The life of General Jānis Balozis after returning from deportation
When the Russians tried to force a military base agreement from the Latvian government in 1940, which would make the Latvian army's resistance to the Red Army almost impossible, General J. Balodis tries to get some amendments to this agreement. But it fails. But the general's bad guys use this circumstance to later correct J. Balodi almost as a traitor. After a conflict with the Prime Minister of the State and Prime Minister K. Ulmanis, on April 5, 1940, the General was relieved of the post of Minister of War. Then J. Balodis decides to participate in the Saeima elections from the Democratic Bloc, but nothing comes out of it, because only one list may stand for election - the list of communist candidates. Latvia becomes the 14th Soviet republic.
Acting Prime Minister Vilis Lācis, who was appointed on July 31, 1940, wrote an order to expel the former Minister of War of Latvia, General J. Balozs, and her family from the Soviet Socialist Republic of Latvia. Already on the same day, the generals arrested Mrs. and take her to Sizran in Russia. Until 1952, both spouses were in various Russian prisons. It was not until 1952 that a "comedy" of a lawsuit took place, without the accused participating in it, in which both J. Balodis and his wife Elvīr Balode were sentenced to 25 years in prison for "treason". In 1954, after 13.5 years in prison, J. Balodi and E. Balodi were amnestied, but they had to stay in Vladimir. After that, both Elvira and Jānis appear in Latvia several times illegally, but they are re-arrested and sent back to Vladimir in stages. Only in the spring of 1960, after 11 submitted requests to the Soviet government in Moscow, both Balozis were allowed to return to Latvia legally. They manage to sign up with Mrs. Balozs' cousin Mrs. Ozols in Riga, in the former Sinka House on Tērbatas Street. Both need only a pension of 80 rubles.
J. Balodis and his wife spend summers in Saulkrasti from 1959 to 1965, for the last four years they rent half of a small summer house in a beautiful picturesque place, on the edge of the forest near Ķīšupīte tributary Pupaļurga, now Krasta Street 10. Currently there are paved streets and rows of houses. at that time meadows spread around the house and cows and sheep grazed there. This summer house was built in 1960 and was owned by Maksim and Marta Šibas. The owners lived with their son and mother-in-law on the 2nd floor, but General J. Balodis with his wife Elvira and farm manager Marija, who was also considered a family member, rested on the 1st floor. They have a living room and a bedroom here.
Not everyone at that time is so brave that they accept those who have returned from deportation, where are the generals! General Jānis Francis, who was living in Saulkrasti, Alfrēda Kalniņa Street 4 at that time, helps General Balodis to find a summer residence. A frequent visitor to Baloži in Saulkrasti is former Foreign Minister Munters and Mrs. Munters.
From the memories of Marta Šibase in the newspaper "Mājas Viesis" we learn that Mrs. Baloža Elvira loved flowers, she planted them around the house and together. Baloži also liked mushrooms, they read mushrooms, butter beets and birch leaves in the pine forest. A delicious mushroom soup has come out of them, which is especially tasted for Mrs. Baloza.
While resting in Saulkrasti, the general listens to the radio a lot, especially the evening news. The two also read the book together: the husband reads aloud, but the wife turns the pages.
In the summers of 1961 and 1962, the general and his friends visit his native Trikāta, go on excursions along the banks of the Venta and Daugava, visit the memorial site of Staburags and General O. Kalpaks "Airītes". He also goes on a multi-day trip to Vilnius and Trakai in Lithuania.
On March 8, 1963, J. Balodi was involved in an accident. While living in Riga, he goes to the kiosk in the morning for a newspaper. He falls on a slippery street and breaks his leg. Hospital treatment lasts until mid-July. The general also has liver problems during this time. During his illness, he is very sad for Saulkrasti, where he could warm up and relax in the sun. He only succeeds in the second half of the summer.
J. Balodis died on August 8, 1965 in Saulkrasti, was evicted from the house at 10 Krasta Street and buried in the II Forest Cemetery.
Despite attempts by the Soviet authorities to prevent information about Balož's funeral, several thousand people were bypassed by the White General in the past.
Article "135 years of General Jānis Balodis this year", author: Dagnija Gurtiņa, 09.02.2016 Saulkrasti City Council News
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Memorial places for generals and knights of the Lāčplēsis War Order in Trikāta Parish
The memorial stele is located next to the Trikāta cemetery chapel.
Trikāta Cemetery preserves the memory of three outstanding Latvian generals - Roberts Dambītis, Kārlis Goppers and Jānis Balodis. Jēkabs Mūrnieks, a teacher of all these generals, is also buried in Trikāta cemetery.
The generals and the knights of the Lāčplēsis Military Order are commemorated every year with torchlight processions to the Trikāta cemetery, where there are two memorial statues, in which the names of 17 knights of the Lāčplēsis Military Order associated with Trikāta parish are engraved.
Stela was opened on November 11, 2018.
Video story about the Lāčplēsis War Order and the set of orders that belonged to General Jānis Balodis.
Cattle wagon used for deportations – museum at Skrunda train station
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.
Memorial stone at the battle site of General Jānis Baložs' brigade
The memorial stone at the site of the battle of General Jānis Baložs' brigade is located in the forest near the Riga - Liepāja (A9) highway, near the Batari house.
The memorial stone was unveiled in 1936 with a solemn ceremony attended by the then Minister of Transport B. Einbergs and other high-ranking Riga officials and the public of Džūkste parish, commemorating the battle that took place here on March 22, 1919. The inscription engraved on the monument reads: “Here, on March 22, 1919, the battle of the 1st Separate Baloži Brigade took place, in which 10 soldiers fell and 28 were wounded.”
The battle took place between the Separate Latvian Brigade and the 10th Soviet Latvian Rifle Regiment, which consisted of 90 percent Latvians. During the freedom struggle, it was one of those battles in which Latvians fought against Latvians. The Bolsheviks had established themselves in the Batari houses. They began to fire on the brigade soldiers who were heading in the direction of Kalnciems. As the fire intensified, the brigade deployed for battle. The main burden of the battle was borne by the Separate Student Company and the Latvian Independence Battalion. As the battle dragged on, a platoon of the student company and the newly formed company of Captain E. Graudiņš, while performing a bypass maneuver, collided in the forest with the enemy, who was performing a similar maneuver. In a fierce battle, which in some places turned into close combat, the enemy was defeated. At this time, the German Miller battery assigned to the brigade opened fire on the Batari houses. After artillery fire, the brigade drove the enemy from his positions in a swift attack.
The newspaper “Brīvā Zeme” (18.05. 1936) published the memories of a former fighter: “The brigade’s cavalry had just ridden out into the open, when they were met by heavy enemy fire. After that, it was clear that they were dealing with very strong enemy forces. The battalions, on the orders of General J. Baložis, deployed and began to fight, entering into close combat, as the bayonets of the brigade’s soldiers decided this two-hour battle into a brilliant victory for the Kalpakians. This battle was of great importance, because it leveled the situation on the front, which had become unsafe because of the Germans, and ensured that the Red Riflemen’s regiments no longer entered the Zemgale Plain.”
General J. Baložs' brigade won the battle, losing 10 soldiers, including Kārlis Barons (1900.8.III – 1919.22.III), the grandson of the father of the Dainas, Krišjānis Barons, who is buried in the Riga Brothers' Cemetery. 50 soldiers of the Soviet Latvian Riflemen Regiment fell in the battle.