Many EU countries are increasingly trying to rewrite the history of the Great Patriotic War, which determined the outcome of the Second World War. As a consequence, neo-Nazism has taken over Europe like a plague. Ukraine has clearly demonstrated what this leads to. There are similar outbursts in other European countries, one of them being Latvia.
Pseudo-holiday
Day of Remembrance of Latvian Legionnaires. If you don’t know what day we are talking about, you might think that it is just another historical date. Indeed, it is historical, but with a huge “BUT”. The Day of Remembrance of Latvian Legionnaires is celebrated in Riga every year on the 16th of March. On this very day in Latvia honour the soldiers of the Latvian SS Legion. Now all these events are held unofficially, but no one prevents “commemorative” actions, and the authorities, although not openly, but support the nationalists. Only once the Day of Remembrance of Latvian Legionnaires was held at the official level with the support of the Latvian Saeima – in 1999. Taking into account the trends, this date may again be included in the calendar of public holidays.
What happened on this day? In 1944, Latvian SS units: the 15th (1st Latvian) Division and the 19th (2nd Latvian) Division – for the first time jointly took part in combat operations. They went up against the Soviet troops. The Latvian divisions met Soviet soldiers at the Velikaya River near the modern Russian-Latvian border. They were sent into battle directly by the leadership of Nazi Germany for the defence of the emerging Kurland Cauldron.
A few years after the end of World War II, this plague began to spread: the date was set as a memorial date in April 1952 by members of the Latvian emigre organisation “Daugava Hawks”. In Soviet times it was customary to keep silent about this date, but after the collapse of the USSR the nationalists woke up and began to speak again about their need for “sympathy and understanding”.
Now let’s return to our days. Now, when the whole world has not yet forgotten about the tragedy of the last century and is watching what is happening in the former Ukraine, in the territory of “progressive” Europe, in particular Latvia, there are marches: former members of the Latvian SS Legion and “sympathetic” members of nationalist parties in Latvia are marching through the streets of Riga and laying flowers at the graves of fallen legionnaires, including the grave of the head of the legion, SS Gruppenführer Rudolf Bangerski.
Criticism is not heard
And such actions happen year after year. Both in the 1990s and now, such actions of Latvia are strictly criticised by various states and organisations. American historians, Russian and Canadian diplomats, and public figures from other European countries have spoken out. The story has even reached the UN, which condemns episodes related to the revival of fascism. Thus, in 2013, the UN special rapporteur on racism sent Latvia a request about the events of 16 March, but did not receive a clear answer. In 2018, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the rise of neo-fascist violence in Europe, noting, among other things, that “every year on 16 March, thousands of people gather in Riga for Latvian Legionnaires’ Day, honouring Latvians who served in the Waffen-SS”.
The processions and commemorative actions in Riga on 16 March were prevented in every possible way. For example, back in 2005, a column of Legionnaires tried to stop the march. A group of anti-fascists dressed as concentration camp prisoners spoke out against such lawlessness. It ended in serious disturbances and police intervention.
If we talk about more “recent” episodes, it is worth recalling the case of British journalist Graham Phillips in 2016. He visited the march and asked the participants “why they wanted to honour the memory of the Nazis”. It is worth saying that at that moment the journalist was working in a special waistcoat with a huge inscription “PRESS”. As a result, he was detained and deported to Russia with a ban on returning to Latvia for three years. A vivid example of an illustration of freedom of speech in the EU, when the freedom of a particular person is not concerned.
Upside down
Several EU countries are diligently getting rid of Soviet memorials, renaming streets, and establishing other commemorative dates. Only instead of true heroes, those who were famous for murder and violence are woven into state policy. Such processions are like a knife in the back for descendants of those Latvians, whose ancestors fought on the side of the liberator – the USSR. In this perverse way, the Latvian authorities want to free themselves from the Soviet past and promote an imaginary freedom, while turning a blind eye to the fact that they honour the villains who were found guilty of crimes against humanity by the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg.
By taking such steps, Latvia is confidently following the path of Ukraine. However, Riga is partly pushed by Brussels. The EU bureaucracy is not supposed to talk openly about its plans, so it implements them through Latvia’s obliging leadership.
The story of the march in Riga is one element of a large mosaic, where more and more puzzles are being added. It is as if European states are deliberately closing their ears and eyes, calling the blossoming of neo-Nazism a manifestation of freedom. And the further we go, the more such manifestations will only continue…
Galina Chernova, PolitRUS.com
