…note the obelisk on the left, which is the Soviet War Memorial at Tehumardi. Local dolomite is blended into the concrete which always dominates such monuments.
Beside the road are the renovated graves of several German soldiers. No German graves or memorials were allowed during the Soviet period but current government policy is to commemorate all fighters during the many wars that raged across Estonia. Tehumardi was the site of one of the worst battles during the German retreat in autumn 1944. About 300 Germans and 200 Russians were killed during the one night of 9/10 October. In all, about 10,000 troops on each side would be killed before the Soviet army could conquer the whole island.
