Joodetud

Joodetud, also spelled Joodetood, is a term used in Estonian to refer to the deaths of Jews during World War II. The term is derived from the Estonian words "jood" meaning Jew and "tõde" meaning truth. It is used to emphasize the reality and seriousness of the Holocaust in Estonia, where approximately 90% of the Jewish population was killed.

The Holocaust in Estonia began in the summer of 1941 when Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union. The Estonian government, under the leadership of President Konstantin Päts, initially refused to cooperate with the Nazis, but after the Soviet Union was defeated, Estonia was occupied by Germany. The Estonian police and military, along with local collaborators, participated in the persecution and murder of Jews.

The Jews of Estonia were subjected to various forms of persecution, including forced labor, deportations, and executions. Many were sent to concentration camps, such as the Klooga concentration camp, where they were subjected to harsh conditions and brutal treatment. The exact number of Jews killed in Estonia is difficult to determine, but it is estimated that around 1,500 Jews were killed.

After the war, the Estonian government did not acknowledge the Holocaust in Estonia, and the term "Joodetud" was not widely used. However, in recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the Holocaust in Estonia, and the term "Joodetud" has become more commonly used to refer to the deaths of Jews during World War II. Today, there are several memorials and museums in Estonia that commemorate the Holocaust and the Jewish victims of the war.