The story of Peter Cheever's gang activity and destruction
P. Chevers gathered former officers of the legion around him, and also welcomed the local residents of Kurzeme into the group. They all chose to remain faithful to the idea of a free and independent Latvian state, rather than submit to a foreign occupation. Chever's group deployed in the territory of Vandzene - Upesgriva - Okte parishes of Talsi district, trying to avoid frontal clashes with Czech troops or fighter battalion fighters
The national partisan movement in Kurzeme developed immediately after the end of the Second World War in Europe on May 8, 1945, when many people who could not accept the second Soviet occupation or were threatened with repression sought refuge in the forests. Among them were many former legionnaires, including the commander of the 13th heavy (anti-tank) company of the 43rd grenadier regiment of the 19th Latvian weapons SS division and captain Pēteris Čevers, a philistine of the student corporation "Fraternitas Metropolitana".
After the capitulation of Nazi Germany in Kurzeme, Pēteris Čevers ("Peter") worked in the partisan group of Otto Akmenkalej until December 1945, and in the group of captain Nikolaj Straume until May 1948. Later, commanding a national partisan unit of around 20 men, P. Chevers gathered around him former legion officers - first lieutenant Jānis Guru ("Janka"), lieutenant Alfred Laukas ("Vecais"), lieutenant Augustus Dundur ("Augustus"), as well as welcomed the local residents of Kurzeme into the group. Chever's group deployed in the territory of Vandzene-Upesgrivas-Oktes parishes of Talsi County, trying to avoid frontal clashes with Czech troops or fighter battalion fighters. Although the forest brothers had a wide circle of supporters, at the same time the tactic of raiding and robbing the homes of local collaborators was used, thus punishing them for collaborating with the Soviet occupation power. Chever had also managed to establish contact with Boris Moiseyev, an employee of the Talsi branch of the Ministry of State Security of the LPSR (VDM) and obtain information from him about the possible countermeasures of the Soviet security authorities.
The check managed to open the group's last bunker on February 3, 1950, after Chevers had not been able to refuse the request of a reliable supporter of the partisans, Viļis Gērmanis, to celebrate 1949/1950 together. the turn of the year.
In this way, the unwritten law of forest brothers was violated - not to disclose information about the location of the partisan bunker to anyone outside the group and not to take anyone to the bunker.
The Chekists tricked Gärman and kept him in custody for three days, beating and torturing him and threatening to take revenge on his wife and daughter until he agreed to show where the bunker was. Arriving in the Vandzene forests, Gërmanis initially led the Chekists down the wrong path, giving the forest brothers a chance to escape. However, when they heard a noise in the forest, the partisans did not pay the necessary attention to it, thinking that the noisemakers were local Vandzene hunters. When the Chekists realized that they were being tricked, they beat German again, and this time he was forced to go in the right direction. One of the forest brothers who was on guard lost his nerve and opened fire. According to the act signed by the head of the 2nd division of the LPSR VDM 2-N, Major Krūmiņš, on the special operation against the Čevera group, on February 3, 1950, six forest brothers fell in a battle with more than 300 Czech troops - Vilis Liepa, Jānis Lapiņš, Ilgvars Lapiņš, Jānis Prauliņš, Valija Biša and Ilga Siliņa (both women, mortally wounded, asked their comrades to shoot them so that they would not have to suffer). The others, breaking out of the double siege, left the pursuers. At least three fell from partisan fire, while one Czech soldier was wounded.
Captain Cheveru and seven other partisans were captured on November 1, 1950, in the Engure forest massif, where the group of fake partisans of former legion lieutenant Arvīdas Gailīš (the agent-militant's nickname was "Grosbergs") had positioned themselves nearby. It included operatives of the LPSR VDM and agent-militants who played the role of "forest brothers".
Vandzene partisans and their supporters. The tragedy of the Blum family and the mystery of the "Valdu" houses / Article (lsm.lv)
Uldis Neiburgs (Dr. hist., researcher at Latvian History Institute)
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Pēteris Čevers national partisan bunker
The bunker of the national partisans of Peter Chever is located in Lauciene municipality, about 4 km from the Talsi-Upesgrīva road. A trail covered with wood chips leads to the bunker. The renovated 31 square metre bunker is made of a concrete frame finished with half-logs of logs to create an authentic feel.
Captain Chever's group completed the bunker in the forest near Vangzene at the end of October 1949. It was planned to survive the winter of 1949-50. On 3 February 1950, the local forester betrayed the partisans and the bunker was attacked by a Cheka unit of more than 300 soldiers. At that time there were 19 people in the bunker - 17 men and two women. Six partisans fell in this unequal battle, but the others managed to break through two chains of Cheka siege by fighting their way through. By the end of the winter the partisans took refuge in surrounding houses with their supporters, but in the spring the group reunited until it was captured and destroyed in November 1950. After an attack by Cheka troops, the bunker was blown up and before it could be rebuilt, only a water-filled pit remained.
Memorial stone of the national partisans of Nikolaj Straume
The memorial stone is located on the Slokas-Talsu highway, near the Ridelu mill.
The group of national partisans of Captain Nikolaj Straume ("Buks") was formed soon after the capitulation of the German army and operated in the forests of Tukums and Talsi districts. The basic composition of the group consisted of officers and soldiers of the Latvian Legion, who were also joined by local residents. The names of 38 participants are known. In December 1945, the group set up a winter bunker for 10-12 fighters in Lauciena parish. In January 1946, the troops of the Soviet People's Commissariat of State Security tried to surround the camp, but the entire group successfully escaped the encirclement without loss. Between March 1947 and October 1948, Soviet troops carried out several operations arresting supporters of the national partisans and killing fighters in several battles. Nikolaj Straume was shot on October 13, 1948.
Nikolajs Straume was one of the leaders of the joint action of the national partisan groups of Talsa and Tukum.
