Rüuge War of Independence memorial Memorial site

The Rõuge War of Independence Memorial (also Independence Guard) is located near Rõuge Church, on the other side of the Rõuge-Haanja highway. The memorial, designed by Voldemar Mellik, was opened on 3 October 1926. The following text is engraved on the front of the monument: “1918-1920 / Honour to the fallen! Grateful Rõuge Parish”.

The monument was destroyed by the Bolsheviks on an autumn night in 1945. The locals dug the damaged statue out of the ground during the night and took the 2.28-metre-long 320 kg statue home and buried it in the farmyard. In 1988, the statue was dug out, renovated and reopened on 30 October the same year.

A monument dedicated to Danish volunteers fighting in the War for Independence stands next to the War of Independence monument.