Legion Day
16 March is one of the controversial subjects in Latvia.
Briefly saying it is day to revere the memory of Latvian people who had fought during second world war.
The controversy is about what they had fought for: against Red Army or for Nazi SS or still for Independence of Latvia?
I guess at that time nobody knew which front is bad and which is even worse.
Latvia was in the middle of two big powers, so Latvians had joined different forces.
The war's aftermath is that Latvia had joined to Soviet Union and had lost its recently gained independence.
So nowadays the people who were fought against Soviet Army are being called as freedom fighters or Hitler's supporters
However, I would like to repeat, at that time nobody knew what is going to happen.
See also Latvian Legion Day in 2008
Labels: center, events, flags, independence, latvian, people, police, russian
People Reaction (11)
The sad thing is that some people died - families mourn. That's what matters.
And many congratulations on your recent anniversary. Your blog is always interesting and teaches us much we don't know about Riga. Thanks.
That sounds tough and sad. No, no one knew back then what could have happened. I just wish people would stop blaming and just get on rebuilding what was lost.
Historians sometimes change history to achieve political ends. Never forget the past.
The war's aftermath is that Latvia had joined to Soviet Union and had lost its recently gained independence.
I would better rewrite this to:
Latvia was anexed to the Soviet Union..
It never was a free choice of Latvia to join the SU..
Just like with many other countries..
Ps. Actually, you can not even call it an annexiaton because it wasnt even legal..
thanks, man.
peace.
At the time, we fought for our country and we were such a little country squashed between the devil and the deep blue sea. We did not fight FOR either Russia or Germany, but AGAINST both. In such a situation we had no hope of winning and were given to Russia in a secret pace between Hitler and Stalin.
Sorry, that should read "in a secret pact".
We have the same trouble here in Flanders. Those who wanted Flemish independence are always caught in this game ...
The Baltic states were sold before WWII and the people were the victims of the two superpowers.
Erwin.
Those soldiers that were figthing agains Red army are not marching on 16th of march, but those who were in SS do march. Fighting for freedom and burning down villages, killing civilians in Latvia and in neibour countries is not the same. Don't mess things up. Just learn history. Not one source but many. Read what heppened on 16th of march. Find out what latvian SS legions did in WW2. Don't let your brain washed. Be smart. Sometimes freedom is not what you think and not for that price. Peace is priceless.
-> Anonymous 24 March, 2009 03:32
I knew that eventually some venomous pro-Soviet crackpot like you will pop up and discharge his daily piece of hateful disinformation.
Thank you for promoting hate speech and false propaganda online!
Somehow nobody aside from Foreign Ministry of Russian Federation, NASHI "Putin Jugend", and various activists of Extreme Left or Neo-Soviet kind (some wild and colorful team of lunatics) has ever actually supported your point of view, which is not exactly overburdened with any factual base either.
These here are exactly those people who fought Stalin's Red Army which had occupied their homeland before, and these are exactly those people who have nothing to do with "burning villages" or "killing civilians" you are so happy to go around bitching about.
And I would hint to you to follow your own advise and read from several sources.
For a start you could learn that these people under Allied command used to guard Palace of Justice in Nuremberg during trials of Nazi war criminals, guarded USA army headquarters in Stutgart, guarded Berlin Airlift facilities, and were kindly received by King of Sweden Carl Gustaf in his royal residence in nineties.
P.S. Though I know, that I am saying it in wain, as you already know all that, and your true explicit objective is to spread disinformation for political gain.
In this respect it is interesting to see who are the people who are posting these hatred mongering lies like you do and also to see how the propaganda you promote is being made.
P.P.S. Today is March 25th. Another day of remembrance. On this day in 1949 people like you loaded tens of thousands of women, children and elderly at gunpoint into railroad cattle cars and brought them away, for many never to return.