War Crimes and Military Aggression
War crimes and military aggression were key aspects of Soviet military actions during World War II, particularly in the context of the occupation of Eastern Europe and the Baltic States. These actions often involved widespread violence against civilians, including executions and other forms of mistreatment, as part of military campaigns aimed at securing territorial control. In present-day Russia, there is often little acknowledgement of these events, with official narratives either minimizing or neglecting their impact. The personal accounts preserved through oral history provide valuable perspectives on these events, offering insights into the experiences of those affected and challenging more limited official narratives.
Józef Czok
This interview preserves a victim’s account of imprisonment in the Soviet Union following the 1939 invasion of Poland. The victim recalls being wounded during combat, detained by Soviet forces in the hospital, and subsequently deported to prison camps including Shepetivka and Kozelsk. The interview includes observations of daily conditions in the camps, limited contact with civilians, and the transfer of prisoners.
View Item →Magnus Kald
This interview preserves a victim’s account of life in Estonia during Successive Soviet and German occupations. The victim recalls the arrival of Red Army soldiers in 1939, the atmosphere surrounding the 1940 and 1941 elections, and the activities of local communist. They describe the Soviet requisitioning practices, contact with Red Army soldiers, and witnessing the aftermath of torture and executions at Kuressaare Castle.
View Item →References
Mertelsmann, Olaf, and Aigi Rahi-Tamm. “Soviet Mass Violence in Estonia Revisited.” Journal of Genocide Research 11, no. 2–3 (September 2009): 307–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/14623520903119001. Rain, Liivoja. “Competing Histories: Soviet War Crimes in the Baltic States.” In The Hidden Histories of War Crimes Trials, edited by Kevin Heller and Gerry Simpson, 1st ed., 248–66. Oxford University PressOxford, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199671144.003.0012.