Military Heritage in Vidzeme: Freedom Struggles, Legionnaires, Forest Brothers and Deportations
This route, located in Vidzeme, connects the testimonies of the Latvian War of Independence, World War II, the Cold War and Soviet repressions, starting in Cēsis - at the exhibition "The Fire of Conscience" and ending at the Melanija Vanaga Museum on the Amata side. Along the way, students will be able to experience both the historical significance of the Cēsis battles at Ieriķi station, and the stories of the national partisan movement in the forest brothers' bunker, as well as learn about the experience of Soviet deportations through museum exhibitions and virtual installations. The route provides an emotionally multi-layered insight into Latvia's 20th century history, combining battle sites, memorials and personal stories of survival into a single experience.
What the tour includes
The route includes places related to the Latvian War of Independence, the Second World War, the Cold War, and the deportations of Latvian residents during the Soviet occupation. In Cēsis, a short tour will introduce you to places significant for Latvia's freedom at various stages of history - from the War of Independence to the Soviet occupation and the restoration of independence, while the exhibition "The Hearth of Conscience" introduces you to the repressions of the Soviet regime in Cēsis region, also showing a real prison. A memorial site with virtual reality binoculars "The Battle of Cēsis" is located near Ieriķi Station - the place where the Battle of Cēsis began on June 5, 1919. This battle became a decisive turning point in the course of the Latvian War of Independence, in which the combined forces of Latvians and Estonians defeated parts of the Baltic Landeswehr and the German Iron Division. Here, students can watch a five-minute video "The Battle of the Bridge over the Amata". In the Mežabrāļu bunker, located near the Amata bridge, you will be able to learn about the life of national partisans and the fight against the Soviet occupation. Here you will be able to listen to stories and memories. The Melanija Vanaga Museum in Amata parish tells about Soviet repressions and the deportation of Latvians to Siberia during the Soviet occupation through the stories of the experiences of deported children. There is a dugout in which the deported Latvians lived in Siberia. In the virtual exhibition “ESI PATS!” you will hear the stories of five children who were deported together with their families by the Soviet authorities.