Voru. 50 Iiilcs west of P'skNov. unlits fi0om the Leningradl flonlt are advancing rapidhI along the mnain Pskoov-Riga highway, and have reached a point where it crosses the Latvian border. Meanwhile General Maslennikov's lorces are advancing across hilly country in central Latvia on the \ajdonta-Riga road, after inflicting heavy punishmilent on the enemv in the battle for Madona. On the neighbouring 3rd Baltic fronit General Bagran-tvan's men ar C gradually advancing their positions on the Mitau-Rig:a railwvav litiportanit devctlpilmcnts atc expected as a result of General Zukharov's advanice to the River Biebrza. The captuirc of' Mezenin veste-rday was a higly sgilificant gain. for it miieanit that General Zak harov htn t cracked the GeCman lilnC aIt olle of its touglhest places anw haid thiuist into highly sensitive areas within the enemy's defence zone. With Marshal Rokossovsky's forces across the Btug at Hur anid Kamienczyk it should now bhe possible lor the Russians to apply pressure on the wvhole of the regiotn between the Narev and the Bug. and to force the eneilty fromil his main centre of resistance. In the cast a solid front has becn cstablishcd from ilic Biebrza river throuigi NMezenin and \Vyokoye- Ntazoviecki to the Bug at a poinlt where it swvings westwvard From the south Nlarshal Rokossovsky lhas crossed the \%Varsaw-Bialystok railway. and is heading for new stretches of thc river which his men have already crossed at some places.
The Times | August 16, 1944
ARMY'S SUCCESS AT OSOWIEC RED ENEMY OUT-GENERALLED
FROM OUR SPECrAL CORRESPONDENT MOSCOW., AUG. 15 General Zakharov's thrust through the Biebrza-Bobr line towards the East Prus- sian frontier overshadows all other news from the front to-day, even that of the swift advance on Valka by the 3rd Baltic group. Osowiec fortress, which, according to documents found there, the enemy was determined to hold at any price, fell yesterday. Great credit is due to the Russian engineers, who excelled themselves in Toad-laying to enable the armour and artillery to cross the swampy approaches to Osowiec and Goniadz. Though the advancing troops outpaced them- the.guns were man-handled for 30 hours at one difficult point-their swift and skilful work enabled General Sokolsky's artillery to mass in great force for the reduction of the enemy's forts, and the repulse of six sharp counter-attacks in which German armour was involved. The enemy appears to have been soundly out-generalled in a region considered to be his home ground, for Goniadz fell to a shrewd stroke of deception that displaced the defences of Osowiec and enabled the Russians to apply the' squeeze.from both north and south after advancing over the water meadows east of the fortress. In turn the forts were silenced and captured. A last desperate attack before the walls was tirned back, and the Russians. then entered Osowiec. Sweeping on to Valka, the vital traffic hub on the Estonian-Latvian border, General Maslennikov is driving a breach between the Sixteenth and Eighteenth German Armies which will speed the liberation of Estonia and possibly effect it without - General Govorov's troops having to do much more than fill the gaps left by the retreat- ing enemy or gather his trapped forces up as prisoners. No doubt an effort will be made to hold Tallinn and thus to prevent the Red Fleet's minlesweepers from completing the job in the Gulf of Finland, but the speed- of the advance in southern Estonia suggests that the enemy has not the forces to hold the in- terior of the country. Farther south, however, in Latvia, the opposinig forces are well matched numericallv, and the battle for the ancient city of Madona, which was the culmination of a violently con- tested 10-day struggle for the Luban plains, was on a big scale. The Germans are reported to have used severail divisions, five artillery regiments, and several squadrons of self- propelled guns to reinforce the Madona garri- son, and to strike out in the open country of the Luban plain from the central Latvian plateau. Madona's fall is likely to have im- portant consequences in the battle for Gia. The Germans took a hard knock there, and their rough treatment at Birjai must have sapped their strength. GERMAN LOSSES IN UKRAINE The Soviet Information Bureau last night announced .that troops of the 1st Ukrainian front under the command of Marshal Konev inflicted the following losses on the enemy from July 13 to August 12: killed and prisoners 172,360, of whtom 140,000 were killed and 32,360 taken prisoner. Aircraft destroyed ar captured, 687; tanks and self-propelled guns, 1,941; guns of various calibre, 3,615; mortars, 3,868; machine-guns, 5,735, lorries, 11,727.,Retrer.
The Times | August 18, 1944
IN LIBERATED RUSSIA II-POLITICAL ISSUES RAISED BY RED ARMY'S ADVANCE RELATIONS WITH THE BORDER STATES
From Our Moscow Correspondent As it strides towards Germany the Rcd Army is now, fighting in regions the inhabitants of which are mostlv non-Russian. Its lines now cross territory inhabited by Karelo-Finns, Estonians, Latvians, Lithuanians, Poles, Huzuis, Moldavians, nd Rumanians. Wherethere are Byelo-Russians and Ukrainians their national identity is to some extent affected by Polish influences. The baroque churches of Poland, the severe Lutheran architecture of the Baltic lands, the tiny flamboyant wooden Uniate churches on the Carpathian slopes-these are a re- minder to the Red Army man that he has entered lands where the faith of his parents is unknown. The advance into regions so varied by nationality, creed, and local tradition- lands whose experience of Soviet Socialism was brief before the wvar, others where allied Poles are recognized to enjoy full sovereignty, and. some where alieni Rumanians live-creates a complex of political tasks not all of which can be postponed. In general, the Russians have been behaving with scrupulous correctness in the lands of allies and enemies, while within the constitutional borders of their State no haste is being made to effect radical changes. The policy of non-inter- vention adopted in the case of Poland, Rumania, and Czechoslovakia has to some extent been applied also to lands in- corporated into the Soviet Union beforc the war and now largely recovered from the Germans. Till the end of the wvar these areas will be largely contfolled bv the Red Army working through the civil authorities. THE CURZON LINE The most recent official maps do not indicate any frontier between the Soviet Unionl and.Poland other than the Curzon Line, and in view of. the Soviet offer to delimit the frontiers on the basis of this line it is unlikely that Soviet institutions will be definitely re-established in its vicinity until the position has been clarified by a Soviet-Polish understanding. There is a difference between a Soviet Union anxious to consolidate its strategic fron- tiers in face of a Germany preparing to pounce on it and one which is organizing those frontiers on the assumption that Germany will be broken and pinned down and that Poland and Czechoslovakia will be governed by the principles of regional collective security. Pending final decisions, the Poles con- nected with the Comniittee of National Liberation express the view that the firmer is Russian confidence that the future Poland will associate itself unreservedly in the organization of security in Eastern Europe, the deeper will be Afoscow's sym- pathy for Polish aspirations. Meanwhile, in the liberated part of Poland, the inhabi- tants are apparently still in that condition when little matters but their regained freedom and the opportunity to get their own back on the Germans; and although civil administration has already been transferred to Polish authorities in most of Lublin province, elections to village and town councils have been held, State and German property taken over bv the Committee, and trade unions organized, the energies of the new administration seem almost entirely absorbed in the task of putting the region on a war footing. So far as can be ascertained here, the pace is not being forced except for the purpose of sustaining the war effort. There is much to indicatc that in the Baltic lands the Soviet authorities have not yet resumed the policy of socialization beg.-n in 1940 and that particular care is being taken to ensure that xvhatevcr stcps arc taken they will be under the direction of their own elected representatives. It is not, perhaps, sufficiently known tuat in 1940 Moscow on several occasions opposed the more extreme demands of the revolutionaries in thesc lands, so that in Latvia and Estonia prominent Socialists and Liberals were prepared to join the Governments while keeping aloof from tlho Communist Party. POPULAR SUPPORT The number of persons adversely affected by land reform in Latvia amounted to about 2 per cent. of the total population and less than a fifth of the total landowners; in Estonia the figttres were about 2.5 per cent. and a fifth respec- tively. In each country the landowners whose individual holdings were increased by land reform far outnumbered those wvhosc estates wvere reduced. In Lithuania only about 5,000 landowners had reason to complain, while the great majority of peasants had their holdings increased. Unless there is a wholly unexpected de- velopment it is unlikely that the Soviet authorities will change their policy of seeking to enlist popular support on the broadest possible scale. The intelligenisia and technicians may look forward to a life with the vwhole of the Soviet tOnion as a field for their talents and a market for their products. Here, as elsewhere, contemporary life in the Soviet Union, with its well-defined scale of rewards anid honours for merit in all fields of service, availability of work in the governmental niachine, opportuni- ties for swift advancement in the Red Army and RedFleet (including the mer- chant service) and in industrial manage- ment, is likely to make no inconsiderable appeal to members of the middle class, the foundations of vwhose security have been swept away by the Nvar. Two features of the process of rehabili- tation common to all areas liberated by the Red Arniy are the importance attached to the restoration of cultural facilities and the mildness of treatment of persons who have strayed from a fully loyal attitude under enemy pressure. Over half the budget for the restoration of liberated areas is devoted to the provision of cul- tural facilities, including capital expendi- ture on schools of all kinds, theatres, libraries, cinemas, and clubs. CRITERION OF GUILT Leniency towards those whose powers of resistance have not becn strong enough to wvithstand economic and other forms of pressure during the occupation has not caused the authorities to relax their stern- ness towards those wlho chose ta serve the enemy of their own free will, but a foreign investigator wvho was recently granted exceptional facilities to study the question found that of the school teachers who for a period of years taught under the Ger- mans without giving the invaders reason to complain only about 5 per cent. wvere. considered punishable, the rest being trans- ferred to other posts without loss of repu- tation. Generally the criterion of guilt is supplied by local public opinion, for, as it w'as neatly put, only strikers really under- stand the attitude of a " blackleg." Conditions remain very hard in the liberated regions. The arduous and deli- cate process of evolution from slavery to freedom is being directed wvith prudence, understanding, sympatby, and often for- giveness. Concluided
The Times | August 22, 1944
PROGRESS IN ESTONIA DRIVE SOUTH OF TARTU FIGHT IN NARVA BAY
The Russian High Command announced last night:- South-east and south of Dorpat [Tartu, in Estonia] our troops fought their wav into more than 30 inhabited localities. East of Riga our troops overcame enemy resistance and occupied a town and several inhabited localities. North-west and west of Mitatu otir troops repelled attacks by major forces of enemy infantry and tanks. On the orders of the commander the town of Tukium [the Latvian railway junction 35 miles west of Ri-a3 was evacuated. and our- troops withdrew to more favourable positions. Nortil and south-west of Shavii [Siauliail our troops repelled attacks by enemy tanks and infantry. North-east of Praga Ittie suburb of Warsaw on the opposite bank of the Vistula] our troops. after successfully repelling attacks by enemy infantry and tanks, passed to the counter-attack and fought their way into more than 50 in- habited places includfilg four railway stations. North of Sandomierz ouir troops fought battles to enlarge their bridgehead on the left bank of the Vistutla and improved their posi- tions. In ile liquidation of the encircled German groups we destroyed thc following: - Eighty-eight tanks and self-liropcllcd gunsr 18 armouredl carriers, 142 guns of various calibre. more than 10( mortars. 35 tractors, and more than 100 lorrics. The enemv lel't up to 12,000 dead on thc hattletield. Ottr troops capttired 20 tanks antd self- propelled gulns. 72 gLtns of various calibre. S3 mortars, 120 machine-gttns. atnd more than 5.000 tommy-gun1s and rifles. We took 1 55') prisoners. On other sectors of the fronit tliere was recoiinnaissance activity and on some sectors local lighting. On Sundaiy our troops on all fronts destroyed or disabled 206 German tanks and( shot down 88 German aircraft. An official report on naval activities issued in Mioscowy last night said: ' The Red Baitier Baltic Fleet sank four German destroyers of 1,200 tons each tl Narva Bay. The crewvs were taken prisoncr or drowned. One hundred and seven Geiman officers and tmen were picked ttp by Soviet slhips. Tile destroyers sLink in Narva Bay were modern ships of tile type built in 1942 and 1943. Their speed was 34 knots. Thcv each1 cttrried fottr 1O55mt. gtns. twso autttonlattc 371nm. guns, threc 20mtn. gLmns. and six tor- pedo ttthes. Each had a crewv of 191.
The Times | August 31, 1944
HARD FIGHTING IN ESTONIA- GERMANS' POSITION DETERIORATES
FROM-OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT MOSCOW, AUG. 30 The collapse of German resistance on the river lines of Ramnicul-Sarat and Buzau tore apart the last natural de- fences of Ploesti. The River Cricov, about three-quarters of the way from Buzau to the great oil city, was unimportant as a barrier. The Germans say they had in- adequate forces to offer more than spora- die rcsistance on the Ramnicul-Sarat, and though . at some places stiff fighting occurred, the river's bridges were taken intact, and infantry and fresh tank units are to-day moving southwards across the Walachian plain to Bucharest. The successes in Rumania have tended to over-shadow the battles elsewhere, but in at least two regions these are exceptionally violent, and though their fury has slackened a little the German counter-attacks are not less frequent. A Russian officer who returned from the Warsaiv front on Monday informed me in Lublin that every village east and south of the city was. being contested grimly. On the approaches to Velga, the important communications centre on the Estonian- Latvian borders, the Germans are stubborniv rcsisting, although their general position has deteriorated since the Russians overran all the ground between Tartu and Lake Pyha and thus forced back the enemy's northern wing. For the past week sharp fighting by relatively small groups has been going on in the broken country northi-east of Vaka. Now the Russians are increasing their pressure from the sotith- east by advancing along the Latvian borders from Hargla. -Their progress is gradual but steady. RUMANIAN DELEGATION IN MOSCOW Moscow radio reported last night that a Ramanian delegation has arrived in Moscow to discuss artmistice terms. The delegation consists of Prince Stirbey, M. Visoianu. M. Patrascanu, Minister of Justice, M. Damacianu, Deputy Minister for- the Interior, M. Cristupop, and Lieutenant- Colonel Focsaneanu.-Reuter.
June 28, 1944
GERMAN TROOPS IN HELSINKI . FIRST "TOKEN OF SOLIDARITY" RIBBENTROP'S PROMISES
STOCKHOLM, June 27.-German troops marched through the streets of Helsinki to-night towards the Finnish eastern front, as the first token of the "solidarity and perfect understanding" between Finland and Germany. A detachment of Germans marched past the Finnish Parliament building while the deputies were in session. -A.vsociated Press. FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT STOCKHOLM, JUNE 27 According to the best-informed circlcs here Ribbentrop, during his three-day visit to Helsinki, succeeded in persuading the Linkomies Cabinet to shelve their plan for the reconstruction of the Government and to stay in office and continue the war against Russia at Germany's side. It is less certain whether this is the last word in the development of the Finnish situa- tion. The newspaper Aftoni Tidningen reports that Ribbentrop went to Helsinki after Marshal Mannerheim had refused an invitation io Berlin. The last-minute cancellation of the secret session of Parliament last night indicates that the Cabinet is fearful of Parliament's attitude, for the intention was to announce this newdeci- sion then. Strong opposition i.s certain within the *Social Democratic, Liberal, and Swedish Party groups. The postponement of the Social Democratic Party congress scheduled for July 1, which is announced to-day, may also have something to do with Tanner's wish to avoid an open clash with his party colleagues. Since German threats have lost most of their sting, Ribbentrop's foremost means of persuasion was the promise of increased mili- tary help from Germany. Some anti-tank formations, it is reported, are being shipped from Estonia to the Viipuri front.
The Times | June 29, 1944
KEITEL IN HELSINKI
From Our Correspondent STOCKHOLM, JUNE 28 The chief of the German armed forces, Field Marshal Keitcl, has arrived in Hel- sinki to organize German military rein- forcements on the Finnish front. The notorious S.S. Gcneral Sepp Dietrich, chief of the " Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler," is also expected. German spokes- men make much of German chances of restoring the Finnish military position, and specifically describe the fall of Viipuri as " purely temporary." A curious remark by one Berlin spokes- man to-night indicates that General Dietl, hitherto commander of the German divi- sions in north Finland, may be out of the picture. He referred to rumours abroad -which nobody here has heard-that Dieti had been killed in an aeroplane crash, and said he was not in a position to confirm them. In addition to an anti-tank brigadc from Estonia, tile Germans have sent an infantry division to southl Finland, the first to operate outside Dictl's north Finnish sector. The Lufivaffe have also contributed fighters and fighter-bombers for the defence of the Karelian isthmus. The announcement of. Ribbentrop's visit to Finland, which was published in Helsinki last night, showvs that President Ryti and the Forcign Minister, Ramsay. committed Finiand to continued cooperation with Germany with- out even formally consulting Parliament. The announcement says that Ribbentrop complied with the Finnish request for armed aid. Actually, it is authoritatively learnt that Ryti and Ramsay, in return for this promise, pledged Finland to political solidarity with Germany and renounced the right to make a separate peacc-an undertaking wvhich Finland has refused or wriggled out of several timcs before. As the Government have obviously given up any idea of submitting-so Parliament thc ne'v arrangement with Germany-involving com- plete abandonment of the hitherto jealously guarded, principle of Finland's " own war `- the only constitutional way which rc- mains of forcig a debate is for the Opposi- tion to put a formal questicT, to the Prime Minister. This step is now being considered in the Opposition camp. Parliament will sit again on Friday. Swedish newspapers of all political shades to-day, with striking unanimity. deplore the Finnish pledge to continue the war at Germany's side. and most of them represent it as tantamount to sealing Finland's doom
The Times | July 4, 1944
RUSSIANS' HOT PURSUIT
From Our Military Correspondent The Russian pursuit has continued at an almost incredible speed. In previous offensives this year and last the Russians have been handicapped by inadequate mechanization; they lacked motorized divisions and were therefore unable to give proper support and backing to their armoured thrusts. On this occasion they appear to be better off, and it is said that lorry-borne infantry is following close upon the heels of the armour. Another factor in their favour is that they have so little armour against them. The Germans are believed to hold most of their remaining Panzzer divisions on this front south of the Pripet. The transfer to France of a whole Panzzer army corps is particularly crippling to German defence in view of the deterioration of the infantry-and, incidentally, it may be because of this deterioration that Roimmel is using his Panzer divisions so largely for defence at Caen: seven Panzer or Panizer S.S. divisions to only four inlfantry divisions. n f The Germans themselves state that their forces on the Bcresina vere extricated and felt back, hotly pursued by the Russians, to the area of Minsk. But on both flanks the Russians were moving parallel with the retreat, and moviig faster; and their loiig tcntacles have now closed in on the city. Nothing could be more certain than that it has been impos- sible to clear Minsk, which is understood to have been the main German advanced post on the northern front, of its stores. The Russians must have captured a great quantity of booty. A YAWNING BREACH The Germans are hanging on to the flanks of the break-through, attempting at all costs to prevent the yawning breach from widening still further. At Polotsk the garrison held its ground for some time, but has now been driven out, and previously the Russians had been pouring througlh south of the towvn, moving iS miles in 24 hours. Again, the Germans claim to have checked the Russians west of Slutsk, in the southern arm of the enveloping movement round Minsk, but again the Rttssians have swept past it. A double thleat to the trunk line frotn Warsaw to the nortlh is developing at Vilna and Dvinsk, especially at Vilna. Should this rail- way be ctit it is deemed untikely that the enemy would be able to maintain his northern front for long. He might have to clear out of Estonia ancd fall back to some position such as from the Gulf of Riga to the western side of the Pripet marshes, using the middle stretch of the Niemen where it would serve his pur- pose by running conformably to his dis- positions. This would leave him still in touch with his Volhynian and Galiciati front south of the Plripet. But lie seems to be feeling no small anlxiety about that front also. As our Special Correspondent in Stockholm reported yester- day, the Germans prophesy that this will be the scene of the main Russian offensive this summer. They probably hold it in greater strength, but if the offensive against it is, as they suggest, going to put that in White Russia into the shade, they may well wonder what it is going to be like. Within a day or two it will be apparent whether the Germans can avoid complete collapse oti their hard-pressed White Russian front. They have not yet reached that stage, except locally, but they do not appear to be far from it. The official report yesterday annotinced the death in action of two full generals and otle lieutenant-general, an extra- ordinary occurrence wllich throws fresh light on the nature of the fighting.
The Times | July 12, 1944
THE DRIVE TO THE BALTIC
The victorious Russian armies, exploit- ing their triumph in the battle of Minsk, stride westward day by day with ever more majestic authority. They have conceded no chance of recovery from the great German collapse. Although it is probabie that the enemy has, called reinforcements from north and south to the 'support of his dissolving armies on the north-central front, nothing that he can do gives any suggestion that he can reorganize suffi- ziently to fight another pitched battle. ,ll pretence of maintaining a continuous front has been abandoned; and where ordered formations can still be held' together in the path of the irresistible advance, the best they can do is to shut themselves up infortresses, as they have n the notable strategic centre of Vilna. rhe Russians waste no time before these positions, but sweep on, well knowing that :hey need not be anxious about the result )f a siege where the enemy is in no condi- ion to attempt relief. They have pene- :rated well into Lithuania, and the frontier )f East Prussia lies only.some eighty miles shead. At the present astonishing rate of sdvance, which there is nothing to check !xcept the difficulties of a lengthening line 3f communications, they would. stand on aerman soil within a few days. This is a time for looking at large maps nd taking comprehensive views. Survey- ng the whole area of the three Baltic -epublics, there are two obvious routes by s'hich the Russians may march to the sea; hey lie on either side of the jutting mass f Courland. One, to which the capture 3r masking of Dvinsk would be the pre- iminary step, leads down the valley of the Dvina to the Latvian port of Riga. The )ther is still s!prter, and has been already 3artly opened up by the thrust of the irmoured columns past Vilna. It follows he valley of the Niemen through Kovno md Tilsit into the territory of Memel, nce a 'protectorate of the League of .ations, which was added to East Prussia ay one of the earliest acts of Nazi aggres- ;ion. This is not only the shortest way to :he sea but the direct route to East Prussia, nd wouid have the advantage of cu'tting Aff an even larger group of armies than the ine from Dvinsk to Riga. If the Russians .hoose to pursue 4t-and, for all the enemy :an do to interfere, their choice is prac- tically free-they will complete a revolu- ionary transformation of the whole -astern front of war. XFirst and foremost, they are now cer- tain of winning the race of the United Nations for entry into the German Reich, an honour that none of their allies will grudge to a people who have endured so much and made so outstanding a contribu- tion to the common cause. The moral -ffect of this first invasion of Germany, which it is certain the enemy cannot long postpone, may prove to have considerable weight even in a strategic calculation. East Prussia may appear only as a detached province on the modern map-that by the bvay is the original grievance by which the Nazis excused their aggression against Danzig and Poland-but its hold upon German sentiment is unique. It is. the original Prussia, as distinguished from Brandenburg; the symbol of the secular German ambition to export Teutonic cul- ture into the Slavonic lands; the breeding ground from which the mixed Slav-Teuton race brought into medieval Germany that creed of iron and blood which we call Prussianism; the kernel of military Ger- many from FREDERICK the GREAT to Bis- MARCK and HINDENBURG. The Nazis have fully identified themselves with the cult, and the approaching demonstration that they are powerless to defend the shrine may react disastrously on that prestige of the regime which is one of the imponder- ables in the conduct of German war. For the enemy's forces in the north the direct consequences of a penetration to the Baltic shore are in any event catastrophic. The whole of the armies occupying Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia and maintaining the bridgehead at Narva will be cut off from the main body and from home. There is no need for hesita- tion in reckoning these allied gains, for the essential line of communication of the northern armies, the railway from Warsaw through Vilna and Dvinsk, has been cut at several places, and their position is already beginning to crumble. There are minor lines' farther west by which sup- plies may be sent for a little longer, and these may be supplemented from the sea through the ports of Tallinn, Pernau, Riga, Libau, and Memel; but by the time the Russians reach the coast at any point and thereby intercept the remaining land routes these avenues, must prove in- adequate to maintain the front. The Ger- mans have earned a reputation for cling- ing to, lost positions unexpectedly long, often magnifying the consequences of their defeats by so doing; but it seems now'impossible that they can evade the necessity for evacuation by sea. The withdrawal of the northern armies must be acknowledged to be within the capacity of the enemy's sea-power in the 'Baltic. It will be a grievous confession of failure,. incapable of being interpreted, like the evacuation from Dunkirk, as reculer pour ml2ieux saurer; but the operation is not of comparable 'danger. The Russian air force, whiph with the decline of the Lufjwagie has played a more dominant part in this year's campaign than hitherto, with corresponding'effects u'pon the speed of the victorious armies, can and certainly will harass the reirgat by land and water. But on the surface there can be little impedimnent to the evacuation, for the Russians have no forces in the Baltic- or even in the Arctic, willh which canal communlication was opened by the suc- cesses in Finland-capable of keeping the sea against such formidable units of naval strength as the cruiser Hipper and the pocket battleship Admiral Scheer. . But even if the armies of the north escape from their precarious position to fight again elsewhere, the territory they will be forced to abandon is of high strategic importance. It includes the whole southern shore of the Gulf of Finland; and its occupation by the Russians must open up an easy way. of approach to 'Finnish territory, including the capital city of Helsinki, just across the Gulf. The Russians,.who since the open- ing of the battle of Minsk have been taking their campaign in Finland somewhat easily, are no doubt content to do so because they foresee that it will soond be in their power to overrun Estonia, cut the connexion between the Finns and their German patrons, and place: the Finnish Government in a situation in which it has no alternative to surrender. Meanwhile the breakdown of German strategy in the north must compel the Ger- man rulers to face the realities of their military position. This vast calamity, with the still vaster consequences that are inexorably flowing from it, derives from the situation in which their campaigns of aggression have placed them; they have grasped at a continental expanse of terri- tory which it is now far beyond their man- power to defend. The logic that seems to be dictating the next moves on the Baltic has its application in a wider field; and it may be that a shortening of the line every- where offers the enemy the best chance of delaying the end. If he-follows this line of thought he will perhaps hold on to Riga at all costs, while he abandons the Baltic territories farther north, Withdraws from the Balkans to the Danube, recalls KESSELRING for a stand along the Alps, and prepares to stand a siege within the shorter frontiers of the Reich and France. This is the logic of the situation. But the rider of so high a horse as HITLER'S can- not always afford to foliow logic when it enjoins him to dismount.
The Times | July 14, 1944
CHANGE OF TUNE IN BERLIN " TEMPORARY SHORTENING I OF THE FRONT"
General Eremenko's smashing blow at the Panther Line, which was designed to prevent inroads into the Baltic States, has caused quick reactions in the Berlin pro- paganda departments. Even before Dittmar's widely quoted utter- ance, somc German military commenmators, in- cluding writers in the Deuische Aligeneilie Zeitung, began cautiously talking about the expediency of a drastic straightening and shortening of the lines, hinting at an intention to withdraw w-holly or partly from the Baltic States if the Russians continied their rapid advance. Berlin propaganda spokesmen even yesterday were still insisting that the Germans wouild not budge from the Baltic States, and that a dramatic counter-blow was; being pre- pared against the most vulnerable Russian flank. To-day they have swvttng round, and now try to explain tihe advantages for the defence of Germany of withdrawing the northern German flank. Tlley claim that they will thus be able to obtain reinforcements for a temporarily shortened front, adding that this Is merely an incident of the war and that the Baltic States will soon be reoccupicd. The Germans apparently intend to make a deter- minied effort particularly to hold part of Estonia as a bridgehead protecting the gulf of Finland, even if it is cutt off by ihe Russi:an advance to the Bay of Riga. For the same reason the Germans will very possibly try to hang on to the imporiant islands. particularly Oesel and Dago. The Russians; they say, M-ill not easily dislodge them from the northern ccast of Estonia,whilich is protected from the ealst by the long l.,ake Peiputs and- thc im3pregnably"-, fortified. Narva Isthmus. Apcording to the latest trustworthy informa- tion from Germany every available man is being sent to France. Even men home on leave from th- Eastern front, according to this information. are not being sent back to their own units, but most of them are being sent to fill gaps in the formatior,s on the Western front.
The Times | July 14, 1944
ENEMY PROBLEM IN THE BALTIC COST OF A DELAYED WITHDRAWAL
FROM OUR MILITARY CORRESPONDENT While there has been a slight decrease in the pace of the Russian advance in the main Vilna sector, it is still rapid. For example, NVednesday's progress towards Grodno was about 20 miles. Meanwvhile the smashing attack of the 2nd Baltic front covered 21 nmiles in two days in'the general direction of Riga. The commander, General Eremenko, wvho has succeeded General Popov, will be remembered for his success in command of the Maritime Army in the Crimea. - This Baltic offensive is particularly interest- ing in view of the fact that statements made by Gerrnan spokesmen during the days preceding it showed signs that directions had been issued to them to prepare the mind of the public for a withdrawal from the Baltic States. The enemy may, not for the first time, have waited too long-not that the Russian offensive is likely to prevent him from evactiating Estonia and half of Latvia and Lithuauiia if that is in his mind, but because delay may make the task muclh more costly. RAILWAY NETWORK No sign of withdrawal has Yet beeti rc- ported either from Rtussia or from Sweden, which constitutes in this case a good bow window. The present situation may not make withdrawal a necessity, but it has only to develop in its present direction for a few days more to put any alternative out of the ques- tion. The Germans might still hold on to Riga and the middle reach of the Niemen between Kaunas and Grodno, btit would be more likely to have to go back to the frontier of East Prussia, wlhere the Masurian Lakes and a network of roads and railwavs many times as dense as those of Russia would favour defence. - Dietl's successor in command Of the German forces in Finland is Rendulic, like him an Austrian, buE by his name of Yugoslav blood. Hle served in the Austro-Hutngarian army in the last war. A year ago he was commanding an army corps in the Orel sector in Russia. He has also commanded the Second Panzer Army in the Balkans. He wag promoted to the rank of colonel-general thi. year. e German versions of the fighting in Russia, which admit withdrawals in many sectors, a
The Times | July 28, 1944
RED ARMY'S SWEEPING VICTORIES LIBERATION OF LVOV AND DVINSK NEW THRUST TOWARDS BALTIC OUTFLANKING NORTHERN OF ENEMY'S GROUPS
A succession of sweeping victories was announced by the Russians last night. In the north by the capture of Siauliai, the key junction controlling all the railways and main roads in Lithuania, they have cut the main link between the German armies in Latvia and Estonia and East Prussia. Dvinsk and Rezekne have also been captured. The capture of Bialystok and new gains north-west of Lublin have increased the threat to Warsaw. Street fighting has broken out in Siedlce. Lvov and Stanislavov have been occupied, and the bridgehead across the San has been widened. NEARER TO WARSAW STREET FIGHTING IN SIEDLCE The Russian High Command an- nounced last night:- Soutil-west of Pskov Our troops fought tlvir way forwird and occupied Pankinovo, a dis- trict centre of the Leningrad region, and also over 40 other inhabited places. Troops of the 2nd Baltic front, developing their offensive, carried by assault the towns of Dvinsk (Daugavpils) and Rezeknes (Rezhitsa), and fought their way into more than 400 other inhabited places, including six railway stations. Troops of the Ist Baltic front by a swift blow with tanks and infantry capttired the town or Siauliai (Shavli). and foughit their way into more than 150 inhabited places, among them seven railway stations. [Siauliai is the key junction cointrolling all Lithuania's railways and main roads. By its occupation the Russians have cut the main link between the German armies in Latvia and Estonia and East Prussia. Siauliai is 80 miles south of Riga and less than 90 miles from the Baltic.coast at Memel.] Troops of the 2nd White Russian front, as a result of two days' fighting, to-day carried by assault the town and large industral centre of Bialvstok, an important railway junction and a powerful stronghold in the enemy's defences covering the roads to Warsaw, and also fought their way into over 30 other inhabited places. In the Brcst Litovsk direction our troops con- tinued to wage offcnsive battles during which they occupied more than 50 inhabited places. Northi-west of Lublin our troops, developing their successful offensive. captured the towns of Nasutow. Zhelekov, and over 250 other inhabited localities, incliding Gornolin [37 nmiles south-east of Warsawl. Our troops were engaged in street fighting in the town of Siedlce [50 miles cast of Warsaw on the railway from Brest Litovsk]. West of Zamoscze our troops were engaged in offensive battles during whicih they occtipied three towns and fought their way into more than 200 inhalbited places. BRIDGEHEAD WIDENED West of the towin of Lyubatin otir troops car-. ried out successftil offensive operations for the videniing of their bridgehead on the western bank of the River San. They cap- tured the town of Rtidnik, on the western bank of the river, four other towns and over 300 other inhabited places. Troops of the 1st Ukminian front, developing their successful offensive, to-day occupied the large railway centre and strategically impor- tant strongliold. the regional capital of the Ukraine. the town of Lvov. in the foothills of the Carpathians, as well as the regional centre of the Ukraine, the town of Stani- slavov. They also fought theil way into 200 inhabited places. On Wednesdaiv otiI troops on all froniis dis- abled or destroyed 131 German tanks and( shot down 42 acr-oplancs. The following additional report was broadcast last night by Moscow radio:- Ouir air forces last nigilt carried out a mass raid on the railway junction of Tilsit, in Eastern PTrussia. Many fires were seen, railway wagons and military dumps were left blazing. Five German military trains were blown tip by direct hits. Big explosions were seen, whichi wvere particu- larly violent in the soutih-western and caster n sections of the junction. The fires were visible for a distance of 120 miles. FESTIVE PROGRAMMES For the whole of last cvening Moscow'radio ptit out an tinrehearsed, festive programme of victorious news mingled with triumphant folk tunes of the liberated areas. Wireless recep- tion in Britain was good, and Moscow's guns, booming out the tinprecedented number of 80 victory salvos, were clearly heard in London. In the short intervals between the rapid suc- cession of the orders of the (lay Polish, Ukrainian, and Lithuanian songs and marches Nvere played. Thc scleduled radio programme went by the board.-Reitier.
The Times | August 3, 1944
BALTIC ARMIES OUT OF THE FIGHT
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT MOSCOW, AuG. 2 The isolation of two German armies under General Lindemann's conmmand in Estonia and northern Latvia, which was announced last night, spells the beginning of the last phase of Hitler's Leningrad adventure. Whatever fate has in store for the divisions that six months ago were in sight of the dome of Saint Isaac's Cathedral, there is little possibility that they will take any further part in this war. Their liquidation may take time, though in Estonian circles here there is a high optimism that the liberation of Tallinn will not be long delayed; a substantial number of troops may escape by sea, but, shorn of equipmiient and shattered by their ignominious experience, it will be manv months before the remnants of the Nord group can play any significant part in the war. To-day's news fr6m the front is dominated by the successful conclusion of the battle of Kaunas, which was celebrated last night by a salute from 224 guns, followed by the play- ing of the Russian and Lithuanian national authemsn. The battle opened on the night of July 25, wlheni from a sccret assembly point in the forest on the bridgchead across the Sventoji near Ukmerge, 40 miles north-east of Kaunas, Russian tanks advanced 20 miles to Jonava fanning otit westward to reach the River Nevezh is. Last Saturday armour operating north of Kaunas broke through and reached the city outskirts. In the, south a Russian battalion crossed the Niemen after the fall of Rumsishkis and. occupyinig a horse-shoe shaped area caused by a loop in the river, protected the left flank of the main forces advancing along the Vilna road. Striking across the Nevezhis north-west of Kaunas other infantry tnits cut the Tlilsit road and reached the Niemen. Kautins was thus almost encircled. According to data, so far incomplete, the defence of Katnas cost the enemy nearly 10,000 men, of whom at least 8,000 were killed.
The Times | August 12, 1944
NEW DRIVE IN ESTONIA 43-MILE FRONT GAINS ON CENTRAL SECTOR
The Russian High Command announced last night: - West and south-west of Pskov our troops, having resumed the offensive, advanced up to 15 miles along a front of about 43 miles and captured the town of Pechory, a district town of the Estonian Republic, and more than 200 other inihabited places. [Pechory (or Petseri) is 27 miles west of Pskov on the railway rUnning west which later branches north to Tallinn and south to Riga.] West of Krustpils, on the western Dvina, our troops, developing their offensive, fottght their way into more than 50 inhabited places, including Rozhy, and two railway stations. North-west and west of Bialystok Our troops continued to wage offensive battles, in the Course of wvlhch tihey occupiea over Ulu in- habited places, including the railway station of Kryshy. North and north-west of Siedlce our troops fought their way forvard and occupied over 100 inhabited places, including the railway station of Kossovruski. West of Sandoniierz our troops were en- gaged in repelling enemy counter-attacks launched with infantry and tanks. They fought to extend their bridgehead on the western bank of the Vistula. On Thursday on all Fronts our troops dis- abled or destroyed 50 enemy tanks and shot do,n 29 enemy aeroplanes in air combat or by A.A. fire.
The Times | August 15, 1944
ADVANCE IN ESTONIA MOVE TO SPLIT ENEMY FORCES,
RONI OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT MOSCOW, AUG. 14 Swift progress is being made in art attemnpt to split the Germiain Sixteenth and Eighteenith Armies by severing theralialion- Riga railwav.- The Russians this morning were repolrted to be less than 30 miles tIomil thc line. In addition to Cap1turing Voru. 50 Iiilcs west of P'skNov. unlits fi0om the Leningradl flonlt are advancing rapidhI along the mnain Pskoov-Riga highway, and have reached a point where it crosses the Latvian border. Meanwhile General Maslennikov's lorces are advancing across hilly country in central Latvia on the \ajdonta-Riga road, after inflicting heavy punishmilent on the enemv in the battle for Madona. On the neighbouring 3rd Baltic fronit General Bagran-tvan's men ar C gradually advancing their positions on the Mitau-Rig:a railwvav litiportanit devctlpilmcnts atc expected as a result of General Zukharov's advanice to the River Biebrza. The captuirc of' Mezenin veste-rday was a higly sgilificant gain. for it miieanit that General Zak harov htn t cracked the GeCman lilnC aIt olle of its touglhest places anw haid thiuist into highly sensitive areas within the enemy's defence zone. With Marshal Rokossovsky's forces across the Btug at Hur anid Kamienczyk it should now bhe possible lor the Russians to apply pressure on the wvhole of the regiotn between the Narev and the Bug. and to force the eneilty fromil his main centre of resistance. In the cast a solid front has becn cstablishcd from ilic Biebrza river throuigi NMezenin and \Vyokoye- Ntazoviecki to the Bug at a poinlt where it swvings westwvard From the south Nlarshal Rokossovsky lhas crossed the \%Varsaw-Bialystok railway. and is heading for new stretches of thc river which his men have already crossed at some places.
The Times | August 16, 1944
ARMY'S SUCCESS AT OSOWIEC RED ENEMY OUT-GENERALLED
FROM OUR SPECrAL CORRESPONDENT MOSCOW., AUG. 15 General Zakharov's thrust through the Biebrza-Bobr line towards the East Prus- sian frontier overshadows all other news from the front to-day, even that of the swift advance on Valka by the 3rd Baltic group. Osowiec fortress, which, according to documents found there, the enemy was determined to hold at any price, fell yesterday. Great credit is due to the Russian engineers, who excelled themselves in Toad-laying to enable the armour and artillery to cross the swampy approaches to Osowiec and Goniadz. Though the advancing troops outpaced them- the.guns were man-handled for 30 hours at one difficult point-their swift and skilful work enabled General Sokolsky's artillery to mass in great force for the reduction of the enemy's forts, and the repulse of six sharp counter-attacks in which German armour was involved. The enemy appears to have been soundly out-generalled in a region considered to be his home ground, for Goniadz fell to a shrewd stroke of deception that displaced the defences of Osowiec and enabled the Russians to apply the' squeeze.from both north and south after advancing over the water meadows east of the fortress. In turn the forts were silenced and captured. A last desperate attack before the walls was tirned back, and the Russians. then entered Osowiec. Sweeping on to Valka, the vital traffic hub on the Estonian-Latvian border, General Maslennikov is driving a breach between the Sixteenth and Eighteenth German Armies which will speed the liberation of Estonia and possibly effect it without - General Govorov's troops having to do much more than fill the gaps left by the retreat- ing enemy or gather his trapped forces up as prisoners. No doubt an effort will be made to hold Tallinn and thus to prevent the Red Fleet's minlesweepers from completing the job in the Gulf of Finland, but the speed- of the advance in southern Estonia suggests that the enemy has not the forces to hold the in- terior of the country. Farther south, however, in Latvia, the opposinig forces are well matched numericallv, and the battle for the ancient city of Madona, which was the culmination of a violently con- tested 10-day struggle for the Luban plains, was on a big scale. The Germans are reported to have used severail divisions, five artillery regiments, and several squadrons of self- propelled guns to reinforce the Madona garri- son, and to strike out in the open country of the Luban plain from the central Latvian plateau. Madona's fall is likely to have im- portant consequences in the battle for Gia. The Germans took a hard knock there, and their rough treatment at Birjai must have sapped their strength. GERMAN LOSSES IN UKRAINE The Soviet Information Bureau last night announced .that troops of the 1st Ukrainian front under the command of Marshal Konev inflicted the following losses on the enemy from July 13 to August 12: killed and prisoners 172,360, of whtom 140,000 were killed and 32,360 taken prisoner. Aircraft destroyed ar captured, 687; tanks and self-propelled guns, 1,941; guns of various calibre, 3,615; mortars, 3,868; machine-guns, 5,735, lorries, 11,727.,Retrer.
The Times | August 18, 1944
IN LIBERATED RUSSIA II-POLITICAL ISSUES RAISED BY RED ARMY'S ADVANCE RELATIONS WITH THE BORDER STATES
From Our Moscow Correspondent As it strides towards Germany the Rcd Army is now, fighting in regions the inhabitants of which are mostlv non-Russian. Its lines now cross territory inhabited by Karelo-Finns, Estonians, Latvians, Lithuanians, Poles, Huzuis, Moldavians, nd Rumanians. Wherethere are Byelo-Russians and Ukrainians their national identity is to some extent affected by Polish influences. The baroque churches of Poland, the severe Lutheran architecture of the Baltic lands, the tiny flamboyant wooden Uniate churches on the Carpathian slopes-these are a re- minder to the Red Army man that he has entered lands where the faith of his parents is unknown. The advance into regions so varied by nationality, creed, and local tradition- lands whose experience of Soviet Socialism was brief before the wvar, others where allied Poles are recognized to enjoy full sovereignty, and. some where alieni Rumanians live-creates a complex of political tasks not all of which can be postponed. In general, the Russians have been behaving with scrupulous correctness in the lands of allies and enemies, while within the constitutional borders of their State no haste is being made to effect radical changes. The policy of non-inter- vention adopted in the case of Poland, Rumania, and Czechoslovakia has to some extent been applied also to lands in- corporated into the Soviet Union beforc the war and now largely recovered from the Germans. Till the end of the wvar these areas will be largely contfolled bv the Red Army working through the civil authorities. THE CURZON LINE The most recent official maps do not indicate any frontier between the Soviet Unionl and.Poland other than the Curzon Line, and in view of. the Soviet offer to delimit the frontiers on the basis of this line it is unlikely that Soviet institutions will be definitely re-established in its vicinity until the position has been clarified by a Soviet-Polish understanding. There is a difference between a Soviet Union anxious to consolidate its strategic fron- tiers in face of a Germany preparing to pounce on it and one which is organizing those frontiers on the assumption that Germany will be broken and pinned down and that Poland and Czechoslovakia will be governed by the principles of regional collective security. Pending final decisions, the Poles con- nected with the Comniittee of National Liberation express the view that the firmer is Russian confidence that the future Poland will associate itself unreservedly in the organization of security in Eastern Europe, the deeper will be Afoscow's sym- pathy for Polish aspirations. Meanwhile, in the liberated part of Poland, the inhabi- tants are apparently still in that condition when little matters but their regained freedom and the opportunity to get their own back on the Germans; and although civil administration has already been transferred to Polish authorities in most of Lublin province, elections to village and town councils have been held, State and German property taken over bv the Committee, and trade unions organized, the energies of the new administration seem almost entirely absorbed in the task of putting the region on a war footing. So far as can be ascertained here, the pace is not being forced except for the purpose of sustaining the war effort. There is much to indicatc that in the Baltic lands the Soviet authorities have not yet resumed the policy of socialization beg.-n in 1940 and that particular care is being taken to ensure that xvhatevcr stcps arc taken they will be under the direction of their own elected representatives. It is not, perhaps, sufficiently known tuat in 1940 Moscow on several occasions opposed the more extreme demands of the revolutionaries in thesc lands, so that in Latvia and Estonia prominent Socialists and Liberals were prepared to join the Governments while keeping aloof from tlho Communist Party. POPULAR SUPPORT The number of persons adversely affected by land reform in Latvia amounted to about 2 per cent. of the total population and less than a fifth of the total landowners; in Estonia the figttres were about 2.5 per cent. and a fifth respec- tively. In each country the landowners whose individual holdings were increased by land reform far outnumbered those wvhosc estates wvere reduced. In Lithuania only about 5,000 landowners had reason to complain, while the great majority of peasants had their holdings increased. Unless there is a wholly unexpected de- velopment it is unlikely that the Soviet authorities will change their policy of seeking to enlist popular support on the broadest possible scale. The intelligenisia and technicians may look forward to a life with the vwhole of the Soviet tOnion as a field for their talents and a market for their products. Here, as elsewhere, contemporary life in the Soviet Union, with its well-defined scale of rewards anid honours for merit in all fields of service, availability of work in the governmental niachine, opportuni- ties for swift advancement in the Red Army and RedFleet (including the mer- chant service) and in industrial manage- ment, is likely to make no inconsiderable appeal to members of the middle class, the foundations of vwhose security have been swept away by the Nvar. Two features of the process of rehabili- tation common to all areas liberated by the Red Arniy are the importance attached to the restoration of cultural facilities and the mildness of treatment of persons who have strayed from a fully loyal attitude under enemy pressure. Over half the budget for the restoration of liberated areas is devoted to the provision of cul- tural facilities, including capital expendi- ture on schools of all kinds, theatres, libraries, cinemas, and clubs. CRITERION OF GUILT Leniency towards those whose powers of resistance have not becn strong enough to wvithstand economic and other forms of pressure during the occupation has not caused the authorities to relax their stern- ness towards those wlho chose ta serve the enemy of their own free will, but a foreign investigator wvho was recently granted exceptional facilities to study the question found that of the school teachers who for a period of years taught under the Ger- mans without giving the invaders reason to complain only about 5 per cent. wvere. considered punishable, the rest being trans- ferred to other posts without loss of repu- tation. Generally the criterion of guilt is supplied by local public opinion, for, as it w'as neatly put, only strikers really under- stand the attitude of a " blackleg." Conditions remain very hard in the liberated regions. The arduous and deli- cate process of evolution from slavery to freedom is being directed wvith prudence, understanding, sympatby, and often for- giveness. Concluided
The Times | August 22, 1944
PROGRESS IN ESTONIA DRIVE SOUTH OF TARTU FIGHT IN NARVA BAY
The Russian High Command announced last night:- South-east and south of Dorpat [Tartu, in Estonia] our troops fought their wav into more than 30 inhabited localities. East of Riga our troops overcame enemy resistance and occupied a town and several inhabited localities. North-west and west of Mitatu otir troops repelled attacks by major forces of enemy infantry and tanks. On the orders of the commander the town of Tukium [the Latvian railway junction 35 miles west of Ri-a3 was evacuated. and our- troops withdrew to more favourable positions. Nortil and south-west of Shavii [Siauliail our troops repelled attacks by enemy tanks and infantry. North-east of Praga Ittie suburb of Warsaw on the opposite bank of the Vistula] our troops. after successfully repelling attacks by enemy infantry and tanks, passed to the counter-attack and fought their way into more than 50 in- habited places includfilg four railway stations. North of Sandomierz ouir troops fought battles to enlarge their bridgehead on the left bank of the Vistutla and improved their posi- tions. In ile liquidation of the encircled German groups we destroyed thc following: - Eighty-eight tanks and self-liropcllcd gunsr 18 armouredl carriers, 142 guns of various calibre. more than 10( mortars. 35 tractors, and more than 100 lorrics. The enemv lel't up to 12,000 dead on thc hattletield. Ottr troops capttired 20 tanks antd self- propelled gulns. 72 gLtns of various calibre. S3 mortars, 120 machine-gttns. atnd more than 5.000 tommy-gun1s and rifles. We took 1 55') prisoners. On other sectors of the fronit tliere was recoiinnaissance activity and on some sectors local lighting. On Sundaiy our troops on all fronts destroyed or disabled 206 German tanks and( shot down 88 German aircraft. An official report on naval activities issued in Mioscowy last night said: ' The Red Baitier Baltic Fleet sank four German destroyers of 1,200 tons each tl Narva Bay. The crewvs were taken prisoncr or drowned. One hundred and seven Geiman officers and tmen were picked ttp by Soviet slhips. Tile destroyers sLink in Narva Bay were modern ships of tile type built in 1942 and 1943. Their speed was 34 knots. Thcv each1 cttrried fottr 1O55mt. gtns. twso autttonlattc 371nm. guns, threc 20mtn. gLmns. and six tor- pedo ttthes. Each had a crewv of 191.
The Times | August 31, 1944
HARD FIGHTING IN ESTONIA- GERMANS' POSITION DETERIORATES
FROM-OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT MOSCOW, AUG. 30 The collapse of German resistance on the river lines of Ramnicul-Sarat and Buzau tore apart the last natural de- fences of Ploesti. The River Cricov, about three-quarters of the way from Buzau to the great oil city, was unimportant as a barrier. The Germans say they had in- adequate forces to offer more than spora- die rcsistance on the Ramnicul-Sarat, and though . at some places stiff fighting occurred, the river's bridges were taken intact, and infantry and fresh tank units are to-day moving southwards across the Walachian plain to Bucharest. The successes in Rumania have tended to over-shadow the battles elsewhere, but in at least two regions these are exceptionally violent, and though their fury has slackened a little the German counter-attacks are not less frequent. A Russian officer who returned from the Warsaiv front on Monday informed me in Lublin that every village east and south of the city was. being contested grimly. On the approaches to Velga, the important communications centre on the Estonian- Latvian borders, the Germans are stubborniv rcsisting, although their general position has deteriorated since the Russians overran all the ground between Tartu and Lake Pyha and thus forced back the enemy's northern wing. For the past week sharp fighting by relatively small groups has been going on in the broken country northi-east of Vaka. Now the Russians are increasing their pressure from the sotith- east by advancing along the Latvian borders from Hargla. -Their progress is gradual but steady. RUMANIAN DELEGATION IN MOSCOW Moscow radio reported last night that a Ramanian delegation has arrived in Moscow to discuss artmistice terms. The delegation consists of Prince Stirbey, M. Visoianu. M. Patrascanu, Minister of Justice, M. Damacianu, Deputy Minister for- the Interior, M. Cristupop, and Lieutenant- Colonel Focsaneanu.-Reuter.
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