I just browsed the WWII history section here and saw that there are a lot of people with real interest in WWII (I mean REALLY interesed people, not die-hard anti or pro Nazis) but I didn't see any discussion on one of the most sensitive parts of WWII: East Front. Namely - the role of the 3 Baltic states in war and post-war history (forming of the volunteer and "volunteer" SS Legions and the occupation fact, which is not jet officially recognized by the Russian government.
No doubt that the forming of the SS Legions in the Wehrmacht occupied countries (mostly Latvia) was illegal, and they knew that. But that is only one side of the coin - a big part of the legionaires actually WERE volunteers. One should take a closed look at the situation in the years the legions were formed: during the WWI the Baltic states felt the opportunity of independance within their grasp. Latvia, togather with Poland (and Estonia on one occasion)fought (at first partually togather with Germany) agenst the Russian Empire. Latvia actually freed it's territory by driving the Russian Imp. forces all the way across the country and even beyond, than signing a peace treaty (a separate one, sadly - Poland kept fighting) with Russia (Russa acknowlaged the independance of Latvia, and promissed NEVER to attack it agen).
Int the next decades till WWII all the Baltic republics made impressive progress in economy, culture etc (I'm not a big expert in this, but I think that the Latvian flax and linen export made 80% of the world(?) or European market).
Than, in 1940, Russia invaded all 3 Baltic republics, removing their governments and deporting more than 20.000 people from Latvia (not Latvians - although latvians were that absolute majority, the deportations were aimed agenst the intelligence, the wealthy and pollitically wrong-thinkin) The industry was torn-downs and moved to Russia.
So it's no wonder that, in 41, the Wehrmacht was seen as a liberator and many Latvian men volunteerly joined it to take revenge and drive the russians, once more, out of their land.
And what is another popular but false assumption - the SS Legions as units were in no way participated in the Holocaust (but there were Latvians, who actually participated in it, noone denies that (maybe someone still remembers the recent trials of Arajs and Kalejs, who were the most prominent Latvian - antisemitists))
So the really volunteer legions were a legitimate fighting-force, and it participated till the wery bitter end of the war (Latvian SS legionaires were actully the last defenders of the Reichstag in Berlin) No doubt they were man of valor and I think they deserve the right to remeber their fallen comrades in memorials like any other legitimate combatant in the world...whats your opinion on this? (if you have one, please)
To make it clear, I'm not german nor latvian, so I can be cosidered somewaht independant in this matter... :)
Saltpeterjunky |