Leaving Tallinn. 1941

2025· 75 min★ 7.5· Documentary

In the last days of August 1941, one of the greatest maritime disasters in history took place off the northern coast of Estonia. Fleeing the invading Germans, the Soviet authorities hastily and panickedly carried out the evacuation of Tallinn. The remnants of the Red Army units, fleeing Red Army personnel, as well as mobilized Estonians and civilians were placed on more than two hundred ships, either voluntarily or forcibly. In total, over 30,000 people. The line of ships headed for Kronstadt and Leningrad, but they ran into a trap set by the German and Finnish navies near the Juminda Peninsula. 60 ships sank in mine explosions, torpedoes and aircraft bombs, and an estimated 15,000 people died, including thousands of Estonians. The film reveals how the terrible catastrophe of Juminda has been depicted, silenced, minimized or heroized in later historical accounts.

Director: Kiur Aarma, Jaak Kilmi