Back in November 2011, I posted an article on LOL by Jukka Rislakki, author of “The Case for Latvia: Disinformation Campaigns Against a Small Nation,” who wrote about the ceremony dedicating memorial plaques to 20 Latvia’s lost generals at Rīga Brāļu kapi; generals whose remains have never been found - http://latviansonline.com/forum/viewthread/34673/

He expressed disappointment at the lack of Latvian solidarity to show their respect for these military leaders, generals, who had fought for Latvia’s Independence and as a consequence during “Baigais gads” (Year of Terror) were rounded up by the Soviet Russian invaders and taken to Moscow. There they were executed, or died in prison shortly after. Latvians lost their top military leadership, individuals who could have later stood up against the Nazi German demand to form the military legions. Lithuanians who lost only a hand full of their military leaders were able to resist the German requests.

Following the Soviet panic retreat from Latvia when the Germans arrived, there were still other generals whose tortured remains were found in mass graves scattered throughout Latvia. Besides these 20 and other generals there were 39 colonels who were executed, deported or remain unaccounted for. All in total the list of “Baigais gads” military victims includes some 1,100 officers and 3,600 instructors and soldiers.

For some reason the Latvian national espirit de corps was missing this day. This event was ignored by the media (other than for Jukka Rislakki’s article), by the government, as well as the intelligentsia. No explanation has been made.

The memorial plaques for each Latvian general are located at the base of the Mourning Mother. It is engraved on each plaque that the burial spot of these 20 Latvian generals is not known (Apbedījuma vieta nav zināma). Here is my compiled list and I did take a digital picture of each headstone:

Generālis Žanis Bahs (1885-1941)
Generālis Krišjānis Berķis (1884-1942)
Generālis Alberts Brambats (1881-1943)
Generālis Andrejs Bubinduss (1891-1842)
Generālis Hermanis Buks (1896-1942)
Generālis Arturs Dālbergs (1896-1941)
Generālis Arturs Dannebergs (1891-1941)
Generālis Jānis Ezeriņš (1894-1944)
Generālis Martiņš  Hartmanis (1882-1941)
Generālis Jānis Teodors Indāns (1895-1941)
Generālis Martiņš  Jeske (1883-1941)
Generālis Roberts Kļaviņš (1885-1941)
Generālis Rūdolfs Klinsons (1889-1941)
Generālis Andrejs Krustiņš (1884-1941)
Generālis Arvīds Kurše (1896-1953)
Generālis Jānis Liepiņš (1894-1942)
Generālis Hugo Rozenšteins (1892-1941)
Generālis Jēkabs Ruškevicis (1883-1942)
Generālis Vilis Spandegs (1890-1941)
Generālis Fricis Virsaitis (1892-1943)

~*~

No trip to Latvia is complete without a visit the Brāļu kapi. This year I went there twice with a side trip to Baltie krusti (The White Crosses), a short distance behind Zigfrīds Meierovitzs memorial Meža kapos.

About two and a half years ago I reported on the “Latvju tauta against Russki mir” thread that in Brāļu kapi there were rows upon rows of Cyrillic engraved headstones that didn’t belong in this cemetery. The cemetery had originally been constructed for Latvia’s heroes who during WWI fought for the Latvian homeland and/or independence in the years 1915-1920.

During Soviet Russian occupation of Latvia the invaders changed the entrance gateway to read 1915-1945 and chiseled off Latvia’s coat of arms and the crosses. There were 37 national features at the cemetery that were removed or plastered over. The cemetery added 473 Soviet invaders and politicians. All had been transferred from other cemeteries and interred during the occupation for the sake of prestige. It’s just another multinational aspect of russification that was forced on Latvians to demonstrate Soviet Russian power where the larger nation eventually absorbs the smaller nation. Well, I’m glad to report now that this has changed! There are no more eye sore Cyrillic headstones. They have all been removed and replaced by Latin alphabet engraved into the headstones. In addition 120 of the 473 Soviets have already been removed to other cemeteries. More will be removed from Brāļu kapi over time.

~*~

Baltie krusti, as some of you may know, was a memorial to some 120 cheka terror victims who had been tortured and executed by a bullet in the head. In 1969 the Soviets bulldozed these graves and opened the area for regular burials on top of these victims. The area has now been reclaimed and a monument has been erected for all the terror victims. Some whose remains have been recovered do have individual graves, i.e.- Jēkabs Silarājs, 1898-1941, Latvijas Brīvvalsts Kriminālpolicijas Priekšnieks – Interpola Viceprezidents; Miervalds Lūkins, 1894 25.XI – 1941 -.VI, Valsts Prezidenta Adjutants Pulkvedis.

~*~

As to why so many legionnaires gravesites have disappeared and so many are unaccounted for, Latvian historian Vita Zelče writes: “Sarkanajai armijai bija īpašas pretnieku kapu iznīcināšanas vienības, kas sekoja frontei un pildīja savu uzdevumu. Tie gluži vienkārši tika fiziski iznīdēti – saspridzināti, nošķūrēti, tanku kāpurķēžu samalti, demontēti. Atmiņstāsti liecina, ka šie karavīru kapi pazuda no Latvijas ainavas bez jebkādiem publiskiem skaidrojumiem. (“Karojošā piemiņa 16.marts un 9.maijs”)

Peace, Ivars

Yep, that Cyrillic is the problem.

No! The problem is the 353(?) Russkies remaining in the hallowed ground , and the thousands of others remaining on the hallowed ground.

Well, take them to a mass grave in Bikernieki, or somefing…

I think leaving some bodies and people where they might not ‘belong’ is a better outcome than the opposite… be remembered in history as the ones who dug up bodies and harassed innocent living people.  Aren’t we supposed to be the “good guys”?

Ivar, you do realize that some decedents whose families may want Cyrillic lettering on headstones actually fought for Latvian independence?  Yes, I know that during the Soviet years there was an influx of corpses that didn’t belong there.  I’m not talking about those.

Thanks Ivars for that. I’ve been wanting to do a piece on Brāļu Kapi on LATVIANS.COM, that’s the kind of background that’s not in the usual places.

Sounds like you are a kind hearted person, Anita, in face of the enemy – kiss, forgive and forget. One has to be deeply religious to keep turning the other cheek. Brāļu kapi is a national shrine not a multinational shrine that incorporates the WWII Soviet invaders as something that adds value to Latvia’s independence fighters. Doing nothing and maintaining status quo in face of ongoing aggression from Russia – propaganda, historical lies, exporting corruption, powerplays, encroachment in Latvia’s internal affairs, minimizing Latvia’s independence, etc. – is not something that we should timidly tolerate. It’s not like Latvia has been able to cast off the Soviet Russian occupation by now. It has not and it still persists and keeps building on the existing psychology effects. It’s known as menticide, Soviet style brainwashing more precisely.

Keep in perspective that in order for the Soviets to have been buried in the central area of Brāļu kapi some deserving of the honors strēlnieki had to be dug up to make room for a Soviet invader or politician. That is not acceptable to most Latvians.

Let us not mix hypothetical situations, “Ivar, you do realize that some decedents whose families may want Cyrillic lettering on headstones actually fought for Latvian independence?” with the real things. Do you have a case in mind where the Brāļu kapu Committee was requested and had made such arrangements for an independence fighter? Neither am I aware of any Jews requesting Hebrew lettering other than for the Star of David. Personally I don’t have any hang up with the Cyrillic alphabet, as I don’t have any with Hebrew, Arabic, Chinese, etc. The thing with the 473 Cyrillic headstones when I first saw them in Brāļu kapi was that it was a dead giveaway what has been going on here.

Cheers, Ivars

“Brāļu kapi is a national shrine not a multinational shrine”

A well said reponse Ivar.

I went there last year, for the first time, it was a light rain, so I didn’t walk up and down every aisle.
The only signs I saw were in Latvian and some of the signs were very new.

So I didn’t want to comment upon this subject ... until your comment just now.

And yes, I have read the soviets burying their ‘heroes’ there.
Those commie clowns had no respect. They bulldozed more than one graveyard, I have read.

Well said, Ivars .. paldies.

“Brāļu Kapi “

My last posting was in reference to inside the hallowed walls.
Outside, I saw many new russkie gravestones.
Even then, I had to ask myself, what the hell are they doing there.
They do not belong here.

There is a russian cemetary the other side of town ... use that.

“...exporting corruption…”

Forgive me if I laugh. Are you seriously suggesting that prior to the Occupancy, there was no corruption in Latvia? There are many, many sources that would disagree with you. For my part, reading Aizsilnieks economic history opened my eyes up to inherently Latvian problems that ought to be dealt with. Blaming someone else for your ills is not the same as taking the responsibility for what’s happening in your country. It is all too easy to play the victim card. It is much too difficult to man up to problems, but it is the only way to get them resolved.

marisr - 04 October 2012 03:55 AM

“Brāļu Kapi “

My last posting was in reference to inside the hallowed walls.
Outside, I saw many new russkie gravestones.
Even then, I had to ask myself, what the hell are they doing there.
They do not belong here.

There is a russian cemetary the other side of town ... use that.

Maris, there are ethnic Russians buried there who fought in the war of Independence in 1918. It ain’t an ethnic Latvian cemetery. One may have a problem with the WW2 veterans, but that is another story.

PS The city of Riga—run by that Russian mayor—by the way is paying for restoration of the cemetery.

Aleksej ~ you’re walking the gang plank again: “Forgive me if I laugh. Are you seriously suggesting that prior to the Occupancy, there was no corruption in Latvia? There are many, many sources that would disagree with you.” I have never made such a suggestion. In fact it greaves me to no end that white collar crime exists in Latvia. What I mentioned in a context was that “Doing nothing and maintaining status quo in face of ongoing aggression from Russia – …exporting corruption… - is not something that we should timidly tolerate.” Here is but one sample: laundering money - http://dailycaller.com/2012/01/31/at-least-32-billion-left-russia-in-money-laundering-schemes-last-year/

It seems to come as a surprise to you that there are ethnic Russians who prefer to be loyal Latvians rather than diehard Soviets: “Maris, there are ethnic Russians buried there who fought in the war of Independence in 1918. It ain’t an ethnic Latvian cemetery. One may have a problem with the WW2 veterans, but that is another story.” It is a National Latvian Cemetery not an ethnic cemetery that you‘re desperately trying to make it be. It just happens to be that many of the Soviets interred there since WWII, whatever their ethnicity, are not loyal Latvians.

“One may have a problem with the WW2 veterans, but that is another story.” As usual you’re desperately nibbling at the edges rather than getting to the core of Soviet invader issues. You have mellowed as a hard-core defender of Soviet/Russian interests, as a couple of years ago you bellowed: “One of the reasons why your comments earlier would be offensive to anyone whose father, grandfather, brother, or uncle died in that war is because you render their deaths superfluous. A while ago in November, I went to the military cemetery in Riga, Bralu Kapi, where I saw graves of men who died on both sides of the front in the first and second wars. To me, this is what makes it an ideal way of remembering the dead. However, as long as there are people like yourself who say that the Soviet Union basically wasted its time, money and human lives, I’d support a right of people to gather and celebrate May 9 in any way they deem fit. You can play the alternative history games all you want, but it appears to me the Soviet flag is one fo the flags waving about in Berlin. In fact, you could have your picture taken with an actor portraying the Soviet soldier near the Brandenburg gate.” While proudly you hail the Soviet flag, these warmongering Soviets were Latvian killers. At that time you were also clueless how the Soviets got there in the first place, that’s in spite of your Soviet upbringing. They were victims of their own circumstances.

Cheers, Ivars

It seems to come as a surprise to you that there are ethnic Russians who prefer to be loyal Latvians rather than diehard Soviets

Where did you get it as a surprise? In this country, you often hear people say, krievs nekad nevar kļūt par latvieti and krievs paliek krievs. I never ever equated Soviets with Russians. The monster of the Soviet dictator was ethnically Georgian, who killed millions and millions of ethnic Russians.

It is a National Latvian Cemetery not an ethnic cemetery that you‘re desperately trying to make it be.

If you read it in context, I was reacting to the following statement from marisr. There is a russian cemetary the other side of town ... use that. Doesn’t this imply that Russians have no place in this “Latvian” cemetery?

While proudly you hail the Soviet flag, these warmongering Soviets were Latvian killers. At that time you were also clueless how the Soviets got there in the first place, that’s in spite of your Soviet upbringing. They were victims of their own circumstances.

As much as you may dislike, loathe, hate the Soviet flag, Ivar, the Soviet Union did win the war, suffering immense losses. For someone who often accuses Russia of manipulating history, you sure are guilty of it yourself. I actually stand by my words from a couple of years ago. Recognizing that simple fact doesn’t diminish the Soviet crimes (not just against Latvians, but also Chechens, Lithuanians, Gypsies, Jews, Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians, Moldovans, and others). Saying that the Soviet Union won the difficult WW2 does not mean excusing millions and millions of people who died in labor camps.

If any of the Red Army soldiers were guilty of any specific crimes, bring forth the charges, the way it was done with Kononov. I don’t buy the collective guilt.

Latvian Breathren are those who died for a free and sovereign Latvia.

Soviet Red Army who who retired to Latvia and enjoyed confisated Jūrmala and peacefully passed on in occupied territory or those who died in the waves of troops Stalin sent to their death in the Courland pocket have no place in Brāļu Kapi. That said, any Latvian citizen (i.e., citizen of Latvia) who died in WWII conscripted (illegaly) by either side deserves to be reunited in death, if not in life, with those who died for their country.

“Maris, there are ethnic Russians buried there who fought in the war of Independence in 1918. It ain’t an ethnic Latvian cemetery. One may have a problem with the WW2 veterans, but that is another story.

PS The city of Riga—run by that Russian mayor—by the way is paying for restoration of the cemetery.

I don’t know if the cemetary is within Riga’s jurisdiction, and it doesn’t matter who the mayor is, it is a place of historic remenbrance to all of Latvia, for Latvia’s recognition to those that faught and died for Latvia’s independence.

“Doesn’t this imply that Russians have no place in this “Latvian” cemetery? “

No implication at all.
As I have said before ... there are russians and there are ruSSians.
A simple ‘No”. Absolutely no place for soviets at any time, esp post-WW2.

“Saying that the Soviet Union won the difficult WW2 does not mean excusing millions and millions of people who died in labor camps.”

That has nothing to do with the cemetary’s reason for existance / purpose.

As you well know, the cemetary was built during the days of independence, long before the the illegal invasion and resulting occupation by the Red Army.

(BTW ... the Moscow Circus is in town right now .... why would one want to see a bunch of clowns continuing their performance?)

How soon we forget…........

SPIEGEL ONLINE
04/27/2007 12:35 PM
Deadly Riots in Tallinn
Soviet Memorial Causes Rift between Estonia and Russia

One person has been killed and dozens injured in a clash over a disputed Soviet war memorial in Estonia. Moscow is furious about government plans to move the statue of a Red Army soldier and has threatened “serious steps.”

War memorials are meant to honor the dead—not lead to more of them. But that is exactly what has happened in the Estonian capital Tallinn on Thursday, where one person died and several more were injured in riots over a disputed Soviet monument.

Around 1,500 people gathered in downtown Tallinn on Thursday to protest against authorities’ plans to move the controversial war memorial to a new location. The protests were peaceful until one small group tried to break through a police line protecting the memorial, sparking violent clashes. Demonstrators threw rocks and bottles at the police, who responded with stun grenades. One man was stabbed to death and at least 12 police officers and 44 protesters were injured. Around 300 people were arrested amid widespead vandalism and looting in the worst riots since Estonia declared its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

The 2-meter (6.5-foot) statue, known as the Bronze Soldier, is a tribute to the Red Army soldiers who died fighting Nazi Germany during World War II. The Estonian authorities want to move the statue to the Defense Forces cemetery outside Tallinn. They also plan to exhume the remains of Soviet soldiers buried near the statue, identify the bodies, and then move them to the cemetery.

The authorities claim that the monument, which they say attracts Estonian and Russian nationalists, is a public order problem and that it would be more respectful to the dead to be buried in a cemetary. They consider the statue a “kind of headstone,” according to Defense Ministry adviser Andreas Kaju, and argue it belongs together with the soldiers’ remains in the cemetery.

Many Estonians view the monument as a reminder of 50 years of Soviet occupation. However the country’s sizable ethnic Russian minority—which numbers around 300,000 out of a total population of 1.3 million—feels that plans to move the monument are an insult to the memory of the soldiers who died fighting the Nazis.

The authorities decided in the early hours of Friday to remove the memorial and it is now being held at an undisclosed location. The decision was taken “to ensure that it cannot be used in the future as a reason or cause for extensive and dangerous rioting,” the government said in a statement. It said the violence had shown that the protesters’ “real goal was to riot, destroy, break and loot.”

Russia, which has repeatedly asked its neighbor not to move the statue, strongly criticized the latest developments. “Yet again, we can qualify the actions of official Tallinn as sacrilegious and inhuman,” Interfax news agency quoted Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin as saying. Russian news agencies reported that the Russian upper house of parliament had unanimously adopted a resolution Friday recommending that the government consider breaking diplomatic relations with Estonia.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has likewise warned that Moscow would “take serious steps” against the small Baltic country. “We must react without hysteria but also take serious steps which would demonstrate our true attitude to this inhuman action,” Lavrov said on Friday during a visit to Norway.

dgs/ap/reuters

URL:

  http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/deadly-riots-in-tallinn-soviet-memorial-causes-rift-between-estonia-and-russia-a-479809.html

Related SPIEGEL ONLINE links:

  Photo Gallery: Estonians Riot Over Disputed War Memorial
  http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/fotostrecke-21191.html
  SPIEGEL Interview with Estonian President: “EU Citizens Are Tired of Expansion” (02/28/2007)
  http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,468913,00.html

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