German army radar post in Jūrkalne
In order to protect the Kurzeme coast from a possible Soviet or even Western Allied attack, the German armed forces deployed radar stations in several locations, which allowed for a much earlier identification of enemy air activity. One of them was installed at Jūrkalne
When in October 1944 the Red Army surrounded the Kurzeme peninsula with part of the Nazi German armed forces, an almost 8-month-long battle in the Baltic Sea began for the supply of the army group Kurzeme and later for the evacuation from Kurzeme. In the battles over the sea, aviation played a particularly important role. Therefore, in order to improve the German navy's ability to fight Soviet aircraft and to protect the Kurzeme coast from possible Soviet, or even Western Allied, attack, the German armed forces deployed radar stations in several locations, which allowed for a much earlier identification of enemy aviation activity.
In Ulmale and Jūrmalne, German radar systems FuMG 65 Wurzburg-Riese were most probably deployed. These were among the most modern and commonly used radars, with about 1,500 radar models produced. It had a 7 metre parabolic antenna, which reached a weight of 9 tonnes. The radar had a range of 70 kilometres, just under half the distance to Gotland. The radar was able to detect the approach of aircraft, which was particularly important at dusk. Its bearing was used to direct air defence beams at the target, which in turn allowed the use of anti-aircraft artillery to destroy the target.
Today, the radar's foundations are being washed further out to sea every year as a result of coastal erosion.
Related timeline
Related topics
Related objects
North Pier and Battery No.3 in Karosta
The longest pier in Latvia - the Northern Pier - was built at the end of the 19th century as a very important part of the Liepaja Sea Fortress and military port. The length of the pier is 1800 metres, the width - 7.35 metres.
The Northern Pier is one of the first port structures of Emperor Alexander III, built between 1890 and 1892 before the excavation of the Karosta Canal. Together with the North Breakwater, the South Breakwater and the South Pier, the pier formed the outpost of Liepaja.
Liepaja Fortress Battery No 3 was located next to the North Pier of the Karosta and was planned to be the largest in terms of armament. Platforms were built for four 6-inch (152 mm) guns of the 1892 model of the Canet system, five 11-inch (280 mm) guns of the 1887 model and two 57 mm Nordenfeld anti-tank guns, as well as 18 9-inch (229 mm) guns and mortars.
Today, Battery 3 is most affected by the prevailing south-north sea current, which creates a whirlpool effect behind the North Pier, resulting in the washouts of the gun platform foundations.
The North Pier protects the Liepaja harbour area from North Westerly winds. It is a favourite place for residents and visitors to Liepaja to watch sunsets, fish and watch the sea in different weather conditions. Especially spectacular during storms.
There is ample parking at the North Pier. There are also restrooms and a café with a unique sea view.
Lithuanian soldiers' graves in Zaļkalns Forest
The memorial is located near the Pāvilosta beach lookout tower in the dunes. There are signs pointing to the memorial.
At the end of the Second World War, three Lithuanian police battalions, the 5th, 13th and 256th, were also deployed in Latvia, and after guard duty and fighting against Soviet partisans and the Red Army on the Eastern Front, from autumn 1944 they were involved in guarding the Baltic Sea coast in Kurzeme.
In October 1944, all three battalions, consisting of 32 officers and about 900 instructors and soldiers, were subordinated to the German 18th Army's 583rd Rear Guard Unit (Koruck 583). The unit was tasked with guarding the Kurzeme coast from Liepāja to Ventspils. All three Lithuanian battalions were deployed in the vicinity of Pavilosta. In December 1944, the 13th Battalion was transferred to the German 1st Army Corps at the Liepaja Lake.
One of the tasks of the Lithuanian coastguard, besides being ready to fight enemy landings and to report enemy ships, was to prevent Latvian refugee boats from sailing to the island of Gotland, 160 kilometres away, but the Lithuanian coastguard men did not prevent the refugee boats from leaving. However, news of the Lithuanian coastguard helping the Latvian refugees and the Lithuanians themselves preparing to cross the sea to Sweden also reached the Germans.
On 10 January 1945, the soldiers of the 1st Company of the 5th Lithuanian Police Battalion were rounded up. More than a week of interrogation and trial followed, which, as a warning to the others, decided to execute seven of the Lithuanian soldiers and to imprison 11 of their comrades in concentration camps in Germany. The execution of the seven Lithuanian soldiers (Sergeant Macijauski, the company commander; Juozas Sendrjuas, a soldier; Vladas Salickas, a soldier; Ionas Bašinskis, Krasauskas and two unknown others) took place on 21 January 1945 in the Zaļkalns Pines in Pavilosta.
In January 1945, the 5th Battalion was disbanded and the combat-ready soldiers were divided into the two remaining battalions, while the rest were formed into a separate sapper company. At the time of the surrender of Army Group Kurzeme in May 1945, two battalions (13th and 256th) were still in Kurzeme as a sapper company with a total of 900 soldiers who were taken prisoner by the Soviets.
