2019

Remains of Latvian Soldiers Fallen during World War II have been Found in LVM Zemgale Region

On 1-4 August, fallen soldiers search unit “Leģenda” in cooperation with JSC “Latvia's State Forests” (LVM) found the remains of sixty-six Latvian Riflemen soldiers in LVM Zemgale region forest; these soldiers will be properly buried in Riga Brethren Cemetery.

In 1944, burials of soldiers who died during World War II were set up on hillocks in different parts of Latvia. Three years later, the USSR issued an order to transport these burials to specially arranged brethren cemetery, entrusting this work to the surviving locals - mostly women, children and the disabled. As a result, most of these burials were not relocated, and many of the soldiers fallen both on the German and Russian side are still lying there buried in the ground.

“Thousands of unknown soldiers are buried in forests, swamps, backyards of houses. According to the papers, the soldiers of the 308th Latvian Riflemen Division were to be buried in Tušķi Brethren Cemetery. But for all these 74 years, they had been lying where they were buried after the battle, on the edge of the woods near Guļauce farmstead where there was once a sanitary point,” says Viktors Duks, military archaeologist and representative of search unit “Leģenda”.

Using the Russian secret archives, 85 fallen soviet soldiers, most of them Latvians, were searched for in this expedition; they were mobilized in Latgale in 1944 and died in March 1945, when the division took part in the battles of the Kurzeme Front where both German and Latvian legion units were deployed.

This expedition was special to us because we were searching for our people - Latvians. We were digging for three days, spent three nights right there in tents. Unfortunately, we did not find a line with about 20 soldiers. The forest has changed over the years, and the old paper schemes are now covered with large trees, making digging difficult. Once new permits and approvals are obtained, the work will continue,” says Viktors Duks, representative of search unit “Leģenda”.

Since soldiers are buried in pits next to Guļauce farmstead, it is impossible to identify precisely each of the remains. One soldier had a ring with the initials on his finger. Examining the division list, it was found that it may have belonged to Aleksandrs Urtāns. Relatives of another soldier - Jānis Žuriņš form Bīriņi - have been found. The relatives had been searching for their fallen relatives for 10 years: two brothers - one fought with the German forces, the other - with the USSR army. “We hope that we will also find relatives of the other soldiers, eleven of whom were only 19 years old when they died. Direct relatives of five soldiers have already contacted us,” says Viktors Duks.

When leaving Lielauce, representatives of “Leģenda” had to assist state road builders near Biksti, where another nine fallen soldiers were found during construction works. 

There are several organisations in Latvia looking for fallen soldiers. There are organisations specialising in the search for German or Russian/USSR army soldiers. The fallen soldiers search organisation “Leģenda” searches for soldiers that have fallen in all armies during both World War I and World War II, without a distinction as to on which side they once fought.

“Before carrying out this type of excavation in the state forest area, it must be agreed on with the landowner. The search, exploration and reburying or exhumation of burial grounds must be carried out in accordance with the authorisations received, which clearly define not only the excavation boundaries, but also the requirements to ensure that excavation works and their closure meet the safety and environmental requirements without affecting forestry progress in the areas managed by LVM. Unauthorised tree felling, burning or uncoordinated construction is not allowed,” says Valdis Kalns, Head of LVM Real Estate Administration.

Searching and reburying of fallen soldiers may only be carried out with a permit issued by the Brethren Cemetery Committee, which is valid only with the registration mark of the respective municipal institution and the landowner's approval. The Brethren Cemetery Committee coordinates the condition of soldiers' burial grounds, collects information on burial sites, monitors the search for the remains of soldiers and their exhumation.