Pastoral care in Latvian units 1941-1945?
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Pastoral care in Latvian units 1941-1945?
Hello!
I do have some information about a pastor, Harald Kalnins (1911-1997, of Latvian-German origin), who served as “Armeegeistlicher im 5. Grenzschutzregiment der 19. Division der Lettischen Legion”.
1. Was it usual that Latvian (SS) units had pastoral care? As far as I know the 19. Division was the 19. Waffen-Grenadier-Divison der SS (lettische Nr. 2). Or was this pastoral care just for the 5. Grenzschutzregiment?
2. What kind of treatment did the pastors of those units in general face after 1945?
Kalnins himself was freed from POW in Grusia as early as 1946. He later became a very well respected pastor in Riga and the first Bishop of the renewed German Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Soviet Union (consisting out of ethnic Germans in the Soviet Union) in 1988.
The pastor in the photo is Kalnins sometimes in the 1970ies or 1980ies.
Any help appreciated!
Grassi
I do have some information about a pastor, Harald Kalnins (1911-1997, of Latvian-German origin), who served as “Armeegeistlicher im 5. Grenzschutzregiment der 19. Division der Lettischen Legion”.
1. Was it usual that Latvian (SS) units had pastoral care? As far as I know the 19. Division was the 19. Waffen-Grenadier-Divison der SS (lettische Nr. 2). Or was this pastoral care just for the 5. Grenzschutzregiment?
2. What kind of treatment did the pastors of those units in general face after 1945?
Kalnins himself was freed from POW in Grusia as early as 1946. He later became a very well respected pastor in Riga and the first Bishop of the renewed German Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Soviet Union (consisting out of ethnic Germans in the Soviet Union) in 1988.
The pastor in the photo is Kalnins sometimes in the 1970ies or 1980ies.
Any help appreciated!
Grassi
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Hi Grassi!
My source is the 11 volume series "Latviešu kaŗavīrs otrā pasaules kaŗa laikā" (The Latvian soldier during World War II) published between 1970 and 1982 by the Daugavas Vanagu Centrālā Valde.
The 2 pastors were responsible for pastoral care for all the units assigned to their respective divisions. I don't have any further detail, but it would appear that some units had their own individual pastor, as in the case of the 5. Grenzschützregiment.
I don't know the rank held by J. Straume and K. Ručs, but V. Voitkus was an Obersturmführer and was awarded the EKII on 3 Jan 1945 (source: "Par zemi, ko mīlam... Latviešu Dzelzskrustnieki" by Udo Intis Sietiņš)
Regards,
VJK
My source is the 11 volume series "Latviešu kaŗavīrs otrā pasaules kaŗa laikā" (The Latvian soldier during World War II) published between 1970 and 1982 by the Daugavas Vanagu Centrālā Valde.
The 2 pastors were responsible for pastoral care for all the units assigned to their respective divisions. I don't have any further detail, but it would appear that some units had their own individual pastor, as in the case of the 5. Grenzschützregiment.
I don't know the rank held by J. Straume and K. Ručs, but V. Voitkus was an Obersturmführer and was awarded the EKII on 3 Jan 1945 (source: "Par zemi, ko mīlam... Latviešu Dzelzskrustnieki" by Udo Intis Sietiņš)
Regards,
VJK
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Thanks a lot, VJK, that was very fast!
Even if I do not read Latvian...
Two other questions - I hope I do not bother you:
1. Is pastor Harald Kalnins mentioned in "Latviešu kaŗavīrs otrā pasaules kaŗa laikā" ?
2. Do you happen to know whether those two pastors did survive the war or not?
Many thanks in advance!
grassi
Even if I do not read Latvian...
Two other questions - I hope I do not bother you:
1. Is pastor Harald Kalnins mentioned in "Latviešu kaŗavīrs otrā pasaules kaŗa laikā" ?
2. Do you happen to know whether those two pastors did survive the war or not?
Many thanks in advance!
grassi
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Dear AJK,
thank you very much for this interesting information!
I am a little bit puzzled: I thought that Latvia was a more or less pure Lutheran country. Do you happen to know whether K. Ručs was able to flee in ca. 1945 or did he stay in the Soviet Union and immigrated later (if yes, what was his fate at that time)?
Thanks
grassi
thank you very much for this interesting information!
I am a little bit puzzled: I thought that Latvia was a more or less pure Lutheran country. Do you happen to know whether K. Ručs was able to flee in ca. 1945 or did he stay in the Soviet Union and immigrated later (if yes, what was his fate at that time)?
Thanks
grassi
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Hi Grassi!
In answer to your questions:
1. I can find no mention of pastor Haralds Kalniņš in the book;
2. Pastor Jūlijs Straume was killed in action in the battles around Landeck, Pomerania at the beginning of February 1945, but pastor Verners Voitkus survived the war and died on 15 April 1987 in Australia.
Regards,
VJK
In answer to your questions:
1. I can find no mention of pastor Haralds Kalniņš in the book;
2. Pastor Jūlijs Straume was killed in action in the battles around Landeck, Pomerania at the beginning of February 1945, but pastor Verners Voitkus survived the war and died on 15 April 1987 in Australia.
Regards,
VJK
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Hello AJK and VJK!
This is a little bit off topic, but do you happen to know whether pastor Verners Voitkus or Prelate Ručs were able to keep in contact with the church, single communities or single Lutherans or Catholics in their home country after 1945? Were they able to send bibles or at least letters etc.?
Thanks a lot
grassi
This is a little bit off topic, but do you happen to know whether pastor Verners Voitkus or Prelate Ručs were able to keep in contact with the church, single communities or single Lutherans or Catholics in their home country after 1945? Were they able to send bibles or at least letters etc.?
Thanks a lot
grassi
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Hi Grassi,
Unfortunately I cannot say whether these gentlemen kept in contact with people or organizations in Latvia during the Russian occupation. Since all correspondence to Latvia was checked by censors, it is questionable that they would have been able to send letters on a regular basis, and most likely impossible that they could have sent bibles.
Regards,
AJK
Unfortunately I cannot say whether these gentlemen kept in contact with people or organizations in Latvia during the Russian occupation. Since all correspondence to Latvia was checked by censors, it is questionable that they would have been able to send letters on a regular basis, and most likely impossible that they could have sent bibles.
Regards,
AJK
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Dear AJK,
thanks for the quick reply. Well, it was not easy to send bibles to the SU. But it was not impossible. Sometimes the authorities even allowed foreign churches or organisations or person to send religious literature (1950ies to early 1990ies), sometimes those did it illegaly or even smuggled them. If you are interested in further details: Send me an email adress via pm I will send you a small file about this question.
Cheers
grassi
thanks for the quick reply. Well, it was not easy to send bibles to the SU. But it was not impossible. Sometimes the authorities even allowed foreign churches or organisations or person to send religious literature (1950ies to early 1990ies), sometimes those did it illegaly or even smuggled them. If you are interested in further details: Send me an email adress via pm I will send you a small file about this question.
Cheers
grassi
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Hi
It was customary in german army to give the rank of major (or in Waffen SS the rank of
sturmbannführer) to military chaplain at the divisional level.
In the french division Charlemagne: Stubaf Jean MAYOL de LUPE
In the walloon division: Stubaf Leon STOCKMAN
In the bosnian 13th division, the divisional imam, Abdulah MUHASILOVIĆ, was stubaf too.
At the regimental level, the rank given was hauptsturmführer (ex Hstuf Hasan BAJRAKTAREVIĆ
imam du Waf.Geb.Jäg.Rgt. der SS 27) or obersturmführer.
At the bataillon level, more often obersturmführer ou untersturmführer.
So, in the latvian division the three chaplain were admited with military rank but why not with the rank of
stubaf ?
Phil.
It was customary in german army to give the rank of major (or in Waffen SS the rank of
sturmbannführer) to military chaplain at the divisional level.
In the french division Charlemagne: Stubaf Jean MAYOL de LUPE
In the walloon division: Stubaf Leon STOCKMAN
In the bosnian 13th division, the divisional imam, Abdulah MUHASILOVIĆ, was stubaf too.
At the regimental level, the rank given was hauptsturmführer (ex Hstuf Hasan BAJRAKTAREVIĆ
imam du Waf.Geb.Jäg.Rgt. der SS 27) or obersturmführer.
At the bataillon level, more often obersturmführer ou untersturmführer.
So, in the latvian division the three chaplain were admited with military rank but why not with the rank of
stubaf ?
Phil.
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Re: Pastoral care in Latvian units 1941-1945?
Hello,
You have interested about Harald Kalnins.
Harld Kalnins is my father.
Served in SS Lettische 19 division from 1944. 15 february
He was Unterofficier and Pastor in this division.

You have interested about Harald Kalnins.
Harld Kalnins is my father.
Served in SS Lettische 19 division from 1944. 15 february
He was Unterofficier and Pastor in this division.