"Diena" (in Latvian): D "Neatkariga" (in Latvian): N "Tchass" (in Russian): T "Business and Baltia" (in Russian): BB "Vesti Segodnya" (in Russian): VS "Lauku Avize" (in Latvian): LA "Dienas Bizness" (in Latvian): DB "Telegraf' (in Russian): TEL
Jewish Related Issues:
"
D" (p.2 - the "Comments
and Opinions" page) publishes the letter of Ernests Sternbergs regarding the visit of Efraim
Zuroff to Riga. The letter says:
"Jewish and Latvian communities in Latvia always lived here
friendly even interesting. Jews were represented in SAEIMA
and government. When fascism was already wide spread in Germany
Karlis Ulmanis initially helped the Jews. The relations strictly
worsened during the "Terrible
Year". The aim of the Wiezenthal Center should be the research of the reasons of the
anti-Semitism of the 'Terrible Year" in order to avoid relapse. The name of a "Terrible Year" appeared in connection with the activity of the NKVD and its commissar Shustin
(a Jew by origin). He personally signed the orders for shooting
of many prominent Latvians who have not been anti-Semites.
In June 1941 the deportation of the Latvians to Siberia took
place. In Siberia most of the Latvians perished. In these
days some managed to escape from being deported. They ran
away to the forests where many armed chekists were hiding.
In two weeks the War began. Fascists occupied Latvia and
the persecutors changed their places.
In order the anti-Semitism researches would be honest and
objective the Wiezenthal Center needs to clear up the following
questions:
1. What was the nationality of the chekist's leader during
the "terrible
Year"? Before the deportation there were some chekists officials brought to Latvia.
What was their nationality?
2. The deportation took place in the nighttime with every
group having its own task. Each group consisted of a chekist
(the executor), a representative of the local authorities
(guide and translator) and a Soviet solder (in case of resistance).
3. How many out of those who were shooting the Jews were
the deportation runaways and were in acute affect state because
of the death of the relatives?
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