Hero of the Soviet Union - Lieutenant Jakob Kunder of the 8th Estonian Corps
The heroic actions of the fallen officer of the 8th Estonian Rifle Corps of the Red Army, Jakob Kundera, ensured the successful attack of the battalion, but he himself was killed and a monument is dedicated to Jakob Kundera at the place of his fall and a monument has been erected at the Tušku Brethren Cemetery.
"Lieutenant Jakob Kunder's Soviet Hero Award Certificate:
On March 17, 1945, the 1st Company received an order from the battalion commander to seize the "Barracks" and Blidene station. On the night of March 18, Comrade Kunders broke into the "Barracks" with a wire, which his opponent had turned into a fortified place, transforming the windows of the buildings into ambrasades. With skillful leadership, Comrade Kunder captured the Barracks, taking part of the opponent's fortifications. While staying in the "Barracks" for a short time, Comrade Kunders used the fortified support point built by the opponent.
On the morning of March 18, 1945, the battalion launched an attack on the center of the enemy's stronghold. Comrade Kunder moved with his cord to the left flank. In front of the line, the opponent opened fire from the barn, trying to force the attacking soldiers' chain to the ground with a flanking fire. Comrade Kunder, seeing the threat, approached the drunk and quickly threw a grenade. A grenade exploded near the ambergris. Another grenade explosion inside. The machine gun fell silent, but immediately the fire resumed. The grenades for Beider Kunder ran out and he started firing an amber with a pistol. Comrade Kunder was seriously injured, but given the condition that the machine gun fire could suppress the attack, he approached the drinker and covered the ambrasion with his body. In this way, Comrade Kunders ensured a successful battalion attack. During this time, Comrade Kunder was again injured and died.
In a rapid attack, the battalion seized the enemy's fortified heights at the intersection between Blīdene station and Pilsblīdene manor.
March 31, 1945
Lieutenant Colonel Paul, Commander of the 300th Rifle Regiment. "
Vēsturiskā kartne no Memory of the people: pamyat-naroda.ru
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Kundera pillbox
The memorial of the fallen officer of the 8th Estonian Rifle Corps of the Red Army, Jakob Kundera (deleted), is located at the cemetery 200 metres south-west of the Blidene-Remte road and the Riga-Liepaja railway junction.
On 17 March 1945, the last attempt of the Red Army's offensive in Kurzeme began. The task of the 7th Estonian Rifle Division of the Estonian 8th Rifle Corps was to reach the Riga-Liepaja railway line west of Blidene station and to secure the attack of the Mechanised Corps of the 3rd Guards in the direction of Gaiki. By the evening of 17 March, the 354th Rifle Regiment reached the railway south of Kaulači Manor through the forest and continued its attacks in a north-westerly direction. As the attacks of the 130th Latvian Rifle Corps towards Pilsblidene Manor were not so successful, the Estonian 300th Rifle Regiment was tasked to attack westwards and south-westwards on the night of 18 March to cross the railway from the north to capture Blidene station.
In the vicinity of Blīdene station, already in the spring of 1940, the Latvian army had built temporary barracks and warehouses, which were designated as "Barracks". During 1945, the German army built several underground shelters (bunkers) in the vicinity of the station, where soldiers could live during the winter. There were no fortifications, driven or given, and it is most likely that Lieutenant Jakob Kunder fell during close combat at one of the bunkers.
Immediately after the battle, Jakob Kunder was buried in what is now Pilsblidene Cemetery, and later reburied in the Tuški Brethren Cemetery.
Today, a symbolic Soviet reproduction of a reinforced concrete machine-gun embrasure with a commemorative plaque can be seen.
