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.