Riga: Museum of the Occupation of Latvia - Lightness and heaviness. Soviet occupation and annexation of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia

In Soviet times, this building housed the Museum of Latvian Red Riflemen (famous national rifle units that operated during the First World War), which was liquidated immediately after the Republic of Latvia was seceded from the USSR. In 1993, the Museum of Occupation was established, the main tasks of which are: “to testify to what happened to Latvia during the period of totalitarian regimes from 1949 to 1991, to remind the world of the damage inflicted by totalitarian regimes on the Latvian land and people, and to remember the victims of totalitarian modes ". The symbol of the Museum of the Occupation - two black strokes - should be read as "a ray of light between two shadows", that is, an independent Latvia between two totalitarian regimes.

Totalitarian modes in the exposition are called:

• the period of the first Soviet occupation (1940 - 1941),
• the period of the German National Socialist occupation (1941 - 1944/45)
• the period of the second Soviet occupation (1944/45 - 1991).

In order to understand the existing exhibition, it is necessary to get acquainted with the history of Latvia in the 20th century. All information below - succinct retelling the main events in the history of Latvia, which were described for the museum by a group of historians I. Lenskis, U. Neiburg and M. Vestermanis.

The first period under review - the beginning of the first Soviet occupation:

On June 15, 1940, Soviet troops attacked three border posts in Latvia, killed three border guards and took 37 people prisoner. On June 16, the Latvian government received an ultimatum from the USSR, which accused Latvia of violating the mutual assistance agreement and demanded that a new government be immediately formed and the USSR troops allowed into Latvia. The President of Latvia ordered to let the Red Army into the territory of the country as the troops of a friendly state. He addressed the Latvians on the radio with a soothing speech, which ended with the words "I will stay where I am, and you stay where you are!" But on July 21, he was forced to sign an order to remove himself from the presidency.
Already in the first days of the occupation, mass demonstrations were organized, where posters with the leaders of the USSR were visible, but calls for joining the USSR appeared later.

The elections to the Saeima (parliament) were scheduled, the lists of candidates for the elections had to be submitted within 4 days. Only the "Bloc of Working People" was approved and recognized as meeting all the requirements. The former Minister of Education of the Republic of Latvia managed to draw up an alternative list of "Democratic Latvian Voters", but he was not allowed to participate in the elections. Most of the opposition candidates were later arrested, many ended up in gulag camps.

According to official results elections, 97.8% of voters voted for the only list of candidates.

At the first meeting, the elected People's Saeima unanimously declared Latvia to be a Soviet republic and asked the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to include it in the USSR. This decision was contrary to the Constitution, which allowed such changes only after a popular vote.
A new leadership was appointed in the Army of the Republic of Latvia. She was incorporated into the Red Army as the 24th Territorial Corps. Latvian officers were replaced by the commanders of the Red Army. High-ranking officers were sent on business trips to Moscow, where they were either shot or exiled to the GULAG camps. In 1940/41, about half of the approximately 21,000 officers in Latvia were killed.
After that, within a year, collectivization takes place in Latvia, the state confiscation of land and large enterprises. Agriculture subordinate to a central organization that determines the timing of all work. Independent public organizations, the public functions of religion are prohibited. Priests and believers are being repressed.

In schools, resistance to the imposed ideology grew, resistance groups were created, led by teachers, but most of the groups were soon disclosed and liquidated, almost all such organizations were destroyed before the spring of 1941. Armed resistance intensified after the first mass deportation on June 14, 1941, when, without a court decision, more than 15,443 residents of Latvia were arrested and deported, mainly families, whose heads held leading positions in state and local government.
People were immersed in heating cars, many, especially old people and children, died on the way. Men were excommunicated from their families and sent to GULAG camps, women and children were sent to special settlements in Siberia.
After the German attack on the USSR, political prisoners (about 3,600 people) were hastily deported to prisons and camps in the depths of the USSR. Less than 1% of those arrested returned to Latvia. The prisoners who remained in Latvia were shot on the spot and buried in mass graves.

German National Socialist occupation

On July 1, the German army occupied Riga, and a week later - all of Latvia. Most of the population greeted the German army as liberators from the Soviet occupation. Nazi propaganda incited and exploited hatred for communist regime for their own purposes.

The Germans organized the exhumation of the mass graves of the victims of the communist terror, the search and excavation of the graves continued until 1944. More than 120 victims were reburied at the Mezha Kapi cemetery in Riga, where their graves are marked with white crosses. In 1942, the Nazis publish on Latvian the book "A terrible year". The book describes the Soviet terror and shows photographs of the victims of the Cheka found in the group graves, who were hastily shot before the German offensive. The book names Jews as the culprits of the crimes of the communists.

Already in the first days of the German occupation, posters and brochures appeared justifying the extermination of Jews. The "Bolshevik Jews" were accused of violence and murder. Jews were required to wear a badge of distinction, the Star of David, on their clothes, and it was also forbidden to walk on the sidewalks and work with people of other nationalities. The extermination of Jews began in June and continued until September. In September, the surviving Jews of Riga were evicted into the ghetto. In autumn, about 25,000 people were taken out of Riga and killed. In total, 70,000 Jews became victims of extermination in Latvia. More than 400 people were rescued by the citizens of Latvia.
The Germans created “self-defense” detachments in Latvia, the core of which consisted of former policemen and military personnel who were subordinate to the German command. These detachments took part in the arrests and liquidation of the remaining representatives of the communist government and in the extermination of Jews. Soon, defense detachments were formed from self-defense units, which not only maintained order within the country, but also fought at the front. At first, people joined the detachments voluntarily, later - under the pressure of conscription and orders for a military court.

Second Soviet occupation

In the summer of 1944, the Germans were partially driven out of the territory of Latvia by the Red Army. Following the army, the counterintelligence troops SMERSH and the NKVD came to Latvia. Until the end of 1945, more than 18,000 people were arrested as "German accomplices, police officers, spies, counterintelligence agents and traitors to the motherland."

According to the Atlantic Charter, every nation had the right to self-determination, and the citizens of Latvia hoped that the allies would not allow a second Soviet occupation and would stand up for the independence of the Baltic countries. However, at the Tehran (1943) and Yalta (1945) conferences, the allies agreed with the hegemony of the USSR in the Baltic.

On December 10, 1944, the Association of National Partisans of Latvia was created in Eastern Latvia, the purpose of which was the armed and political struggle for the restoration of the Latvian state and liquidation of the occupation regime. In 1945 and 1946, the organization suffered heavy losses, but until October 1953, at least 49 partisans continued to fight.

The Baltic states, which have completely lost a third of the population and their state sovereignty during their absorption by the European Union, continue to amaze with "legal innovations." Following Lithuania, Latvia adopted an article introducing criminal liability “for denying the Soviet occupation”.

The anti-Russian rhetoric of the Latvian ruling circles goes beyond the imaginable. More recently, a group of activists posted on the Internet a call to return the Uzvaras Square in Riga, where the monument to the Soldiers of the Liberators of Latvia is located, the original view of the 1939 model. The call provided for the liquidation of the monument. In addition, a member of the Seimas from the Unity party compared Bolshevism to Nazism and demanded to demolish a monument glorifying the “totalitarian regime”.

“There are not many such monuments left in Latvia - one monument in Limbazi, and this phallus in Riga, which is located in Pardaugava. We, as a democratic state, as a country that supports the mores of Christianity, should not touch the monuments to fallen wars, since these are cemeteries. However, those monuments that were created for the ideological glorification of the Nazi, Fascist or totalitarian Bolshevik regime are inappropriate, "Spolitis said in an interview with the Latvian media.

By the way, hundreds of thousands of people gather around the monument to the Liberators in Riga on May 9 to celebrate Victory Day.

The Latvian government also believes that the republic was occupied by the USSR from 1940 to 1991. As writes Russian politician and publicist Nikolai Starikov, RF categorically disagrees with this formulation of the question.

1. Latvia entered Russia in "three seasons" - the first part on the Peace of Nystad with the Swedes under Peter the Great in 1721. In 1772, according to the first partition of Poland, Latgale was annexed to Russia. The third part - Courland, became part of Russia, was bought in 1795 by Catherine the Great from the Duke of Courland. No one has ever challenged these acquisitions by Russia. Until 1917, the state of Latvia never existed in the history of mankind, it never declared its secession, it had no such right according to the laws of the empire, and was recognized by the whole world as a constituent part of the Russian Empire.

2. Independent Latvia was created on the basis of an agreement with Lenin and the Bolsheviks in 1920. That is, for this, the Bolsheviks are a legitimate authority. When the same Bolsheviks, but already under Stalin, and Latvia returned to Russia-USSR, for some reason it should already be considered illegal.

3. The term "occupation" has a clear legal interpretation. And it implies a MANDATORY being in a state of war. That is, in the course of hostilities and the declaration of war, one country occupies another. That is, the word "occupation" cannot and should not be used arbitrarily. Like any other legal term.

Entry of Latvia into the USSR

On October 5, 1939, Latvia signed a mutual assistance agreement with the USSR. According to this document, military bases of the USSR were created on the territory of Latvia. Is there something "occupational" in this? If yes, then Latvia is still occupied by the United States, as there are foreign troops on its territory.

By the way, the same agreement with the USSR - "Lithuania received the territory of Vilno (Vilnius) and the Vilna region (6,656 sq. Km.) With a population of about half a million people, among whom Lithuanians accounted for no more than 20%." And all this was before joining the Union.

In the summer of 1940, the USSR, in the framework of treaties with the Baltic countries, introduced additional military contingents to their territory. What for? Nearby, in Poland and almost all of Europe, there was Hitler and German troops could also be in the Baltic. The Latvian government has agreed to introduce additional Soviet troops... There were no military clashes. There was no resistance, no one defended "independent Latvia". No war was declared. No one was arrested or captured.

After the introduction of troops, new elections were held and (about a month later) the new government asked to admit Latvia to the USSR.

In addition to the above: the Latvian army was not disbanded, but, along with the armies of Estonia and Lithuania, was reorganized into separate corps and in this form it reached June 22, 1941. And in 1945 the USSR defeated the aggressor and restored its territorial integrity.

Latvia and democracy

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have not been democratic states for 20 years of their existence. Suffice it to recall that the formation of statehood in these countries took place in 1918 under the conditions of the German occupation. In the 30s. authoritarian regimes were established here, often referred to in the literature as "presidential dictatorships" (Konstantin Päts in Estonia, Karlis Ulmanis in Latvia and Antanas Smetona in Lithuania) with the censorship so familiar to us, the prohibition of activities political parties, "Personality cult".

Nikolai Starikov is sure that the Russian authorities “are unacceptably gentle with those countries that offend the memory of Russian soldiers and allow themselves unfriendly actions. Russia has every opportunity to peacefully, by purely economic methods, punish those who do not respect it. "

So, I will continue my retrospective of the Riga museums. Then we moved to the most controversial - "Museum of the Occupation of Latvia". I'll tell you about him!

The museum is ambiguous, so just photos and information that I saw there ...

The museum is located on the square of Latvian riflemen, in the building of the former museum of Latvian riflemen. The museum looks impressively gloomy .... I already wrote about it in my ... and now let's go inside!



The entrance to the museum is free, although I had to pay for photography, it seems 2 lats.
The exposition covers the period of Latvian history from 1940 to 1991. This period is divided into three stages: "the first year of Soviet occupation (1940-1941)", "occupation by Nazi Germany (1941-1944)", and "post-war (or second) Soviet occupation (1944-1991)".

The first period begins with the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and a secret supplement to it, according to which the Baltic States fell into the sphere of interests of the Soviet Union

On October 5, 1939, under pressure from the USSR, the Latvian government signed a mutual assistance agreement for a period of 10 years, which provided for the introduction of a 25,000 contingent of Soviet troops into Latvia. Actually, nothing special.

Winston Churchill, who at that time was First Lord of the Admiralty, in his radio speech on October 1, 1939, said about the entry of Soviet troops into the Baltic States:
The fact that the Russian armies had to stand on this line was absolutely necessary for the security of Russia against the Nazi threat. Be that as it may, this line exists and an Eastern Front has been created, which Nazi Germany would not dare to attack. When Mr. Ribbentrop was summoned to Moscow last week, he had to learn and accept the fact that the implementation of Nazi plans in relation to the Baltic countries and Ukraine should be finally stopped.

June 16 - Latvia (as well as other Baltic states) was given an ultimatum - to bring governments friendly to the USSR to power and allow additional contingents of troops into the territory of these countries. The terms were accepted.

New governments lifted bans on communist parties and demonstrations and called early parliamentary elections. In the elections held on July 14 in all three states, the victory was won by the pro-communist Blocks (Unions) of the working people - the only electoral lists admitted to the elections. In Latvia, the turnout was 94.8%, 97.8% of the votes were cast for the Bloc of Working People. Doesn't it look like anything?

The newly elected parliaments immediately proclaimed the creation of the Latvian SSR and adopted the Declaration of entry into the USSR. And then followed the repression ...

Just before the start of the war, an operation was completed to evict the "unreliable and counter-revolutionary element" - from Latvia - according to various estimates, from 15.4 to 16.5 thousand people were evicted. Among the exhibits were the things of convicts ...

The entry of the Baltic states into the USSR was not recognized by the United States ... but no one attached much importance to this. The Vatican also expressed a note of protest .. but everyone did not care about him either ... Even Finland, which the USSR also tried to annex, recognized the accession of the Baltic states to the Union.

The operation to evict the "unreliable and counter-revolutionary element" from Latvia was completed on June 21, 1941 ...

And on June 22, 1941, German troops invaded the territory of the USSR. Latvia was annexed and included as a general district of Latvia in the structure of the Ostland Reichskommissariat created on September 1

Especially the local Jews got it.
According to the pre-war population census in 1935, 93,479 Jews lived in Latvia, including 43,672 in Riga. There were Jewish parties, cultural, religious, medical, educational and other national organizations. Printed publications in Yiddish and Hebrew were published, Jews were elected to the Latvian parliament - the Seim

In 1940, after the incorporation of Latvia into the USSR, Jewish organizations were closed. Soviet authorities had a negative attitude towards the Hebrew language and any manifestations of religious traditions. Also, about 5,000 Jews were deported from Latvia to settlements in labor camps ... and they were, perhaps, lucky.

Along with the retreating Red Army, 20,000 Jews fled to the east. 5,000 of them died, 15,000 found salvation in the USSR, some even became part of the Red Army. In Latvia itself, immediately after the retreat of the Russians, members of Latvian nationalist organizations, who were in an illegal position, made themselves known - Jewish pogroms swept across the country.

The German occupation government just as happily got down to business. Local police and military units were formed. The killings began immediately, collaborators took an active part in them.

On August 13, 1941, the German authorities issued the so-called Provisional Rules for the Treatment of Jews. Jews were required to wear a six-pointed yellow star on their clothes, they were forbidden to walk on sidewalks, use any transport, visit public places, sports and cultural events, ritual slaughter of cattle, storage of radios and typewriters. And the destruction of the Jewish population has become systematic.

By the time of its liberation from the Nazi occupation, according to various estimates, from 300 to 1000 Jews survived. Most of them survived thanks to the help of other residents of Latvia. A total of 89.5% of Jews who lived in Latvia before the war were killed

Also in 1943, the German government began to form Latvian Legion Waffen SS with the participation of previously formed volunteer units. In fact, the Germans tried to arrange a massive mobilization of the local population, which was illegal. A special emphasis was placed on this in the museum!

Nevertheless, many Latvians also went to serve voluntarily. Some documents of German origin of that time vividly reveal the mood of the soldiers of the 15th Latvian SS Division. One of them says: “ They want a permanent Latvian nation state... Faced with a choice - Germany or Russia, they chose Germany ... since German domination seems to them the lesser evil. Hatred of Russia deepened ... the occupation of Latvia. They consider the fight against Russia a national duty».()

Of course, Latvians fought on the side of the Soviet Union as well. There was not a word of negative about these parts in the museum, on the contrary, there was a clear hint that they were much more willing to write in Latvian riflemen!

In 1943-44. As a result of the Baltic operation, the territory of the modern Baltic countries was cleared of the troops of the Germans and their allies and the Soviet republics were restored.

The Soviets are back to cleaning up! In 1949, part of the inhabitants of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia were deported to Siberia - Operation Surf, during which about 100 thousand people were evicted, of which 20 thousand were Latvians.

In 1949 collectivization and restoration of industry and other industries began in Latvia National economy... Large enterprises were created and modernized, Riga and Plavinas CHPs were built, and the road network was improved. But all the same, the partisans and the disaffected were enough of them caught up to the 60s ...

Due to industrialization, an artificial shortage of workers was created, which was solved by resettling citizens from other republics of the USSR to Latvia. the tourist infrastructure was also significantly developed - the resort city of Jurmala became one of the most famous resorts in the USSR ...

Of course, there were many dissidents in Latvia, and many exhibits were devoted to their difficult life.

Latvians actively supported anti-Soviet protests in the Eastern Bloc. With the beginning of perestroika in 1987, mass demonstrations began in the Baltic capitals. In 1988, the first perestroika movements emerged. The largest of these, the Popular Front of Latvia, gradually came to power in 1989-1990, calling for independence and market reforms.

The Popular Front of Latvia cooperated with the Popular Front of Estonia and the Lithuanian movement "Sajudis". On 23 August 1989, all three movements carried out a joint action "Baltic Way", timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. The chain, formed from people holding hands, stretched across the entire Baltic region - from the Long Hermann Tower in Tallinn to the Gediminas Tower in Vilnius.

On May 4, 1990, the newly elected Supreme Soviet of the LSSR adopted the Declaration on the Restoration of the Independence of the Republic of Latvia. At the same time, the Congress of Citizens of the Republic of Latvia was convened, in the elections of which, unlike the elections to the Supreme Council, only persons who were citizens of Latvia before its accession to the USSR and their descendants participated. On March 3, 1991, in a poll, the majority of Latvian residents (including future “non-citizens”) spoke in favor of democracy and independence. In reality, independence was restored on August 21, 1991, after the failed coup attempt of the State Emergency Committee in Moscow

Withdrawal ended on August 31, 1994 Russian troops from Latvia
In 2004 Latvia joined the EU and NATO.

The Museum of the Occupation of Latvia left a good impression. There is no stupid hatred, no distortion, no wishful thinking. Only facts, photos and documents. Although, of course, occupation and annexation are different things ... Yes, and we could not occupy them, tk. just didn't fight ....
Well, Bosch is with him. I don't understand the offended compatriots who perceive this museum as an attack on them ... Well, there was a case, they occupied the territory, and, of course, in these territories the memories of those times were not the most rosy = ((

Freedom is not given just like that, it must be earned and one must fight for it. The Latvians seem to have deserved theirs.

The entry of Soviet troops into Latvia- an episode of Latvian history, during which on June 17, 1940, units of the Soviet Red Army entered Latvia. At this time, after the ultimatum of the USSR in Latvia on June 20, 1940, a new government was created, headed by microbiologist August Kirchenstein. The current head of state Karlis Ulmanis was inactive.

The Republic of Latvia, in order to ensure the security of the USSR and strengthen its own independence, grants the Union the right to have bases in the cities of Liepaja (Libava) and Ventspils (Vindava) navy and several aerodromes for aviation, on lease at a reasonable price. Exact locations for bases and airfields are assigned and their boundaries are determined by mutual agreement.

In order to protect the Irbene Strait, the Soviet Union is granted the right, under the same conditions, to build a coastal artillery base on the coast between Ventspils and Pitrags.

In order to protect naval bases, airfields and coastal artillery bases, the Soviet Union has the right to keep in the areas allocated for bases and airfields, at its own expense, a strictly limited number of Soviet ground and air armed forces, the maximum number of which is determined by a special agreement.

CONFIDENTIAL PROTOCOL

It was agreed that in order to prevent and suppress attempts to involve the Contracting Parties in the ongoing war in Europe, the USSR has the right, for the duration of this war, to hold individual garrisons in the areas designated for airfields and bases (Article 3 of the Pact) in total up to twenty-five thousand man of the ground and air forces.

The assistance stipulated in Article 1 of the Covenant is provided at the expressed desire of the other side, and with mutual consent, the party obliged to provide assistance may, in the event of a war between the other side and a third power, remain neutral.

• 14.10.1939 After the exchange of instruments of ratification, the Treaty of Mutual Assistance between the USSR and Latvia of 5.10.1939 comes into force.
• 23.10.1939 The military commissions of the USSR and Latvia will work out an agreement on the deployment of Soviet troops in Latvia, the bases of which were the years. Liepaja, Ventspils, Priekule and Pitrags. The entry of the naval forces is to begin on October 23, and the land forces to the Ventspils-Pitrags region - on October 29, to the Liepaja region - on October 30.
• 23.10.1939 The ships of the Soviet Red Banner Baltic Fleet, the cruiser Kirov, are arriving in Liepaja, accompanied by the destroyers Smetlivy and Swift.
• 29.10.1939 At st. The first echelon of Soviet troops arrives in Zilupe. According to the agreement, units of the 2nd USC and the 18th air brigade, which numbered 21,559 people, are arriving in Latvia.
• 31.10.1939 V. Molotov at the session of the Supreme Council:

The special nature of these pacts of mutual assistance does not mean any interference by the Soviet Union in the affairs of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, as some foreign press are trying to portray. On the contrary, all these pacts of mutual assistance firmly stipulate the inviolability of the sovereignty of the signatory states and the principle of non-interference in the affairs of another state. These pacts are based on mutual respect for the state, social and economic structure of the other side and should strengthen the basis for peaceful, good-neighborly cooperation between our peoples. We stand for the honest and punctual implementation of the concluded pacts on the basis of complete reciprocity and declare that the chatter about "Sovietization" of the Baltic countries is beneficial only to our common enemies and all anti-Soviet provocateurs.

The entry of Soviet troops into Latvia 1940, the annexation of Latvia to the USSR

• 11.06.1940 From the order of the commander of the NKVD troops of the Leningrad district of the border guard, Gen. Rakutina:

According to available information, the reactionary circles of Estonia and Latvia are preparing provocative attacks on the units and garrisons of the Red Army stationed in these countries and on the border units guarding the border of the Soviet Union in order to break the existing treaty relations. In the event of provocative actions by reactionary elements, units of the Red Army are ready to help their units in Estonia and Latvia in order to ensure the security of the Soviet Union ...

Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia gained independence after the 1917 revolution in Russia. But Soviet Russia and later the USSR never gave up trying to regain these territories. And according to the secret protocol to the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact, in which these republics were attributed to the Soviet sphere of influence, the USSR got a chance to achieve this, which it did not fail to take advantage of.

Realizing the Soviet-German secret agreements, the Soviet Union in the fall of 1939 began preparations for the annexation of the Baltic countries. After the Red Army occupied the eastern provinces in Poland, the USSR began to border with all the Baltic states. Soviet troops were moved to the borders of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. At the end of September, these countries were offered in an ultimatum form to conclude treaties of friendship and mutual assistance with the USSR. On September 24, Molotov told Estonian Foreign Minister Karl Selter who arrived in Moscow: "The Soviet Union needs to expand its security system, for which it needs access to the Baltic Sea ... Do not force the Soviet Union to use force in order to achieve its goals."

On September 25, Stalin informed the German ambassador, Count Friedrich-Werner von der Schulenburg, that "the Soviet Union will immediately take up the solution of the problem of the Baltic states in accordance with the protocol of August 23."

Mutual assistance treaties with the Baltic states were concluded under the threat of the use of force.

On September 28, the Soviet-Estonian pact of mutual assistance was signed. A 25,000-strong Soviet military contingent was brought into Estonia. Stalin told Selter when he left Moscow: “It could have happened with you as with Poland. Poland was a great power. Where is Poland now? "

On October 5, a mutual assistance pact was signed with Latvia. The 25,000-strong Soviet military contingent entered the country.

And on October 10, the Agreement on the transfer of the city of Vilna and the Vilnius region to the Republic of Lithuania and on mutual assistance between The Soviet Union and Lithuania ”. When Lithuanian Foreign Minister Juozas Urbsis declared that the proposed terms of the treaty were tantamount to the occupation of Lithuania, Stalin objected that “the Soviet Union does not intend to threaten the independence of Lithuania. On the contrary. The deployed Soviet troops will be a real guarantee for Lithuania that the Soviet Union will protect it in the event of an attack, so that the troops will serve the security of Lithuania itself. " And he added with a grin: “Our garrisons will help you suppress communist uprising if it happens in Lithuania ”. 20 thousand Red Army soldiers also entered Lithuania.

After Germany defeated France with lightning speed in May 1940, Stalin decided to expedite the annexation of the Baltic states and Bessarabia. On June 4, strong groupings of Soviet troops, under the guise of exercises, began to advance to the borders of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. On June 14, Lithuania, and June 16 - Latvia and Estonia, were presented with ultimatums of a similar content, demanding to admit to their territory large-scale Soviet military contingents, 9-12 divisions in each of the countries, and to form new, pro-Soviet governments with the participation of the Communists, although the number the number of Communist Parties in each of the republics was 100-200 people. The pretext for the ultimatums was provocations, as if carried out against the Soviet troops stationed in the Baltic States. But this pretext was sewn with white thread. It was alleged, for example, that the Lithuanian police had kidnapped two Soviet tank crews, Shmovonets and Nosov. But already on May 27, they returned to their unit and stated that they had been kept in the basement for 24 hours, trying to get information about the Soviet tank brigade... At the same time, Nosov mysteriously turned into Pisarev.

The ultimatums were accepted. On June 15, Soviet troops entered Lithuania, and on June 17, into Latvia and Estonia. In Lithuania, President Antanas Smetana demanded to reject the ultimatum and provide armed resistance, but, not receiving the support of the majority of the cabinet, fled to Germany.

From 6 to 9 Soviet divisions were introduced to each of the countries (previously each country had rifle division and a tank brigade). There was no resistance. The creation of pro-Soviet governments based on Red Army bayonets was presented by Soviet propaganda as "people's revolutions", which were presented as demonstrations with the seizure of government buildings, organized by local communists with the help of Soviet troops. These "revolutions" were carried out under the supervision of representatives of the Soviet government: Vladimir Dekanozov in Lithuania, Andrei Vyshinsky in Latvia and Andrei Zhdanov in Estonia.

The armies of the Baltic states could not offer real armed resistance to Soviet aggression either in the fall of 1939, much less in the summer of 1940. In three countries, 360 thousand people could be put under arms in case of mobilization. However, unlike Finland, the Baltics did not have their own military industry, there were not even sufficient stocks of small arms to arm such a number of people. If Finland could also receive supplies of weapons and military equipment through Sweden and Norway, then the way to the Baltic States through the Baltic Sea was closed by the Soviet fleet, and Germany respected the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact and refused to help the Baltic states. In addition, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia did not have border fortifications, and their territory was much more accessible for invasion than the territory covered with forests and swamps of Finland.

The new pro-Soviet governments held elections to local parliaments on the principle of one candidate from an indestructible bloc of non-partisans to one seat. Moreover, this bloc in all three Baltic states was called the same - "Union of the Working People", and the elections were held on the same day - July 14. People in civilian clothes who were present at the polling stations took note of those who crossed out the candidates or threw empty ballots into the ballot boxes. Nobel laureate Polish writer Czeslaw Milosz, who was at that time in Lithuania, recalled: “You could vote in the elections for the only official list of the“ working people ”- with the same programs in all three republics. They had to vote, since each voter was stamped in the passport. The absence of a stamp attests that the passport holder is an enemy of the people who evaded the elections and thereby revealed his enemy essence. " Naturally, the communists received more than 90% of the votes in all three republics - 92.8% in Estonia, 97% in Latvia, and even 99% in Lithuania! The turnout was also impressive - 84% in Estonia, 95% in Latvia and 95.5% in Lithuania.

It is not surprising that on July 21-22, three parliaments approved a declaration on Estonia's entry into the USSR. By the way, all these acts contradicted the constitutions of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, which stated that the issues of independence and changes in the state system can only be resolved through a nationwide referendum. But Moscow was in a hurry to annex the Baltic states and did not pay attention to the formalities. The Supreme Soviet of the USSR satisfied the applications written in Moscow for admission to the Union of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia during the period from 3 to 6 August 1940.

At first, many Latvians, Lithuanians and Estonians saw the Red Army as a defense against German aggression. The workers were delighted with the opening of factories that were inactive due to the World War and the resulting crisis. However, soon, already in November 1940, the population of the Baltics was completely ruined. Then the local currencies were equated to the ruble at sharply undervalued rates. Also, the nationalization of industry and trade led to inflation and a shortage of goods. The redistribution of land from wealthier peasants to the poorest, forced relocation of farmers to villages and repression against the clergy and intelligentsia provoked armed resistance. Detachments of "forest brothers" appeared, so named in memory of the 1905 rebels.

And already in August 1940, the deportations of Jews and other national minorities began, and on June 14, 1941, it was the turn of Lithuanians, Latvians and Estonians. 10 thousand people were deported from Estonia, 17.5 thousand people from Lithuania and 16.9 thousand people from Latvia. 10161 people were resettled and 5263 were arrested. 46.5% of the deported were women, 15% were children under 10 years of age. Total number deceased victims of deportation amounted to 4884 people (34% of the total), 341 of them were shot.

The capture of the Baltic countries by the Soviet Union was not fundamentally different from the capture of Austria by Germany in 1938, Czechoslovakia in 1939, and Luxembourg and Denmark in 1940, which was also carried out peacefully. The fact of occupation (meaning the seizure of territory against the will of the population of these countries), which was a violation of international law and an act of aggression, was recognized as a crime at the Nuremberg trials and imputed to the main Nazi war criminals. As in the case of the Baltic states, the Anschluss of Austria was preceded by an ultimatum to establish a pro-German government in Vienna, headed by the Nazi Seyss-Inquart. And it has already invited German troops to Austria, which were not previously in the country at all. The annexation of Austria was carried out in such a way that it was immediately incorporated into the Reich and divided into several Reichsgau (regions). Likewise, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, after a short period of occupation, were incorporated into the USSR as union republics. The Czech Republic, Denmark and Norway were turned into protectorates, which did not prevent both during the war and after it from talking about these countries as occupied by Germany. This wording was also reflected in the 1946 Nuremberg trial of the main Nazi war criminals.

Unlike Nazi Germany, whose consent was guaranteed by a secret protocol of 23 August 1939, most Western governments regarded the occupation and annexation as illegal and de jure continued to recognize the existence of the independent Republic of Latvia. Already on July 23, 1940, US Deputy Secretary of State Sumner Welles condemned the "dishonest processes" by which "the political independence and territorial integrity of the three small Baltic Republics ... were thoughtfully destroyed in advance by one of their more powerful neighbors." Non-recognition of the occupation and annexation continued until 1991, when Latvia regained its independence and full independence.

In Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, the introduction of Soviet troops and the subsequent annexation of the Baltic countries to the USSR are considered one of the many Stalinist crimes.