Burning Wall
Today on 11th of November is Lāčplēša diena.
Many people on this day come to Castle walls to put a candle in order to honour heroes of war for Liberation of Latvia from German army in 1919.
P.S. Unfortunately I haven't such a good camera, so the picture was taken from some news website :)
Labels: castles, events, fire, holidays, independence, lights, people, traditions, walls
People Reaction (13)
I posted picture of the same place in my blog as well - just a moment couple of hours before, when first people arrived to leave their candles on the wall.
Very moving photo...here in the US, we also celebrate Veterans Day on November 11...this is a lovely tribute to your heroes...
Wow, such a beautiful wall, so many candles.
As far as I know, Lāčplēsis Day is to commemorate the victory of Latvians against russian-german adventurer Bermondt-Avalov troops in Riga, on 11th November 1919.
Yet another time I am a little surprised by the blog author's unorthodox interpretation of Latvian reality.
It is absolutely incorrect to say that it was German army.
In fact it was Anti-Communist Monarchist Russian army, "The Bermontians", organized, armed, and pushed around by Imperial Germans.
So, in fact, it was a victory of Latvians over combined Russian/German project which wanted to crush the new-born Republic of Latvia.
See about their leader: Pavel Bermondt-Avalov
P.S.
The Bermontians are still hailed by some local Russian Ultra-Nationalists as the real heroes, because of their attempt to destroy the Latvian nation-state. As you, for example, can find out on their site here.
Bútu labi, ja autors bútu palasíjis mazliet véstures grámatu (vai vismaz wikipedia) pirms rakstíjis kam par godu ir Lachplesha diena.
Hello, I wonder that so many people are not happy about my short and neutral comment under picture :)
Let me clarify a bit, so you would understand better my point.
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1. Most of the troops of Bermondt were Germans, hence it could be called German Army, right?
It could be called also Russian-German army, but this is too specific.
Most of these people were Germans and they pursued German interest in this Region.
2. On 11th November 1919, Latvian army pushed them away from Riga. This battle was part of the Liberation war of Latvia.
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If I don't get too deep into details, it doesn't mean that I am illiterate.
2. It wasn't quite a Latvian army that defended Riga from the Bermondt - chiefly they were underequipped and undermanned (approximated 10'000 Rigans against 50'000 Bermontians) units of students from schools and universities because Latvian army was still liberating the other parts of Latvia. That's why this day stands out in between the other Liberation battles in 1918-1920.
Your "creative" interpretation of history is quite interesting.
Despite the majority of military personnel indeed being ethnic Germans, the riff-raff "army" of Bermondt-Avalov was essentially a Russian army, as it was part of the "White" Russian Anticommunist forces and those of the Baltic Germans, who served there, were Russian citizens and often also Russian Nationalists, especially officers, as the restoration of Russian Empire would guarantee that they would keep their role as a ruling class in Baltic lands.
So - yes, it was Russian/German project in interests of both - Russia and Germany and the majority of those serving there were citizens of Russian Empire.
So, again, if you do not wish to admit that it was "Russian" army, then call it "Russian/German" army. But calling it simply a "German" army is, at least illiterate, at worst intentionally misleading.
The actual German Army had ceased fighting in Baltic territory already before that and was leaving Latvia at the time of the events.
As of your "Most of the troops of Bermondt were Germans, hence it could be called German Army, right?" - the answer is - Wrong! It couldn't.
Wow! Testy ain't we? Riga.In, next time don't have short little answers. The whole liberation and establishment of the Latvian state is like one big accident. I read, I try and work something out, sometimes I understand, sometimes I don't. But that whole Latvian army defence of Riga is like some big romantic fantasy.
Only a person who comes from a land which hasn't experienced war on its home soil (excluding a couple of airstrikes from Japan during WW2) can find something romantic about the war.
"Only a person who comes from a land which hasn't experienced war on its home soil (excluding a couple of airstrikes from Japan during WW2)" can find something romantic about the war."?
Not entirely correct, a bit like Riga.in interpretation of the Latvian war of independence. Sometimes for the sake of time we make brief comments, that people misinterpret, so I am not sure wither I should be taking your head off or not, but I will save the ruder of my comments for the dumb Latvian Jew on you tube and his NazisLats comments.
Papua New Guinea was essentially a territory of Australia and the fighting there was very intense. It was indeed the battle for Australia, 400 Australian troops against 2500 Japanese. These Australian troops were classed 'second rate' and in many cases conscripts. Yet they achieved something no other army had managed to do. They gave the Japs a big punch in the nose and stopped them, in their tracks. We lost 700 civilians in WW2, still a drop in the ocean.
I see Latvia and Australian troops as being very similar. Against such adverse odds they manage to hold larger forces back. Australians did it at Trobruk, Long Tan, Kapyong, and a whole heap of other places. While lats did it at Leningrad,(if only Finland had kept going!) Kurland pocket, and in Afghanistan both in the war on terror and the Russian-Afghanistan war.
You can't put into words the admiration for men who walked in snow with their feet bound in rags, to fight for the freedom of their nation. That they achieve it and had twenty years of a gold age never before seen? Amazing.
That Stalin and his treachery took it away? A crime, against humanity, that alongside the holomdor, and Kaytn should never be forgotten.
A big romantic accident, that's what it was, there is no other way I can explain it.
Such a shame, that fifty years of Soviet domination has seen this country progress backwards to third world standards.
angella,
"the dumb Latvian Jew on you tube and his NazisLats comments"
Is this the guy you meant? A picturesque personality he is, indeed. Obviously a help of a good psychotherapist would not harm somebody who is so much effed up as him.