How Red Army soldiers burned down the Remte Church

Ap_1985_Remtes_baznica_.jpg
Remte Church around 1985. Original keeper: Janis Rozentāls Saldus History and Art Museum

After the capitulation of Germany and Army Group "Courland" on May 8 and 9, 1945, the victors celebrated their victory in various ways in many places in Courland. In Remte, the Remte church was burned down during these celebrations. The church bell ringer's family kept the church bell in their homestead throughout the occupation.

In Remte, after the capitulation of Germany and Army Group "Courland" on May 8 and 9, 1945, the winners - the Red Army - celebrated their victory. During these celebrations, neither the property of the surrounding peaceful inhabitants, nor cultural buildings, nor the church, etc. were spared. The Red Army soldiers came up with a peculiar way of having fun - a competition, when they had to hit the round window of the Remte church tower with a flare. Several such hits led to the wooden structures of the church starting to burn. As a result, the church was burned down. Later, warehouses were set up within the church walls.

The church tower bell, which fell during a fire and was taken to the farm by the then bell ringer's family, where it remained throughout the Soviet occupation. After the restoration of independence in the 1990s, the bell was returned to the church and once again serves in its place in the church tower.

Wrote down this story: Jana Kalve
Used sources and references:

https://replay.lsm.lv/lv/ieraksts/ltv/284836/tas-notika-seit-4sezona-remte 

Related objects

Remte manor house and park

Remte Manor Castle (German: Remten) is a manor house located in Remte. The buildings and the park of Remte Manor are national monuments. The manor house houses the Remte Primary School. Remte Manor Palace was built in 1800 in the Berlin Classicist style for the then owner of the manor, Count Karl Medem.

At the end of World War II, the 19th Division of the Latvian Legion of the German Army Group was stationed in Remte Manor and its surroundings.