SEE - THERE THEY ARE!

The start of the war drove the bloodthirsty oppressors off Latvian soil. Not having had enough time to destroy the Latvian nation and sensing the end of their rule approaching, the Bolsheviks brutally settled accounts with their victims - the prisoners in the Central Prison, helpless, unfortunate, unable to resist.

Unearthing of corpses in the yard of the Central Prison.
Layer of earth. Only a couple of feet of earth covered the corpses of prisoners shot and carelessly thrown into the pit.

The earth reveals the victims.

IN A COMMON GRAVE

Many of those who had disappeared were relentlessly but futilely sought by their relatives, only to be found in these graves, silenced forever.

BUT THEIR BLOOD SPEAKS

And it can relate more powerfully than any words. The unearthed victims, after they were disrobed and washed, were identified by close examination.

New victims were found again and again.

A row of corpses in the yard of the Central Prison.
All that remains of the stength of many lives and lifetimes dedicated to the country.

Row of corpses in the yard of the Central Prison.

This is how the Bolsheviks took revenge on imprisoned enemies during the last hours of their rule on July 28, 1941

The relatives of those shot and lost without a trace are searching for their kin among the corpses in the yard of the Central Prison.

On the left is as document of the Bolsheviks' sordid cynicism. It is receipt by an officer of the CHEKA to the prison administration stating that 62 prisoners condemned to death had been received. "I received the 62 arrested persons." Apparently, now the names did not matter, only the number. The numbers received equalled the numbers shot.

The real scope of the Bolshevik murderers is evidenced by the Commisar of Internal Security Sustins' resolution written in red ink, appropriately enough, on the register of those arrested: "Bearing in mind the social dangerousness, all are to be shot!"

This death sentence erased the lives of 78 people, who, as noted in the register above, were arrested for "counter-revolutionary activities." Noted among the counter-revolutionary offences meriting punishment by death were:

 

"Sang Latvian folk songs."

"On May 1st, abstained from singing 'The Internationale.'"

"Came from a family of rich farmers."

"Exploited other working people."

"Was hiding in the forest."

"During air raid, he stayed in cemetary."

"Was a member of a student organization."

"Was a member of Mazpulks (youth organization)."

"Was a policeman."

"Was decorated with Lacplesis Order (a military order)"

"While in the latvian Army, he fought against Bolshevism."

"Was of anti-Bolshevik disposition."

"Ignored Red Army soldiers."

"Criticized Communist Party."

"Was adjutant to President."

"Incited hate against other nations."

---

---

Return to Main Page | Onward to THERE WERE TOO MANY TO BE COUNTED