German Army Cemetery in Tukums Memorialinis vieta
It is located in Tukuma, Kapu hill.
The cemetery was established during the 1st World War. Most likely, soldiers who died in the Tukuma hospital while being treated for injuries or illnesses received in battle are buried there. During the Soviet occupation, the memorial was destroyed, and therefore research and obtaining information about the soldiers is difficult. Judging by old photographs and indications, the cemetery was about 750 m2 large and about 100 soldiers were buried in it. It is known that there are 2 Finnish Jaegers among them. This allows us to conclude that some of them were participants in the battles of Smarde.
In 1915, the German army completely occupied Kurzemi. Various army units and front-line facilities were located in the cities, where soldiers prepared for war, received treatment and recuperated. Most often, cemeteries were established near the fiercest battles or hospitals. After World War 1, they were renovated with the funding of the German government. During the Soviet occupation, most of the cemeteries of the German army in Latvia were damaged or even destroyed.
The German Army Cemetery is one of the witnesses of history. Nowadays, you can see the mountain, which is part of the complex of ancient sites in Tukum. Most likely, the mountain is an ancient pre-Christian place of worship, which later became a place of punishment (also called Gallows Hill).
Panaudoti šaltiniai ir literatūra:
Wreaths at the heroes' resting places. Tukuma Zinas. No. 22, 1942
How Mazięcis fought with grave crosses, or "Bolshevized Don Quixote". Tukuma News. No. 111., 1941
Home page of the authorized organization of the Federal Republic of Germany – People's Association for the Care of the Graves of Germans Fallen in War. Available: https://www.volksbund.de/erinnern-gedenken/graebersuche-online [Accessed: 28.03.2021].