Genocide II WW2, IV Soviet Occupation
Genocide (the killing of the ancient Greek word 'genos' - race or tribe - and the Latin 'cide' - is the act of destroying, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group as such: by killing members of that group , by physically mutilating or mentally traumatising them, by deliberately creating for such a group living conditions in which it is to be completely or partially destroyed, by deliberately limiting the birth of that group, by forcibly relocating children of one group to another. Genocide includes both a physical aspect - listing specific acts such as the killing of a certain group of people - and a psychological aspect: these acts are committed with the specific intention of partially or completely destroying a national, ethnic, racial or religious population "as such". .
In addition, the 1948 Convention stipulates that, in addition to the genocide itself, conspiracy to commit genocide, open and public incitement to commit genocide, and attempted or participation in genocide shall be criminal and punishable. .
Mass extermination of Latvians in the Soviet Union in 1937-1938. It is also known as genocide or ethnocide, which was a broader component of a politically motivated ethnocide against several national minorities living in the USSR during the Great Terror. More than 22,000 Latvians were arrested by order of the USSR People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs (NKVD) "in order to eliminate the work of the Latvian intelligence service and destroy the Latvian nationalist, anti-Soviet activities in the USSR", 16,573 of them were shot and secretly buried in Butova, Komunarka, Levashov mass cemetery, Kuropatu forest and other places. 372 Latvian colonies and collective farms with about 12,000 Latvian farms were liquidated in the countryside. The exact number of victims is unknown, as the crime has not been legally investigated and the perpetrators have not been brought to justice.
On June 17, 1998, the Saeima of the Republic of Latvia decided to celebrate the day of remembrance of the victims of the genocide of the totalitarian communist regime against the Latvian people on the first Sunday of December. Latvia also commemorates two days of remembrance for the victims of the communist genocide on 25 March and 14 June to commemorate the victims of the deportations of March 1949 and June 1941. July 4 marks the day of remembrance for the victims of the genocide of the Jewish people.
More information sources
Genocide. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genoc%C4%ABds
Repression of totalitarian occupation regimes against the population of Latvia. 1940-1953 Latvian National Museum of History: http://lnvm.lv/?page_id=3976
Totalitarian occupation regimes in Latvia in 1940-1964. Research of the Commission of Latvian Historians. Articles of the Commission of Latvian Historians. Volume 13. Riga, 2004. https://www.president.lv/storage/kcfinder/files/item_1618_Vesturnieku_komisijas_raksti_13_sejums.pdf
Zugehörige Zeitleiste
Zugehörige Objekte
Memorial to victims of communist genocide
This memorial is situated in Pilistvere cemetery.
Groundwork for the memorial began in 1988, with 300 people rallying to the cause. The joint effort of volunteers continues to this day, with improvements being made to the memorial each year. The idea for the memorial came from freedom fighter Lagle Parek.
At its centre lies a cairn of rocks brought from places over Estonia, from Siberia and from even further afield by Estonian expats. The cairn is crowned by a large cross. The foot of the cross is a symbolic tomb, to which Estonian people bring rocks to commemorate loved ones deported to Siberia.
The cairn is surrounded by boulders, one for each county, designed by Aate-Heli Õun and set in place in phases.
Near the memorial are memorial stones to the victims of the radiation from Chernobyl, to the Forest Brothers, to those conscripted into the NKVD’s labour columns, to Estonian volunteers in the Finnish army and to freedom fighters. These were all designed by Endel Palmiste.
In addition to the cairn, a grove of more than 2000 memorial trees has been planted near the memorial. The grove was designed by renowned landscape architect Andres Levald.
The historic Pilistvere pastorate, serving as the main building at the memorial site, houses an archive and an Estonian History Museum exhibition about the occupation of Estonia.
Memorial to the victims of holocaust in Liepāja
The largest memorial to Holocaust victims in Latvia is located in Liepāja, in the Šķēde dunes. The memorial is dedicated to the memory of more than 3,000 Liepāja Jews killed during World War II. It is in the form of the Israeli national symbol, a seven-branched candelabra known as the menorah. The contours of the memorial, which are clearly visible from a bird’s eye view, are made of split boulders and granite blocks. The ‘lights’ of the menorah are made of granite pillars with inscriptions of verses from the Lamentations of Jeremiah in Hebrew, English, Latvian and Russian.
Riga Ghetto and Latvian Holocaust Museum
The Riga Ghetto and the Latvian Holocaust Museum is located in Riga close to the Riga Central Market and the Riga Central Station. The museum was opened in 2010 on the site where the city's warehouses once were. It is located in the historical part of the city, next to the border of the former Jewish ghetto. The territory of the ghetto is unique, because in terms of architecture it has not changed since World War II. It is a memorial dedicated to the tragedy suffered by the Jewish people. The German policy regarding the Jewish population in Latvia until the end of 1939 was for the German diplomats and politicians to try and pressure the Latvian government to take action against the Jews by restricting their freedom. After the emigration of the Baltic Germans in 1939, the German embassy no longer had as good an access to information on the mood of the population and the events happening in Latvia as before. When the Red Army occupied Latvia, they manipulated the society to gain some support of the Jewish population for the new occupying power. However, after the regime started a crackdown on the society as a whole, the support fell rapidly. As a result of all this, a deep divide had formed between the people. And later on, the next regime – Germany – tried to exploit it. They hoped that the local population would harass and attack the Jews, but that did not happen. So, Germany adjusted their approach and devised a new plan to initially establish a Jewish ghetto and later destroy its inhabitants.
Salaspils Memorial Ensemble
Salaspils Memorial and historical exhibit is located in Salaspils municipality, 1.2 km from the Riga-Daugavpils A6 highway. The Salaspils Memorial was unveiled in 1967 on the site where during World War II the Salaspils Camp was once located. It is a place that was used for Soviet propaganda and is shrouded in myths and half-truths. It is a good representation of the Nazi crimes and Communist ideology that was carried out during each of the occupations. This repressive camp was a part of the German penitentiary system. It had similarities with concentration camps, but it was not the same thing. It was created so that there would not be a disproportionate number of prisoners in Riga prisons. This camp was an “extension of the police prison”. And a variety of people were imprisoned here – Jews, the Red Army prisoners of war, absentees, political prisoners, criminals, prostitutes, members of the Latvian resistance movement, Baltic soldiers in the German Army or police, and others. The camp could hold up to 2,200 prisoners. The main cause of death (~2000) was malnutrition, working conditions, corporal punishment and illness.
Museum of Melānija Vanaga and Siberian dugout
The Melānija Vanaga Museum is located in the Amata village school in Cēsis municipality. The museum showcases materials about the life, literary activity, family and destiny of writer and cultural historian Melānija Vanaga: video content about Siberia and the deported Latvians living there and a Siberian dugout taking its visitors on a trip to the writer’s place of deportation in Tyukhtetsky district, Krasnoyarsk region. The appearance and layout of the dugout form a realistic idea of life away from home. The dugout features unique historical objects brought there from the Tyukhtet Museum: a birch-bark dish known as ‘tuyesok’, a clay mug known as ‘krynka’ and a kerosene lamp. The museum features video interviews with politically repressed people from the municipality and 18 characters from Melānija Vanaga’s book Suddenly, a Criminal: Sixteen Years in Siberia. The museum’s virtual exhibition ‘BE YOURSELF!’ (http://esipats.lv) shows the experiences of five deported children and their parents who were wrongly accused by the Soviet authorities of ‘betrayal of the motherland’.
Varaklani Jewish Cemetery - a memorial to the victims of German-fascist terror
Varakļāni Jewish Cemetery, at the end of Kapsētas Street.
There are two monuments erected in the Varakļāni Jewish cemetery after the war by surviving relatives and relatives.
One of them is located near the cemetery fence, where the mass extermination of Jews took place. The inscription on it in Russian and Yiddish reads: "We will mourn forever with our parents, brothers and sisters who died at the hands of the fascists in 1941." The second monument is inside the cemetery; In the place where the killed Jews were later reburied, there is also an inscription in Yiddish and Russian: "Eternal memory of the victims of the German-fascist terror - the Jews of Varakļāni, brutally killed on August 4, 1941".
Nazi German troops entered Varaklani in 1941. In early July, and from the very first days, the siege and isolated killings of Jews began. A conditional ghetto was established near the Jewish cemetery, to which all Jews had to move. On August 4, a German SD unit (the "Arāja team") shot virtually all Jews in Varakļāni (about 540 people) with the help of local self-defense forces on the territory of the Jewish cemetery.
Every year on the first Sunday of August, a memorial event dedicated to the Jews killed in Varakļāni takes place in the Varakļāni Jewish Cemetery.
Memorial Wall of Pain
Artrodas Litene cemetery.
On June 14, 2001, the memorial “Wall of Pain” created by architects Dina Grūbe, Benita and Dainis Bērziņš, stonemasons Ivars Feldbergs and Sandra Skribnovskis was unveiled in Litene Cemetery, it symbolizes the resting place of the soldiers killed in 1941. In October 1988, the ashes of 11 officers killed in June 1941 by the Soviet Army were found in the territory of the former Latvian Army summer camp in Sita Silila, Litene Parish. Although they could not be identified, on December 2, 1989, at the consecration service in Gulbene Evangelical Lutheran Church, Litene Cemetery was solemnly reburied.
11 white crosses, memorial plaque and information stands.
Historical Exposition “The Burning Conscience”
The historical exhibit ‘Fire of Conscience’ is located in Cēsis, near the Cēsis Castle Square. Established in a Soviet-era temporary detention facility, it tells about the occupation of Latvia and reveals surprising and heroic stories of resistance from individuals. The yard features a memorial wall with the names of 643 residents of the former Cēsis district who died in Soviet repressions, including national partisans deported in 1941 and 1949 and those shot and sentenced to death. The exhibit’s timeline encourages visitors to study the course of the occupation of Latvia from 1939 to 1957. Arranged by topics, quotes from local newspapers offer a comparison of the political propaganda of the two occupation regimes. The six cells for temporary detention have survived to the present day in their original form from 1940 to 1941 and the post-war years. Here, the residents of Cēsis district, detained for various anti-Soviet activities, including national partisans, their supporters, young people who distributed anti-Soviet leaflets and other ‘traitors of the motherland’, were held for several days during the initial investigation and interrogation before being sent to the main KGB Building in Riga. Everything here is real: cells with iron doors, built-in ‘kormushkas’ (small openings for providing food), plank beds, a latrine for detainees, a small kitchen with an oven, as well as typical Soviet-era oil paint on the walls. In 2019, the exhibit was ranked third in the national design competition, the Latvian Design of the Year Award.
Museum of the Occupation of Latvia
The museum exhibits the history of Latvia from 1940 to 1991, under the occupation of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. ‘House of the Future’ is a reconstruction and expansion project of the Occupation Museum designed by the well-known American Latvian architect Gunārs Birkerts as well as the new exhibit of the museum. The exhibit ‘History of Cheka in Latvia’ was created by the Occupation Museum and it is located in the ‘Corner House’, which is the former USSR State Security Committee (KGB) building. Latvian Occupation Museum was founded in 1993. It tells the long-hidden story of the fate of the Latvian state, nation and land under the occupation of two foreign totalitarian powers from 1940 to 1991. At the end of 2020 the museum had more than 70,000 different historical items (documents, photographs, written, oral and material evidence, objects and memorabilia). Museum specialists have recorded more than 2,400 video testimonials, making it one of the largest collections on occupation in Europe. The events that unfolded in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia clearly show us what the nations had to endure under the two totalitarian regimes.
Exhibition in the KGB Building "History of KGB Operations in Latvia"
The former USSR State Security Committee (commonly known as Cheka) building is open for visitors. Here chekists imprisoned, interrogated and murdered Latvian citizens who were considered opponents by the occupation regime. There is also an exhibit from the Latvian Occupation Museum on the activities of Cheka in Latvia. Guided tours of the prison cells, corridors, basement and courtyard are available. The house was built in 1911 and it is one of the most beautiful buildings in Riga. Called the ‘Corner House’ by the people, it was the scariest symbol of the Soviet occupation regime in Latvia, and also one of the pillars of power of the USSR. Cheka operated from the Corner House during the occupation from 1940 to 1941 and then again from 1945 to 1991. Tens of thousands of Latvians were affected by direct political persecution. The fight against enemies of Soviet rule continued also after World War II. Cheka’s approach towards its operation slightly changed after Stalin’s death. Physical torture was replaced by psychological terror. The majority of Cheka agents were Latvians (52%). Russians were the second largest group – 23.7%. 60.3% of the agents were not members of the Communist Party. 26.9% of the agents had higher education. The system was designed in a way to involve local people and thus have greater control over the society. Staff documents and service records are located in Russia. And these materials have not been made available to Latvian authorities and researchers.
Victims of Communist Terror Memorial in Torņakalns
The memorial site is located in the Torņakalns railway station in Riga. It is dedicated to those deported in June 1941. Initially it was planned to create a memorial in Esplanāde park, but later it was decided to place it at the Torņakalns station. The memorial consists of five torn stone sculptures symbolising the ruined families and three generations of deportees. The sculptor of this memorial is Pauls Jaunzems and the architect is Juris Poga. It was unveiled on 14 June 2001 by the then President of Latvia, Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga. Next to the station there is a freight waggon and a commemorative stone dedicated to the deported Latvians. The commemorative stone with the inscription “1941” is a 1.2 m high crude boulder. The author of the memorial stand is the sculptor Ojārs Feldbergs.
Alūksne Garrison Cemetery
Located on the shores of Lake Alūksne, on the Kapsēta peninsula, in the territory of the Great Cemetery.
They were started and maintained by the soldiers of the 7th Sigulda Infantry Regiment in the 1930s and consecrated on November 11, 1932. After the restoration of Latvia's independence, Uldis Veldre, the head of the department of the Alūksne Brothers' Cemetery Committee, took care of the maintenance of the Garrison Cemetery, the identification of the resting places associated with Alūksne and the installation of memorials in the Garrison Cemetery.
Military personnel of the Army of the Republic of Latvia were buried in the garrison cemetery, as well as soldiers and civilians killed in the fight against the Bolsheviks on July 4, 1941 in Alūksne near Jāņkalniņš and on July 7, 1941 in Ziemera parish.
Most of the buried have white wooden crosses with metal plaques, which indicate the name of the deceased, the rank or occupation, as well as the date of birth and death.
On December 19, 1990, a memorial to Vilius Spandeg, a knight of the Lāčplēsis Military Order, was unveiled in the Garrison Cemetery. Standard memorial plaques were also erected to the LKOK, who died or were killed in communist concentration camps and were not buried in Latvia. On November 11, 1990, a memorial was erected to Voldemārs Zaķis, who died in the communist concentration camp.
Karvas Brothers Cemetery
It is located on the side of Alūksne - Ape road near the Eel House, south of Karva, turning to Rezaka.
The monument was unveiled on September 12, 1937. The granite stencil was designed by Oem Dambekalns in Riga in Riga by the architect Vemera Vitand.
In the autumn of 1975, the local communists destroyed the monument. On March 30, 1989, the Alūksne District Council decided to restore the monument, and on April 30, 1989, a temporary wooden memorial in the form of a Latvian tombstone was erected by Jānis Jaunzems, a worker at the State Electrotechnical Factory (VEF). It read: "The monument to the Karvas Brethren will be restored here."
At that time, the adjacent Brothers' Cemetery was also improved.
In 1993, thanks to the initiative of Uldis Veldre, the head of the Alūksne Brothers' Cemetery Committee, the restoration of the memorial site resumed. The new monument was made by Cēsis stonemason brothers Aivars, Austris and Auseklis Kerliņi.
The monument was unveiled on June 11, 1994.
Four soldiers of the 5th Company of the Valmiera Infantry Regiment are buried in the Brothers' Cemetery - Jēkabs Sukse, Pēteris Leitlands, Ernests Puķītis and Gustavs Ozols, who died on April 2, 1919 in the battles at the Eel House. Roberts Grazer, a soldier of the Valmiera Regiment, was buried as the fifth soldier of the Valmiera Regiment in the mid-1930s, and disappeared on March 31, 1919 at the New Manor. Initially, he was buried as an unknown, but later the name was found and carved into the monument. Augusts Dzedons (Ziedons), the fifth soldier who died in the Battle of Eel, was buried in the Apekalns cemetery.
A memorial plaque has been erected at the foot of the monument to Jānis Goldem (1891–1952), a participant in the eel battle in LKOK, who died in the Communist concentration camp in Inta, Komi.
The second memorial plaque, unveiled on August 23, 1992, was erected at one of the wooden crosses and is dedicated to Corporal Peter Janson of the 7th Sigulda Infantry Regiment, who was assassinated by the oncoming communists on July 7, 1941.
Militārā mantojuma pieminekļi Dīvaliņa kapos Valmierā
Atrodas Valmieras Dīvala (Jāņa) kapos Valmierā.
Redzams 1937. gada 26. septembrī atklāts pēc tēlnieces Martas Langes meta Allažu šūnakmenī veidots piemineklis.
Pīlārveida pieminekli noslēdz slīps altāris, uz kura atrodas šūnakmenī veidots ozollapu vainags un bruņucepure.
Apbedīti aptuveni 80 Latvijas Neatkarības karā kritušie, kā arī no gūtajiem ievainojumiem un slimībām mirušie karavīri.
Turpat netālu atrodas viens no mazāk pazīstamiem Kārļa Zāles darbiem - piemineklis “Izirušās rozes”, kas saistīts ar Brāļu kapu ansambļa izveidi.
Līdzās atrodas arī piemiņas vieta komunistiskā terora upuriem - akmens ar uzrakstu: "1941.gada komunistu režīma noslepkavotajiem" un balti krusti.
Memoriāls II Pasaules karā kritušajiem karavīriem
Atrodas blakus Lucas kalnam. Viegli atrast, ja iet no Valmieras muzeja, Bruņinieku iela 3, uz Valterkalniņu, tad lejā pa trepēm un tur jau norāde uz memoriālu, pirms Rātes upītes tilta.
Memoriāls atklāts 1985.gadā.
Brāļu kapos tika pārapbedīti II pasaules karā Valmieras apkārtnē kritušie padomju karavīri un nacistu terora upuri.
Memoriālā ansambļa autori ir tēlnieki Zigrīda Rapa (tolaik Fērnava-Tiščenko), Juris Rapa (tolaik - Tiščenko), arhitekti Ēvalds Fogelis, Jānis Lejnieks, Jānis Rutkis, Andris Vītols un inženieris konstruktors Ivars Veldrums. Nozīmīga loma memoriāla tapšanā ir bijusi arī tā laika rajona vadībai un sabiedrībai. Pilsētas iedzīvotāju līdzdalība, memoriāla tapšanas gaitā, veicinājusi tā sabiedrisko nozīmi.
Memoriāla ansambļa apdarei, tāpat kā Rīgas Brāļu kapos, izmantots Allažu šūnakmens. Un tā galvenais tēls ir Valmieras pilsētas ģērboņa šķeltā liepa. Abās ansambļa pusēs ir pa divām skulptūrām. To forma simbolizē dzīvības un nāves ritmu. Uz Gaujas pusi pavērstās figūras veido pusloka telpu, iezīmējot robežu starp bijušo un esošo. Pilsētas pusē koptēls ievīts spraigā arkas formā. Pret skatītāju, kurš atnāk no pilsētas puses pa tiltu, kas ved pār dziļo gravu, vērsta dzīvā karavīra figūra, kuras rokas izzīmētā diagonāle veido atbalstu augšējā, mirušā biedra stāvam. Apbedījumu terasē karavīri guldīti rindās, lai tie, kas kaujās cīnījušies plecu pie pleca, gulētu zem vienas velēnas.
Memoriāla apakšējā terasē atsevišķi novietota dekoratīvi dendroloģiskā kompozīcija "Zelta Ābele", iezīmējot vietu ar granīta plāksni, te pārapbedīti ebreji. Līdzās cilvēkiem, kas nepārnāca no kara, bronzas āboli guļ nesalasīti. "Ābele" ietilpst kopējā Brāļu kapu memoriāla ansamblī. Daļa elementu, arī bronzas āboli, kas bija novietoti zem augošas ābeles un kur autori bija iešifrējuši par ansambļa konkrēto veltījumu vispārīgākas idejas, zuduši 90.gados. Neskatoties uz nedaudz simboliskā mākslinieciskā tēla traģiskumu, kompozīcija pauž ticību tautas nemirstībai, ticību, ka no drupām pacelsies jaunas pilsētas. Mūžīgās uguns ierāmējumā izmantotā Valmieras heraldika un atgādinājums par karā nopostītās pilsētas ģērboņa - liepu - koku, kas tagad aug pie kritušo karavīru kājām, koku, kuram karā cirstas saknes. Tā gadskārtu gredzenu apļos ierakstīta pilsētas vēsture, kurā kari mijušies ar jauncelsmi.
Audiogida pavadībā iespējams doties ekskursijā un bez maksas noklausīties stāstus par vairāk nekā 40 Valmieras objektiem, tai skaitā, arī memoriālo ansambli.
Audiogids pieejams latviešu, krievu, angļu, igauņu un vācu valodā.
Vaidavas pagasta novadpētniecības pastāvīgā ekspozīcija
Atrodas Vaidavas kultūras un amatniecības centrā.
Redzama ekspozīcija, kas veltīta 1949. gada deportāciju atcerei, kā arī vaidaviešu dalībai 1991.gada janvāra barikādēs Rīgā. Ekspozīcijā apskatāmas arī pasaules karu liecības (galvenokārt drukātie materiāli).
Dabas un vēstures objekti, muižas, izglītības vēsture, kultūra, ievērojami cilvēki, kolhoza laika materiāli, sadzīves saimniecības piederumi, naudas zīmes, avīzes, žurnāli par Vaidavas pagastu.
Komunistiskā terora upuru piemiņas vieta Jaunraunas pagasta represētajiem
Atrodas "Baižēni", Priekuļu pagastā
Piemiņas vieta represētajiem izveidota “Baižēnu” māju šķūņa drupu vietā, kurā 1949.gadā naktī uz 25.martu tika turēti 40 Jaunraunas pagasta iedzīvotāji, lai no rīta to ceļš vestu tālāk uz Lodes dzelzceļa staciju un Sibīriju.
Represēto vidū bija bērni līdz 1 gada vecumam un 87 gadus veci sirmgalvji.
Uz piemiņas plāksnes rakstīti arī to vārdi, kuri nošauti vai miruši izsūtījumā. Līdzās atrodas piemiņas akmeņi Lāčplēša kara ordeņa kavalieriem.
Ekspozīcija "Abrenes istabas"
Ēkā izvietota Dzintara Dvinska privātkolekcija ar mazliet mānīgo nosaukumu “Abrenes istaba”. patiesībā privātkolekcija vairāk stāsta par pašas Viļakas raibo 20. gadsimta vēsturi.
Arī pašas ēkas vēsture ir visai raiba. Sākotnēji tā piederējusi vietējam ebreju uzņēmējam un atradās senā Marienhauzenas tirgus laukuma malā. Ēkā ir bijuši izvietoti, gan veikaliņi, gan iestādes un dzīvokļi. 1941. gada jūlijā pēc vācu okupācijas tur atradies latviešu pašaizsardzības štābs, vēlāk Gestapo. Pēc padomju okupācijas atgriešanās ēkā atradās NKVD Viļakas apriņķa nodaļa. Savukārt ēkas aizmugurē esošās saimniecības ēkas tika izmantotas kā cietums. Vēlāk ēkā atkal iekārtoti dzīvokļi.
Savukārt pati privātkolekcija izvietota pa tematiskajām istabām. Viena veltīta Viļakas ikdienas dzīvei Latvijas brīvvalsts laikā. Citā izvietotas ar Neatkarības, karu, Otro pasaules karu saistītās lietas un fotogrāfijas. Atsevišķa istaba iekārtota kā NKVD vietējas nodaļas priekšnieka kabinets. Vēl cita iekārtota kā tipiska brīvvalsts laika ebreju bodīte. Kopumā privātkolekcijas priekšmetu stāsts aptver laiku no 1920. līdz 1960. gadam.
Deportāciju piemiņas vagons - muzejs pie Skrundas stacijas
Deportāciju vagons atrodas Skrundas stacijā pie pasažieru perona.
Vagons un pie tā esošais piemineklis veltīts 1941. un 1949. gada deportācijās cietušajiem Skrundas un tuvāko pagastu iedzīvotājiem. Piemiņas vieta iekārtota un atklāta 1998. gada 25. martā, bet vagons un ekspozīcija atjaunoti 2020. gadā. Ekspozīcijā redzami no tuvākās apkārtnes izsūtīto iedzīvotāju saraksti, aplūkojamas fotogrāfijas un lasāmi stāsti par izsūtījumā pieredzēto.
Skrundas stacija bija izvešanai nolemto cilvēku savākšanas punkts, viena no trim apriņķa stacijām, uz kuru tika atvesti cilvēki gan no Skrundas, gan Kuldīgas apkārtnes. 1941. gadā no šejienes uz Sibīriju, Krasnojarskas novadu izveda arī atjaunotās Latvijas Republikas pirmā prezidenta Gunta Ulmaņa ģimeni.
Šādos un līdzīgos preču vagonos padomju okupācijas vara 1949. gadā deportēja Latvijas iedzīvotājus, kurus atzina par potenciāli bīstamiem padomju varai, balstoties uz viņu piederību nosacīti turīgākajam zemnieku slānim. Ar deportāciju palīdzību padomju vara izrēķinājās ar Nacionālo partizānu atbalstītājiem un vienlaikus iebiedēja palikušos lauku iedzīvotājus, piespiežot tos iestāties kolhozos.
Vagons ikdienā ir aizslēgts - vagona atslēga pieejama Skrundas stacijā pie dežuranta.
Komunistiskā terora upuriem veltītas piemiņas vietas izveides ideja pieder skrundeniekam Ivaram Eņģelim. Vagonu muzejam piešķīra VAS ”Latvijas dzelzceļš”. Skrundenieki Jelgavas pusē atrada šo vagonu, paši saviem spēkiem to uzstādīja Skrundā un izremontēja. Vagonam, kā uzskata paši dzelzceļnieki, ir liela vēsturiska vērtība. Tas būvēts piecdesmitajos gados, un tieši šādos lopu vagonos tika izvesti Latvijas iedzīvotāji.
1941. gada 14. jūnijā un 1949. gada 25. martā padomju okupācijas režīms realizēja Latvijas iedzīvotāju masveida deportācijas, no Latvijas izsūtot desmitiem tūkstošu cilvēku, tai skaitā bērnus, sirmgalvjus un sievietes mātes cerībās. Tikai retajam izdevās paņemt līdzi siltas drēbes un pārtiku. Daudzi mira pa ceļam uz Sibīriju, daudziem nācās sākt jaunu, grūtu dzīvi tālā, svešā zemē…
Karosta (Maršruts)
Karosta ir lielākā vēsturiskā militārā teritorija Baltijā un aizņem gandrīz vienu trešdaļu no visas Liepājas teritorijas. Karosta ir unikāls militāro un fortifikācijas būvju komplekss Baltijas jūras krastā, kas ir īpašs Latvijas un pasaules vēsturē un arhitektūrā.
Mūsdienu Karostā savdabīgi savijas grezna 19. gs. beigu arhitektūra un militārais skarbums. Ēkās saskatāms Krievijas impērijas un PSRS militāro objektu būvniecības stilu kontrasts. Karosta mūsdienās ir īpaši iecienīts tūrisma objekts.
Uzbūvēta pirms 1.Pasaules kara Krievijas armijas vajadzībām. 1890. gadā pēc Krievijas cara Aleksandra III pavēles uz ziemeļiem no Liepājas sākās apjomīga cietokšņa un kara pilsētas celtniecība. Sākotnēji tā tika dēvēta par Imperatora Aleksandra III ostu. Projektēta kā pilnīgi autonoma apdzīvota vieta ar savu infrastruktūru, elektrisko spēkstaciju un ūdensapgādi, baznīcu un skolām.
Jaunās ostas būvniecību oficiāli atklāja Krievijas imperators Aleksandrs III 1893. gada 12. augustā. Lai gan Aleksandra III nāve 1894. gadā mainīja Krievijas ārpolitiku, jaunās ostas pamatbūvniecību noslēdza 1906. gadā. Cietoksnis sastāvēja no četrām krasta aizsardzības baterijām – Nr. 1, Nr. 2, Nr. 3 un Nr. 6, kā arī vairākām fortifikācijas būvēm sauszemes pusē – Ziemeļu forts, Redāns, Vidus forts, Dienvidu forts un liela skaita munīcijas noliktavām. Pirmie karakuģi jaunajā ostā sāka bāzēties 1898. gadā.
Ostas un cietokšņa daļēju iznīcināšanu veica sākoties Pirmajam pasaules karam, pēc Vācijas Kara flotes apšaudes 1914. gada 2. augustā. Imperatora Aleksandra III ostas vēsture, kas sastāvēja tikai no būvēšanas un likvidācijas, noslēdzās 1915. gada maijā, kad Vācijas karaspēka ieņēma Liepāju.
Padomju laikā Karosta bija slēgta teritorija, kas nebija pieejama pat Liepājas civiliedzīvotājiem. Pēdējie padomju armijas karavīri Liepāju atstāja tikai 1994. gadā.
Karostā ir apskatāmi tādi militārā mantojuma objekti kā Ziemeļu mols un forti, Redans, Karostas cietums, Karostas ūdenstornis, Sv.Nikolaja pareizticīgo Jūras katedrāle, O.Kalpaka tilts uc.
Denkmal für die Opfer des Ersten Weltkriegs und des Unabhängigkeitskrieges in der Lutherischen Kirche von Cesvaine
Das Hotel liegt in der lutherischen Kirche von Cesvaine und auf dem Kirchengelände.
In der Kirche ist eine Gedenkstätte für die im Ersten Weltkrieg und im Unabhängigkeitskrieg gefallenen Kirchenmitglieder zu sehen.
In Erinnerung an die im Unabhängigkeitskrieg gefallenen Einwohner von Cesvaine und Umgebung wurde 2004 in der Kirche eine Gedenkstätte restauriert und eingeweiht, die dem Dichter Augustus Saulietis gewidmet ist.
Alle 34 auf der alten Platte eingravierten Familiennamen sind auch auf der Platte eingraviert. Der Holzaltar wurde von einem lokalen Meister Juris Neimanis hergestellt.
Im Kirchengarten ist ein Denkmal für die Opfer des kommunistischen Völkermords zu sehen, das am 25. März 2003 eröffnet und eingeweiht wurde.
Das Dach und die Fundamente des Turms wurden im Zweiten Weltkrieg für die evangelisch-lutherische Kirche von Cesvaine beschädigt. In den Nachkriegsjahren wurden die Orgel, der Altar, die Kanzel und die Bleirahmen der Fenstergläser zerstört. Am 29. März 1964 fand der letzte Gottesdienst in der Kirche statt, doch 1978 entwickelte die Architektin Maija Elizabete Mengele ein Umbauprojekt für die Kirche als Traditionshaus. 1985 wurde eine Handwerkergruppe gegründet, die den Innenausbau durchführte. Am 25. August 1990 fand der erste Gottesdienst in der teilweise restaurierten Kirche statt, die von Erzbischof Kārlis Gailītis (1936 - 1992) geleitet wurde. 1994 wurde der Bau des Altars und der Kanzel abgeschlossen. Am 17. August 2002 weihte Erzbischof Jānis Vanags die teilweise restaurierte Orgel.
Quelle: http://www.cesvaine.lv/turisms/apskates-objekti-cesvaines-novada/cesvaines-luteranu-baznica.html
Gedenkstein am Bahnhof Stende
Die Eisenbahnlinie Ventspils - Mazirbe sowie die Verlängerung Stende - Dundaga nach Mazirbe mit einer Abzweigung nach Pitrags waren ausschließlich für strategische militärische Zwecke bestimmt. Während des Baus dieser Strecken und auch danach wurde die gesamte Zivilbevölkerung aus der Region evakuiert. Die Hauptaufgabe der Militärbahnen im Gebiet der Irbe-Straße bestand darin, die Küstenverteidigungsstellungen des deutschen Heeres mit Geschützen und Munition zu versorgen.
Diese reinen Militärbahnen verbanden auch die drei wichtigsten Leuchttürme in Oviši, Mikeltornis und Šlītere.
Dennoch wurde bereits in den Jahren des Ersten Weltkriegs auch Personenverkehr betrieben.
Am Bahnhof von Stende befindet sich ein Gedenkstein (1989) für die deportierten Letten der Jahre 1941 und 1949.
Am 30. Oktober 1919 wurde der Bahnhof Stende von bermontischen Truppen besetzt. Am 17. November griffen Soldaten der lettischen Armee unter Führung von K. Šnēbergs den Bahnhof an und vertrieben einen Waggon mit Waffen, Kriegsmaterial und Getreide. Für diese Kämpfe wurden 6 Soldaten mit dem Orden ausgezeichnet: K. Bumovskis (1891-1976), P. Strautiņš (1883-1969), R. Plotnieks (1891-1965), E. Jansons (1894-1977).
SS-Truppenübungsplatz "Seelager" und Gedenkstätte des Konzentrationslagers
Am Ende 1943 begannen die nationalsozialistischen deutschen Besatzungsbehörden mit dem Bau eines Truppenübungsplatzes mit der Bezeichnung "Seelager" in der Nähe von Dundaga, um die motorisierten Waffeneinheiten der SS zu vergrößern. Die Einwohner der Gemeinden Dundaga und Arlava wurden evakuiert, um den Übungsplatz einzurichten.
Um die Infrastruktur für das Lager aufzubauen, wurden in der Nähe von Dundaga mehrere Außenstellen des Konzentrationslagers "Kaiserwalde" eingerichtet, in denen etwa 6000 Juden aus verschiedenen europäischen Ländern (darunter auch Lettland) sowie etwa 1000 Kriegsgefangene und Partisanen inhaftiert waren. Viele Gefangene starben an den Folgen von Hinrichtungen und schlechten Lebensbedingungen. Einige der Toten wurden im Lager "Čiekuri" begraben, das einigen Berichten zufolge auch der Ort war, an dem eine Gruppe von Juden ermordet wurde, die eine Schmalspurbahn nach Mazirbe bauten.
Anfang August 1944, nach dem sowjetischen Einmarsch in Zemgale, wurde der Truppenübungsplatz aufgelöst, mehrere tausend ungeschulte SS-Rekruten wurden nach Deutschland zurückgeschickt, und aus dem Kommando, den Ausbildern und den ausgebildeten Soldaten wurde die SS-Motorisierte Brigade "Gross" gebildet, die nach dem Kommandanten des Truppenübungsplatzes, SS-Standartenführer Martin Gross, benannt wurde. Die Brigade nahm an der Schlacht von Tukums im August 1944 und an den Schlachten von Iecava und Baldone im September 1944 teil.
Nach dem Abzug der SS-Einheiten wurde die Infrastruktur des Truppenübungsplatzes zur Unterbringung von Juden genutzt, die aus Riga und anderen Regionen Lettlands evakuiert worden waren und weiterhin als Sklavenarbeiter eingesetzt wurden.
Holocaust-Umgrabungsstätte
Nazi-Truppen marschierten 1941 in Aizpute ein. am 28. Juni. Bereits Anfang Juli wurden einige Juden im Dzirkali-Wald und im Stadtpark erschossen, während die anderen Juden der Stadt und der unmittelbaren Umgebung festgenommen und in zwei städtischen Synagogen untergebracht wurden.
Danach kam es in zwei Aktionen zur Massentötung von Juden.
Heute ist an der Umgrabungsstätte ein Denkmal mit einer hebräischen und lettischen Inschrift aufgestellt: „Hier liegen die Juden von Aizpute und andere unschuldige Opfer der deutschen Nazis, die 1941 brutal ermordet wurden. Wir werden uns für immer erinnern."
Die Grabstätte von Tscheka-Opfern am Lake Chumalu
Die Grabstätte der Tscheka-Opfer befindet sich in der Nähe des Chumalu-Sees in der Gemeinde Lībagu, in der Nähe der Straße Talsu - Laucienes. 1946-1947 wurden hier 14 Menschen erschossen. Es gibt eine Version, dass unter den Erschossenen Anhänger der Forest Brothers sind.
Der Staatsanwaltschaft von Talsi liegen Informationen zu diesem Fall vor. Weitere Forschung ist erforderlich.
Liepāja-Milizgebäude oder "Blaues Wunder"
In Liepāja befand sich die Miliz, die Institution des kommunistischen Besatzungsregimes, in der Republikas-Straße 19, einem Gebäude, das seit seiner Errichtung im 20. Jahrhundert genutzt wurde. Am Anfang nannten es die Leute aus Liepāja das "Blaue Wunder". Andererseits befand sich der Hauptsitz der Kontrolle in der Toma Street 19. Kurz nach der Besetzung erhielt sie in der Gesellschaft den Namen "Rotes Wunder".
Im Zuge der bisherigen Ermittlungen zu den Verbrechen des kommunistischen Regimes wurde festgestellt, dass weder direkt im Gebäude der Liepaja Tscheka, also im „Roten Wunder“, noch im Gefängnis Hinrichtungen oder außergerichtliche Erschießungen stattgefunden haben. Aufgrund des Beginns des Krieges auf dem Territorium Lettlands wurden alle Häftlinge, die sich an diesen Orten befanden, ab dem 23. Juni 1941 in russische Gefängnisse verlegt. Dies betraf sowohl Inhaftierte, die wegen sogenannter „politischer“ Straftaten festgenommen wurden, als auch kriminelle Kriminelle, unabhängig davon, ob gegen die Person ermittelt wurde oder bereits eine Strafe verhängt worden war.
Die Überstellung der Gefangenen wurde durch den Befehl Nr. 2455/M des Volkskommissars für Staatssicherheit der UdSSR Vsevolod Merkulov vom 23. Juni 1941 bestimmt, der an die Chefs des NKGB der Lettischen SSR, der Estnischen SSR, gerichtet war und mehrere Regionen der Ukrainischen SSR. Der Grund für die Schießerei war schrecklich und tragisch – es war nicht mehr möglich, die Inhaftierten nach Russland zu überstellen, aber sie konnten nicht am Leben gelassen werden. Infolgedessen kam es in Liepāja während des Krieges zu außergerichtlichen Erschießungen von Bewohnern, ähnlich wie in den Fällen im Rigaer Zentralgefängnis, im Valmiera-Gefängnis, bei den Milizen Valka und Rēzekne sowie auf dem Croix-Hügel bei Ludza. Das erwähnte Verbrechen ereignete sich im „Blauen Wunder“ – Milizgebäude Liepāja, Republikas-Straße 19.
Zugehörige Geschichten
Erinnerungen an Jean Lipki
Auf die sowjetische Besatzung folgte die deutsche Besatzung. Die Nazis haben Verbrechen gegen das lettische Volk begangen. Eine dieser ethnischen Gruppen waren die Juden. Zunächst wurden Ghettos errichtet, dann folgte die Vernichtung der Juden. Viele Letten retteten Juden vor der Vernichtung. Einer von ihnen ist Jean Lipke.
Deportationsstaffel 1949 heimlich am Bahnhof Skrunda fotografiert
Am 25. März 1949 wurde Elmārs Heniņš, ein Schüler in Skrunda, Zeuge der Verschleppung seiner Klassenkameraden. Er nahm seinen Fotoapparat und kletterte auf eine Kiefer auf einem nahe gelegenen Hügel, um das Geschehen zu dokumentieren, wobei er die Bilder später versteckte.
Davidstern an der Gedenkstätte des Konzentrationslagers Dundagh
Nach der Wiedererlangung der Unabhängigkeit installierten die Bewohner von Dundaga einen großen hölzernen Davidstern an der Stelle der Ermordung und Umbettung der Juden in der Nähe der Autobahn Mazirbe - Dundaga, und später eröffnete der Rat der jüdischen Gemeinden und Gemeinden Lettlands daneben einen Gedenkstein es.
Die kommandierenden Fähigkeiten von Major Jānis Ozol während der 3. Schlacht von Kurzeme
Ein Gedenkschild für die Teilung von Major Jānis Ozolas wurde an der Seite der Autobahn Riga - Liepāja in der Gemeinde Džukste, etwa einen Kilometer von den kurländischen Nebenflüssen der Gedenkstätte entfernt, aufgestellt.
Major Jānis Ozols war ein lettischer Offizier, Teilnehmer am 2. Weltkrieg, Ritter des Drei-Sterne-Ordens, dessen Artilleriedivision er befehligte, um einen Frontdurchbruch in der 3. Schlacht von Kurland zu verhindern.
Die Schlacht vom 23. Februar 1946 in der Nähe von Zūru meža Dzelzkalni
1945/46. Misiņas Gruppe verbrachte den Winter 2011 im Dzelzkalni-Gebiet des Zūru-Waldes, wo mehrere Bunker gebaut worden waren. Etwa 40 Partisanen blieben hier. Am 23. Februar 1946 wurde das Lager von den Truppen für innere Angelegenheiten der UdSSR umzingelt und es kam zu einem erbitterten Kampf
Außergerichtliche Erschießung von Zivilisten im "Blauen Wunder" von Liepāja
Außergerichtliche Tötungen auf lettischem Gebiet während des Krieges, Ende Juni und Anfang Juli 1941, waren die letzte Manifestation von Unterdrückung und Gewalt in der ersten Phase der kommunistischen Besatzung, die mit dem Einmarsch nationalsozialistischer deutscher Truppen in das gesamte Gebiet endete von Lettland.
Der Grund für die Schießerei war schrecklich und tragisch – es war nicht mehr möglich, die Inhaftierten nach Russland zu überstellen, aber sie konnten nicht am Leben gelassen werden. Infolgedessen kam es in Liepāja während des Krieges zu außergerichtlichen Erschießungen von Bewohnern, ähnlich wie in den Fällen im Rigaer Zentralgefängnis, im Valmiera-Gefängnis, bei den Milizen Valka und Rēzekne sowie auf dem Croix-Hügel bei Ludza. In Liepāja wurde dieses Verbrechen der sowjetischen Besatzungsmacht im „Blauen Wunder“ – Liepāja-Milizgebäude, Republikas-Straße 19, verwirklicht.