World War II and its Aftermath – Soviet Occupation in Southern Latvia and Latgale

The Karosta is the largest historical military territory in the Baltics and occupies almost one third of the entire territory of Liepāja. The Karosta is a unique compound of military and fortification buildings on the shores of the Baltic Sea with a special meaning in the history and architecture of Latvia and the world. The Karosta features such military heritage sites as the North Pier and forts, the Redan, Karosta Prison, Karosta Water Tower, St. Nicholas Orthodox Maritime Cathedral, Oskars Kalpaks Bridge and others.

To commemorate the deportations of June 1941 and March 1949, a memorial stone and a four-axle wagon, which also serves as the museum dedicated to deportations, was erected at the Skrunda railway station. This is the first wagon-type museum in Latvia that holds a permanent exhibit of photos, letters, memoirs, documents and various items made by the people deported from the Skrunda station. Skrunda station was a location where deportees were gathered, and one of the three stations in the region to which people from the Skrunda and the Kuldīga area were brought. In 1941, the family of the first President of the restored Republic of Latvia, Guntis Ulmanis, was deported from here to Krasnoyarsk Krai in Siberia.

With the help of deportations, the Soviets dealt with supporters of the national partizans’ and at the same time intimidated the remaining rural population, forcing them to join the collective farms.

The Saldus German Soldiers' Cemetery is located on the Saldus–Ezeres highway. The cemetery, which covers an area of 8 hectares, contains the remains of around 25,000 German soldiers, as well as some Latvian legionnaires. Reburials have been taking place since 1997.

From May 1 to October 1, an exhibition about the battles of Courland can be viewed in the memorial room. During this period, the memorial room is open on weekdays from 9:00 to 17:00, and on Saturdays and Sundays a guide is also working in the cemetery. Registers of soldiers buried in the Saldus German soldiers' cemetery and soldiers who fell throughout Latvia are also available.