Latvian Waffen SS Legion

The 16, March the day of remembrance is heading closer. It will be again the day of controversy mainly caused by Russian state propaganda against Latvia and western misunderstanding. It is sad and absurd when people who come to commemorate the fallen Latvian soldiers, who can be called the victims of the Nazi regime are labeled “fascists” and Nazis in the international media. This article will tell why Latvians fought on German side and why people still remember them.

Latvia gained its independence with war in 1920. It was war against two main enemies- the Russian Bolsheviks and German forces. Both sides were against the idea of Latvian state. Bolsheviks dreamed of world revolution, while Germans hoped for restoration of the German state within Latvia and Estonia. While Latvians fought the Bolsheviks with large patriotism, even more eagerly they fought the Germans. The army of Bermont was assembled to crush Latvian state. Their soldiers later wrote in their memoirs: “We killed Latvians like rabbits we chased them and burned they homes!”. Some historians say that German victory in the war of Independence will mean the genocide of Latvian people. Luckily Germans were defeated and Latvia gained its independence. During the time of freedom Latvia feared both Germany and Soviet Union. Sympathizers for Germany were the minority. Even the hardcore antisemitic Latvian nationalists were against Germany. When in 1933. Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany it was met by backlash by majority of Latvians. Latvian supporters of Nazi Germany were marginal. Even the radical organization Thundercross stated that they will battle Germans as much as the Jews. The Latvian government was also more suspicious to Germany more than Soviet Union. The fact that military defense plans were made mainly against Germany not Soviet Union shows the point.

But the 1939, changed everything. The nightmare situation- the pact between Nazi Germany and Soviet Union made Soviet Union the main Latvian enemy. When in 1939, by Hitlers orders German minority of Latvia repatriated to Third Reich it was met by excitement by Latvians that the old enemies have left. Year later in 17, June Soviet Union occupied Latvia. Soviets removed Latvian president Kārlis Ulmanis from the office and established their puppet government. To “justify” the occupation an elections with only one official communist list were made. All attempts to form another list were halted with repressions. After the that the new “Peoples parliament” “asked” comrade Stalin to  allow Latvia to become a member of Soviet Union.

The year 1940, was the hardest time for Latvia. Soviets disbanded the Latvian army, repressed the political elite and took Latvian land and property.  Bloody outrages happened in dark chambers of NKVD the Cheka. Patriots were killed and mutilated. On June 14, 1941 massive deportation of Latvian citizens to Siberia took place. All this was a massive blow to Latvian youth, they were educated as patriots of Latvian country. The patriotic education in prewar Latvia was more common than now and made the majority the youngsters born in those times a fanatic supporters of Latvia.

Scenes like this made Latvians strongly against the Soviets

The German invasion in 22, June 1941, was met with excitement in all three Baltic states. Lithuanians started massive national uprising against the Soviets and established national provisional government. The rise of national partisans started in Latvia also. Partisans attacked retreating Soviet army and helped Germans to defeat the Soviets. In 1, July German army entered Riga. A large manifestations greeting Germans were a proof that Soviet occupation left a deep scar in Latvian minds. Germans revealed the mass graves left by the Soviets. Images of mutilated bodies raised the  anti-soviet feeling in the majority of Latvians.

Lithuanians and Latvians hoped that Germans will give Latvia back its independence. In reality Germans had nothing of this in mind. All three Baltic states became the part of Reichcommisariat Ostland with local German authority. Germans ordered Latvian partisans to return arms and disband. Surviving Latvian army officers such as Viktors Deglavs and Aleksandrs Plesners demanded Germans to restore Latvian national forces. Deglvavs was found shot in stairway of his apartment soon after. The radicals of the Thundercross supported Germans and helped to popularize the actions against the Jews, but also asked to create two divisions of Latvian volunteers to fight the Soviets. In result  Thundercross was banned and their leader Gustavs Celmiņš sent to concentration camp. Germans only allowed to make completely loyal Latvian self-government that will fulfill their every task. Those national formations that took place in German army were reduced to such actions as to destroy Jews and other German enemies.

Such actions can be explained by the German beliefs of quick victory over Soviet Union. Plans were laid for the Germanization  of Latvia and Latvian deportation to Ural mountains. The orders by Adolf Hitler clearly stated that non-Germans cannot serve in the ranks of the Wermacht.

However after the failure at Stalingrad Germans started to speculate about non-Germans in the ranks of Waffen SS.  Before that Latvians were allowed to fight in Police battalions that took actions against Soviet partisans in the Eastern Front. Police battalions were badly equipped. Many were ashamed by the name of their formation. The order of establishing a Volunteer Waffen SS Legion came in 1943, from Hitler by the request of head of SS Heinrich Himmler.   Similar order was also in Estonia and Lithuania. Contrary to Latvians and Estonians, Lithuanian authorities resisted  to form their legion. They demanded to give Lithuania its independence in order to form the legion. Since Germans still resisted to do this Lithuanians did not encourage their people to join the legion and the scheme failed.

In Latvia, Latvian authorities were more wiling to cooperate with Germans and asked Latvians to join the legion. However, the size of volunteers were too small to please Germans. Those who joined by they own will wanted to fight the Soviets and prevent the return of the Soviet occupation. They were patriotic minded people deeply affected by the images of 1940, called the horrible year. The return of repressions and deportations was feared by them. And since German anti-Latvian plans now seemed impossible the will to fight Soviet Union was high.

Since only 15% of those who joined were volunteers Germans started the mobilization.  Two formations were made the 15th and 19th division. Also Latvians took part in German air force. Latvian Soldiers got Armshield showing Latvian flag and name Latvia. People aged from 1908, to 1926, were conscripted in the Legion. In the very beginning the health checks ruled out people unfit for the war, but when situation begun to get worse people with tuberculosis and other illness were conscripted. Also schoolboys were taken from their desks and sent to war. While first wave soldiers received proper training the last wave was often sent without any training at all resulting pointless death and capture.

Legion consisted of Latvian officers, many of them from former Latvian Army. But the main orders were directed by Germans. SS Grupenfurhrer Rūdolfs Bangerskis was the general inspector of Latvian Legion but with out former rights  to direct his own orders.

First battles of the Latvian legion took place in Lenningrad front in 1943. Heavy battles took place near Novgord, Pskov. Germans gave Latvians the impossible task to halt Soviet army that marched to Latvian border. Latvian soldiers did this bravely and courageously.  In August and September 1944, 15th division was sent to Prussia for replenishment of new units. It was in training near Danzig and ordered to fight in  22, January 1945. It consisted 15, 000 soldiers. About 1, 000 were sent to Courland that was encircled by the Soviet Army. The rest was lost in fighting with the Soviets in Polish front. On 11, April remaining forces were told to be sent to Courland, seeing that all is lost they resisted and decided to surrender to Western allies.

The 19th Division stayed in Latvia all the way and fought the entering Soviet army. Legion fought a heavy battle at More to halt Soviet advance and allow other German formations to retreat. At the end the Legion was trapped in Courland surrounded by Soviets from all sides. Despite the fact that the Courland pocket was not strategically important Soviets sent six massive attacks from 1944, to 1945. All of them were beaten of by Germans and the Legion.  Soviet armies perished in the fields of Courland and it was never captured by Soviets. Because of that the Courland was called a fortress.

Courland only surrendered at 9, May 1945. All who became POWS of the Soviets, spent a years in concentration camps and prisons. Those who managed to get to the western side escaped the Soviet repressions. Allied forces refused to handle Latvian soldiers to Soviet Union. Only Sweden give up to the Soviet demands and handled the escaped  Latvian soldiers.

Latvian Waffen SS Legion was a pure battle formation.  It did not took any part in Holocaust since the Jewish killings in Latvia ended a year before the legion was formed. It should be seen as different from other SS formation, because the their attachment to SS was a strict formality. The     American Displaced Persons Commission stated very clearly that “the Waffen-SS units of the Baltic States (the Baltic Legions) are to be seen as units that stood apart and were different from the German SS in terms of goals, ideologies, operations and constitution, and the Commission does not, therefore, consider them to be a movement that is hostile to the government of the United States. When German officers asked Latvian officers who wants to fight Allied forces none rose up.

Latvian Waffen SS Legion was victims of the World war II and Nazi regime. The absolute majority of Latvian soldiers, believed that are fighting for Latvia and Latvian people. Many believed that the Legion will be foundation of the Latvian army and the Allies will support Latvian independence. Allies gave Latvia away to the Soviets and this dream was not fulfilled. For Nazis they were a just a another formation to halt the Soviet advance. Many other nations fought in German SS legions. Bosnian Muslims, Turks, Norwegians, Ukrainians. About 1 million Russians served in German army.

It was a tragedy that Latvians could not defend their homes by their own flag. Soviets sent Latvian Soviet formations against Legion. Brother fought against brother, son captured his father in the battlefield. A genocide that happened against Latvian nation during World war II must not be forgotten and remembered to  survive in future.

Veterans of the Legion remembering the Battle of More