Paul Maitla

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SS-Hauptsturmführer Paul “Kugelblitz” Maitla (born March 27, 1913 Kärkna, Estonia - executed by Czech communists on May 10, 1945, Czech Republic). Paul Maitla is one of the four Estonian soldiers who received Knight's Cross. He received his award for leading the recapture of the central hill of Blue Mountains.

[edit] Death

The fate of Paul Maitla was uncertain for number of decades, until some information was discovered in 2005 in the city archives of the Czech town of Nymburk. These archives show that Maitla was arrested on May 9, 1945 and executed together with 4 other soldiers on May 10 (on the first day of peace after World War II had ended) by Czech communists.