Author: Dmitry Kiselev
If we talk about the strangeness within NATO, Latvia, barely recovered from coronavirus, has returned to chronic Russophobia. On 17 June, the Ambassador of Latvia in Russia has rolled out a tweet with pictures of the seven Latvian ambassadors to the USSR in the period from 1920 to 1940, years of the last century, with a brief description of the life and death of these prominent diplomats and such signature: “on this day 80 years ago with the introduction of Soviet troops began the occupation of Latvia. Sometimes I then ask you in Latvia all the time with this 1940 zip? One answer is not to consign to oblivion the names of the victims, including our ambassadors to the Soviet Union, most of whom were arrested”.
the same day, “flashed” and the Prime Minister of Latvia krišjānis Karinsh. He compared the oppression of blacks in the U.S. with the Soviet occupation of Latvia and stated that he is very much aware of the suffering of the protesters now in America and throughout Europe. “We Latvians can actually understand what it’s like when people ban something based on skin color. We are not discriminated against because of skin tone, but during the Soviet occupation, we also experienced terrible things,” said Karins.
In response, the Russian foreign Ministry made the Prime Minister of Latvia, a small excursion into history: “In the Soviet period, the Central budget allocated significant funds for the development of the Latvian language and culture, Latvians have been widely represented in the government and even was part of the top leadership of the country, and the level of income per capita in the Latvian SSR was one of the highest in the Union. Besides Mr. carins probably forgot or doesn’t want to remember that all inhabitants of Latvia in the period had the status of a full citizen of the USSR. Many of them could not even imagine that in one moment will be in a foreign country as “non-citizens”. That’s certainly a direct reason to talk about racism or apartheid in this “modern” European country”.
But another lesson history — from the editor-in-chief of TV channel “History” of Alexey Denisov. This time about how to actually behave Latvians during the Bolshevik revolution and really suffered from the Soviet occupation.
Author: Alexey Denisov
the Soviet newsreel “daily news” in may 1917. The main story of the issue is devoted to the opening of a new monument in the capital of Soviet Latvia.
In the Soviet Union, the Latvian Riflemen were the same famous brand of Communist ideology, as the cruiser “Aurora”, the newspaper “Pravda” or pioneer tie. They were called “Leninist guard” and “the iron knights of the revolution”. They told about how guarded Lenin in Smolny and the Kremlin, smashed Denikin and Wrangel and installed the Soviet power throughout Russia.
Latvian Rifleman in the Russian civil everywhere. Near Kazan, Syzran, Moscow, the Kremlin guard was the commander of the detachment of machine gunners. Together with Lenin yard was cleaned in 1918, I think, in March.
Latvian Rifleman Edward Berzins (aka Edward Berzin) was one of the organizers and leaders of the Gulag, the first Director of dalstroi and Creator of the camp system in Kolyma in Magadan.
Yakov Peters was Deputy Chairman of the Cheka, and one of the organizers of “red terror”. In particular, he oversaw the “cleansing” of the Academy of Sciences and the Pushkin house, which was repressed by 115 prominent Russian professors and academicians, including the famous historians Platonov and Tarle.
Latvian Fyodor the Ahmanson in 1920 was head of the Solovki special purpose camp, and in 1930 — the first head of the Soviet Gulag.
Martin Latsis, member of the Collegium of the Cheka, one of the authors of the resolution, which in Petrograd was executed Grand princes Nikolai Mikhailovich, Georgy Mikhailovich, Pavel Alexandrovich, Dmitry Konstantinovich. 1 November 1918 in the newspaper “Red terror” he published a programmatic article which stated: “We are not waging war against individuals. We are exterminating the bourgeoisie as a class. Don’t look for the investigation of materials and evidence that the accused acted in word or deed against Soviet power. The first question that we have to offer him what class he belongs, what he origin, upbringing, education or profession. These questions should determine the fate of the accused. This is the meaning and essence of the “red terror”.
the Latvian National side was created in the Russian Empire during the First world war. In 1916, at their base was formed by the Latvian infantry division numbering about 40 thousand people. After the October revolution, Latvian Riflemen massively supported the Bolsheviks and became the largest national formation in the red Army. In 1917 the Latvian Riflemen, the Bolsheviks have entrusted the guard of the Smolny and the CPC.
in the Spring of 1918 250 Latvian Riflemen were guarding the special train which brought Lenin and the members of the Soviet government in Moscow. Here the 9th Latvian regiment guarded the Kremlin, and in the summer of 1918, the Latvian Riflemen saved Lenin and the entire leadership of the Bolshevik party during the revolt of the left SRS.
“Latvian arrows have become the saviors of Soviet power, or rather Bolshevik. Latvians are very strongly acted in the suppression of the rebels. Their heroic actions and determined the outcome of this episode,” said Andrei Shadrin, associate Professor, Department of history of Russia of XX-XXI century, Moscow state University named after M. V. Lomonosov.
In July, 1918 V all-Russian Congress of Soviets, the left SRS opposed the dictatorship of the Bolsheviks, killed the German Ambassador Mirbach and arrested Dzerzhinsky. To suppress the rebellion succeeded with the help of 3300 Latvian Riflemen entered in the center of Moscow with the Khodynka field.
at dawn On 7 Jul 1918 part of the Latvian Riflemen stormed the headquarters of the left SRS, which was here in the mansion in Bolshoy tryokhsvyatitelsky pereulok. Fire on the rebels led battery, under the command of Lett Edward Berzin. Earlier another Latvian detachment under the command of Yakov Peters on the orders of Lenin and Trotsky has arrested several hundred of the delegates of the V Congress of Soviets who opposed the Bolsheviks.
July 7, Trotsky Vatsetis personally handed the package of money, expressing gratitude for the suppression of the rebellion. Same summer Latvian Riflemen took part in the suppression of anti-Soviet uprisings in Yaroslavl, Murom and Rybinsk. At the storming of Yaroslavl scored the 6th Tukums and 8th Volmensky Latvian regiments. As a result of storm one of the most ancient and prosperous cities of Russia have suffered an irreparable loss. Almost a third of its buildings burned or were destroyed, the population decreased by 50,000, and 30% Yaroslavtsev lost their entire property.
Subsequently, the Latvian Riflemen took part in the suppression of anti-Soviet speeches in Vologda, Kaluga, Saratov, Penza, Nizhny Novgorod, participated in the defeat of the peasant uprising in Tambov and the elimination of the rebellion of the Kronstadt sailors. The 5 th Latvian Zemgale regiment distinguished itself in the battles for Kazan and the first in the red Army were awarded the red banner of the Central Executive Committee.
However, today these feats of their compatriots in Latvia prefer not to remember. In 1993 the new government of independent Latvia was opened in the halls of the former Museum of the Latvian red Riflemen Museum of the occupation of Latvia. Here today talk about the fact that Latvia became a victim of Soviet communism and its secret police. And, of course, that it had nothing to do with the creation of the USSR.
Latvians indeed often occupied a privileged position in the red Army. Here are a few more names.
Jan Fabricius — Commissioner of the red Army in the Civil war, the commander of the higher command personnel of the red army. Fabricius is the first four-time holder of the highest at that time in Soviet Russia order of the red banner . One of orders for the suppression of the Kronstadt rebellion.
Ian Berzins — one of the first leaders of the Soviet military intelligence. To it on this post too were Latvians — Janis Lancmanis and Arvid Zeibots.
Ivar Smilga — member of the revolutionary military Council of the Soviet Republic and the first head of the political Department of the army and Navy. In Civil, seconded alternately on all fronts as a member and even head of the Military Council.
Yakov Alksnis suppressed Cossack revolt on the don. In 1931, the commander of red Army air force. Engaged to conduct the repression in the red Army. In 1937 he was a member of the Special bench that handed down the death sentence of Marshal Tukhachevsky.
Sadly, the Latvians were particularly brutal in the repression and suppression of riots. On their hands the blood of hundreds of thousands of innocent victims. Not a chance then came the proverb: “search Not the executioner, but look for Latvians”. Latvians for some reason was in the leadership of the Cheka, and when the “Cheka” was headed by Ian Peters, the “red terror” after the assassination attempt on Lenin were particularly brutal, including the executions of hundreds of innocent hostages.
“I declare that any attempt of the Russian bourgeoisie once again raise my head, meet such resistance and such a punishment, before which pale all, what is meant under the red terror. Produced protivozanosnoy vaccination, that is, the red terror. Grafting this made the whole of Russia,” — said Peters.
Here is how he described the art of Jan Peters correspondent of the “Revolutionary Russia” after the Red Army smashed deneen from Rostov-na-Donu: “Cheka, led by Peters, earned. Very Peters was present at the executions of local Cossacks. The soldiers say that Peters always running by his son, a boy of 8-9 years, and constantly pesters him: “father, give me!”
Interestingly, the first chief of all the Armed forces RSFSR in September, 1918, it became the Latvian — Ioakim Vatsetis. Subsequently — commander of the second rank. It was his division in 1918 became the “national forces” to quell the numerous peasant rebellions.
Another Latvian division under the command of John Latsis committed atrocities in the Crimea. When they defeated Wrangel, the Latsis with his division on the Peninsula held a brutal “cleansing” under the slogan: “Crimea is a bottle, from which not a single counterrevolutionary will not jump out”. Shootings, hangings, mass drowning in the sea were the norm, and the Crimea was called the “Russian cemetery”, as destroyed there were more than 100 thousand people.
There, in the Crimea, then, was a Latvian division under the command of Cyril Stucki. After the storming of Perekop in November 1920 he took Yevpatoriya. Later Cyril Stucki was promoted in the red army to the rank of corps commander.
to list. Many Latvians held high posts in the RSFSR and the USSR. The main thing — that the revolution and then created Soviet Union was the result of active actions and the Latvians, who at critical moments, may have saved this unprecedented in human history, a social experiment. To show today, claims Russian or multinational Soviet Union from Latvia funny. It’s all the same what to write the complaint.
Text: “News of the week”
