Latvian Legion's battles in Courland/Zemgallia, 1944-1945
II World War II

At the end of July 1944, as the Red Army units were rapidly advancing from Lithuania towards the Gulf of Riga, units of the 15th Reserve and Training Brigade also began fighting in Zemgale. Particularly fierce fighting took place in Jelgava, where the Soviet 3rd Mechanized Corps attacked. Several improvised combat formations of various sizes were formed from the brigade units to defend the city. These 'alarm battalions' were unable to delay the Red Army's invasion of Jelgava, however, the battle line stabilized along the Lielupe River and remained there until mid-September. In early August, individual units of the brigade became part of the German units that participated in the attack to liberate Tukums and the coast of the Gulf of Riga. In October 1944, these units were included in the 19th Division. Latvian police battalions also participated in the battles around Bauska. These included the Bauska Volunteer Battalion, formed on July 23, 1944 from Bauska district police and guards, as well as the 23rd, 319th, and 322nd Latvian Police Battalions. The battalions were on the front lines until mid-September 1944, when they retreated after the Red Army attack and reached Courland in early October. The Courland Front was formed on October 10, 1944, when the Red Army launched an attack in the direction of Klaipėda with the aim of cutting off Army Group North's land traffic with Germany. On October 16, 1944, as the front line stabilized, 230,000 local residents and 150,000 refugees from other Latvian regions and the Soviet Union were trapped in Courland. Army Group "North" (from January 15, 1945 - "Kurland") included the 16th and 18th Armies with 32 divisions, including the 19th Division and several Latvian police battalions and construction battalions. Active hostilities in Kurland continued until the end of World War II. During the first two major battles of Kurland, the Soviet First and Second Baltic Fronts were tasked with destroying Army Group "North". The main directions of attack were: Liepaja for the First Baltic Front, Saldus for the Second Baltic Front. These operations were a complete failure, and the Red Army High Command decided to withdraw a large number of troops from Kurland, and to carry out further offensive operations with the aim of preventing the evacuation of Army Group "North" to Germany. During the Christmas Battles of 1944 (the third major battle of Kurland), the main striking force of the Second Baltic Front was involved 130th Latvian Rifle Corps. The 19th Division of the Latvian Legion and the 106th Latvian Regiment took up defensive positions in the intended direction of attack. This was the first time that Latvian units fighting on opposite sides were involved in a battle against each other. The Red Army continued its attacks until December 31, but it was unable to achieve the invasion and implement the objectives of the operation. During these battles, there were often cases when those fighting on one side captured acquaintances and even relatives of those fighting on the other side. In order to eliminate the Red Army's salient in the Lestene direction, the VI Corps launched a successful counterattack on January 5, 1945. Although the Third Battle of Courland ended with the victory of the German Army Group "Courland", the units of the troops in these battles, including the 19th Latvian Division, suffered very heavy losses. At the beginning of 1945, despite The active operations of the Red Army, more than ten divisions, including two tank divisions, were evacuated from Kurzeme. On February 16, 1945, the Soviet Second Baltic Front resumed active offensive operations. Latvian troops also took part in both warring sides, especially during the Sixth Battle of Kurzeme from March 18 to 31 in the vicinity of Blīdene. Continuous hostilities took place until the beginning of April, when the front stabilized on the line: Jūrmalciems-Priekule-Pampāļi - Saldus-Grenči-Radziņciems Klapkalnciems. In April 1945, both warring sides in Kurzeme continued to prepare for the next battles. However, taking into account the unconditional capitulation of the German armed forces, active hostilities in Kurzeme did not resume. On May 8, 1945, Army Group “Kurzeme” also capitulated. In captivity of the Red Army 286,000 soldiers of the German armed forces arrived, including some of the approximately 23,000 Latvian legionnaires in Courland.