Estonian Self-Administration

According to the Estonian International Commission for the Investigation of Crimes Against Humanity (referred to as the Commission below), Although the Directorate did not have complete freedom of action, it exercised a significant measure of autonomy, within the framework of German policy, political, racial and economic.

For example, the Directors exercised their powers pursuant to the laws and regulations of the Republic of Estonia, but only to the extent that these had not been repealed or amended by the German military command.

The Directorate’s autonomy, in particular, enabled them to maintain police structures that cooperated with the Germans in rounding up and killing Estonian Jews and Roma, and in seeking out and killing Estonians deemed to be opponents of the occupiers, and which were ultimately incorporated into the Security Police.

It also extended to the unlawful conscription of Estonians for forced labor or for military service under German command.

[1]The Commission concluded that the senior officials of the Directorate, by the virtue of their position, share responsibility with the German authorities for all criminal actions carried out in Estonia, and beyond its borders by military units or police battalions raised with their consent.