Latvia, Informative documents's file / תיק – לטביה, מסמכים אינפורמטיביים

The sources presented document the The History and Destruction of Latvian Jewry During the Holocaust, alongside the efforts of commemoration and cultural reconstruction that followed. The collection includes Historical evidence and statistical data about Jewish communities in various cities, as well as detailed lists of victims and survivors from the Yad Vashem memorial site. Alongside these, there are documents dedicated toRighteous Among the Nations Locals who risked their lives to save Jews, along with geographical maps that outline the Jewish area in Latvia. Some of the texts deal withCollective memory and education, while addressing the difficulties in preserving heritage under changing governments and the activities of cultural bodies such as the State Academic Choir. The collection of materials provides a broad view of Jewish life before the war, the horrors of mass murder in firing pits such as Rumbola, and the ongoing struggle for historical recognition and justice for the survivors.

A broad and detailed picture is presented of The destruction of Latvian Jewry in the Holocaust, the heroism of the rescuers, and the efforts to preserve memoryThe documentation combines dry statistical data with personal diaries, rescue testimonies, and administrative documents from the occupation period (H31-1f, H31-2f, H31-4f).

Source content

1. The occupation, the massacre, and bureaucratic exploitation The tragedy began on July 4, 1941, with the burning of the synagogues in Riga by the SS and local collaborators (H31-1f, H31-2-1f). The climax of the killing occurred in the massacre Rombola Forest In November-December 1941, some 27,800 Jews were murdered there (H31-2-1f, H31-2f). The sources also reveal the "civilian" aspect of the persecution, as in a document in which a Latvian citizen officially requests to receive a Jewish apartment that had become vacant due to their deportation to the ghetto (H31-5-1f, H31-5f).

2. Documentation, Survival and Rescue In the face of the horrors, the sources document manifestations of humanity and heroism. The diary of Sleep Gram The 15-year-old provides a glimpse into the girl's life in the ghetto before her murder (H31-1f). An extensive chapter is devoted toRighteous Among the Nations Like Janis Lipka, and also the story of the "Beglitz" (the fugitives) – a group of Jewish intellectuals who escaped the ghetto and hid in harsh conditions in forests and peasant farms (H31-3f, H31-4f).

3. Commemoration, Culture and Geography The sources include detailed statistical lists of victims by locality (H31-4f) and geographical maps commemorating the names of towns in Latvian and Yiddish (H31-7f). Alongside the painful memory, there is a cultural record of the Latvian State Academic Choir, which represents the cultural life of the country (H31-6f).

Key figures

Victims and survivors

• Sheina Gram: A girl who wrote a personal diary in the ghetto (H31-1f).
• Professor Lazar Yavorkovsky: A respected Jewish doctor who survived three concentration camps (H31-4f).
• Gerhard Schuster and his family: Family members who were murdered or perished as a result of their attempt to help Jews in hiding (H31-2f).
• The "Bagaltsi" group: David Dolgitzer, Semyon Peyros and his son Mikhail, Percy Gurevich and Rubim Michelson – Jews who escaped and hid (H31-3f, H31-4f).
• Notable survivors: Zelda Szepszlowicz, Rivka Zarek and her daughter Mayo, Riva Bader, Ina Wolpert, Max Kramer and his son Gideon, Chaim Israelit and his nephew Yasha (H31-3f).

Nazis and collaborators

• Heinrich Himmler: The head of the SS who ordered the extermination of the Jews of Riga (H31-2f).
• Friedrich Jeckeln: The SS commander who carried out the Rumbola massacre (H31-2-1f, H31-2f).
• Viktor Arajs: Commander of a Latvian volunteer unit that committed mass murders (H31-1f, H31-2f).
• Dr. Rudolf Lange: The SD commander who was involved in organizing the massacre (H31-2-1f, H31-2f).
• Karlis Brunavs: A Latvian citizen who sought to take control of Jewish property (H31-5-1f, H31-5f).

List of sources:

• H31-1f : LEGU Association newsletter (1995) including Sheena Gram's diary and information about the burning of synagogues.
• H31-2-1f : A historical overview in German of the Holocaust in Latvia, the Rumbula massacre, and the main war criminals.
• H31-2f : An article dealing with the suppression of Holocaust memory in Soviet Latvia and the stories of the Righteous Among the Nations.
• H31-3f : Detailed testimonies about the rescue of Jews in Latvia, including a list of survivors and rescuers.
• H31-4f : List of localities and number of victims, memorials to Prof. Yaborkowski and the story of the "Bagaltsi" group.
• H31-5-1f : Original application document of Kārlis Bronāvas for a residential apartment for Jews (1941).
• H31-5f : A photocopy of the housing application document accompanied by an explanation in Hebrew.
• H31-6f : A historical overview of the Latvian State Academic Choir and its founders.
• H31-7f : Geographic maps of Latvia with a dictionary of locality names in Latvian, German and Yiddish.

 

– H31-1f

– H31-2f

– H31-2-1f

– H31-3f

– H31-4f

– H31-5f

– H31-5-1f

– H31-6f

– H31-7f

 

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