About D.Breiksis national partisan group

The group of D.Breiksis national partisans was formed in 1948 and until 1950 they lived in "Jaunvieslavēni" of Gatarta parish with the owner Kārlis Lāčs. In 1950, D.Breiksis' partisan group was handed over by his own brother Laimonis, so they were forced to move. During the summers they lived in the forests, but spent the winters in the “Daiņkalni” of Rauna parish near the forester Artūrs Pērkons (1907-1952) and in the bunkers set up under the houses in the nearby “Graškalni”.

Imants Lācis (nickname Andris), his sisters Dzidra Līvija, Mirdza Lilija and Regīna, as well as Jānis Zariņš (nickname Janka, 1922-1952) worked in the group of Dailonis Breiksis. On April 23, 1951, a son Einārs was born in the bunker of "Daiņkalni" Jānis Zariņš and Dzidra Lāce. Given that life in the bunker was dangerous for the baby, the parents returned the child in caring hands. He went to Smiltene Hospital and was adopted.

In the spring of 1952, D.Breiks' group of national partisans was discovered after the footprints left in the snow. On April 16, 1952, a check (Latvian SSR State Security Committee) surrounded the houses of "Daiņkalns" and "Graškalni" and destroyed D.Breiks' group. D.Breikšs, I.Lācis and M.Lāce themselves lost their lives in the battle, J.Zariņš, D.Lāce and the forester A.Pērkons were shot. Fifteen-year-old Regīna Lāce was pushed out of the bunker hatch to survive and tell what had happened. The forester's wife Velta Dziļuma and her one-year-old son Turalds also survived. After the bunkers were destroyed, the killed partisans were driven around in an open car through Gatart and Drusti.

Since 2002, the memorial site in Daiņkalns has been gradually improved and cleared of trees and bushes. Every year on April 16, commemorative events are held in memory of the national partisans led by Dailonis Breiks. The organizer of the event and the initiator of the cleaning of the memorial site is Jānis Lācis, a former county governor, veteran of the National Guard, Knight of the Order of the Three Stars, whose cousin and cousins died in the bunker of “Daiņkalni”. In April 2003 and 2004, memorial crosses and plaques were erected near the houses of Daiņkalni and Graškalni. In autumn 2016 - spring 2017, with the help of local Raunenians, the memorial site was reconstructed according to the sketch of architect Z.Butāns, as well as the site of the former bunker was excavated and strengthened, which is available for viewing only on April 16 - during the memorial event.

Regina Lāce's (Tīliba) story about the events in "Daiņkalni" and "Graškalni" was published in Sanita Reinsone's 2015 book "Meža meitas. 12 women for life at home, in the woods, in prison ”