Mūšiai Kuržemės tvirtovėje prie Lestenės
Pasakotojas aprašo savo įspūdžius apie mūšius aplink Lestenę ir Latvijos 19-osios divizijos svarbą mūšiuose.
„(..) Po penkių pagrindinių mūšių Kuršo gynėjai tiki, kad blogiausia jau už nugaros, todėl jie tvirtai stovi savo pozicijoje, kad nepraleistų progos išlaisvinti tėvynę su Vokietijos kapituliacija.
Į dalinius sugrįžo daug abejojančių, tačiau vis dar kreipiasi naujų kovotojų tiek iš Kuržemės gyventojų, tiek iš pabėgėlių. Keli tūkstančiai Latvijos karių taip pat buvo išsiųsti iš Vokietijos kaip pastiprinimas.
Kovo 14 dieną vykstu į 43-iojo pulko štabą, kur turiu kreiptis. Pakeliui sutinku generolą Bangerskį, atvykusį į Kuržemę. Atrodo, kad žilas karys taip pat labiau nei bet kada tiki, kad mūsų kraštui artėja labai lemiamas momentas, todėl ir savo štabą jis laiko Kuržemėje. Generolas primena, kad aš, kaip septynis kartus sužeistas, išnaudojęs savo laimę fronte, turiu eiti pas jį komendantu. Suprantama, kad tai dar reikia aptarti su divizijos vadu.
Pulko štabe jaučiamas jaudulys. Pulko vadas pulkininkas Osis palieka pulką. Majoras Reinholdas gali atvykti bet kurią akimirką ir vadovauti pulkui pagal įsakymą. Taigi kitas pulkininkas krito į negarbę. Prieš keturis pirmuosius mėnesius buvo Lobe.
Pagaliau Reinholdas čia ir perima pulką. Esu paskirtas kuopos vadu Kapitono Kriaušės batalione. Kuopa ilsisi ir yra atsargoje bataliono štabe. Bataliono vado pavaduotojas pirmasis leitenantas Jaunzems yra senas kovinis vilkas ir moka smulkiai pasakoti apie fronto būklę. Bolševikai yra prie Lestenės mokyklos, kur nuo kalno gerai matosi mūsų padėtis, tad vos pasirodžius mažiausiam būreliui atidengti ugnį iš granatsvaidžių.
„Ne, taip likti negali“, – samprotaujame ir žvalgome puolimo kryptį, norėdami išmesti rusus iš mokyklos.
Pati Lestenė yra pagrindinė mūšio linija. Be manęs, kuopoje yra tik vienas kitas karininkas – leitenantas Zutis. Vyrų įmonėje taip pat nesiekia šimto. Bolševikiniai garsiakalbiai ar kasdieniai raginimai padėti ginklus, kalbėti apie Rygą. Čia kalba Lilita Bērziņa, čia Lācis, čia vėl kitas žinomas žmogus.
Naktį iš kovo 16-osios į 17-ąją mus pakeičia vokiečių daliniai ir keliaujame į naujus apkasus, į kuriuos pavyko įsiveržti priešui. 19-oji divizija, jei taip galima sakyti, Kuržemėje atlieka ugniagesių vaidmenį – kur kas atsitiktų, latvių vyrai turi paskubėti ir įvesti tvarką. (..)
Išleistas JAV mėnraštyje Daugava Vagu. Vyresniojo leitenanto Robertso Ancanso prisiminimai apie mūšius Kuržemėje „Kareivis pasakoja“
Susijusi laiko juosta
Susijusios vietos
Memorial Stone to Defenders of the Kurzeme Fortification
Located in Tukums region, on the side of the A9 motorway, 500 m from the turn to Lesteni in the direction of Riga.
The memorial site was established in 1991 near the Rumbu houses, in the vicinity of which there was active warfare. This is a tribute to the defenders of the "Kurzeme Fortress" who fought against the Red Army in World War II. The battles were significant because they temporarily stopped the Red Army's complete occupation of Latvia. About 300,000 Latvians emigrated, avoiding crimes against the civilian population by the Soviet regime.
At the end of World War II, a peculiar situation had developed in the territory of Latvia. There were German army forces in Kurzeme, which the Red Army tried to eliminate or prevent their involvement in the fighting in East Prussia or around Berlin. "Kurzeme Fortress" - the most common term to describe the warfare in Kurzeme from 1944 to 1945. The "battles of Kurzeme" were the battles of the German army to repel the large-scale attacks of the Red Army. The Kurzeme fortress ceased to exist shortly after the German capitulation.
Today you can see a place of remembrance and rest, which has been popular among Latvian legionnaires since the restoration of Latvia's independence.
Lestene Brothers' Cemetery
Located in Tukums region, Lestene, next to the church.
The construction of the Brothers' Cemetery in Lestene began in 1998. It is the second largest cemetery of soldiers in Latvia, where more than 1,300 Latvian legionnaires are buried together. Only after the restoration of the Republic of Latvia was it possible to bury Latvian soldiers who died in World War II from various places.
The Latvian Legion was a combat unit of the German army, formed mainly from illegally mobilized Latvians. The soldiers perceived their presence in the legion as a struggle for the restoration of Latvia's independence, despite the fact that it took place in the ranks of the German armed forces and that Germany had occupied Latvia. There was no other military force that could delay the return of the Soviet occupation. Latvian legionnaires fought against the Red Army, which had abolished Latvia's independence, destroyed its army and committed crimes against civilians. Between 110,000 and 115,000 soldiers fought in the ranks of the German army, and between 30,000 and 50,000 of them left their lives on the battlefield.
Today in Lestene you can see the Brethren's Cemetery, next to which is Lestene Church. It is an outstanding example of baroque sacred art. In the old church pub you can get acquainted with the exposition dedicated to the history of the Latvian Legion. The central image of the Brothers' Cemetery "Motherland - Mother - Latvia" was created by the sculptor Arta Dumpe. Nearby is Lestene Manor, which belonged to the Latvian Army General Mārtiņš Hartmanis before the Second World War.
Excursions to Lestene Church can be booked at the head of the parish of Lestene Evangelical Lutheran Church Inguna Kokina, phone +371 29993743.
Lestene Brothers' Cemetery, Memorial Exposition and bunker
Lestene Brothers’ Cemetery is located in Tukums municipality, Lestene, next to the Lestene church. The construction of the Brothers’ Cemetery in Lestene began in 1998. It is the second largest military cemetery in Latvia, and more than 1,300 Latvian legionnaires are buried here. Only after regaining the independence, it was possible to rebury Latvian soldiers who fell during World War II. The Latvian Legion was a combat unit of the German Army, formed mainly from illegally drafted Latvians. The soldiers thought of their presence in the legion as something that had to be done to be able to restore Latvia’s independence, despite the fact that they were in the ranks of the German armed forces and that Germany had occupied Latvia. Latvian legionnaires fought against the Red Army, which had destroyed Latvia's independence and its army and committed crimes against civilians. Between 110,000 and 115,000 soldiers fought in the ranks of the German Army and about 30,000–50,000 of them never left the battlefield. The Brothers’ Cemetery central theme ‘Motherland – Mother – Latvia’ was created by the sculptor Arta Dumpe. Across the road an exhibit dedicated to the history of the Latvian Legion has been created in a former pub. Right next to it the men of the Latvian Officers Association, under the leadership of Captain Jānis Slaidiņš, have built an underground bunker to show how soldiers and officers lived on the front lines.
