The German war cemetery in Viljandi (German: Fellin) is located south-east of the old town. The cemetery contains the remains of the Second World War.
Cemetery description
The war cemetery is directly adjacent to the Old Cemetery ("Vana Kalmistu"). A low natural stone wall surrounds the site and separates it at the back from the grounds of the municipal cemetery.
It extends over three large terraces. A path leads up three flights of steps to the memorial square with a stone high cross and bilingual memorial plaque. Behind the high cross, stone plaques commemorate the names and dates of those buried. Groups of symbolic crosses made of granite mark the graves, on which there are a few trees.
Burial
The Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e. V. (German War Graves Commission) estimates that around 35,000 German war dead were buried in Estonia during the Second World War, originally at around 1,700 grave sites. In addition, there are the soldiers who lost their lives as prisoners of war. The German Red Cross estimates their number at around 10,000. The registration of prisoner of war cemeteries has not yet been completed. The Volksbund does not have any specific information on German losses in Estonia during the First World War.
During the Second World War, the German military hospital 1/615 was stationed in Fellin. Many of the wounded were brought there from the surrounding area for medical treatment. At the end of 1941/beginning of 1942, the Wehrmacht laid out a cemetery for its dead next to the old cemetery.
Today, the war cemetery is a supplementary cemetery for the South Estonia region. More than 950 German soldiers who lost their lives in the Second World War now rest there.
History
The Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of Estonia concluded a war graves agreement on October 12, 1995, which came into force on October 26, 1996. It guarantees the German dead a permanent right of rest in Estonia. For a long time, the Volksbund's partner was the State Monument Protection Office in Tallinn. In August 2022, the Estonian Ministry of Defense took over responsibility. It delegated responsibility to the Estonian War Museum in March 2023. There are close links with the Ministry of Culture and numerous local authorities and institutions.
in 1993, even before the war graves agreement was signed, the War Graves Commission restored the war gravesite. The inauguration took place in the same year - on September 3rd. An extension area for additional burials was also planned. The war cemetery is maintained by the Viljandi County Heritage Board.
Special feature
The "Viljandi Muuseum" provides information about the history of the town and its surroundings. The presentation also focuses on the war period. The museum is located in the old town at Johan Laidoneri plats 10 in the building of a former pharmacy.
