THE SOVIET STORY

THE SOVIET STORY

 Active searching for new and unknown films, dvds, video tapes and  documentaries dealing with controversial subjects, are a past time activity of me. The searching is thrilling. During a short visit to the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia, I found a documentary film dealing with the collaboration between Soviet Union and Nazi- Germany before 1941. The title of the film is: “The Soviet Story “. The film was directed by Edvins Snore. In May 5, 2008, the film was released. I have viewed the film twice already because the story was new to me. I recall that I have heard rumours about the mass killing of people in Soviet Union, but I had problems in believing the stories. The director of the film, Edvins Snore, has made a public statement about the aim of the film. The content of the film is dealing with the theoretical basis of Soviet communism, and its practical application by the Soviet Union.  Both the Soviet Union and Nazi-Germany believed in creating new people and to get rid of those who were not fit for life. The theories indicated the right to wipe out people who did not show the standard required by the regimes. The film analyses the character of both the theory of Communism and National Socialism (Nazism).

Even the famous British author, George Bernard Shaw, made public statements about the right to live and not to live. Archival footage of the statements of George Bernard Shaw was used in the film. The film features interviews with Western and Russian historians such as: Norman Davies from Cambridge University, Volodimir Sergiychuk from University of Kiel, Boriss Sokolov, Pierre Rigoulot from Institut d’histoire Sociale, Paris, Francoise Thom, Professor of Modern History, Sorbonne, Paris, George Watson, Literary historian, Cambridge University, Alexander Guryanov from “ Memorial “ Society, Moscow, Nicolas Werth, co-author of “ The Black book of Communism “, Natalia Lebedeva, Sergey Shuck, Christopher Beazley, historian and Member of the European Parliament, Inese Vaidere, Member of the European Parliament, Latvia, Girtsv. Kristovskis, Member of the European Parliament and Michael Gahler, Member of the European Parliament, Germany.

The film is an attack on the former Soviet Union, on the politics of Josef Stalin, and the criminal regime of Josef Stalin and the criminal regime of Adolf Hitler in Germany. The Russian attack on Finland is mentioned too and the occupations of the Baltic states.

Edvins Snore spent about ten years collecting archival materials for his documentary film which was finished after two years of working. Unique historical photos, archival footage, documents, video tapes and footage have been collected by Edins Snore from European audiovisual archives, audiovisual archives in Latvia and Ukraine. The footage, the films, the photos used are contenting brutal stories.

THE THREE OCCUPATIONS OF LATVIA 1940-1945.SOVIET AND NAZI TAKE-OVERS AND THEIR CONSEQUENCES

THE GOAL

The main aim of publishing a modest review of this publication dealing with the tragic history of Latvia , is to focus on the occupations of the country from 1940 to 1945. Within about 49 pages only the reader is brutal confronted with facts about the history of Latvia. The content of the publication is edited, compiled and published by The Museum of the Occupation of Latvia. The content is based on archival holdings, exhibitions materials and publications from the museum. Those who did the compilation of the facts are: Valters Nollendorfs, Dzintra Bungs, Gundega Michele and Uldis Neiburgs. The historical interpretations are solely those of the compilers.

What about the content?

A list of issues dealt with in the publication might be of interest for the reader?

-Independent Latvia 1918 – 1991

-Soviet – Nazi collaboration 1039 – 1941

-The Soviet occupation of Latvia 1940- 1941

-The Nazi-German occupation of Latvia from 1941 -1944/45

-The second Soviet occupation of Latvia 1944 – 1945-1991

-The “ Singing Revolution  1987 – 1991”

Finally: The main political, social and military consequences of the occupations.

KAMPEN OM ATLANTEREN SETT FRA ET DEKK

” Kampen om Atlanteren sett fra et dekk ” er tittelen på en bok utgitt i 2018. Forfatteren er Johan Byrkja. Krigsseileren Johan Byrkja har skrevet om personlige opplever som krigsseiler under den annen verdenskrig. Han forteller åpent og greit om daglige forhold til sjøs som krigsseiler fra 1940 til 1945. Hvordan var forholdene for sjøguttene i denne tiden? Hvordan var maten, kameratskapet blant mannskapet, livet i land med fest og jenter, om hyrene på båtene, om savn og om konvoifarten. Skip ble senket av tyske undervannsbåter. Tap av venner. Forfatteren skriver om tiden slik han opplevde krigen uten å faktasjekke alle ryktene, nyhetene eller informasjonen som de fikk. Vi settes i tid tilbake til livet om bord blant unge gutter som reagerte på de nyhetene de fikk den gangen. Ikke alle ryktene var korrekte vurdert ut fra de informasjoner som vi har i dag. Derfor er hans rapport et viktig bidrag til forståelse av sjømennenes egne opplever fra tiden til sjøs og til lands i disse kritiske og brutale årene. Etter krigen tok det mange år før sjømennene fikk den anerkjennelsen som de fortjente. Vi følger forfatteren fra skip til skip og fra havn til havn. Han opplevde over 50 konvoireiser. Johan Byrkja ble født i 1917 og døde i 2007. For de som søker etter rapporter om hvordan tiden til sjøs var i denne tiden, må lese boken. De fleste som seilte under krigen er nå falt fra. Viktig å bli minnet på historien om de som ofret alt i disse årene og om handelsflåtens militære betydning for utfallet av krigen-  Norges viktigste bidrag til seier over det tyske terrorregimet.

Johan Byrkja: Kampen om Atlanteren sett fra et dekk. 2018 Johanne Byrkja Jacobsen. 165s.

DJEVELENS KOBBER: ALF R. JACOBSEN

Dersom du er interessert i litt nytt om Norge og den annen verdenskrig samt en spennende krimroman, anbefales lesing av den kjente forfatteren Alf R. Jacobsens bok med tittel:” Djevelens kobber”. Hovedemnet i denne spennende krim/historiske romanen er hvitvasking av penger under den annen verdenskrig. Norge er okkupert av Tyskland. Den norske motstandsbevegelsen i Norge trenger støtte fra norske interesser i Stockholm. Norske penger måtte bli overført til aktive motstandsgrupper i Norge. Falske penger kunne ikke bli brukt. Nordmenn i Sverige tok med seg penger til gruppene i Norge. Ulovlig produksjon av penger ble også ordnet fra det norske kontoret i Stockholm. I nært samarbeid md noen tyskere ble også penger produsert. Vi vet at flere motstandsgrupper i Norge ordnet pengeproblem med ran av banker. Den kjente motstandsgruppen ” Osvald-gruppa” utførte flere bankaksjoner for å få penger til daglig drift av gruppa. Aker Sparebank på Holtet i Oslo ble ranet den 15.mars 1944. Resultatet av aksjonen ble kr.12 000.

Forfatteren bruker mange faktiske hendelser fra krigen som vi kjenner igjen fra andre krigshistoriske bøker. Han tar ikke med ” Osvald-gruppa ” i samlingen av faktiske hendelser. Likevel blir det spennende sider om tiden etter krigen vurdert ut fra noe vi aner fant sted. Hva skjedde med penger produsert under krigen? Ble denne kapitalen plassert i diverse industriforetak eller forsvant pengene ut av landet? Ta en sjekk på side 308:”…jeg husker ikke navnet. Var du i en av Sundes grupper? ….”. Hvem Sunde siktes det til her? Forfatteren har utarbeidet et persongalleri. Her finnes en liste over alle fiktive romanfigurene med litt informasjon om personene. En liste over virkelige personer finnes også med litt informasjon om personene. I listen savner jeg et navn: Asbjørn Edvin Sunde. Han ble kalt ”Osvald”. Dersom leseren vil utvide kunnskap om Norges mest aktive motstandsgruppe, anbefales Lars Borgersruds bok ” Nødvendig innsats. Sabotørene som skapte den aktive motstanden”. Jeg savner også et annet navn på listen over aktive personer som arbeidet med motstandsgruppene i Norge: Tikken Manus. I 2009 ble boken om Tikken Manus utgitt: ” Tikken Manus- sabotørenes hemmelige medspiller ” skrevet av Kaja Frøysa. 

Hun skriver også om pengeproblemene som oppsto. Alle agentene som skulle til Norge måtte ha kapital med seg. Aner vi også en hentydning til den uløste Kai Holst saken i boken? Kai Holst reiste tilbake til Stockholm rett etter krigens slutt. Drapet på Kai Holst er ennå ikke oppklart. Historikeren Tore Pryser har forsøkt å finne et svar på gåten Kai Holst.

Forfatteren Alf R. Jacobsen har ikke bare skrevet boker. Han har dessuten deltatt med manus til fjernsynsdramaer og spillefilmer. Nær 40 bøker har han utgitt. Produksjonen er enorm vurdert ut fra norske forhold – og han skriver fortsatt!

NRKs Bjørn Nilsen engasjerte Alf R. Jacobsen i arbeidet med program om etterretningstjenesten i Norge. Min jobb var å finne film til stoffet. Dessverre ble prosjektet skrinlagt. Men samarbeidet i gruppen var interessant.(Viser til Bjørn Nilsens bok: Journalist og aktivist. Mediestreif.  Communicatio Forlag AS, Trondheim 2010)

Alf R. Jacobsen: Djevelens kobber. Krim. Vega forlag. Oslo. 2014. 368s.

LATVIAN  LEGION

INTRODUCTION

The review is a late study of the book which was published for the first time about 33years ago. The second edition was published about 13 years ago. What is the main reason  for me to wake up the interest for the report about the Latvian Legion in year 2019, you may ask?

” …to a great part of the Western World it is still incomprehensive why the Baltic people- in this particular case- actively participated with the German Army in the Second World War …”

Quotation from the introduction of “ Latvian Legion” written by Arthur Silgailis the author of the book. The question can be asked in year 2019 too about the reasons for young Norwegian soldiers who fought and died for the freedom of Latvia and for the support of Nazi-Germany?

THE GOAL OF THE RESEARCH

I asked myself some critical questions about why I should read the book at all. Before I made an attempt reading the book I contacted a former Norwegian officer who is making a living publishing new books about the Second World War, about Norwegian soldiers who join the French Foreign Legion and who had worked with Latvian soldiers: The Norwegian historian Knut Flovik Thoresen. Then I read the book searching for information about Norwegian soldiers who fought, died and were buried in Latvia during the Second World War. While reading the book I repeated my private questions again and again not wanting to forget the main reason for my study: The story of those young Norwegian boys who lost their lives in Latvia

SOME IMPORTANT QUESTIONS:

-Did  the Latvian soldiers believe in the information given them that they fought for the freedom of Latvia?

-Did those who were in charge of the Latvian Legion – the officers- believe in the goal of the fight   making Latvia a free country?

-What about the Self- Administration of Latvia? Did they all fight for the independent state of Latvia?

-What was the main policy of Nazi-Germany towards the wish,the hope and the dream of the Latvian people to live in an independent state ?

-What about those Norwegian soldiers who fought, died and were buried in Latvia?

WE BELIEVED IN THE FIGHT FOR THE FREEDOM OF LATVIA

The author of book, Arthur Silgailis, has no doubt concerning the reasons for young Latvian joining the Legion: The majority of the boys believed in the fight making Latvia free from Russian suppression. “…infantry leader Staf. Lobe made an ardent appeal to the Latvians to join the Legion for the defense of their homeland. There was a great response to his appeal. With volunteers and previous recruits, the VI SS-Corps set up a training camp at Zoseni and named it “ Feld Rekruten Depot ( Field Recruits Depot). Staf. Lobe was placed in charge of the depot…” . So far, information given at pages 108-109, by the author.

THE OCCUPATIONS OF LATVIA

Latvia was occupied by Soviet Union on June 17, 1940. Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941 and occupied Latvia. The country was re-occupied by the Soviet Union. On August 21, 1991, Latvia regained independence. The result of the Second World War and the occupations of Latvia was a tragedy for the people of Latvia. The country lost about one third of its population. The holocaust, the actions of political murders, the inhuman conditions in the Gulag and in Nazi concentration camps reduced the number of Latvian people. Many left Latvia at the end of the war fearing the brutal regime of Joseph Stalin.

BETRAYED BY THE POLITICAL LEADERS OF LATVIA, BETRAYED BY THE SOVIET UNION, BETRAYED BY NAZI GERMANY AND ABOVE ALL: BETRAYED BY THE WESTERN COUNTRIES

The people of Latvia suffered. Betrayed by all countries. The choice was not easy for the population. Why did so many young Latvians joined the German Army fighting and supporting the brutal Nazi regime of Germany and the brutal occupation of Latvia? The main enemy was the Soviet Union. The author who had joined the Latvian Legion, gives an honest report of the fight. The Latvian officers knew that the German generals and politicians misused the young Latvian soldiers making them all believe in the story of a free Latvia. The official policy of Germany was not to establish independent states within the German empire. The Norwegian soldiers were told the same story: Fighting for Norway against the Soviet Union would make Norway an independent state but ruled by Germany.

The members of the Latvian Self-Administration made attempts to protect the country from being ruled by the German political and military leaders of Latvia. But the result was negative.

The young Latvian boys joined the German Army hoping to prevent the second Russian occupation of Latvia. The fight and suffering were in vain. The political choice was a risky business. Some supported the Russian occupation, some supported the German occupation and some set up an independent army fighting them all. They all lost the fight. About 110- 115,000 Latvian soldiers were involved in German military forces during the Second World War. To set up an independent Latvian army was forbidden by the Germans.

CONCLUSION

When the Russian soldiers invaded Latvia for the second time, many Latvians fled the country. Small Latvian societies were set up around the world after the war. Some Latvians went on fighting in the forest of Latvia hoping for a support by the Western countries. In vain. No support was given. The Latvian legionnaires who did not surrender to the Red Army continued to fight the Communists as guerrillas. According to the author, about 4,500 men went on fighting in the beginning. The guerrilla groups continued the fight at least to 1948.

THE NORWEGIAN SOLDIERS KILLED IN LATVIA

What about those Norwegian soldiers who fought together with Latvians making an attempt to stop the Russian occupation for the second time? Forgotten by all in Norway and in Latvia? 38 soldiers are reported killed in action, 69 soldiers were wounded, 4 soldiers are reported as prisoners of war by Russians and 2 soldiers deserted to the Russians. The number of officers killed in action was 6. In May 2019 a group of people from Norway will go to Latvia searching for the forgotten soldiers who are buried in different cities of Latvia. No Norwegian soldiers are mentioned in the story of the Latvian Legion.

“ … Treason: Treachery to one’s king and country; an attempt to overthrow the government of one’s country by illegal means or to help the enemies of one’s country in time of war ( Source: The Advanced Learners Dictionary of Current English) …”.

If those Latvians who joined the German Army making a dramatic attempt to avoid the second Russian occupation of Latvia get an official recognition by the Government of Latvia, those few Norwegians who were killed in actions must get the same treatment as the Latvian soldiers. Above all: All foreign soldiers who died for Latvia must be treated on equal terms.

For your information only: The Norwegian soldiers killed, lost and forgotten had joined the Norwegian Nazi party of Norway, and they supported the German occupation of Norway. Returning to Norway after the war, the soldiers who fought for German occupation of Norway and fighting for Latvia , were treated as war prisoners in Norway according to Norwegian laws.

Arthur Silgailis: Latvian Legion.Second edition 2006. Published by Military Literature Publishers Foundation. Riga.