This collection of sources documents the The fate and heroism of Jews Latvian and Estonian immigrants during World War II and after. The documents include historical reviews of The Riga Ghetto Uprising, alongside personal testimonies of Jewish fighters who served In the Latvian Division of the Red Army. Among other things, the stories of Semyon Matrykin, who participated in the Victory Parade in Moscow, and of Semyon Dimenstein, a senior political figure persecuted by the Soviet regime. The database also contains Original archival items, such as a Red Army belt book belonging to Avram Chain and official rehabilitation documents. Additional publications in the dedicated collection To commemorate warriors and artists Jews, including singer Israel Feiglson, with an emphasis on preserving the heritage of Holocaust survivors and veterans In Israel.

The sources provide a broad and detailed picture of the heroism of Latvian Jews during World War II, from fighting on the various fronts in Red Army uniforms, through partisan activity to the struggle and uprising within the ghettos (H25-15-11f, H25-1f, H25-3f).

Events and key locations

• The Battle of Moscow (Naro-Fominsk and Borovsk): The 201st Latvian Division (later the 43rd Guards Division) played a crucial role in stopping the Nazis on their way to Moscow in December 1941 (H25-12f, H25-15-14f). Many Jews formed a significant part of this force, with about 17% of the division's fighters being Jewish (H25-15-9f). The fighting in this area was particularly difficult and claimed many victims, including fighters whose names are immortalized in long lists (H25-15-9f, H25-15-3f).
• The Riga Ghetto and the Rumbula Massacre: The sources describe the tragedy of Riga's Jews, including the major "Aktions" on November 30 and December 8, 1941, in which thousands of Jews were murdered in the Rumbola Forest (H25-1f). An active underground developed within the ghetto, including groups such as Betar, which worked to obtain weapons, train fighters, and establish contact with partisans in the forests (H25-1f).
• The Spanish Civil War: Many Latvian Jews volunteered to fight in the International Brigades in Spain between 1936–1939, where they served in command and medical positions (H25-3-1f, H25-3f).
• Liberation of Latvia: In 1944, Latvian Jewish units participated in battles to liberate Latvian cities, such as Rzeszów, Medwa, and Riga, under heavy fire and with great sacrifice (H25-15-9f, H25-15-11f).
• Kraslava: The sources mention a list of 52 Jewish fighters born in the city who fell in battles against the Nazis on various fronts (H25-15-5-1f, H25-15-5f).

Key figures

Jewish victims and heroes

• Avram Kruczyk: A tank fighter who was captured by the Nazis at the beginning of the war, managed to escape from the POW camps, joined partisan units and eventually returned to the ranks of the Red Army until victory (H25-11f).
• Aron Lebovich Gurevich: An armor officer who went through a difficult combat career in the Latvian Division, was wounded several times, lost his entire family in the Holocaust, and dedicated his life after the war to the commemoration of the Jewish fighters (H25-15-14f).
• Semyon Markovich Dimenstein: A key figure in the Jewish leadership in the Soviet Union (head of the Hivsektion), who fell victim to the Stalinist purges in 1938 and was executed on false charges, but his name was later cleared (H25-15-13f).
• Semyon Matrikin: A decorated veteran of the 43rd Latvian Division, who participated in the Victory Parade in Moscow in 1945 and worked hard to document the history of Jewish fighters (H25-15-11f, H25-15-12f).
• Chaim-Noson Yaakovlevich: A battalion commander in the Latvian Division, who was wounded in heavy fighting near Stara Rusa and was known for his brave command (H25-15-11f).
• Uriel Shai (Shugoransky): Israel's first military attaché in Turkey, who was a veteran of three wars, including service in the Jewish Brigade (H25-15-1f).
• Yaakov Birnbaum: Hero of the Soviet Union who fell in battle in 1943 while commanding an artillery battalion (H25-15-1f).
• Ruth Lazarevna Yakobson: A military doctor who served in field hospitals during the war (H25-5f).

Nazis and their helpers

• Franz Stahlecker: SS general who was responsible for "Einsatzgruppe A" in Latvia and for carrying out mass murder operations against the Jews in Riga and its surroundings (H25-1f).

List of sources

• H25-1f : The beginnings of the uprising in the Riga ghetto and the underground activity against the Nazis.
• H25-2f : Detailed personal testimony in Yiddish handwriting about the events of the war.
• H25-3f : A historical review of the participation of Latvian Jews in the Spanish Civil War and World War II.
• H25-3-1f : List of Jewish volunteers from Latvia in the International Brigades in Spain (1936–1939).
• H25-3-3f : Characteristics of Latvian military units and their participation in containment and defensive battles (1941–1945).
• H25-3-5f : List of Jewish fighters from Latvia who were awarded the title "Hero of the Soviet Union".
• H25-3-9f : A list of Jewish families who perished and a review of outstanding Jewish medical professionals.
• H25-3-12f : List of Jewish partisans, underground fighters, and medical personnel from Latvia.
• H25-4f : Yiddish articles about the heroism of Jewish fighters who fell in the battle against fascism.
• H25-5f : Military documents, travel permits and bread cards for Dr. Ruth Jacobson.
• H25-6f : A Red Army belt book (Krasnoarmeiskaya Knizhka) for Abram Hayat.
• H25-8f : List of movement members who fell in battle while serving in the Red Army.
• H25-9f : List of names of Jews from the Latvian community who served as soldiers.
• H25-11f : The story of Abram Kruczyk, an armored fighter who was captured, escaped, and joined the partisans.
• H25-12f : Description of the battles of the 201st Latvian Division in containing the Nazis near Moscow.
• H25-14f : Letter from Vasily Vasiliev detailing the rescue of the Zlipsky family from Riga in 1941.
• H25-15-1f : Biographies of the fighter Uriel Shai (Shugoransky) and the widow Dora Birnbaum.
• H25-15-2f : A collection of articles from the newspaper "The Latvian Warrior" and information about Jewish veterans in Australia.
• H25-15-2-1f : A picture of a group of Jewish veterans who immigrated to Melbourne, Australia, and details about them.
• H25-15-3f : An article by Semyon Matrykin on the heroism of Latvian Jews in various battles and a list of officers.
• H25-15-5f : Documentation commemorating the warriors of the city of Kraslava and documents of Ruth Jacobson.
• H25-15-5-1f : List of 52 Jewish fighters born in Kraslava who fell on the various fronts.
• H25-15-6f : Obituary and memorial article for the warrior, artist and singer Israel Feiglson.
• H25-15-8f : List of Jewish doctors and medical staff who served in the field units.
• H25-15-9f : Testimony of Yosef Levin and a list of Jewish casualties in the Battle of Moscow.
• H25-15-10f : Letters and personal testimonies of veterans (Katz, Pevzner, Israelson) about their service.
• H25-15-11f : Short biographies of prominent fighters and their decorations from the Latvian Division.
• H25-15-12f : Description of the Victory Parade in Moscow in 1945 and the memoirs of Semyon Matrykin.
• H25-15-13f : Documenting the personal tragedy and political purge of leader Semyon Dimenstein.
• H25-15-14f : The life story of Aron Lebovich Gurevich and his activities to commemorate the Jewish warriors.
• H25-15-14-2f : An article about Jewish veterans and the establishment of monuments to the fallen in Latvia.

 

– H25-1f

– H25-2f

– H25-3f

– H25-3-1f

– H25-3-3f

– H25-3-5f

– H25-3-9f

– H25-3-12f

– H25-4f

– H25-5f

– H25-6f

– H25-7f

– H25-8f

– H25-9f

– H25-10f

– H25-11f

– H25-12f

– H25-13f

– H25-14f

– H25-15-1f

– H25-15-2-1f

– H25-15-5-1f

– H25-15-14-2f

– H25-15-2f

– H25-15-3f

– H25-15-4f

– H25-15-5f

– H25-15-6f

– H25-15-7f

– H25-15-8f

– H25-15-9f

– H25-15-10f

– H25-15-11f

– H25-15-12f

– H25-15-13f

– H25-15-14f

** end of Soldiers in the Red Army files **

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