Defence League (Kaitseliit)
Commander of Defence League: Major Raivo Lumiste, CV
Tel +372 717 9036
www.kaitseliit.ee
Today the Defence League and its affiliated organisations have 17 400 members:
- Defence League 8700
- Women's Home Defence 900
- Young Eagles 4400
- Home Daughters 3400
According to the law, the Defence League is a voluntary military national defence
organisation which is a part of the Defence Forces and acts in the area of government
of the Ministry of Defence. The Defence League possesses arms and engages in
military exercises, fulfilling the tasks given to it by the law.
The organisation is divided into 15 defence league regional units whose areas
of responsibility mostly coincide with the borders of Estonian counties.
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Pahkla partisan exercise 2000
Photo: Heikki Kirotar |
The main goal of the Defence League is, on the basis of the citizens' free
will and initiative, to enhance the readiness of the nation to defend the independence
of Estonia and its constitutional order.
Thus the membership of the Defence League consists of patriots of the Republic
of Estonia who are willing and able voluntarily and without remuneration to
work for the defence of the country's internal order and improvement of security
of their fellow citizens. The Defence League Act foresees co-operation with
the police, county governments, local authorities, the border guard, the rescue
and fire services. For years members of the Defence League have participated
in police operations as a support force and contributed to the remediation of
consequences of natural disasters, e.g. the Vihterpalu forest fires.
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| Women's Home Defence |
To improve co-operation with the police, a framework agreement between the
General Staff of the Defence League and the Police Board was concluded on 23
December 1998. According to the agreement, the setting up of public order protection
units was started at all defence league regional units. The units comprise members
of the Defence League with the status of assistant policemen who help police
officers in the protection of the public order and in crises are also able to
perform the tasks of the military police.
The first public order protection unit was created in the capital where the
police frequently lack personnel to safeguard the public order. One signatory
party of the co-operation agreement included the Tallinn Defence League Regional
Unit and the Nõmme Defence League Sub-Unit, the other party was the local
police prefecture together with the city government.
In addition to direct military training, the Defence League provides to its
members many other skills and experiences necessary in life. Using the first
aid and paramedical skills acquired in the Training Group, members of the Defence
League have frequently acted rapidly and decisively, saving many fellow citizens
whose life has been in danger. In their free time reserve officers are given
an opportunity to apply and develop their leadership expertise as chiefs of
the Defence League or specialists of a narrower speciality (medicine, signalling,
pioneer service, etc.).
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| Young Eagles |
Co-operation in training is under way with many states, e.g. the armed forces
and national guard units of Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway
and the USA.
Throughout its history the Defence League has developed constantly. To date
we have turned from a popular army spontaneously created at a critical moment
for the republic into an inseparable part of the defence forces of a democratic
republic.
History of the Defence League
Landmark dates
1917 - The Defence League was preceded by the Citizens' Defence Organisation
(Bürgenwehr) which was Estonia's first armed home defence organisation
against the dissolution of the public order and disorder accompanying the Russian
Revolution.
1918 - On 11 November the Citizens' Defence Organisation was replaced
by the Estonian Defence League which performed the tasks of a national guard
in the War of Independence.
1924 - The attempted Communist coup on December 1 dispelled any doubts
about the necessity for the Defence League. Development of the Defence League
for the performance of tasks of national defence was started.
1925 - In October the magazine of the Defence League "Kaitse Kodu"
("Defend Your Home") was founded.
1926 - On 19-20 June the first Defence League Festival took place in
Tallinn, to be followed by six more such events held before 1940.
1927 - To develop the Defence League and give it a family dimension,
the Commander of the Defence League approved the temporary statutes of the Women's
Home Defence.
1928 - The Body of Elders decided to invite the boy scout organisation
the Young Eagles to join the Defence League.
1931 - The Government of the Republic approved the Statutes of the Defence
League which have remained in force until the present day.
1932 - The girl scout organisation Home Daughters was established at
the Women's Home Defence.
1934 - House Rules of the Defence League were adopted to regulate the
life and work of the organisation.
1940 - With the Soviet occupation starting from 17 June, the liquidation
of both the Republic of Estonia and the Defence League started.
1990 - The Defence League was re-founded on 17 February at Järvakandi
on popular initiative in order to defend Estonia's independent statehood.
1991 - On 4 September the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Republic
of Estonia reinstated the rights of the Defence League as a legal person.
1992 - On 28 April the Defence League was included in the Defence Forces
as a national defence organisation.
1999 - On 8 February the Parliament adopted the Defence League Act stipulating
the position of the Defence League in the society and national defence, the
main tasks and structure of the organisation, the legal bases of its activities
and administration and co-operation with other persons.
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