Latvian Legion (1943-1945) and its role in Latvia's history
Edmunds Svencs, Svencs, Edmunds (Creator)
This thesis provides research on the largest Latvian military formation that served Nazi Germany from 1943 until the end of World War II. As the most decorated non–German Waffen–SS formation, it fought from the outskirts of Leningrad until the defensive lines of Berlin. However, it also has become a focal point of heated contemporary discussions between historians of Western Europe and the Russian Federation. Accusations that the Latvian Legion engaged in war crimes and supported the Nazi ideology are just part of this discussion. The thesis first looks at the historical background of the development of the Latvian nation, and analyses what influence both of its neighbors (Russia and Germany) have had on it. Historically, the Latvian people have always been under the geopolitical influence of one of these states, at times facing the worst of their foreign policies–forced occupation and genocide. It then looks into the written works of the Legion's survivors, the research of domestic historians, the reports of the foreign ambassadors and the historical opinions of Russia's experts. Finally, the thesis seeks answers to the two primary questions on how Latvian Legion is perceived in today's Latvia
Thesis, Dissertation, Undefined, 2013
Fort Leavenworth, KS : US Army Command and General Staff College, 2013