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Latvian Waffen-SS legion ‘pride of our state and nation,’ Defense Minister says, as he honors WW2 veterans who sided with Hitler

Published time: 28 Sep, 2019 21:19Edited time: 29 Sep, 2019 09:55
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In a disturbing example of revising the role of Nazi collaborators in World War II, a Latvian minister said veterans, his compatriots who fought in the Waffen-SS, were “heroes” and memories of their sacrifice must be cherished.

“It is our duty to honor these Latvian patriots from all the depths of our souls,” Defense Minister Artis Pabriks told the crowd during a memorial event on Saturday.

He then called the Latvian legionnaires – Nazi collaborators now praised as freedom-fighters for their anti-Soviet alignment – “heroes” and “the pride of the Latvian nation and state.”
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“Standing next to our legionnaires’ graves and memorials, we are all overwhelmed with power and confidence that our country has a future, that we are on the right path,” the minister proclaimed.

The legionnaires comprised two grenadier divisions within the Waffen-SS, the elite military wing of the German Nazi party that fought alongside regular troops during the war and became infamous for their mass atrocities. Germans began recruiting and drafting Latvians to fight against the Soviets shortly after invading and occupying Latvia in 1941, which was part of the USSR at the time. The Latvian soldiers were trained and led by German officers. When joining the legion, each soldier pledged personal loyalty to Adolf Hitler.

The topic of the Nazi collaborators remains a bone of contention in Latvia, as the small Baltic nation remains among the very few countries that openly celebrate Waffen-SS veterans. Former legionnaires and their supporters stage annual marches in downtown Riga. Their cause is supported by many local right-wing politicians, historians, writers and media figures.

Latvia’s sizeable Russian-speaking and Jewish populations, meanwhile, stage annual protest rallies, pointing out that the glorified Waffen-SS veterans effectively fought on Hitler’s side and committed war crimes.The supporters of the legionnaires view them as freedom-fighters whose goal was to restore Latvia’s independence after it got incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1940. They also insist on having never subscribed to the Nazi ideology and deny being complicit in the war crimes of the German forces, which killed tens of thousands of Latvians, mostly Jews and Gypsies during a three-year occupation, which ended thanks to Soviet troops.ALSO ON RT.COMEU resolution equating Communism & Nazism is tawdry piece of Russophobia

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riley3Leader
23h

Is the "Operation Paperclip" Nazi and Japanese War Criminals influenced CIA any different?
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54 Likes

DachaguyLeader
16h
riley3

This is all designed to keep hatred alive and well. In America, Hillbillies feuding for generations made as much sense as what the world is doing today. The West is using every trick to defeat peace everywhere. Just ask yourself, who benefits from this?
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Andalusian vandalLeader
13h

hey Fantom61 , I can't find your posting.
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1 Like

Jcc803Leader
6h
Andalusian vandal

Probably won't be able to find mine either. All I did was point out some historical references. 2nd time in 3 days. Looks like I'm on another censure list for being too outspoken.
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2 Likes

CliffvbLeader
13h

You won't see this piece about the Nazi EU state, Latvia, on the BBC news. Instead, a piece about cats in Norfolk will take its place.
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20 Likes

UBV76Leader
6h
Cliffvb

Indeed Sir!
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3 Likes

OdininasgardLeader
13h
Cliffvb

There is a lot you will not see on the mainstream media that is why I read RT and view RT news on TV
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21 Likes

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Poetic_justiceLeader
22h

Slovenians do the same thing, just not that overt. Years ago they would demolish the monuments of the partisans while they would erect monuments of the White Guards - they were the dogs of SS.
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40 Likes

riley3Leader
22h
Poetic_justice

Though in her 90s Mary Reiss lives on, believing Hitler was so great...
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MadbovineukLeader
23h

The EU will lap it up
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24 Likes

truthbtold3Leader
11h
Madbovineuk

Which is why it is known as the 4th reich
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7 Likes

keeplookingLeader
14h

the NAZI's left overs went underground formed the CIA. Now they are coming out one after the other
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11 Likes

CrazieCanuckLeader
1d

Pabriks was immediately offered a job by Antifa (i.e., Soros)...
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24 Likes

Andalusian vandalLeader
19h
CrazieCanuck

they wax nostalgic, who doesn't at times.
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2 Likes

Kent PrinceLeader
1dEdited

And I wonder what good old Isreal think about this revisionist tripe?
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30 Likes

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Jack StrawLeader
16h
Kent Prince

Who cares? Hopefully soon, we will be raising the Swastika over (((their))) lands.
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Andalusian vandalLeader
19h
Kent Prince

as democrats they must accept differing opinion. not everyone buys into their holo tripe business model. no one should be forced to regurgitate 6 million tripe as gospel without proof.
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15 Likes

Quentin HoltLeader
19h

Maybe Latvia is more annoyed with the Russians than the Germans because Russians occupied Latvia longer than Germans did. Some other countries in Eastern Europe might also be unhappy about being the meat in the sandwich during two world wars and if they think being in NATO will save them being in the Third Reich didn't.
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housesLeader
20h

It's an indication of what the class power protected by the current state wants for Latvia's future. The defense ministry expresses its pride in the descent of the nation into degradation and barbarity. That was in service of a German-based monopolist capitalist association that deemed the Baltic people to be a "dying race" that needed to be replaced by "a more dynamic people."
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KaneKonstantinLeader
17h
houses

german theory of Aryanism declared the entire slavic races as unfit to breathe the air rather like L Ron Hubbard and homosexuals .My grandmother lived in Latvia after the russian revolution because she had holiday homes still here but she was lucky to be pure Aryan back to the 11 th century with proof. and my grandfather wasnt Slavic either .He became almost highest rank possible They werent ant semitic .
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Andalusian vandalLeader
18h
houses

Adolf H. was not a textbook capitalist, though his socialist creds are kinda sketchy as well.
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3 Likes

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Carl PophamLeader
1d

A wholesale embrace of facisim. Repulsive.
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46 Likes

Jack StrawLeader
16h
Carl Popham

Better than any of the (((Democracy))) we have now.
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26 Likes

durkoContributor
23h
Carl Popham

I agree,it's totally disgusting!
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22 Likes

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