LATVIA HISTORY: THE FORGOTTEN, THE LOST AND THE UNKNOWN NORWEGIAN SOLDIERS MISSED IN ACTIONS IN LATVIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR

An essay has been published titled « THE FORGOTTEN SOLDIERS». The authors are: Esben Mønster-Kjær, Niels-Peter Granzow Bush and Torsten Weper. «HISTORIE.ILLUSTRET VITENSKAP» is the name of the periodical which is published by Bonniers Publications International AS. The main issue dealt with by the authors is the story of those Scandinavian soldiers who fought, died and were buried in Latvia during the Second World War. According Norwegian historians, we do not know where many Norwegians soldiers got buried in Latvia. Geir Brenden began researching the Norwegian volunteers in the Waffen-SS in 1987. He has also taken part in setting up guided tours to the Eastern Front where the Norwegian fought including research in Latvia. The main reason for the new interest in the events of the Eastern Front is the new access to national archives. The official history of Norway and the Second World War are objects for reseach among Norwegian professional historians and of people like Geir Brenden who has no formal degree in military history or education in history.

Geir Brenden to the left of the photo and Tedd Urnes to the right.Oslo 2019.

Members of the  Latvian association» Legenda» began searching for the lost and forgotten soldiers in 1999. The result of the work so far is the finding of 74 soldiers who belonged to the Scandinavian SS-Division Norland. According to the paper mentioned, two Norwegian soldiers have been found. I contacted Geir Brenden to-day about the names of the soldiers but no final information has been published yet.

The Latvian association « Legenda»is collecting all belongings to the soldiers found in order to be forward the items to the Latvian authorities. Public access to the reports of the work done by « Legenda» is given by the association.

We are waiting for further information of two Norwegian soldiers found,- and above all: Information about all of the lost Norwegian soldiers who fought and died for Nazi-Germany and for Latvia, but not for the Norwegian people who were suppressed by the German occupation of Norway. The study of history is not always a pleasant work- facts are facts only.

Source: Historie.Illustrert vitenskap. Nr.1/2020. Page 28- 39. Historie is published by Bonnier Publications A/S for Bonnier Publications International AS.