In March 1944, the Soviet Air Force bombed Tallinn and other Estonian cities. On the evening of March 9 and the following night, two bombing raids were carried out on Tallinn, destroying a total of 1,549 buildings and damaging 3,350 more, including the Estonia Theatre and St. Nicholas Church.

The anniversary is a city-wide day of remembrance in Tallinn. Officials will attend several official memorial ceremonies and light candles on Harju tänav in the Old Town.

12:00 p.m. Deputy mayors Riina Solman and Joel Jesse will take part in a memorial service at the burial site of the victims of the March bombing at Siselinna Cemetery.

6:00 p.m. Tallinn Mayor Peeter Raudsepp and Deputy Mayors Riina Solman, Tiit Terik, and Kristjan Järvan will attend a memorial concert marking the 82nd anniversary of the March bombing at Niguliste Church, followed at 7:15 p.m. by a candlelighting ceremony on Harju Street.

The Red Army's large-scale offensive against the German Wehrmacht to take back Estonia started on January 14, 1944 and reached the River Narva on February 1.

Some of the worst air raids took place in March 1944, when the Soviet Air Force launched a series of devastating raids on Estonian cities, including Narva-Jõesuu, Jõhvi, Tapa, Rakvere, Tallinn, Tartu and Pärnu.

In Tallinn, around 20,000 residents of the Estonian capital lost their homes, 554 Estonian citizens were killed, along with 50 German soldiers and 121 prisoners of war. 

However, Narva suffered the most. Between March 6-8, tens of thousands of mines, shells and incendiary and explosive bombs were dropped, almost completely destroying the city.

On this day 82 years ago, Tallinn burned.
Soviet bombers destroyed thousands of buildings, including the Estonian national Opera and many historic landmarks. Hundreds died and 20,000 people lost their homes.
We remember our history – and why it must always be defended. pic.twitter.com/vcjAuLSxaE

— MoD Estonia (@MoD_Estonia) March 9, 2026

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