Latvians in the Russian Imperial Army

Located in the center of Riga, on Latvian Riflemen Square near the Latvian Occupation Museum.

The monument to the Latvian Riflemen was unveiled in 1971 in Latvian Riflemen Square next to the former Latvian Red Riflemen Museum (now the Museum of Occupation). During the Soviet era, the topic was viewed through the narrow ideological prism of the communist regime. The place served to represent Riga and create an idealized story, reinforcing the myth of Latvians as fighters for Soviet power.

Light infantry units in the Russian army were called riflemen. During World War I, Latvian rifle formations were created to fight against the German army in the homeland. They were motivated, dangerous and disciplined combat units. The high level of education and knowledge of the German language were useful for reconnaissance and conducting surprise attacks. With the collapse of the Russian Empire and the complete occupation of Latvian territory by Germany, a very large number of Latvian residents ended up in Russia, where they continued to face Bolshevik agitation. Initially, support for Lenin's ideas and participation in the Russian Civil War grew. Later, disillusionment followed, and most Latvian soldiers turned away from leftist ideas and returned to Latvia. Most of the soldiers who remained in Russia were killed during the "Stalin purges" (1936-1938). Latvian riflemen made great contributions to the creation of the Latvian state and its army.

Today, you can visit the monument and the adjacent Occupation Museum.

In Plakanciems, the Latvian riflemen won their first victory in the historic night battle of October 29, 1915 – just a week after the 1st Daugavgrīva Latvian Riflemen Battalion had left Riga and started operating at the front. With the successful Battle of Plakanciems, the heroic path of our riflemen began. The night attack on the Misa River also had an invaluable moral significance – no one doubted the fighting abilities of the Latvian riflemen, they quickly became popular and many Latvians from Russian regiments joined our national units.

The memorial stone was created by the Ķekava municipality by the Ķekava municipality stone processing and restoration company "Akm Stone Processing Center" - stone craftsmen Guntis Pandars and Pēteris Zvaunis.
The success in the Battle of Plakanciems was ensured by careful continuous reconnaissance lasting four days, a surprise attack plan drawn up by the commander of the 1st Company, Fridrihs Briezis, and the heroism of our soldiers.
The situation on the front was very tense at that time, as German soldiers slowly continued to approach Riga in several places. Near Plakanciems, they had recently crossed the Misa River and begun to establish a bridgehead position, deploying the 2nd Battalion of the German 376th Infantry Regiment and 4 machine guns.
The Latvian riflemen's attack was based on surprise, quick action and coordination of various actions. Each rifleman of the 1st company was given four hand grenades, 60 soldiers put on white cloaks, because a thin snow had just fallen. When the attackers crept close enough to the German positions, at 22:00 the signal was given and the attack began. Both of our machine guns fired at both flanks of the enemy so that the Germans could not attract reserves. Throwing hand grenades, the Latvian riflemen quickly stormed the German trenches, Russian artillerymen fired at the bridges of the Misa River and the enemy's main defense line. The enemy soldiers were confused - suffering heavy losses, they retreated across the river and left the bridgehead in the hands of the attackers. One of our companies had defeated an enemy unit four times larger!
The Latvian riflemen lost six fallen soldiers – Juris Butenieks, Frici Ērmanis, Rūdolfs Hofmanis, Kristaps Krūmiņš, Jānis Nauris and Kirijans Šnurovas. They were all buried in the Riga Brothers' Cemetery. Of the eight wounded, two later died – Jāzeps Brūveris (buried in the Pleskodāle Cemetery) and Jānis Skuja (buried in the Riga Brothers' Cemetery). German losses – 31 soldiers killed, 34 taken prisoner and 45 wounded. The attackers took a machine gun and 35 rifles as trophies.

Located in the Valmiera City (Center) Cemetery, Lillijas Street 7.

A granite obelisk can be seen, the details of which were forged by sculptor Wilhelm Trey.
The monument was unveiled on June 22, 1923. About 150 soldiers are buried in the fraternal cemetery.

Several fighters of the First World War and the War of Independence are buried in the city cemetery, including the first casualty of the Cēsis Regiment's School Company, LKOK Edgars Krieviņš.

Currently, the section of the fraternal cemetery contains 14 groups of graves of various lengths, on which 139 white wooden crosses have been installed, but the plaques with the names of the fallen, which used to be on the crosses, are no longer there. One black granite cross has survived.

During the communist occupation, intensive civilian burials were carried out in the section of the fraternal cemetery. After the restoration of independence in 1994, the burial layout in the fraternal cemetery was changed, and the grave groups are now arranged crosswise, with only one retaining its former orientation.