March 16, 1944 – The Battle
Both the 15th Waffen-SS division and the 19th Waffen-SS division fought together when the Soviet assault began on March 16, 1944. Combat took place along the Velikaya River. Both the Nazis and the Soviets wanted command of Hill “93,4” because of its strategic height.
Although the Waffen-SS was forced to withdraw their position, the Soviets did not break the Latvians’ opposition. Just a couple days later, the 15th division of the Waffen-SS counterattacked the Soviets on March 18. Led by Colonel Arturs Silgailis, the hill was successfully recaptured, and the Soviets turned their attention elsewhere.
The initial struggle that took place on March 16, 1944, is of extreme importance because it was the first time both divisions fought together during the same battle in the war. Further, it is the only battle in World War II history that was led solely by Latvian commanders. Therefore, March 16 was specifically chosen as the day to honor the Latvian Legion and its veterans.
Honoring the Latvian Legion in the 21st Century
The first commemoration of the Legion veterans took place on March 16, 1990 in Latvia. It wasn’t until 1998 that the country’s parliament voted to mark this day as a national day of remembrance. Ironically, the word ‘legion’ was specifically excluded from the official name because everyone who fought against the Soviets during World War II and thereafter could be included.
By the turn of the century, Latvia’s parliament was forced to remove the date from its list of ‘state remembrance days’ because of international pressure. The day was deemed a private affair of the veterans and their families. In the 21st century, the parade associated with March 16 is still viewed as controversial and confrontational. Nationalist organizations of Latvia support the Legion, whereas Russian groups protest the march.
In 2012, the Council of Europe’s Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) took it a step further and suggested that “the Latvian authorities condemn all attempts to commemorate persons who fought in the Waffen-SS and collaborated with the Nazis. ECRI further recommends that the authorities ban any gathering or march legitimizing in any way Nazism.”
Two years later, the UK Labor MEP Richard Howitt agreed. As a spokesperson for the European Parliament Human Rights Sub-Committee, he issued the statement claiming that “Whether local boys were forced to don the SS uniforms or were eager volunteers, celebration of their actions not only insults the memory of the victims but also honors Nazism itself.”
Some Latvians still consider the Nazis to be liberators despite systematically killing millions of Jews. It is estimated that 70,000 of the 85,000 Jews that lived in Latvia were murdered by the Nazis.
Riga was retaken by the USSR in 1944. The country finally separated from decades of Soviet rule in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Ever since then, the parade has taken place in the Latvian capital.