About Christmas battles
The Christmas battle ended on January 11. The Latvian riflemen of the heavily fortified position of the German army - Ložmetējkalns - managed to take the battle on the third day. The price of Christmas battles was very high. Hundreds of Latvian and other Russian army soldiers had lost their lives trying to knock the Germans out of position. The narrator vividly describes the scenes on the battlefield after the end of the Christmas battles.
"The next night, our sanitary workers removed the fallen from the enemy's barbed wire fences. There were a hundred and five men in our company. The commander of the first company, Captain Lasmanis, was numb with his right hand raised, in which he found a clenched grenade ready to be thrown. He had fallen, two bullets caught in his forehead. The little praporšchik, who was smiling at an innocent girl, was removed from the fence by a bullet pierced by countless bullets. Fieldfighter Ivanov, mortally wounded, shot himself with his nail, but senior non-commissioned officer Birnis, also mortally wounded, pulled out his pocket knife and cut his throat. ”
Related objects
Ložmetējkalns (Machine Gun Hill) in Tīreļpurvs Bog
Ložmetējkalns is located in Valgunde Rural Territory, Jelgava Municipality, close to the A9 motorway. It is the site of a World War I battle and the only cultural heritage conservation site of national importance in Latvia. Ložmetējkalns is located on Garā Kāpa Dune, which is a part of the Nordeķi-Kalnciems dune ridge. The name originated at a time when it was the site of impregnable fortifications of the German Army, which was defended by heavy machine-gun fire. The Christmas Battles are one of the best-known and most dramatic events of World War I in the history of Latvia. In 1917, the units of Latvian Riflemen and Siberian riflemen of the Russian Army attacked and took Ložmetējkalns, capturing at least 600 enemy troops and valuable trophies. The riflemen believed that they were the ones who deserved the honour of captors of the highlands. The area around Ložmetējkalns Hill is home to commemora tive marks and other evidence of the battles that took place here. Every year, in January, memorial events are held in the surroundings of Ložmetējkalns to remember the Christmas Battles. Nowadays, Ložmetējkalns has become a symbol and a memorial site dedicated to the heroism of Latvian Riflemen. A 27-metre-high observation tower offers panoramic views of the site of Christmas Battles.
Latvian soldiers’ former medical warehouse
Located in Babīte district, near the Antiņi soldiers cemetery and restored trenches.
During World War I, from 1915, defensive positions of the army of the Russian Empire were located in this area. In 1917, during the Christmas battles, at the Antiņi house was the headquarters of the 5th Zemgale Latvian Rifle Regiment and an infirmary with a medicine warehouse, which was headed by the prominent Latvian military doctor Pēteris Snīķeris.
During the Christmas battles, the attacks of Latvian riflemen on German army units took place in particularly harsh and unfavorable conditions. The injuries sustained in the fighting were of all kinds - wounds, contusions and injuries caused by firearms, as well as frostbite. Thousands of Latvian soldiers had to be provided with timely medical assistance. It was organized so that the injured received care as soon as possible. There were unarmed paramedics on the battlefield who provided first aid and removed the wounded from dangerous places. Dressing points were set up in the vicinity of the battlefields, where care was continued and sorting was carried out. Severely wounded soldiers were evacuated to hospitals or hospitals in carts and cars. Cemeteries were set up near Lazarete, where the dead were buried.
Nowadays you can see the old medicine store. The Antiņi Soldiers Cemetery is nearby, as are World War I trenches and dugouts. The environment is suitable for walks in the woods, revealing vivid evidence of military heritage.
Christmas battles memorial at Antinu Brethren Cemetery
Located in Babīte district, on the side of the road near the former Antiņi house and the old medicine warehouse.
The cemetery of Antiņi or Tīreļi soldiers was established during the First World War. The defense positions of the army of the Russian Empire were located in the area. In 1917, during the Christmas battles, the headquarters of the 5th Zemgale Latvian Rifle Regiment and an infirmary with a medicine warehouse were located nearby.
In the night of January 5, 1917, in the light of eight huge bonfires, 105 fighters of the 5th Zemgale Latvian Rifle Regiment were buried in military honor. They fell in battle against the German army or died from injuries. The funeral ceremony was led by Regiment Commander Jukums Vācietis. In later years, soldiers from other units of the Russian army were also buried in the cemetery. In 1925, a monument to the architect Eizen Laube was unveiled in the cemetery, and the territory was landscaped. Information about the 3,800 soldiers buried in the cemetery can be found in many places, but it must be assessed as unlikely and unverified.
Christmas Battle Museum
The museum is located in “Mangali” house, Valgunde Ru ral Territory, Jelgava Municipality, and it is a branch of the Latvian War Museum. It was unveiled in 2005 at the site of the Christmas Battles that occurred during World War I. Unique World War I fortifications still remain at the battle sites. The open-air exhibition of the Christmas Battle Mu seum reconstructs a section of the fortification system – the trench shelter and part of the first line of German defence – the “German rampart”, which is the only object of this kind in the Baltic states. The Christmas Battles are one of the best known and most dramatic events of World War I in Latvia. They are an event of special importance in Latvian military and cultural his tory. Intense fighting took place for six days, leading to heavy casualties. The battles are mainly associated with the attack of Latvian Riflemen against the German Army units, which took place in particularly severe and unfa vourable winter conditions. This is an unprecedented case of a major combat operation launched without artillery support. Today, the museum artefacts found at the sites of the bat tle are on display. The indoor exhibition is open at certain times, while the exhibition of outdoor fortifications is open every day. Tourist routes and nature trails have been cre ated in the surrounding area.
Krači Mountains Monument
The Krāči Hills are one of the largest coastal dunes of the Litorina Sea. Its highest point is 29 m above sea level and 26 m above the surrounding plains. The Litorina Sea is said to be the predecessor of the Baltic Sea, which existed approximately 7,000 to 5,000 years ago.
The 6th Special Brigade of the 12th Russian Army launched the attack from the Krāči Hills during the Christmas Battles, with the task of breaking through the German front from the Great Tīreļi Swamp to the Lielupe River. During the month-long battles, the Russian army gained an area of 25 square kilometers, but the losses were enormous – 45 thousand fallen, wounded and missing soldiers. The losses of the Latvian riflemen were 9 thousand fallen, wounded and missing soldiers. During the Christmas Battles, the Latvian riflemen gained immense fame as heroic and brilliant soldiers, paying a very high price for it – their lives.
A monument has been erected in memory of those who fell in battle. Every year on November 11, Lāčplēsis Day, and on November 18, the anniversary of the proclamation of the Latvian state, candles are lit at this place in memory of the fallen heroes.
The protected nature area "Krāči Mountains" as a dune mound of the Litorina period
