ECONOMY, LIVING CONDITIONS, AND FORCED LABOR IN LATVIA

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02701207
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: March 8, 2023
• Document Release Date: August 13, 2019
• Case Number: F-2018-00127
• Publication Date: August 12, 1953

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45A,6
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
COUNTRY
SUBJECT
DATE OF. INFO.
PLACE ACQUIRED
SOURCE:
b.
This Document contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States, within the mean-
ing of Title 18, Sections 793 and 794, of the U.S. Code, as
amended. Its transmission or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form is prohibited.
SECURITY INFORMATION
USSR (Latvian SSR)
Economy, Living Conditions,
Forced Labor in Latvia
1947 - 1951
REPORT NO.
and DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT NO.
REFERENCES
(b)(3)
1953
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
8
RD
12 August
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINATIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE. �
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
the OttntbattMhtkettitatRiga ibqnsistednthadfaiirfparallerhallS." The third hal11,16ounting
ftom the railroad-station was not open. Produce was not sold there. Source said
4this hall was sequestrated, but did not know for what purpose or what there was'in this
hall. The 6hildren4s Hospital at pardaugava, Urnaktans, across the river on Yolgava
Street, the main street leading from Riga to relgavaswia still in use. One could
reach the hospital frpm the Riga railroad station .1Dy streetcar No. 7, whose terminus
was close behind the hospital. The former nerve hospital of Dr. Senfelds, which was a
little behind Children's Hospital �in �the dit-ection of Yelgaveson the same side of the
street, ' -attlVvith-neaucua disorders'. . There were separate sections for
Latvians and Soviets. Source was told there was an International Red Cros6 office at
Riga, near the railroad station. The names of the streets were in LatviaAsor Latvian
and Puemian4 In the Central Market food was sold in three halls: in the first
(counting frOut the railroad station)Imeat; in the second, bread, flour, aorn, gin,
liquorAtadl2tob**4 the fourth, milk, butter, cream, curds, honey, and poultry. The
third hall was closed. Each stall had a bosravith the name of the seller. The prices
were sometimes more moderate here than in the country; e.g., the price for butter at
Talsi was 25 rubles in a shop, but at the Central Market in Riga only 19 - 20 rubles.
On the Central Market in Riga several-prices were lower than in the coun
MaekstiMbiggrgikkad00011;
Article
Fork
Beef
Bacon
Hay
Prices in Riga
Shoes, ladies'sleather
Half-boots,ladies!oleatherA
lt4001041;644
Unit
kg
kg
kg
4 kg
pair
pair
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Price in rubles
40-50
30-40
up to 60
7
200
STATE
ARMY
NAVY
AIR
FBI
AEC
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Smoked eels
Chocolate
Vodka
Beer
Cigarette tobacco, good
Cigarettes, "Moskva"
Papirosi, "Kazbek"
Radio ,
Ketosene , for lighting
:(in Upesgriva)
Pictures, paosport (Talsi in fall 1950)
A dove, alive (Riga 1947)
A rabbit, Angora (Riga 1947)
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Unit
kg
bar
liter
bottle
(in 131cri,spring'51) gram
10 '
25
one
purposes 1 liter
3
one
one
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Price in ruble s
90
3-4
25
5,
3020
400-1800
1.20
6
50
50
Yellow, metal coins in circulation were 1, 2, 5,and 10 kopeks. The 2-and 5.tkopek pieces
were as large as a quarter.
Blackmarketing in yeast was very profitable. An acquaintance of the source carried on
a blackmarket in laundry in Riga. The big blackmarket dealers could live very well,
some of them having their own cars. The kolkhozniki were allowed to sell their produce
at� the Central Market without any restriction or permission of the administration of
the kolkhoz. As an example, source mentioned a friend from Tornakalns who in 1950
sold at the Central Market 10 pounds of hay for 7 rubles without a permit. The kolk-
hozniki had to pay only standing fees of eight rubles per day for a man and horse. The
teams'of horses had to stand in an open space between Central Market and the Daugava
River. . Source believes every kolkhoznik was allowed to sell freely the produce of
his hectare. Whether or not he had delivered to the State the required amount of
produce was his private business.
2. The following are examples of wages which were paid in and near Riga:
Occupation City Year
Rubles per month
Woodcutter, German PW
Upesgriva
1947
400-500
Chief: nurse, City Hospital
Talsi
1947-48
350
Nurse, City Hospital
Talsi
1947-48
250
Physician,
Talsi
1947-48
700
Truckdriver -., at a factory
Riga
1950
400-500
Night-watchman, a woman house guard
Riga
1950 (end)
200
Night-watchman, shop guard
Riga
1951 (spring)
250
Manager, milk-reception point
Upesgriva
1951 (N67)
400
3. In Ilrge apartment houses in Riga the housebook was kept by the janitor. When a new
inhabitant came to live in the house/the janitor went to the militia office with the house-
book and registered the new tenant. The tenant did not have to go personally. Houses
usually were checked by three militiamen, who examined personal documents. Checks usually
occurred at night and were infrequent. One person known to source had been an SS man and
had to report monthly to the militia. In June 1949 source was warhed not to go on the
streets on a certain day because there would be document inspection throughout the city.
Source heard that such inspections occurred in Riga about once a year.
4. During the rush hours the streetcars and streets were crowded. People in Riga were well
dressed, especially on Sunday; good shoes and coats were observed. During the summer women
didn't wear hats; in the winter they wore scarfs. Many women wore leather boots in the
winter. Men wore their hair longlknd seldom did one see men with heads shaved as in the
Soviet Army. Beards were rare, but mustache and sideburns were common. There were many
pickpockets in Riga, most of whom were 13-14..year-old boys, both Latvian and Soviet, joined
in bands. They were very clever and often stole pocketbooks, took the money, and then
destroyed the documents.
In summer 1947 several German films were shown in Riga, including Die Goldene Stadt, and
Die. Frau Meiner Traeume �Movie theaters were overcrowded because people did net like the
Soviet propaganda fi1ms and didn't attend movie theaters often. This situation did hot -
please the Soviets, who prohibited the showing of German films thereafter. Rigas Jumada
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and Kemere, health resorts on the seashore near Riga,were full of Soviets and Jews in 1951.
6. Streetcars' started to run at 0600 in the morning. The cars were painted a light yellow witl
one ,broadlgreen stripe running down the middle. They had green roofs, and a green stripe
also ran along the lower edge. There was a sign on the front of the first car with the
number of the line, but not the destination. There were usually two cars hooked together.
The cars were often over-crowded, particularly at 1700 hours, at which time many people got
off work. The conductors were both Latvian Ind Soviet, and were of both sexes. They walke(
the length of the car collecting fares instead of being posted in one place. They wore
dark-gray uniforms with blue lapels. Streetcar No. 3 ran from the railroad station along
Marijas and Stabu ielas. The last stop was behind a church that stood at a street inter-
section, Pavila Church, No. 7 ran from the Central Market, where it turned, along the
Daugaira River, over the ponton bridge, where it turned left before reaching the Uzvaras
Square. It then crossed the railroad track through an underpass and turned into Zelgava
iela between Children's Hospital and the former nerve clinic. Source pointed out this
nerve clinic on the map and identified the terminal as being at the intersection of Jelgavw
and Gimnastikas ielas. No. 8 ran from Central Market over the ponton bridge and then to
the right of Uzvaras Square. Source did not know the rest of the route, except that the
terminal was at the Zaslauka railroad station. Both Nos. 7 and 8 were still running in
the spring of 1951. No. 9 also let from the Central Market, crossed the ponton bldge,
turned right before reaching the Uzvaras Square, and proceeded along the Slokas iela in
the direction of Spilve airport. Source did not know where the terminal was. No. 10 went
from the Tornakalns railroad station, where it connected with line No. 7, to Bisumuiza.
This line did not go over the ponton bridge into the center of town. No. 12 did not go to
the center of town either, but connected with line No. 3 behind Pavila Church. Lines Nos.
1 and 6 crossed the bridge that crosses the railroad tracks, passing the VEF factory.
Lines Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 6, and line A went to Padomju bulvaris, past the Freedom Monument.
Line A went out from the railroad station to the wooden bridge near Valdemara iela. Source
did not know whether or not the line went further.
(b)(3)
7. The bus from Engure (N57-09, E23-13) to Riga traveled along the coast. The bus seated
about.20 people. The terminal in Riga was the Autoosta, not far from the railroad station.
The bus left Engure at 0800 in the morning and arrived in Riga at 2000. The fare was 25
rubles. The tickets were sold by the driver, who also had to take down the names of all
of the passengers on a list A since a check was made on the way as to whether the driver
had collected fares from all of the passengers.
8. The upper station was HigasJurmala Stationr there were ticket windows in both the upper
and lower statiohs. In the summer tickets cbuid'also be bought from the street at windows
which opened onto the street freiTi the stations,both the Riga and Rigas Jurmala stations.
Trains left for Koknese, Ogre, Valmieral Nriscow, and Leningrad from the lower stationsRiga
Trains for Rigas Jurmala, Ventspils, and Telgava left from the upper station. There were
many Sq140.et Red Cross women at the Riga station. They were not in uniform but wore arm-
bands with red crosses. On the Riga-Ventspils run one had to have a reserved-seat ticket
in addition to his travel ticket, There was an extra charge of 2-3 rubles for this card,
but source does not know whether it was required only on the Riga-Ventspils run or required
generally. On the Stende-Riga run the train left Stende at 0130 and arrived at Riga at
0530. The train from Riga arrived at Stende at 2400, one train a day making this run.
Fare Stende-Riga was 21.50 rubles. A railroad of normal gauge ran from Stende to Ventspils.
Documents were needed only when one traveled from Stende to Ventspils via Dundaga, since
there was a restricted area arounr' Dundaga The fare from Stende to Ventspils was about
19 rubles. There was a narrow-gauge railroad between Stende and Mersrags. A ticket cost
12 rubles from Stende to Mersrags, or 9 rubles from Talsi to Mersrags. The train left
Stende at 2030, arriving Talsi at 2115 and Mersrags at 0100. On the return trip, it left
Mersrags at 0200, arriving Talsi at (1530 and Stende at 0630.' Trains left Riga far Koknese
from Riga I station. Fare to Jungava was 4 rubles 55 kopekssand to Koknese, 12 rubles.
Only tickets were checked on the trains. Documents were checked only when a criminal or
other wanted person was being looked for:- -All of the seats had nunibers. When the trains
were overcrowded, usuelly on holidays, it was necessary to buy a reserved-seat ticket. Other.
wlse the latterwareused only for long trips, e.g., Riga-Ventspils, Riga-Leningrad. There
were second-and third-class cars; second-class passengers were almost all Soviets. There
were signs on most trains indicating the destination.
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There was a restricted military airfield at Pardaugava, at Spilve.
highway in a truck and observed planes af various sizes. A sawmill
of the airport. To this sawmill came tree trunks from Upesgriva,
reached by a road passing the Spilve airport. The street went just
the airport, and the factory was situated behind the airport to the
factory's managers was the Jew Ginjen (fn4 who also supervised the
The working hours of most offices and factories were 0700-1700.
Source drove along the
was located tothe right
The factory could be
along the east side of
right. One-cf the
woodcutting in Upesgriva
10. An acquaintance of source who lived in Riga-Tornakalns owned a radio set with which he
listened to foreign broadcasts. Source heard the following stations there: Leipzig,
Northwest German Radio, and the Southwest German Radio. It was possible to buy spare parts
for radios in Riga. A radio cost from 400 to 800 rubles.
11. Riga was divided into postal zones. For example, a friend of source who lived in the
suburb of Tornakalns was in postal zone Riga 4.
Tali.
12. In autumn 1947 source was admitted to the Talsi (N-57-15, E22-35) hospital, (b)(1)
seriously injured a finger while threshing. The hospital was at Slimnicas ie ,(b)(3)tele-
phone Talsi 49, near the gymnasium. At this time the director was Rugens (mu). He had
fled to Germany in 1944-1945 and was sent back to Latvia by the Soviets. He was director
of the hospital before the war4 He employed Germans who were without documents but even-
tually had to comply with NKVD orders and let them goafter three months. The NKVD
opposed employment of Germans at the hospital. The doctors had private quarters; the nurses
lived at the hospital. The nurses earned 250 rubles, doctors ca. 700 rubles a month. Pay-
days were bimonthly.
13. In 1947 a pastor was arrested in Talsi and sentenced to 25 years ar corn ulsor labor. Source
does not know the motive behind the arrestor the name of the pastor. (b)(1)Lls that
he was a young man, and that his wife and children remained in Tale.. In March(la)(4 a
family, consisting of husband, wife, and five children,including a six-week-old baby and a
child of two, was sent to Siberia. The family was deported because the father was a member
of a partisan group fighting against the Communists after the capitulation. His wife
worked as a nurse in the hospital at Talsi. She brought food to him in the woods and per-
suaded him to return to their home. He reported to the MVD and told all he knew about the
partisans who remained in the forest, all of whom were seized. The husband was promised
amnesty, but this promise was not kept. A letter from the oldest child reported that the
family's luggage was stolen en route to Siberia, and that the baby had died. After arrival
in,Siberia, the two-year-old child and the grandfather died, and the grandmother became
very sick.
14. In 1950 partisans were said. to have entered Talsi and looted a store. This event was dis-
cussed far and wide, even in Ugunciems and.Valgaciems. Early in 1951 partisans robbed the
store at Valdgale (N57-17, E22-34), about five km north of Talsi. They distributed part of
the goods to the people who were in the store at the time making purchases. The greater
portion of the goods was loaded on a truck and disappeared into the woods. The store
manager was thereupon arrested by the NKVD and deported.
15.
(b)(1)
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16. The central telephone office was in the post office; it was the only telephone office in
Talsi. Five or six operators worked in this building. On the wall was a telephone book
with all the telephone numbers for Latvia in it. The MVD building was located in Padomju
iela in the middle of the city, across the lake from the railroad station. The prison was
in the same building. The judge for the town of Talsi lived in the neighborhood of the
hospital. The gymnasium was located in its former place in the park.
riv
17. In the village Upesgriva there was no central telephone office, but there was one in
Ugpciems9 about three km west of Upesgriva (N57-23, E23-00). There was a telephone in
Ulibsgriee itself, in the,fishermeds artel stare. In the fall of 1950 source telephoned
from Stende to Upesgriva and spoke on the aforementioned telephone. The connection was
made through Talsi. Source placed the call in Latvian and spoke in German. Source does
not remember the exact cost of the call but thinks it'was about two rubles, (b)(1))aid a
the counter. As in Ugunciems.and Talsi�. there were some telephone books in the ma(b)(3).ephcne
office at Stende. Tliy were in Latvian and contained the numbers of all the subscriber
in Latvia. The telephone book did not have to be requested at the counters for it hung on
the wall in the office. Source does not know if it was possible to telephone abroad.
18. A fisherman known to source was called into the army in April 1949. He was 18 years old.
He had to do his service with the infantry�service time, three years. His training unit
was at Ufa, USSR. There were several Latvians with him. In spring 1951 he wrote that his
unit was to be transferred to the neighborhood of Korea. Being a soldier, his letters were
sent free of postage. A woman had a child by him and received 50 rubles per month for the
child, because the father was a Soviet soldier. The Latvian youths in Upesgriva who had
to serve with the Soviet Army told source that in case of a war they did not intend to
fight for the Communist regime, but would seize the first opportunity to run to the Western
armies. However, it would be difficult to fulfill this intention if the Latvians should be
put among Soviets, e.g., one Latvian among ten Soviets.
19. There was only one istribitel in Upesgriva. He was Latvian. He carried a carbine, aid
source asserts that the istrebiteli had light-blue uniforms, but they usually wore civilian
clothes. There was no militia in Upesgriva, only a sole militiaman in Mersrags, (N57-21,
E23-07). About every six months there was a passport check in the village, carried out by
four men: an NKVD man, a militiaman (the one from Mersrage),an istrebitel (the one from
Upesgriva),and a superior militia ofeicial from Talsi, since Talsi was the seat of the
rayon militia office.
20. In March 1949, during the great deportations, three families from Upesgriva were dragged
off to the USSR. One of the families was named Balodis. The Balodis children, believed
to be two in number, were separated from the mother and remained in Upesgriva. Many
Latvians fled in 1944 from Latvia to Germany. After the capitulation the Soviets sent
all of them back from Germany. These people didn't get Soviet citizenship,but were con-
oidered stateless. Many of these people had to remain in the Bauska areas so maiy of them
worked in the tobacco factory in Bauska and also in the tobacco kolkhoz.
21. In the village of Upesgriva there were no kolkhozy, only fishermenls artels. Each inhabi-
tant could keep one cow. For each cow, 310 liters of milk had to be delivered yearly to the
Aboli farm, where it was weighed , recorded2and tested. Every two days it was taken by
wagon to the dairy at Vandzene (N57-20, E22-48). The executive committee or selsoviet of
Upesgriva was at Ugunciems. The chairman was Valters, junior. The grammar school,toolwas
at Ugunciems. It is believed that there were seven grades There was a fish cannery at
Upesgriva. The post office and the store were on the Knagi farm. Valters was postmaster.
There was no electric lighting in Upesgriva, but the first lines were put In in 1951.
22. Most inhabitants of Upesgriva belonged to the fishing artel. The name of the artel is
unknown. The artel included fishermen from Valgaciems, Upesgriva, Mersrags, and Berzciems.'
Headquarters was at Mersrags. There was a fish cannery at Upesgriva, where the fish were
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canned and taken by truck to Mersrags. There were about 40 fishermen at Upesgriva. The
brigadier of the artel at Upesgriva was Ernests Menca, 37, living on the Kaleji farm. Upes-
griva fishermen were Latvians of different ages. Any inhabitant who wished to could become
a member of the artel. All fishing boats belonged to the artel; there were no private boats.
In Upesgriva there were about 20 motorboats and two or three rowboats. The rowboats; were
about eight meters long and two meters wide. Motorboats were larger and had a six-to eight-
man crew. The motor was small and round. Speed is unknown. Three men rode in each towboat.
23. The following kinds of fish were caught: sprats (bretlinas) - taken mainly in winter,
salted, an0 also used as source of cooking oil; small herring (renges) ; smelt (salakas);
flounder (micas); elvers (luchi); and eels (yusi), which were taken between 0200-0300 hours
in the memeer. In the Skede River, which enters the sea near Upesgriva, there were also
river lampreys. It was forbidden to catch these, but it was done illegally at night. An
average catch per day was 150-300 kg per boat. In the summer, fishing was done between
0500-0600. In the evening one usually put to sea for about three hours, threw the nets out,
and took them in in the morning. Each of the three-man crews generally used four nets. On
shore, women took the fish from0,nets; people who did this work were called purgas laudis
in Latvian, and received 10% of the claY's catch for their work. The fish were weighed at
the factory and each fisherman's catch credited-to his account. Wages were paid monthly in
Mersrags. All fish had to be delivered; the fisherman could keep nothing. The stipulated
norms were very high; exactly how high source does not know. If a fisherman did not achieve
the norm, he received no wage. If one exceeded it, he received money premiums, which were
paid at the end of the year. For example, the brigadier, a capable fisherman, received a
premium of 200-500 rubles each year. In general, wages were very low and fishermen were
poor people. In order to make out somehow,they sold fish on the black market, against the
law. For a dozen sprats the price in the black market in Talsi and Stende was two-eight
rubles; for a pair of elvers, two-three rubles. If a fisherman wash caught selling on the
blaok market he was punished, the first time by 100-ruble' fine, the second time by confis-
cation of his month's catch, the third time by three yearsgimprisonment. Source did not
hear that the boats had to have a license before they could go to sea. It is believed that
the brigadier made the regulations on the spot and had nothing to do with the NKVD. In
addition to his passport, each fisherman on the sea had to have his artel membership card.
These documents were carried in order to identify oneself in case one was driven off course
somewhere along the coast in a storm. The method of assigning fishing areas is not known.
It is.believed"that each fishermen's village operated in the area lying between two neigh-
boring" villages. Single boats never went out to sea alore, It is thought that this was
done, not to watch the boats, but to prevent one of them from disappearing in a storm.
Fishing was done near the coast; it is not Ion how far out the boat might go. ,No fishing
was done in the Baltic by,,Upeggrivapbeoause other vilrages, Cished thereand the fuel was
-
inadequate for such a long trip. Each boat received one can of gasoline, about,t20 liters
per day, issued by the factory. It was enough for thei daily trip� and some was left over,
so that the fishermen could sell it on the black market. In Mersrags, gasoline was handled
by the ton. One crew always used the same boat. Only artel members could go to sea to
fish; relatives and friends could not be taken along. The brigadier was held responsible
for enforcement of the rule, but this rule was not always strictly observed. If a boat
disappeared in a storm, the other boats went looking for it, but no patrol boats went. As
far as is known, fishermen on the west coast of Kurzeme were watched no more strictly than
others. The fishing artel had a store at Upesgriva,which was the only store in town. In
this store the fishermen received special consideration in the purchase of scarce goods,
such as sugar. Truoks were stopped at Sloka on the way between Upesgriva and Riga. There
was no roadblock It this control point. The militia simply went up to the trucks to check
on whether fish was being brought to Riga for sale on the black market.
24. The young people in Upesgriva sang a great deal. They had a glee club. The songs were
usually very sentimental, sung to the tune of Russian romantic songs, but with Latvian words.
These songs frequently referred to the lost homeland and the poverty which had come over
Latvia with the Soviets; some songs were forbidden especially old melodies with new themes
which obviously came from the deportations and the prisoners-of-war. An old Latvian song,
Dzintra, was still sung, also Lakatins Zilais. Many songs with patriotic themes were for-
bidden, for instance Sveika Dzimtene. Young people thane a great dealoeven women and
girls.
25. A man who lived in Upesgriva had a radio with which he was able to get programs from abroad.
Source heard programs from West Germany and British programs in the German language on this
set. It was possible to receive foreign broadcasts better here than in Riga.
The set was operated by aleatteet� which - was charged with a windmill generator. Spare
parts for the radio could not be obtained in Talei, but had to be bought in Riga.'
co.
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26. In 1947 there were located in Upesgriva-, in the houses of the fishermen, about
50 Ms, ethnic Germans from the Ukraine, who had fought in the German army. They
were sentenced to forest work, but were not guarded� although they had been sepa-
rated from their famine-6 and vete not alloWed to return to their homeland. They
had to cut wood and transport it. At the seashore near Upesgriva the logs were
bound into rafts. Part of the logs me transfetred by truck to Riga, where they
were processed at A factory at Riga-Pardaugava. The PW woodcutters received good
wages, about 400-500 rubles pet month. In eight days of loading the logs on
trucks,source earned 60 rtbles. In autumn, 1950 this group was transferred to
Melnsils (N57-390E22-34), near Upesgriva,-because the designated area of woods
had been cut down. A few of the workers were then released, and were allowed to
go home. The most diligent ones had been released earlier.
Miscellaneous Areas
27. In summer 1947 the highway was closed by...the Soviet Navy to all-traffic between
Pavilosta (N56-53, E21-11) "and Ventspils. In Ventspils only the streets around
the harbor were restticted. Source heard that Iepaya itself was not restricted,
only the harbor area. Source had heard no information to the effect that the
west-coast of icu�m& was restricted and the inhabitants driven out of the coastal
area. At least the farms around Gramina (N56-320 E21-10) and north of there were
inhabited during the summer of 1947.
28. There was an NKVD unit in Mersrags in 1951. The uniforns were gray-brown and the
caps were blue with a broad, red rim. ShoUlderboards were yellow for officers
and blue and red for non-cons and privates.
29. On the Coast at Mererags-Was an Observation tower� 'between the trees and some--
Whet higher than the trees. There was no searchlight. Miring the day there was
one man on duty� With a telescope. Similar units and toWets were at Gipka, Raja,
Berzciene, EngUre-0 and farther-along the doeSt"toward Riga. FroM Upesgriva to
Riga, stood five'ot-iiit Of theM0along the-doiSt. The TIOD-petsonnel lived in
re4UiSitioned houses, and- were often drunk on samagonka, which Was the name they
gave to all alcoholic beverages.
30. There was a lighthouse at Metsrags which flashed red and green light � alternately,
each of 30 seconde duration. Only Soviets worked in the lighthouse. Though its
white color made it hard to see during the day, at night it could be seen from as
far away as Upesgriva.
31. Source heard from many Latvians that there were partisans of many nationalities
in the forests of Kurzeme� including Latvians and Soviets who had been captured
by the Germans during the *at, and therefore feared that they. would be treated
'as traitors by the Soviets. There were also Germans chiefly escaped FWs,
and Lithuanians.' In autumn 1949 the NKVD captured a 35-37-man partisan group
through the aid of an informer. The partisans were located in a forest between
Mersrags and tpesgriva. All the"men were eating-in the bunker it the time of the
raid and no sentry had been postea. The Mt-1061 theM completely by surprise
and captured them without a fight. Vben-sotrce went to Latvia in summer 1947
she and other Germans went to north'KurzeMe'� is they hid heard that 'there were
partisans there, Germans among them, among whom they wished to stay. As source's
party traveled from Ventspils to tundaga by truck, they observed a roadblock
three or four km out of Dundaga, where the Soviets were stopping vehicles. Later
source learned that the area around Dundaga was restricted because of partisan-
activitY. In summer 1947, source also went from Vernpils to Melnsils (N57-39,
E22.34). About three-or four km west of Dundsga there was a checkpoint and road-
block. As it-was already dark, and the VEVD-personnel mere at the moment examin-
ing another truck along the side"of the-road� source's party was able to pass the
checkpoint without being stopped-. Source did not know the borders or extent of
the restricted area. From Stende to Ventspils, on the Riga-Ventspils line, one
could travel with an ordinary passport. Source had not heard that the Soviets
were building rocket-launching platforms in this area. However, the Soviets
transported construction materials from Stende toward Dundaga in 1947. It was
said that the NKVD sent false partisans into the woods to pinpoint the genuine
partisans, who usually lived in the woods. When source went from Lithuania to Latvia
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(b)(3)
� 8 �
(b)(1)
in 1947 there were two kinds of partisans in the woc(3)
Latvian partisans, among whom-were many Germans, which were supported by the Latvi.....(b) cop�
ulation, and Soviet partisans,who were more bandits than partisanstsince they robbed and
killed people who were not sympathetic to dommunism. Source was warned to watch out for
these.
32. Located in Vandzene were two starch factories, a brewery, in a large building, a dairy, a
sawmill, a school, a pharmacy, a dispensary, a store, and a house of culture, featuring
dancing every Sunday.
33. Postage for a domestic letter was 20 kopeks. A letter to West Germany cost 40 kopeks; to
the Soviet Union, 80 kopeks. Soviet soldiers were allowed to send their mail postage�free.
If the mail was censored, it was not apparent to the public. Nonetheless, people thought
that letters were censored in secret and were therefore careful in what they wrote. A
Latvian youth who was sentenced to one year of prison for rowdiness, which he served in the
USSR, wrote his parents in 1949 that his letters were being censored. It took two days
usually for a letter to go from one place to another within Latvia; for instance from
Upesgriva to Riga. It was often impossible to buy envelopes, in Riga as well as in the
provinces. In that case people used to make envelopes themselves. When envelopes were
available at all,they were available in quantities.
1. Washington Comment. It will-be noted that sOurde refers to the NKVD throughout this
report, although the NKVD became the-UVD in 1946. In the Baltic countries, the MVD
is still referred to as the "NKVD" or "Chekantand the distinction between the MVD
and the MOB is not always made.
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