Let's Build the Latvian Legion

Discussions on the foreigners (volunteers as well as conscripts) fighting in the German Wehrmacht, those collaborating with the Axis and other period Far Right organizations. Hosted by George Lepre.
User avatar
Georg_S
Forum Staff
Posts: 4971
Joined: 08 Dec 2016 12:37
Location: Sweden

Re: Let's Build the Latvian Legion

Post by Georg_S » 28 Sep 2019 20:17

Here is some info I want to share with you who are interessted in the Latvijan Legions.

Betr Teilnehmer des 2. Offz. Lehrganges (Letten)

Folgende Tewilnehmer am 2. Offz.-Lehrgang mit wirkung vom
20.5.1944 wie folgt versetzt

Zur 15.Waffen-Gren.Div-SS
SS-Ustuf Bluemtals, Arvis
SS-Ustuf Elmars Germanis
SS-Ustuf Edgards Riekstinsch
SS-Ustuf Julijs Sirmais

Zue 19.Waffen-Gren. Div.-SS
SS-Ustuf Karlis Kalnins
SS-Ustuf Aleksandrs Pavlovskis
SS-Ustuf Janis Spruksts
SS-Ustuf Verners Voitkus
SS-Ustuf Ludwigs Lazdinsch
SS-Ustuf Viktors Limbens
SS-Ustuf Janis Repins

Zur Korps-Flak-Bttr. GenKdo. VI.SS-Freiw. A.K.
SS-Ustuf Voldemars Zvirgzdins

zu SS-Gren.AuE.Einheiten 15
SS-Ustuf Zanis Elferts
SS-Ustuf Janis Kilis
SS-Ustuf Roberts Kirsfelds
SS-Ustuf Vilis Kowalskis
SS-Ustuf Alexsandrs Krampis
SS-Ustuf Fricis Lankmanis
SS-Ustuf Martins Leipins
SS-Ustuf Ermans Rutitis
SS-Ustuf Klaudijs Ziberts
SS-Ustuf Janis Skrastins
SS-Ustuf Otto Solks
SS-Ustuf Roberts Strautins
SS-Ustuf Levs Berzins
SS-Ustuf Fricis Kalnins
SS-Ustuf Voldermars Sietins
SS-Ustuf Janis Schlesers
SS-Ustuf Anton Vetra

Zum Befehlshaber der Waffen-SS "Ostland"
SS-Ustuf Oskars Varlejs

42 Other names to different units such as Lett.Grenschutz Rgt.

All of the above officers was promoted to SS-Ustuf on May 20, 1944

Those lists are public in several SSO concerning Officers of the Latvijan Legions, I have also number 1 and 3 of the Officer courses for Lett. Officers

Best regards
Georg
"Information not shared, is lost"

Main focus is officers of the SS/Waffen-SS
Personal Blog - http://wennallebruderschweigen.blogspot.com/
Support AHF - app.php/support

User avatar
Georg_S
Forum Staff
Posts: 4971
Joined: 08 Dec 2016 12:37
Location: Sweden

Re: Let's Build the Latvian Legion

Post by Georg_S » 30 Sep 2019 16:35

This officer have been discussed a lot, but here is what is public in his SSO File (beside the photo)

Best regards
Georg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
"Information not shared, is lost"

Main focus is officers of the SS/Waffen-SS
Personal Blog - http://wennallebruderschweigen.blogspot.com/
Support AHF - app.php/support

IronIron
New member
Posts: 1
Joined: 20 Mar 2020 22:07
Location: Latvia

Re: Let's Build the Latvian Legion

Post by IronIron » 20 Mar 2020 22:23

Georg_S wrote:
22 Jul 2019 18:27
Here is a photo of Kriss Brantevics of the Lettische SS legion

//Georg
Hi_Georg_S!
Can You please give some more information about Krišs Brantevics?
It is for a family tree purpose. Any kind of information would be useful.

User avatar
Georg_S
Forum Staff
Posts: 4971
Joined: 08 Dec 2016 12:37
Location: Sweden

Re: Let's Build the Latvian Legion

Post by Georg_S » 20 Mar 2020 22:34

Hello Iron

Send me an email on [email protected]
And I Will send you his SS-file

Best regards
Georg
"Information not shared, is lost"

Main focus is officers of the SS/Waffen-SS
Personal Blog - http://wennallebruderschweigen.blogspot.com/
Support AHF - app.php/support

Kurti
Member
Posts: 46
Joined: 27 Jan 2017 10:51
Location: Germany

Re: Let's Build the Latvian Legion

Post by Kurti » 07 Jun 2020 11:17

Hello guys,
I have a question to the latvian schuma btl's. I read on axishistory.com that the germans raised four Schutzmannschaft Bataillions in 1944 called "lettgallische" (Number 325-328).
What was the difference to a "lettische" Bataillion?
Why the germans did this? Did they see the human beings from latgale as seperate people or was it Just a desperate try to raise manpower for the loosing war?

Best Regards!

JustinS
Member
Posts: 3
Joined: 13 Apr 2020 16:00
Location: Los Angeles

Re: Let's Build the Latvian Legion

Post by JustinS » 04 May 2021 06:59

Georg_S wrote:
20 Sep 2019 09:30
Hello

I am trying to find the fate of SS-UStuf Andrejs Apsitis, unfortuantely is he listed as Andrejs Aspits in the FHr liste der NARA and he is also listed as KIA in 1944, the truth is that he survived the war, was POW for approx. 1 year. Went to Sweden and started to work with Swedish intell. and later CIA. He was married and had two children. He was the son to Secrytary of Justice in Latvija Hermann Aspitis. Who was deported in 1941 and died in 1942.

If anyone has a photo of Andrejs Aspitis and know the deathdate of him I would appriciate it a lot. He is part of the upcoming book about SS / Waffen-SS officers Part 1 (A). If everything goes well it will be published in spring 2020.

Best regards
Georg

Georg, did you ever find a picture or anything else about Andrejs Apsitis? Anyone have any more info they can post or email me? Thanks in advance.


Justin

User avatar
Georg_S
Forum Staff
Posts: 4971
Joined: 08 Dec 2016 12:37
Location: Sweden

Re: Let's Build the Latvian Legion

Post by Georg_S » 04 May 2021 09:38

JustinS wrote:
04 May 2021 06:59
Georg_S wrote:
20 Sep 2019 09:30
Georg

Georg, did you ever find a picture or anything else about Andrejs Apsitis? Anyone have any more info they can post or email me? Thanks in advance.


Justin
Hello Justin,

Still no photo of him, just a few more data such as death etc. Its hard to research the Latvijan SS men, most of their SSOs are thin and doesn´t say much, a few exeptions of course. But mainly hard to research and there isn´t a good archive that you can search online etc. But I keep trying.

Best regards
Georg
"Information not shared, is lost"

Main focus is officers of the SS/Waffen-SS
Personal Blog - http://wennallebruderschweigen.blogspot.com/
Support AHF - app.php/support

JustinS
Member
Posts: 3
Joined: 13 Apr 2020 16:00
Location: Los Angeles

Re: Let's Build the Latvian Legion

Post by JustinS » 04 May 2021 17:01

Georg_S wrote:
04 May 2021 09:38
JustinS wrote:
04 May 2021 06:59
Georg_S wrote:
20 Sep 2019 09:30
Georg

Georg, did you ever find a picture or anything else about Andrejs Apsitis? Anyone have any more info they can post or email me? Thanks in advance.


Justin
Hello Justin,

Still no photo of him, just a few more data such as death etc. Its hard to research the Latvijan SS men, most of their SSOs are thin and doesn´t say much, a few exeptions of course. But mainly hard to research and there isn´t a good archive that you can search online etc. But I keep trying.

Best regards
Georg

Hi Georg, understood, thank you. I wanted to see if perhaps you had found something in your research. My interest in Andrejs Apsitis is actually due to a find last month. A box was unearthed in Latvia that appears to have been buried by Apsitis in early May of 1945. A couple articles have been written by a journalist with Delfi.lv and there are a couple pictures of him. The find included two Officer collar tabs(one Runic and one Latvian with the large swastika), a map, Russian and German paper currency, a Lebenslauf and more including various personal effects. The contents of the box were taken to a War Museum and it appears to be a genuine find. I managed to obtain a number of pieces from the man who made the find. I have translations of the first two articles that were written and a third article is due out this week. Their research points to him working both with Swedish and US intelligence, but also with the KGB. He seems to have been quite an interesting character!

User avatar
Georg_S
Forum Staff
Posts: 4971
Joined: 08 Dec 2016 12:37
Location: Sweden

Re: Let's Build the Latvian Legion

Post by Georg_S » 04 May 2021 19:18

Hello Justin,

Many thanks for that info, I found the article but of course it was locked behind a paywall so I could read the whole article. Did you have the opportunity to get scans of a photo of him? I can totally agree that he was quite a caracter. I will see if the Riksarkiv in Sweden have something on him as well.

If you want to share something, you can reach me on my email [email protected]

Best regards
Georg
"Information not shared, is lost"

Main focus is officers of the SS/Waffen-SS
Personal Blog - http://wennallebruderschweigen.blogspot.com/
Support AHF - app.php/support

JustinS
Member
Posts: 3
Joined: 13 Apr 2020 16:00
Location: Los Angeles

Re: Let's Build the Latvian Legion

Post by JustinS » 04 May 2021 20:09

Georg_S wrote:
04 May 2021 19:18
Hello Justin,

Many thanks for that info, I found the article but of course it was locked behind a paywall so I could read the whole article. Did you have the opportunity to get scans of a photo of him? I can totally agree that he was quite a caracter. I will see if the Riksarkiv in Sweden have something on him as well.

If you want to share something, you can reach me on my email [email protected]

Best regards
Georg

Here’s the better of the two pics of him. I will email you today, thank you Georg.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

User avatar
tigre
Member
Posts: 10268
Joined: 20 Mar 2005 11:48
Location: Argentina

Re: Let's Build the Latvian Legion

Post by tigre » 28 Nov 2021 18:24

Hello to all :D; a little more..........................

Inspector General for the Latvian Legion.

On March 29, 1943, General Rudolf Bangerskis was appointed as the Inspector General for the Latvian Legion.

Source: THE LATVIAN LEGION (1943–1945) AND ITS ROLE IN LATVIA’S HISTORY. Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. 2013-01
https://picclick.com/Ww2-Latvian-Vintag ... id=1&pid=3

Cheers. Raúl M 8-).
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

G, Y?
Member
Posts: 48
Joined: 27 Dec 2021 05:39
Location: Coloradostan

Re: Let's Build the Latvian Legion

Post by G, Y? » 27 Dec 2021 18:10

Just read the book, Driven West, Taken East by Vilnis Bankovičs who was first drafted in the Arbeitsdienst and then into the Latvian Legion. They were told to hold a position and then the Germans left them behind without warning them that they (the Germans) were withdrawing. Everyone was rounded up by the Soviets and they all did time in a gulag.

It's not the first time I read about the Germans leaving foreign soldiers behind on the promise that they would return to them.

Return to “Foreign Volunteers & Collaboration”