Military Heritage Touring routes

The tour features sites associated with the events of the end of World War II, from October 1944 to May 1945 when the German army retreated from Rīga to Kurzeme, where 6 major battles took place in different parts of the Kurzeme front. Because of the brutal battles, this period of the war is known as the Courland Cauldron, Curland Pocket or Kurzeme Fortress. The Red Army was unable to conquer Kurzeme until the capitulation of the German army.

The tour features military heritage sites near the capital Tallinn and museums that introduce the history of wars at different times and the period of Soviet occupation across Estonia.

The tour introduces the military heritage of Latvia and Estonia, which dates back more than 100 years from World War I to the present day. The focus is on the emergence of both countries at the end of World War I, explaining how they protected their existence in the Wars of Independence, how both countries were destroyed during World War II, why national partisans resisted Soviet occupation more than ten years after the war and how independence was restored after decades of occupation.

Saaremaa and Hiiumaa are the two largest islands in Estonia and form the Estonian border in the west of the country. Efforts to construct and improve the coast protection infrastructure on the islands have been ongoing at all times. Battles between different troops took place during both World War I and World War II. National partisans remained active on the island of Hiiumaa even after the war.

The tour features military heritage sites and formerly closed areas as visitors make their way through the Lahemaa National Park, the city of Rakvere in the northern part of the country and Narva, a Russian border city in the east.

The tour explores the presence of the Soviet army and the KGB* during the 50 years of Soviet occupation in Latvia and Estonia. Army bases, secret military facilities and military airfields were constructed and operated during this time, and closed military territories were established. The loyalty of the country’s population to the Soviet regime was tested by the KGB, and those who resisted were morally and physically destroyed.

Maršrutā iepazīsiet liecības par pretošanās kustību padomju un vācu okupācijas režīmam, autentiski rekonstruētiem nacionālo partizānu bunkuriem un apmeklēsiet labiekārtotas apmetnes, kauju un piemiņas vietas, iepazīsiet kureliešu atmiņu stāstus audiogidā, vietējās vēstures zinātāju stāstus un iespēju nakšņot rubeniešu bunkurā.

Latvijas Centrālās padomes Ventspils sakaru grupas darbības un piemiņas vietas, kas veltītas slepenajām bēgļu laivu akcijām no Kurzemes piekrastes uz Gotlandi Zviedrijā.

Maršrutā iepazīsiet liecības par bruņotās pretošanās kustību padomju okupācijas režīmam Sēlijā, nacionālo partizānu bunkuru vietas un apmeklēsiet kauju un piemiņas vietas, iepazīsiet partizānu un viņu atbalstītāju atmiņu stāstus.

The tour explores the events of the Battles of Cēsis in 1919 when the armed forces of the Latvian Provisional Government, together with the Estonian army, defeated units of the German Landeswehr and the Iron Division. In Estonian war history, these battles are known as the Landeswehr War. The Battles of Cēsis are among the key events in the Latvian War of Independence and in protecting the independence of the newly established Latvian state proclaimed on 18 November 1918.

The counties of Pärnu and Lääne are located on the west coast of Estonia. Osmussaar is a 4.8km2 Estonian island situated in the mouth of the Gulf of Finland, which was used as a border outpost. A Soviet army unit was stationed on the island after World War II, and the island became a closed military zone. 

The tour features sites related to the Christmas Battles: the attack of Latvian Riflemen on German army units in 1916 in especially harsh winter conditions. Christmas Battles are considered to be the most well-known and dramatic event in the history of Latvia in World War I. 

During the Soviet occupation period in World War II and immediately after the war, many in Latvia and Estonia could not accept life under the occupation regime and wanted to restore the independence of their countries. They went into the woods, lived in dugouts that they built themselves and carried out attacks on Soviet repressive authorities. People hoped that Western nations would not tolerate the Soviet occupation and that Latvia and Estonia would soon be independent again. National partisans continued to fight battles until the end of the 1950s.

The Baltic coast served as the country’s western border during the Soviet period. The border between the USSR and the western countries was known as the Iron Curtain, as it functioned to isolate those living in the Soviet state from the rest of the world. Home to army bases, coast guard towers and batteries, most of the coastal area in both Latvia and Estonia was closed during the Soviet era. Local residents needed special permits for leaving and entering the area. Despite strict security measures, there were frequent attempts to cross the border and flee the USSR to the West.

The tour features sites related to the events of the Estonian War of Independence from Pärnu in western Estonia to the Latvian border town of Valga. The Estonian War of Independence was fought from 1918 to 1920.

Latgale ir Latvijas, Baltijas un Eiropas Savienības austrumu pierobeža. Jau vēsturiski Latgale ir atradusies dažādu vēsturisko notikumu un teritoriju krustcelēs. 20. gs. to nav saudzējuši abi pasaules kari, ne arī pēdējam karam sekojošais padomju okupācijas peridods. Veicot maršrutu, var iepazīt ļoti daudzveidīgu militārā mantojuma objektu klāstu, jo reģionā ir atrodas objekti no visiem 20.gs. militārās vēstures laika posmiem.

Maršruts izved cauri Latvijas dienviddaļai, tuvu Lietuvas robežai no galējiem rietumiem - Liepājas līdz dienvidaustrumiem - otrai Latvijas lielākai pilsētai - Daugavpilij. Maršruta tematika ir Pirmas pasaules karš un tam sekojošās Brīvības cīņas

Maršruts ved pa Latvijas dienviddaļu, tuvu Lietuvas robežai un tālāk pagriežas pa Eiropas savienības pierobežu - Latgali Balvu virzienā. Tas savieno divus tālākos punktus - Liepāju Latvijas dienvidrietumos ar Balviem valsts ziemeļaustrumos, iepazīstinot ar Otrā pasaules kara lieciniekiem gan Kurzemes katlā, gan Austrumlatvijā un karam sekojošo padomju okupāciju un tās sekām, kas atstājušas smagas pēdas 20. gs. cilvēku likteņos.

Baltijas valstis padomju un aukstā kara laikā bija galējā padomju savienības rietumu robeža. Aiz tās atradās padomijas propogandas sludinātie “pūstošie rietumi”. Lai padomju cilvēki neredzētu un nepiedzīvotu - kā dzīvo cilvēki rietumos no padomju impērijas, ļoti rūpīgi tika sargātas PSRS robežas. Tika aizliegta pat individuālā zveja Baltijas jūrā, baidoties, ka cilvēki ar laivām bēgs pāri Baltijas jūrai uz Zviedriju. Tas bija laiks, kad Baltijas valstis bija t.s. Dzelzs priekškara teritorija, ko šķērsot izdevās g.k. “izredzētajiem” un bieži vien režīmam pietuvinātām personām. Sabrūkot totalitāram padomju režīmam, sabruka arī Dzelzs priekškars. Kaut arī šī maršruta pamattēma ir Otrais pasaules karš un tā sekas - padomju okupācija, aukstais karš un Dzelzs priekškars, maršrutā ir iekļauti arī objekti no citiem 20.gs. militārajiem periodiem un arī no mūsdienām.

Maršruts savieno divas galvaspilsētas - Rīgu un Viļņu, kā arī divas lielākās valstu pilsētas aiz galvaspilsētām - Kauņu un Daugavpili, šķērsojot piecus etnogrāfiskos reģionus. Veicot maršrutu, var iepazīt nozīmīgākus militārus objektus, kas atspoguļo vēsturiskos notikumus pagājušā gadsimtā un šī gadsimta sākumā.