The document summarizes upcoming events and opportunities related to military history in the Baltic region. It announces the publication of a newsletter on Baltic military history by the Baltic Defence College. It provides details on upcoming conferences in October 2011 and January 2012 and calls for papers. It also announces the discovery and premiere of a restored film from World War I and new books published on coastal fortifications in Estonia.

1. Baltic Military History Newsletter ---- April 2011
Published by the Baltic Defence College, Tartu Estonia
Dear Friends of Military history,
At the Baltic Defence College we are putting together a newsletter that will cover
military history events and issues concerning the Baltic Region. We hope to publish one
every few weeks. You can find our February 2011 newsletter on the webpage of the
ISMS (International Society for Military Sciences www.isofm.org ) and the Baltic
Defence College (www.bdcol.ee)
We welcome the input from academics from all over the region. If your institution is
hosting a conference that deals with military history in the Baltic Region, let us know. If
your institution has developed courses concerning the military history of the Baltic
Region, let us know. If there is a museum in the Baltic Region that has a new exhibit, let
us know. If a major new book concerning Baltic military history is being published, let
us know. If you are looking to cooperate with other historians on a project concerning
Baltic military history, let us know. If there are any interesting research projects that deal
with Baltic military history going on, let us know.
We will briefly mention all of these things and circulate the information as widely as
possible.
We would like to mention Baltic Military History news of interest.
We have some military history conferences coming up. On October 20-21 2011 the
Baltic Defence College will host its third annual military history workshop and we will
be calling for papers on all aspects of military history in the Baltic Region. See our call
for papers.
In January 2012 our neighbors in the Estonian National Defence Academy are planning a
conference on World War II in the Baltic Region. A call for papers will be issued
shortly.
These workshops and conferences are great opportunities for academics, graduate
students and simply people who are interested in military history to present papers,
publish works, or simply come to learn and discuss military history.
Please pass this note to anyone you think might be interested in staying in touch on Baltic
Region military history issues.
You can contact me at james.corum@bdcol.ee
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2. Books and Notes
From Yuri Melkonov -- [melkon@melkon.lv]
Information on books and ordering publications can be done at his
website www.melkon.lv
Yuri is based in Riga and is the publisher of BALTFORT – a Baltic region military
history magazine published quarterly. This is one of our favorite military history
magazines. It is well illustrated and covers modern military history of the Baltic States in
some detail. One of Yuri’s specialties is fortifications and coastal defenses and
BALTFORT has some great articles on this subject --complete with maps, illustrations
and photos. This region is especially interesting for its extensive system of fortifications
in the coastal areas.
Yuri reports that he has three new books ready on the subject of coastal forts in the
Baltic. These three books focus on the strategically important Estonian Island of
Saaremaa. This island dominates the entrance to the Gulf of Finland and has long been a
key to control of the waters of the Eastern Baltic.
Now three new books are ready. The first is a history of one place on island Saaremaa during
World War I a history of the Tserel Battery – on the Sworbe Peninsula.
The second book – The Battery of Captain Stebel – is on the history of the Sworbe Peninsula
(Dominating the entrance to the Gulf of Riga) in World War II
The third book is The Baltic Gibraltar – The history of Sworbe Peninsula in the Cold War.
All books can be bought in Tartu Estonia at the shop Krisostomus.
You can order them through Yuri’s website at www.melkon.lv as well as other books on
Baltic region military history.
Historical Film Premiere!
In 1917 the Germans carried out the second largest amphibious Operation of World War I
on the Island of Saaramaa—Operation Albion. More than 40,000 troops were landed—
supported by battleships of the German High Seas Fleet and more than 100 aircraft. They
were opposed by a force of over 40,000 Russian troops n and the Russian Baltic Fleet. It
was a fascinating case of an early joint operation—air, sea and ground forces.
The German military made films of the operation. Recently, a restored version of the
documentary film made by the Germans was discovered and carefully restored by
Estonian experts
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3. On 28 April 2011 Mr. Vahur Kuhlberg will premiere the rediscovered film on Operation
Albion 1917 in the main hall of the Estonian National Defence College (ENDC). This
will be a joint event sponsored by the Baltic Defence College (BDCOL) and the ENDC.
The showing will be at 1800 and there will be a short talk in English and Estonian on
significance of the film and the operation itself. The program will last no more than an
hour. As the film is silent it will be accompanied by the original piano music used for its
showing. Furthermore, period projection equipment will be used for the gala premiere.
All JCGSC students and BDCOL personnel are welcome to attend. Attire for the event is
military jacket uniform or civilian semi-formal dress.
Call for papers 3rd
Annual Baltic Military History Workshop
Baltic Defence College October 20-21 2011-04-21
The Baltic Defence College in Tartu, Estonia will host a two-day workshop on Baltic
Region military history on October 20-21 2011. We invite academics, graduate students
and military personnel from the Baltic Region to propose papers and panels on subjects
dealing with Baltic military history from the Crusades of 1200 to current conflicts. The
intent of the workshop is to look at Baltic Region military history in the broadest sense—
from analyzing battles and campaigns to discussing the social and economic impact of
conflicts. We are interested in having papers and panels on themes such as: The Baltics
in the era of the Crusades, the Livonian War, the Swedish/Russian conflicts, the Baltics
in the Napoleonic Wars, the military and society in the time of the Tsars, The Baltic
region in World War I, the post World War I independence wars, the Soviet /Finnish
War, war plans and preparations in the region, the military and conflict as portrayed in
films and books about the Baltics, military life in the region in the 19th
and 20th
centuries,
the Baltic region in the Cold War.
If you wish to propose a paper or panel please contact Dr. James Corum at
james.corum@bdcol.ee by 1 September 2009 and provide a short CV, a paper title, and
an abstract of 500-1,000 words. Some support for lodging is available for those
presenting papers. If you wish to attend and participate, please contact Dr. Corum by 1
October 2009.
Further details and registration forms will be posted at the Baltic Defence College
Website – www.bdcol.ee
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