Romuald Dagis

[Kaunas]

Hello,

Sorry, if my post is not on the right subject of your forum. Let admin redirect it in the right place, if so.

In the album "The Estonian Legion In Words And Pictures" (Mart Laar), which I've bought in Vilnius book fair, on pages 396-397 I've found this picture:

and info about author of it - Waffen-SS war correspondent Romualdas Dagis. I guess he is (or was?) Lithuanian. If so, his correct surname spelling have to be Romualdas Dagys. While looking for more information about him, I've found this article ("Eesti Sõna", 1944 04 25, page #2):



Can anyone please translate it, and share all other possible info about Lithuanian war correspondent Romualdas Dagys.

[toomas tyrk]

Romuald Dagis was the camera man in Estonian war correspondent group. Later he became commander of the group. Most probably he had some Lithuanian origin, but unfortunately I don't have any info about his parents etc.

Article is about chronicle made by him, which was running in Tallinn cinemas, about battles on Narva river in late February and beginning of March 1944. Dagis got EK2 for making it (filming during battles). It's mentioned in article. Later he also got EK1.

[Kaunas]

Thanks for answer! May be some other members will know something more about Romuald Dagys (or Dagis). I used to know some Lithuanian vet (he passed some years ago), who was fighting together with Finish volunteers in the North during WW2. It was some Waffen-SS unit. But I don't know if there were any Lithuanians in the 20th division (in the 19th - there were some).

Would be very interesting for Lithuanian military historians and readers to get any information about R. Dagys and possibly others. Any information would be very welcome.

Article is about chronicle made by him, which was running in Tallinn cinemas, about battles on Narva river in late February and beginning of March 1944.

Is this footage or other footages (possibly filmmed by R. Dagis) on the net yet? Any links?

[toomas tyrk]

I checked also another war correspondent's Jüri Remmelgas book "Igavesti" (Forever). There is long letter from Dagis where he describe his adventures from falling of Tallinn 1944 to Soviet war inprisonment in Czechoslovakkia (he was taken to SU, and later returned to Western Germany). There he mention Estonian as his "mother tongue" (emakeel), and also that he was taken to army service on 1941 from Munich University.

Later in book is mentioned that he was applying for living permit in Australia, and it was accepted to him.

[Kaunas]

Thank you again. Another possible source, where R. Dagis is mentioned is possibly this book:



As I understood from some Estonian link Romuald Dagis was a friend of Harald Nugiseks (R.I.P.) during the war. Or I'm wrong about it?

[toomas tyrk]

Checked also Gailit's book. Gailit was also war correspondent in same group, but Dagis he mention only twice in the book. First - when group was established that he was included as movie operator. Second - one episode in Czechoslovakia in May 1945 where Dagis saved group of Estonian soldiers from imprisonment. He also mention that afterwards (when they met next group of Czech guerillias) Dagis presented himself as German - Reinhold Dagner.

Letter about this second episode Gailit got from Australia where Dagis lived on those days.

[Kaunas]

Thank you very much for the superb assistance! By the way, surname Gailit sounds very Latvian to me. Probably his ancestor was Latvian Gailitis

Did Romuald Dagis was in the same place and group in Czechoslovakia, where Paul Maitla and other Estonians were executed?

[Shiim]

By the way, surname Gailit sounds very Latvian to me. Probably his ancestor was Latvian Gailitis

http://www.militaar.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1343

[Kaunas]

By the way, surname Gailit sounds very Latvian to me. Probably his ancestor was Latvian Gailitis

http://www.militaar.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1343

Thanks for the link! Very interesting personality indeed.