Today at midday, Captain Harald Nugiseks, Ret., an honorary member of the Defence League`s Pärnu County district and honorary member of the Noored Kotkad (one of the Defence League`s youth organizations), was seen to his last resting place in the Estonian Soldiers Memorial Church in Tori.
"Harald Nugiseks`s life reflects the complicated 20th century history of Estonia â fate forced him to serve in a foreign armed force, and later he himself and his family members faced repressions under the Soviet regime. Nugiseks lived a long and valiant life â in this sense he was also fortunate in that he saw a free Estonia and people again," said Brig. Gen. Meelis Kiili, the commander of the Defence League, at the service. "As commander of the Defence League, I confirm that we do our utmost so that we will never see a foreign occupation in Estonia again that would rob our people of their happiness, life and dreams," he said.
As a Retired Captain, Nugiseks was buried with military honours according to the military funeral protocol of the Estonian Defence Forces.
Archbishop of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church Einar Soone and Chief Chaplain Lt. Col. Taavi Laanepere led the Defence Forces funeral ceremony at the Tori church. The Guard Battalionâs honorary company stood at attention in honour of the deceased, and Nugiseks received a gun salute in farewell.
Harald Nugiseks' remains were cremated and will be interred in the wall of Tori Church.
Born in Järva County on 22 October 1921, Nugiseks was a member of the Järva district´s Noored Kotkad in the prewar era of the Republic of Estonia. Having avoided mobilization in July 1941, he joined the German military in August of that year.
In 1944, Nugiseks played a role in defensive battles on the Narva front and earned a Knight`s Cross of the Iron Cross for bravery displayed in eliminating the Vaasa-Vepsküla-Siivertsi bridgehead. At the end of the war, Nugiseks faced repressions from the Soviet authorities, and he returned to Estonia from Siberia only in 1958. After Estonia regained independence, Nugiseks, a retired captain, took part in the Defence League Pärnu district´s activity and became an honorary member of the Noored Kotkad.
Nugiseks died on 2 January 2014.