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August FeldmanEstonian Soviet military leader
Date of Birth: 15.03.1899
Country:  Estonia |
Content:
Biography of August Feldman
August Feldman, an Estonian Soviet military leader, was born on March 15, 1899, in the city of Pernau, Estland Governorate, to a family of factory workers. At the age of fifteen, he became an apprentice to a locksmith at his father's factory. However, he had to leave his job shortly after due to the February Revolution.
In October 1917, Feldman joined the ranks of the People's Militia, and in August 1918, he volunteered for the Tallinn Communist Rifle Regiment, participating in combat operations in the Urals. His regiment closely interacted with the units of the 30th Rifle Division, commanded by V.K. Blyukher.
As a member of the Estonian Rifle Division, Feldman took part in battles near Narva, against the Poles in the Dvinsk area, the capture of Kursk, Belgorod, Mariupol, and against N. Makhno's units in Ukraine. In 1921, he participated in the capture of Crimea and the elimination of the bands led by Zabolotny and Levchenko in Ukraine.
In 1922, Feldman entered the Petrograd International Military School, where he was a top student in the Estonian group. After graduating in 1925, he rose through the ranks from platoon commander to chief of staff of a regiment.
At the beginning of the war, Feldman served as the chief of staff of the 400th Rifle Regiment, with which he fought his way to Viazma for almost a month. Later, Major Feldman was appointed the chief of the operations department of the 89th Rifle Division, participating in defensive battles on the Western Front. In late 1941, he was recalled to the Urals Military District to form the 7th Estonian Rifle Division. He was immediately appointed chief of staff of the division. On September 25, 1942, when two divisions were merged into the 8th Estonian Rifle Corps, Feldman was appointed deputy commander of the 249th Estonian Rifle Division. In this capacity, he participated in heavy fighting near Velikiye Luki.
During the liberation of Estonia in 1944, when Division Commander Lombak was injured, Feldman took command of the 249th Estonian Rifle Division. Colonel Feldman led his division from the crossing of the Emajõgi River to the liberation of the Sõrve Peninsula. The division particularly distinguished itself in September 1944 in the area of Porkuni. Pursuing retreating fascists on bypass roads, the 249th Division surpassed the enemy and trapped a German group near Porkuni, where the fighting lasted for over two hours. Despite suffering losses (over 400 people), around 1,000 enemy soldiers and officers surrendered.
Colonel Feldman also distinguished himself on September 23, 1944, as part of the advance detachment of his division in the liberation of Haapsalu. By the end of the day, the detachment broke through to Rohuküla. The division crossed the Suur-Väin Strait and then captured the island of Muhu (a water barrier of over six kilometers). By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the 249th Division was awarded the Order of the Red Banner for breaking through the German defense in the Tartu area. Later, some of its units also became recipients of orders: the 921st Rifle Regiment was awarded the Order of the Red Banner, the 779th Artillery Regiment - the Order of Kutuzov 3rd Class, the 307th Separate Anti-Tank Division - the Order of Alexander Nevsky, and the 917th and 925th Rifle Regiments - the Order of the Red Star.
After the war, Feldman was appointed deputy commander of the Estonian Rifle Corps and then served as the chief of the military department at Tartu State University for several years. In 1951, he was appointed the military commissioner of the Estonian SSR, a position he held for over two years. In 1954, he retired from service.
August Feldman passed away in Tallinn in 1970.
Awards:
Colonel A. Y. Feldman was awarded 7 orders and medals, including:
Order of Lenin
3 Orders of the Red Banner
Order of Suvorov 3rd Class
Order of Alexander Nevsky
