Arajs command

[Duzig]

Hello again all,
Can anyone tell me anything about the Latvian group the Arajs command and also if Elmars Sprogis was a member of or had anything to do with this group. Again thanks to all.
Bill

[Jeremy Chan]

That was the SS-Eisatzgruppe unit wasn't it? Commanded by Konrad Kalejs, there was that trial of his a few years ago.

[MAXIS]

Very interesting......
1) What do you need exactly about Arajs? It’s a very very large topic......
2) About Sprogis.
He, he he! This is an old querelle luckily (for him) buried by time.
Accordingly to my sources Elmar Sprogis was NOT member of Arajs Kommando. In 1944 he was in charge of a Police District (regular latvian police or schuma-einzeldienst) in Kuldiga; before, he was the commander of regular latvian police in Gulbene, but never became part of SD nor Arajs Kommando.
On 1984 US District Court-Eastern District of NY tried to find him guilty (US Immigration and Naturalization vs Elmar Sprogis) but failed. All togheter Sprogis, another one was found not guilty: Vilis Hazners; instead Maikovskis (the third one) was found deportable fm US.
We have to consider two fact also:
A) during Sprogis trial were heared witness of a Soviet Jurist – :roll: Liede- but this witness was contradictory and not consistent: probably prepared by KGB to put discredit against Daugavas Vanagi. organization
B) Ezergailis not quote Sprogis’ name into the list of SD men in Latvia.

All the question seems to be put on foot following a very “strange” collusion between soviet-communist interests and US Immigration hypocrite zeal. But failed

That was the SS-Eisatzgruppe unit wasn't it? Commanded by Korand Kalejs, there was that trial of his a few years ago.

Kondrats Kalejs was not the Commander of Kommando Arajs, he was a company commander. Instead Viktors Arajs was commander of the whole unit.

Best
Max

[Duzig]

Hello all and thank you also Max,
My question about the arajs command stems from the fact that i have some items that were obtained from Sprogis's house when he lived on long island. These items include a trial transcript when he was being investigated by U.S. In it the prosecuter seems to imply that he was involved if not by actually being a member of the araj command that he knew what was going on and apparently knew fairly well members of this group. As far as the arajs command question goes i was just wondering, they make mention of blue buses that if i remember correctly where used by Arajs command members. The transcript itself is quite interesting and when asked about involvement in hunting down jews etc Sprogis says that he was involved in hunting down partisans not jews per se. Thanks for the information. I did know Sprogis was found not guilty of killing jews but was interested in any other info about him. As an aside this transcript mentions how he had been accused of having jews brought to Riga prison i believe then instead of storing there personal items, taking them for himself and keeping them. An investigation of this was done at the time also. I have placed some pics in the awards section under latvian items Max and in particular was wondering if you can identify the cloth items shown. Again thanks for your help
Bill

[MAXIS]

Hi Bill

1
If I well understand yr question, Riga blue buses were the typical transports used to carry Arajs Kommandos members fm Riga to the massacre sites. Usually they were used when massacre were committed in province (i.e. out of Riga) and carried till 40 men, weapons and food each.

2
About Sprogis I’m sure he knews memeber of the Kommando, simply because they were 1) latvians like him and 2) when SD decided to commit a massacre, takes contact with local police commanders and ordered them to provide guards all around the killing field. As in Gulbene (where Sprogis was in Co) a massacre was committed, it’s obviously that Sprogis was contacted by SD.

3
Unfortunately I’m not be able to recognize items because I’m military-history oriented, not involved in militaria/collecion/uniformology. Neverthless, I have a speculation to do: Sprogis was a police member, particularly so called Schutzmannschaft-Einzeldient Schutzmannschaft (Schuma) was organized in A)Schuma-Bataillons and B) Schuma-Einzeldienst (individual-service); both used (till mid-42 at least) a great variety of uniforms: fm black –as in Ukraina and Lithuania - to feldgrau, to para-military german organizations, to pre-war local organizations etc: consequently i suggest you to explore pre-war latvian uniforms (as local police) or para-military structure as Aizsargi (permanent cadres only, because enlisted part-time men practically used civilian clothes).
Hope this help.

4
Now I have a question fo you.
Into the trial transcript was terms like SCHUMA or POLIZEI (POLICE) mentioned? If yes, I’ll be very very grateful if you send me all details about (scan-copy or as you prefer). Many thks in advance


Best
Max

[Duzig]

Hello Maxis,
I do know they mentioned police but not with that spelling i think. I do not remember the word schuma being in the transcript though. I do not have a scanner as of yet but will try somehow to get you some of the info in transcript at some date,hopefully sooner than later. If not I will transcribe stuff perhaps for you or maybe photocopy and mail to you although i see you are in italy, don't know what postage would be. If you dont mind me asking how is that you are so knowledgable about this area of world war 2. Find it very interesting your knowledge in this area. Are you latvian or just have interest in foreign volunteers etc? I thank you very much for your info and as I said I would be glad to give you any info from transcriipt that you may want. Again thanks and will be in touch with you. My email is [email protected] if you wish to contact me directly instead of thru forum.
Bill

[David Thompson]

There is additional material on the Arajs commando on this thread:

Arajs commando and Police Batt. 322
http://www.thirdreichforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=9938

and some finding aids which might be helpful for readers interested in this subject at:

Nazi War Crimes Records in Latvia
http://www.thirdreichforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=15935

For Sprogis personally, here are some citations to newspaper articles from the New York Times on his citizenship revocation proceedings and the subsequent firebombing of his residence:

Sprogis, Elmars (c. 1914-?) – service (as assistant chief of police), Latvian police {emigrated to US 1950 under the Displaced Persons Act; became US citizen; US Department of Justice Office of Special Investigations (OSI) moved to revoke citizenship on grounds Sprogis participated in the killings of hundreds of Latvian Jews in 1941; trial to revoke citizenship held Oct 1983 (NYT 16 Oct 1983:42:3); exonerated after court hearings 18 May 1984 (NYT 19 May 1984:26:1); residence on Long Island, NY firebombed, critically injuring bystander 6 Sept 1985 (NYT 7 Sept 1985:25:2; NYT 13 Sept 1985:II:2:3).}