German army corporal Felker's account of the reconnaissance battle on 8 and 9 November 1944 at the Selješa home in Zvārde
Felkers (vāciski: Völcker) bija 20 gadus vecs puisis, izlūkpšanas divīzijā dienēja nacistiskās Vācijas armijā stāsta par notikumiem 8. un 9.novembrī, kas spilgti atspoguļo frontes norises Zvārdē, kur frontes līnija virzījās turpu šurpu 4 mēnešus t.sk. Ķērkliņu baznīcas apkaimē.
1944. gada novembrī mūsu stipri novājināto divīziju regulāri izmantoja kā sava veida "ugunsdzēsēju brigādi". Iekrauti kravas automašīnās, mēs tikām nogādāti karstākajos punktos, un parasti mums nācās iztaisnot frontes līnijas pārrāvumus, lai pēc tam mūs aizvestu uz citu vietu.
Tā nu sanāca, ka es vēl nevaru pateikt, kur biju 1944. gada 8. novembra pēcpusdienā. Mūsu pulka izlūkošanas vienība bija apmetusies patversmē, ko mēs saucām par "kartupeļu pagrabu". Mans biedrs, karavīrs Ksēdls, 20 gadus vecs izturīgs puisis no Pasavas, gulēja izstiepies uz zāles aiz manis un gulēja cieši aizmidzis. Ivans bija paņēmis ilgu pārtraukumu ar artilērijas uguni, un visi izmantoja īslaicīgo atpūtu. Es tur sēdēju un skaldīju nūju, kad ielejā trāpīja viens krievu šāviņš. Nekā aizraujoša, bet es sapratu, ka mūsu telefona līnijas, kas tur bija ierīkotas, droši vien kaut ko saņēma.
Pirms mūsu komandieris Dorsts varēja dot man atbilstošu rīkojumu, es jau biju paņēmis savus remonta materiālus, (izolācijas lente, knaibles) un pieteicos pie Dorsta. Es viņam teicu, ka viņam nav nepieciešams modināt privātpersonu Ksēdlu. Šo nelielo problēmu es varētu atrisināt pats. Es nokāpu ielejā un ātri atradu bojāto vietu. Es salaboju līniju un beidzot ar pirkstiem pārbaudīju, vai ir enerģijas plūsma. Es gribēju atgriezties mūsu zemnīcā un biju nogājis apmēram 50 metrus augšup pa nogāzi, kad mūsu komandieris Dorsts nāca man pretī lejup pa nogāzi. Viņš, mežonīgi žestikulējot, sauca, lai es skrienu atpakaļ uz mežu, krievi izlaužas cauri. No "kartupeļu pagraba" manas rotas biedri skrēja lejup pa nogāzi man pretī, un aiz viņiem krievu karavīri ar "urräh" kliedzieniem un smagu kājnieku uguni.
Mēs aizskrējām līdz nākamajam mežam, un tur sastapām citas, mazākas vienības, kas bija sapulcējušās kopā, lai palīdzētu mums apturēt iebrukumu, kurš, par laimi, notika bez tanku atbalsta. Tā nebija liela ofensīva, drīzāk apšaude, taču krievu karavīri bez lielām problēmām bija ieņēmuši kalnu. Domājams, ka Krievijas vadība, pateicoties izlūkošanai, bija sapratusi, ka mūsu bruņojums, runājot par smagajiem ieročiem, ir vairāk nekā nožēlojams. Mēs sēdējām mežā un vērojām krievu karavīrus, kas turpināja paplašināt savas pozīcijas kalnā. Nebija nekādas iespējas tos apturēt.
Pēc divām dienām ar tanku vienības palīdzību, kuras priekšnieks bija kapteinis Fērmans, mums bija izdevies veikt pretuzbrukumu, ieņemot augstieni ar "kartupeļu pagrabu". Neilgi pirms vietas, kur pirms divām dienām biju aizlāpījis līniju, mans draugs Ksēdls gulēja, nāvīgi sašauts galvā. Tas mani mazliet mierināja, ka viņš droši vien neko nejuta no savas nāves.
No manas divīzijas karā izdzīvoja tikai aptuveni 70 karavīru. Daži, tāpat kā es, ar vairāk vai mazāk smagiem ievainojumiem, citi, piemēram, karavīrs Ritveilers, kurš 1944. gada decembrī zaudēja saprātu pēc vairāku stundu ilgas apšaudes. Līdz šodienai manas atmiņas ir izplēnējušas, bet pat šodien, gandrīz 80 gadu vecumā, tās dažkārt vēl joprojām ir ļoti intensīvas manos sapņos...
Foto (No kreisās uz labo): leitnants Ölker, seržants Dorst, kaprālis Völcker, kareivis Rittweiler.
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Ruins of Ķērkliņu church
The ruins of the Ķerkliņu Church are located about 5 kilometres north-west of Kokmuiža, near the Ķerkliņu Lake. The church was built in 1641 by Heinrich von Dönhoff (Derkarth), the owner of the Ķerkliņi manor. The original wooden church was replaced by a stone building, under which tombs were built for the dead of the Dönhof and later Kleist families. The tombs were already destroyed during the 1905 riots, but in 1949 the coffins were moved from the tombs to the church. The church was an example of the Kurzeme Baroque style - its carvings were made by the Kuldīga - Liepāja woodcarvers. Although the owners of the manor and the church were at various times plagued by financial problems, the church underwent several reconstructions during its existence. It also suffered during the First World War, after which the parish rebuilt the stonework in 1929 and added an organ in 1934. Unfortunately, the church was damaged during the Second World War and much of it was lost, so it is to be commended that before the church was rebuilt in 1933, many unique pieces of Baroque sculpture were photographed, inventoried and even ended up in the archives of the Monuments Board. With the establishment of the landfill and the eviction of the inhabitants, the church was never restored. Today, the church walls and tower are visible.
Soviet air force target firing ground in Zvārde
Zvārde landfill is located in Zvārde municipality, Saldus region. It is a former military aviation training ground of the USSR, covering more than 24 000 hectares.
The territory of the former airfield is home to several sites: the Officers' Kurgan, the ruins of the Zvārde and Ķērkliņi churches, the Rīteļi cemetery, the former army base "Lapsas", and others. Until the Second World War, the site of the observation tower was home to the "Vairogi" house. During the construction of the polygon, what was left of the farm - walls, the remains of the apple orchard, and part of the ruins of the Veczvārde manor - was piled together to form a mound and the observation tower was built on it. It was used as an observation point for coordinating the army's training manoeuvres. This place is popularly known as Kurgan. The mound overlooks the former training ground and the wooded areas of Zvārde Nature Park and Nature Reserve. A good place for bird watching. The surroundings of Kurgāns are not landscaped.
Zvārde church ruins
The ruins of Zvārde Church are located on the territory of the former Zvārde air target range, near the so-called "Kurgan of the Officers". After a kilometre and a half, you will pass a T-junction with the Rīteļi cemetery nearby.
The first wooden church and rectory were built here in 1567, and the stone church was built in 1783 at the expense of local peasants, Kurzeme nobles and Duke of Courland Peter Byron. During the Second World War, the church roof and tower were damaged in the fighting. In 1953, when the Soviet Ministry of Defence requested the establishment of an air-target range on the site, Zvārde Church, Ķerkliņi Church and Rīteļi Cemetery were placed in the centre of the air-target range - next to an artificial airfield with access roads and defensive positions, which was used as a target by Soviet pilots. Planes flew here from airfields in Latvia and elsewhere in the Soviet Union. In less than 40 years, the church, the cemetery, the former manor house and dozens of surrounding buildings were reduced to ruins.
Soviet Army Observation Tower (Kurgan of Officers)
The "Officers' Kurgan" is located less than a kilometre from the ruins of Zvārde Church. The Kurgan is made of the ruins and remains of the surrounding houses and manor house, which have been bulldozed together. An observation tower was built on the kurgan. According to the inscription, the present tower was built in 1981. The tower was used to record bomb hits. The training bombs had a reduced explosive content, so their hits had to be watched more carefully. Unexploded bombs were neutralized immediately, but not all could be found.
The remains of the tower can be seen here today - the brick walls. As the barrage is relatively high, you can even see the Lithuanian oil refinery in Mažeikiai on a clear day.
