Hando Ruus
Encyclopedia
Hando Ruus was an Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...

n SS
Schutzstaffel
The Schutzstaffel |Sig runes]]) was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Built upon the Nazi ideology, the SS under Heinrich Himmler's command was responsible for many of the crimes against humanity during World War II...

-Hauptsturmführer
Hauptsturmführer
Hauptsturmführer was a Nazi rank of the SS which was used between the years of 1934 and 1945. The rank of Hauptsturmführer was a mid-grade company level officer and was the equivalent of a Captain in the German Army and also the equivalent of captain in foreign armies...

 (Captain) in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, serving in Battalion "Narva" and in the 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian). His nickname was Tou.

After graduation of art school Ruus joined Estonian Army serving in 10th Independent Infantry Battalion. On July 6, 1940 after finishing officer courses, Ruus was promoted to Sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....

 and on September 8, 1940 he was assigned to a reserve unit.

In 1941 Hando Ruus didn't follow the mobilization call of the Soviet Army
Soviet Army
The Soviet Army is the name given to the main part of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union between 1946 and 1992. Previously, it had been known as the Red Army. Informally, Армия referred to all the MOD armed forces, except, in some cases, the Soviet Navy.This article covers the Soviet Ground...

. He decided to hide himself in the woods and became a Forest Brother
Forest Brothers
The Forest Brothers were Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian partisans who waged a guerrilla war against Soviet rule during the Soviet invasion and occupation of the three Baltic states during, and after, World War II...

. He became a group leader of Saku Omakaitse
Omakaitse
The Omakaitse was a militia organisation in Estonia. It was founded in 1917 following the Russian Revolution. On the eve of the Occupation of Estonia by the German Empire the Omakaitse units took over major towns in the country allowing the Salvation Committee of the Estonian Provincial Assembly...

. In 1941 he volunteered for Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...

 where he was promoted to lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...

 and later sent to the Estonian Legion
Estonian Legion
The Estonian Legion was a military unit within the Combat Support Forces of the Waffen SS Verfügungstruppe during World War II, mainly consisting of Estonian soldiers.-Creation:...

. He started serving in SS-Freiwilligen Panzergrenadier Bataillon Narva which was simply known as Battalion "Narwa".

After Battalion "Narva" was ordered to be separated from Estonian Legion and united with 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking, Ruus was promoted to company leader where he led his unit in all battles that "Narva" was involved in, including the Battle of Izium and Battle of Cherkasy. In Cherkasy
Cherkasy
Cherkasy or Cherkassy , is a city in central Ukraine. It is the capital of the Cherkasy Oblast , as well as the administrative center of the surrounding Cherkasky Raion within the oblast...

 Ruus got wounded and was sent to Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...

.

Battalion "Narva" was merged into the 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian) service and was sent back home, Estonia, where Estonian people welcomed them as heroes.

On April 1, 1944, Ruus married Salme Kurg.

On April 18, Ruus together with "Narwa" was sent to the border of Estonia fighting against advancing Red Army. Two days later he was promoted to SS-Obersturmführer
Obersturmführer
Obersturmführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi party that was used by the SS and also as a rank of the SA. Translated as “Senior Assault Leader”, the rank of Obersturmführer was first created in 1932 as the result of an expansion of the Sturmabteilung and the need for an additional rank in...

 (First Lieutenant). The Battalion had to fight along with Estonian 47th Regiment in the Battle of Auvere
Battle of Auvere
Battle of Auvere was a battle in Estonia, stating on July 20, 1944 and ending on July 25. It was a part of the World War II campaign in Narva....

. On July 25, Ruus and his battalion had to hold back the onslaught of Red Army. Estonian positions were covered with Soviet artillery support. They launched ca. 80,000 shots but still their infantry was defeated back with great losses. Soviet Army lost about 8,000 men as killed, also 29 tanks and 8 planes.

During the Battle of Tannenberg Line, Ruus became the commander of Battalion "Narwa", due the cause of all the other officers deaths.

Ruus also fought in the Porkuni
Battle of Porkuni
Battle of Porkuni was the largest engagement between Estonians serving in the Red Army and Estonian pro-independence and Waffen-SS units. It took place in 21 September 1944 between Lake Porkuni and the Sauvälja village about seven kilometres northeast of the town of Tamsalu during the Leningrad...

. After fighting heavily Ruus and his battalion was cut off by Soviet troops and was taken prisoner. He also fell ill with pneumonia and he was sent to Gatchina
Gatchina
Gatchina is a town and the administrative center of Gatchinsky District of Leningrad Oblast, Russia, located south of St. Petersburg by the road leading to Pskov...

, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

. Later he was transported to Leningrad where he was presumably executed on March 31, 1945.

Ranks & Decorations

Ranks
  • October 29, 1939 - Private (Estonian Army)
  • July 6, 1940 - Junior sergeant (Estonian Army)
  • September 21, 1941 - Lieutenant (Wehrmacht)
  • April 18, 1944 - SS-Obersturmführer (Waffen-SS)
  • August 1944 - SS-Hauptsturmführer (Waffen-SS)


Decorations
  • Eastern Front Medal
    Eastern Front Medal
    The Eastern Front Medal, , more commonly known as the Ostmedaille was instituted on May 26, 1942 to mark service on the German Eastern Front during the period November 15, 1941 to April 15, 1942...

  • Infantry Assault Badge
    Infantry Assault Badge
    The Infantry Assault Badge was a German war badge awarded to Waffen SS and Wehrmacht Heer soldiers during WWII. This decoration was instituted on December 20th 1939 by the Oberstbefehlshaber des Heeres, Generalfeldmarschall von Brauchitsch...

  • Wound Badge
    Wound Badge
    Wound Badge was a German military award for wounded or frost-bitten soldiers of Imperial German Army in World War I, the Reichswehr between the wars, and the Wehrmacht, SS and the auxiliary service organizations during the Second World War. After March 1943, due to the increasing number of Allied...

  • Iron Cross 2nd & 1st class
    Iron Cross
    The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....

  • German Cross
    German Cross
    The German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...

    - was the only Estonian who received it.
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