Memories of Artūrs Ozols about the ship "Saratov"
![Tvaikonis “Saratov” (pastkarte no Zudusī Latvija)](/g/Story/00242/Kuģis_Saratov.png?size=800)
Artūrs Ozols graduated from Riga Polytechnic and served as a naval officer (midshipman) and engineer in the Russian Black Sea Fleet aboard the warship Panteleimon. During the Latvian Liberation Struggle, he joined the Student Company. In Liepaja he put the ship "Saratov" into service. Arthurs Ozols' memoirs about the ship "Saratov" were published in the Dauagava Vanagi monthly
"The government acknowledged the need for a floating vehicle in order for the government to have a ship to handle, perhaps to transfer troops to Ventspils. From a strategic point of view, the military considered it necessary and also from a moral point of view, so that if everything collapsed and our new army - unarmed, untrained, which retreated from Riga to Jelgava, from Jelgava through Kurzeme in the direction of Liepaja - at least provided. In the worst case scenario, we would be boarded and we would have the opportunity to retreat. As Brother Markus, who was at the front, later told me, this awareness gave new impetus to the fighters on the front. It was necessary to look for the ship, but when it looked, there was no ship. There was only one, "Saratov", who fell to the side. As a sailor myself, I wanted to orient myself in my specialty and went to "Saratov" to see what was really there. On the ship I met the firebox as the only person, the engine room was full of water, only one boiler with a little pressure. I asked why the water in the engine room is not pumped out.
"It's not my thing, I don't want to do anything positive for the Germans."
"We Latvians need a ship."
"Oh, that's another thing."
"Saratov" was the only ship that could be at the disposal of the Provisional Government, but it must be in the hands of the owner. It turns out that it belongs to the Russian evening shipping company, sails under the Russian flag, the captain is Remess, a Latvian who has been there all along. How do we get it at our disposal, where there is German power all around and we have no say?
I went to Zālītis and said that we could mobilize and alienate Saratov. This put the ship at the disposal of the Interim Government. I don't know why the Germans did not protest. It seems to me that, a few weeks later, that act would no longer have succeeded. The Germans had already organized themselves against the Provisional Government and would not have allowed her to do so. Well, the ship had to be put in order and repaired. I was in trouble: without the person in front of the ship, I couldn't get anyone to help me. The work was against the Provisional Government, as it had to fight not only against the Germans, but also against Latvian labor. I didn't get a helper for a long time until a Neighbor came. The two of us put the ship in order, but there was a lot of work to be done. Then I was called to headquarters.
"Mr. Oak, you have to go to sea in the morning."
"But I only have one pot."
"Make sure you can go to sea. There is an English squadron, from which you will take over 5,000 rifles, hundreds of thousands of projectiles, 50 self-propelled guns. The British do not want to enter here so that there is no conflict with the Germans; jurms has to go there. ''
At the end of January, we moved slowly with one boiler, but we got out very well. We boarded one of the English warships and the transhipment began in the dark. We also got things that had not been seen in Liepaja for a long time. The English were very kind, there was a lot of fraternity. I had to know about the boiler and at the same time go upstairs as an interpreter, because there was no one who knew English and could tell the guys the instructor taught me how to handle new self-propelled guns that we hadn't even seen. When everything was settled, we drove back to Liepaja with one boiler and an expensive charge. The rifles had to be assembled in order to shoot, people had to be hired, but there was no money. They must also be delivered to the front where they are needed. We must look for workers who will not harm our cause. That was the environment in Liepaja at that time. ”
Who was Artūrs Ozols
Artūrs Ozols had graduated from the Riga Polytechnic and as a naval officer (engineer) and engineer in the Russian Black Sea Fleet, he served on the warship Panteleimon.
He was elected to the Constituent Assembly and then to Edinburgh, Scotland, as an expert in overseeing the construction of our first icebreaker, Krišjānis Valdemārs. For many years he was director of the Maritime Department.
Memories of Artūrs Ozols about the ship “Saratov” (Dauagava Vanagi Monthly No. 6, November 1, 1980).
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Berth of the ship "Saratov" in Liepaja
The berth of the "Saratov" is located in Liepaja, at 59 Old Harbour, near the boat docks.
Built in 1888 in Copenhagen by the shipyard Buvmeistar & Wain under the name "Leopold II", in 1911 it was bought by the joint-stock company Russian North-West Shipping and renamed "Saratov", with the Latvian Aleksandrs Remess becoming the ship's captain.
In May 1915, when Liepaja was occupied by German troops, the Saratov was in a damaged state in the harbour.
On 10 January 1919, the steamship Saratov was taken over by the Latvian Provisional Government. From April to July 1919, after the "16 April coup d'état", the Provisional Government headed by K. Ulmanis was on board the Saratov and was forced to take refuge under the protection of the Allied fleet.
On 8 July 1919, after the delivery of the Provisional Government of K. Ulmanis to Riga, the steamers were used for traffic between Riga, Ventspils and Liepaja.
Under the terms of the Peace Treaty of 11 August 1920 between Latvia and Soviet Russia, the steamship Saratov had to be returned to the Soviet side. On 2 January 1923, the steamship was handed over to a Soviet Russian representative. On 15 January 1923, the steamship "Saratov" was wrecked off Akmenrags.
In 1936 the Latvian Maritime Department sold the wreck to a company, which scrapped it and handed it over to the Liepaja Cloth Factory.
Akmeņrags Lighthouse and the fate of the "Saratov"
The Akmeņrags Lighthouse is located in Saka parish, 10 kilometres southwest of Pāvilosta. The top of the lighthouse can be reached by a spiral staircase and it offers views of the sea and the surrounding forests. Standing at 37 metres high, the current lighthouse tower was built in 1921, while the previous lighthouse was destroyed during World War I.
The Akmeņrags Lighthouse stands out among other lighthouses in Latvia, as it is located in one of the most dangerous places for sailing in the entire Baltic Sea coast. The signal beam of the lighthouse marks a rocky bank, which extends approximately two nautical miles or 3.7 kilometres into the sea in a north-western direction. The depth of the bank is just over two metres. The location of the lighthouse has remained unchanged, but the coastline has been receding over the years. Although a navigation light has been here since 1879, Akmeņrags has seen several shipwrecks. The most notable occurred in September 1923 when a Latvian steamer named Saratow struck the ground. In 1919, Saratow briefly served as the seat of the Latvian Provisional Government. Akmeņrags used to be home to a border guard post, and buildings of the Soviet Army are can be viewed here.
The real berth of the ship "Saratov".
The real berth of the ship "Saratov" is located in Liepāja, Vecā ostmala 59 near the boat docks, but the memorial is located in the immediate vicinity of the special economic zone of Liepaja.
Built in 1888 in Copenhagen in the shipyard "Buvmeistar & Wain" under the name "Leopold II". 1911. In 2010, it was bought by the joint-stock company Russian North-West Shipping and renamed "Saratov", Latvian Aleksandrs Remes became the ship's captain.
In May 1915, when Liepaja was occupied by German troops, "Saratov" was in the port in a damaged condition.
On January 10, 1919, the steamship "Saratov" was taken over by the Provisional Government of Latvia. From April 1919 to July 1919 on the ship "Saratov" after "16. of the April coup" was the Provisional Government led by K. Ulmanis, which was forced to save itself under the protection of the Allied fleet.
On July 8, 1919, after the Provisional Government of K. Ulmanis was brought to Riga, the steamer was used in traffic between Riga, Ventspils and Liepāja.
According to the terms of the peace treaty of August 11, 1920 between Latvia and Soviet Russia, the steamer "Saratov" had to be returned to the Soviet side. On January 2, 1923, the steamers were handed over to the representative of Soviet Russia. On January 15, 1923, the steamer "Saratov" perished near Akmeņraga.
In 1936, the Maritime Department of Latvia sold the shipwreck to a company, which salvaged it and delivered it for scrap to the Liepāja Shipyard.