Baltische Öl Gesellschaft mit beschänkter Haftung

Baltische Öl Gesellschaft mit beschänkter Haftung 

German Kontinentale Öl was a holding company which held exclusive rights for both trading oil products and acquiring oil assets in Germany and German-occupied territories. The company operated through its numerous subsidiaries. In July 1941, the subsidiary Baltische Öl GmbH was founded for shale oil extraction in Estonia, and all of the existing oil shale industry in Estonia was merged into it. During the years 1941-1943 most of the workers in the company’s mines and factories were Soviet prisoners of war. The Vaivara concentration camp network (which included numerous subcamps) was established in 1943. Most of the 10,000 Jewish inmates were sent as forced labour to work in oil shale mines and factories of Baltische Öl GmbH. The company operated in Estonia until September 1944, when Soviet troops were advancing into Estonia.