About the Salaspils Memorial as a symbol of the ideology of the Soviet occupation regime.
The description vividly describes the extent to which the memorial site is politicized and its role in the ideology of the Soviet Union. The text mentions that one of the main goals is the fight against the “rebirth of fascism”. This indicates that efforts continue to use the ideological infrastructure to hide the crimes of the communists and prevent the opinions of those who think differently. Memorial sites, Soviet army cemeteries and museums, and various cultural events maintained the myth of the “liberation of Latvia” and the “fraternal Soviet Union”. The facts of Nazi crimes were used to create a distorted view of the events of World War II in Latvia.
“(..) Every year, the Salaspils ensemble hosts a day of remembrance for the victims of German fascism, “It Must Not Be Forgotten.” It has become a tradition that this day, with a large rally, always takes place in July — on the Sunday before the anniversary of the founding of Soviet Latvia. Then, thousands of workers and former prisoners gather in Salaspils. The latter arrive at the ensemble’s territory a couple of hours before the rally. They have a lot to discuss with each other. Friendly, touching meetings are visible, because former comrades-in-arms have come not only from all regions of the republic, but even from Moscow, Leningrad, Belarus and Lithuania. Every year, former prisoners are registered, their addresses are checked and a survey is conducted to see if anyone has learned anything about missing comrades, whose relatives are still searching for them. All this is organized and carried out by the office of the group of former political prisoners, which operates under the Soviet Union. Riga section of the War Veterans Committee. Currently, 500 former prisoners are registered in the group. The group members consider the fight against the revival of fascism to be their main task. They often meet with school youth, employees of enterprises and institutions, and rural people, lead excursions around the Salaspils territory, and collect materials for the Salaspils Ensemble Museum. For their active anti-fascist activities, the group members are awarded the Soviet War Veterans Committee's Honorary Certificates and breastplates before the rally. The solemn moment begins — a march to the Salaspils Ensemble's ceremonial square, where the rally is taking place. Former prisoners with wreaths are at the head of the columns. Funeral music is played. The rally is introduced by a moment of silence, which honors the 100,000 people murdered in Salaspils. The first to speak is a representative of the former prisoners. He talks about the crimes committed by the fascists in Salaspils and makes a promise on behalf of his members to devote all their strength to the cause of peace. Representatives of workers, soldiers, and Komsomol members speak. Music plays, a choir sings, and actors recite poetry. At the end of the rally, flowers and wreaths are laid. It seems that Salaspils is gradually drowning in flowers. All participants in the rally walk past the flower hills, silently wishing that our future generations will never again experience the horrors of war.(..)
The test excerpt is taken from the Soviet occupation-era publication “Salaspils Death Camp” (1973). The author of the text is unknown.
Related timeline
Related objects
Salaspils Memorial Ensemble
Salaspils Memorial and historical exhibit is located in Salaspils municipality, 1.2 km from the Riga-Daugavpils A6 highway. The Salaspils Memorial was unveiled in 1967 on the site where during World War II the Salaspils Camp was once located. It is a place that was used for Soviet propaganda and is shrouded in myths and half-truths. It is a good representation of the Nazi crimes and Communist ideology that was carried out during each of the occupations. This repressive camp was a part of the German penitentiary system. It had similarities with concentration camps, but it was not the same thing. It was created so that there would not be a disproportionate number of prisoners in Riga prisons. This camp was an “extension of the police prison”. And a variety of people were imprisoned here – Jews, the Red Army prisoners of war, absentees, political prisoners, criminals, prostitutes, members of the Latvian resistance movement, Baltic soldiers in the German Army or police, and others. The camp could hold up to 2,200 prisoners. The main cause of death (~2000) was malnutrition, working conditions, corporal punishment and illness.
