Buried at Johvi, Estonia Name Georg Sooden Rank Sturmbannfuhrer | Allegiance Estonia
Nazi Germany Place of burial Johvi, Estonia | |
Nickname(s) "Vana Koll" ("Old Bogy") Born December 2, 1904
Helsinki, Finland ( 1904-12-02 ) Years of service Estonian Army
1925–1940
Wehrmacht
1941–1944
Waffen SS
1944 Unit 1943 659th Ost Battalion
1944 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian) Battles/wars World War II
Eastern Front
Battle of Auvere
Battle for Narva Bridgehead
Battle of Blue Hills Died July 28, 1944, Sinimaed Hills, Estonia Awards Iron Cross, Eastern Front Medal Battles and wars Eastern Front, Battle of Auvere, Battle for Narva Bridgehead, Battle of Tannenberg Line, World War II | ||
Georg Aleksander Sooden (December 2, 1904 – July 28, 1944) was an Estonian officer, serving firstly in the Estonian Army, secondly in Wehrmacht and thirdly in Waffen-SS, fighting mostly in the Estonian area.
Georg Sooden was born in Helsinki, Finland. He had brother Gunnar August Sooden (born in 1903) and sister Irene Johanna Sooden (born in 1907). Their family moved to Estonia into Johvi where Georg started learning in Johvi grade school and after that in Johvi Gymnasium which he graduated in 1924. In 1925 he enlisted in the Estonian Army. Sooden graduated officer school in 1927.
After Estonia was occupied by the Soviet Union in 1941, Sooden was drafted into the Red Army; he deserted to the Wehrmacht when it invaded the Soviet Union. That same year, Sooden volunteered for the Wehrmacht's Estonian units and he was promoted to Oberleutnant. In September, the Estonian East battalions were moved to Russia, fighting against the Red Army in Volkhov. In May 1943, Sooden was ordered to lead the 659 Estonian East Battalion and on October 16, he was promoted to Hauptmann and was awarded with the Iron cross. On January, 1944 Sooden was promoted to Sturmbannfuhrer.
In 1944, the battalion came to Johvi and soon it was sent to the Narva front in the Kriivasoo swamp. Soon the Estonian East battalions were sent under 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian) command. He fought in the battle of Narva and the Battle of Tannenberg Line in the Sinimaed Hills.
Georg Sooden died on July 28, 1944 after a Russian shell landed exactly in Sooden's bunker in Blue Hills. Sooden was buried to Johvi in the square of the War of Independence.
On June 20, 1996 Sooden's and Juriado's graves were restored.
Awards
Decorations