Latvian Legion [Sampolit Film]

Two divisions were to be formed on the Latvian soil during the Second World War. They were to form the core of the Latvian Legion which was created in order to prevent a new Soviet occupation. The 15th -- Latvian 1st Division and 19th -- Latvian 2nd Division along with the other Latvian military units it had a combat strength up to 165,000 men at its peak.

The Latvian Legion was an unique battlegroup what was built on what stood on patriotism and high fighting moral. The legionaries continued the fight till the bitter end -- some dedicated their entire life fighting against the Soviet occupation.
The Western countries yielded to the pressure of the Soviet Union and did not object to Latvia and other Baltic States remaining part of the Soviet Union. Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia found themselves the only occupied states, whose independence was not restored after the Second World War. Only in 1991 it became possible to eliminate this historical injustice and the Baltic States regained their national independence.

In the end, the Latvians were vindicated - they were cleared of any war crimes in 1950 by the US Congress statement which recognized the difference of the Baltic SS Legions from the German SS. Not many surviving members of the Latvian Legion are left today in Latvia. But each year the veterans, meet to remember their suffering and sacrifices. They see themselves as Latvian patriots who believed that they were fighting for the restoration of a free Latvia. For this reason, March 16th, the anniversary of a major Latvian Legion battle in Russia, was chosen as a day of solemn remembrance.

This video is about the soldiers and legionaries who gave everything to save their own country. It also describes a nation whose independence and youth was violently taken away. It is about a country who suffered after the war 50 more years. A country to whom the Second World War did not end on the 8th of May 1945.

The matter of the Latvian SS is still hotly debated. In Latvia and Estonia they are officially recognized as freedom fighters.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Latvia
• Latvija
• Legion
• Lettland
• Waffen
• SS
• Wehrmacht
• ww
• II
• Reich
• Soviet
• war
• krieg
• Communism
• Europe
• Lietuva
• Visu

[WarEagleTheBest]

Latvians please stay together, help each other and be anti-immigrant, you have beautiful country, beautiful people, Latvia only for Latvians!!! I hope you will be unjoined from stupid, anti-European eu. Don't become another "european" "british" london. Visu - Latvia!

[Edgarssprogis]

@Thundercross40 And Russia is a god leik country, starving Ukraine, attacking Finland and Poland at the beginign o war, and after that they just changed their minds and joined the allies. I say Russia must pay the countries wich they invaded and attacked the same like Germany does.

[torhjelm]

Hail Latvian Legion, greatest heroes of WW2!

Communist maggots who insult Latvians can go shoot themselves.

They don´t understand shit about your history and your difficult

position between the two super powers. Greets from Finland.

[marzipann777]

Hailto Latvia, Hail to the Latvian Legion!88!

[lkrnpk]

One thing also should be mentioned- some of Latvian Legion soldiers who gave up to the Western Allies guarded prisoners during Nuremberg Trials later... they were recognized (together with Estonians) as by their purpose etc. different than other Waffen SS by all countries.... except Russia that still calls them war criminals that they never were (and I'm not talking here about police kommandos etc. but only about Waffen SS legionaires)

[WeedNuke]

whats that music at the start?

[40bcoots]

@lkrnpk ..Good luck to you & your problems.

..I suggest you look up on Youtube "Stalin's Secret Police" series, & "Red Terror on the Amber Coast"

Note how many many of Stalin's comrades look like that other murderer, shitler.

[40bcoots]

@MrFightDem .....I suggest you look up on Youtube "Stalin's Secret Police" series, & "Re Terror on the Amber Coast"

Note how many many of Stalin's comrades look like that other murderer, shitler. Of course tho, youre probably too busy taking part in the riots in Uk; or else financially too broke to even use a computer.