Latvian anti-Nazi resistance movement 1941–1945
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Many
National resistance movements
Civic circles in Latvia were dissatisfied with the German occupation regime and secretly plotted to reinstate democracy.[citation needed] There were many small underground groups of the national resistance movements focused on the restoration of the independence of Latvia like The Latvian Nationalist Union, Latvian National Council, the Officer Union, organizations “The Latvian Guards”, “New Regiments“, “The Free Latvia”, “The Latvian Hawk organization” and others. The radical nationalist organization “Pērkonkrusts” was allied with the Germans in the first months after the invasion, however, when repressed by the Germans it again started underground resistance.
On August 13, 1943 members of the four biggest Latvian political parties founded the
Kurelians
The Latvian Central Council managed to form their own military unit, disguised as a Home Guard unit, commanded by General Jānis Kurelis; the men were popularly known as Kurelians (Latvian: Kurelieši). The unit was organized on July 28, 1944, by a directive from Veide, the administrator of Rīga township, for the officially avowed purpose of fighting Soviet partisans who had recently been dropped by parachutes in great numbers, and for the formation of German-supported Latvian partisan groups which would operate in Soviet-occupied Latvian regions.
The size of the Kurelians is uncertain. Estimates range from 1,200 to 16,000, while the Germans were told that the group had only 500 men. Volunteers were attracted by word of mouth. The Kurelians expected ultimately to fight both Soviets and Nazis and to remain in Latvia as nationalist partisans if the Germans withdrew, or even to hold a part of Latvia until help arrived from the Western Allies. On September 23 the Kurelians retreated through Rīga to northern Courland, leaving behind a group of 150 men to operate in the Soviet rear. The Kurelians assisted the Latvian Central Council “boat actions” to Sweden and established radio contacts with Sweden.[3]
On November 14 the Germans surrounded and disarmed the Kurelians. Seven of their officers (including Upelnieks, a member of the military committee of the underground Latvian Central Council) were sentenced to death by a Nazi military tribunal and shot in Liepāja on November 19. A Kurelian battalion commanded by Lt. Rubenis fought the Germans for three days and was annihilated; Rubenis fell during a Latvian counter-attack trying to break through the German encirclement but some of the Kurelians escaped. General Kurelis was deported to Germany. 545 of his men were sent to the Stutthof concentration camp.[4]
Soviet partisans
Armed
See also
- Anti-fascism
- Estonian anti-German resistance movement 1941–44
- Latvian independence movement
- Resistance during World War II
- Resistance movement
- Lithuanian resistance during World War II
References
- ^ Occupied Latvia During World War II. Li.lv. Retrieved on January 6, 2012.
- ^ Dvinsk. Eilatgordinlevitan.com. Retrieved on January 6, 2012.
- ^ Latvian Resistance Against the Nazi Occupation. Latvianhistory.com
- ^ JULY 1941 TO MAY 8, 1945 Archived March 14, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Historia.lv.
- ^ Mark Healy, Zitadelle: The German Offensive Against the Kursk Salient July 4–17, 1943.
- ^ Andris Straumanis, Human rights court overturns war crimes ruling. Latviansonline.com (2008-07-25). Retrieved on January 6, 2012.
- ^ JULY 1941 TO MAY 8, 1945 Archived March 14, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Historia.lv. Retrieved on January 6, 2012.
- ^ The Partisan War Archived 2015-02-21 at the Wayback Machine. Theeasternfront.co.uk. Retrieved on January 6, 2012.