Candles for the Defiant

An Estonian patriot fights to defend his country when the Soviets invade during World War II only to find himself later condemned as a traitor and a spy,

By accessing historical files from the Estonian National Archives, Kaia Gallagher discovered the tragic story her mother never wanted to remember. After the first Soviet invasion of Estonia, Bruno Kulgma Kull, who was engaged to her mother’s sister, volunteered to join the Communist Party to spy for the Estonian leaders. Yet, only a year later, he found himself condemned as a traitor when the German army forced the Soviets to retreat and then enforced their own system of justice over Estonia.

This story is one of patriotism and determination that reveals the resilience of the Baltic people and their enduring commitment to freedom, democracy, and independence despite the odds against them.