Aizsargi
Aizsargi (German: Heimwehr, literally about watchman, guardian) were a paramilitary militia or the national guard of the Republic of Latvia during the first independence from 1919 to 1940.
The organization was founded on March 20, 1919 during the Latvian War of Independence to recruit volunteers for guard and security services in the rear front area. Any loyal male Latvian citizen between the ages of 18 and 60 without a previous conviction could join. After the war, the Aizsargi were reorganized as an army reserve based on the model of the Finnish Suojeluskunta , expanded their field of work and founded women's and youth departments. By 1940 the organization had grown to 31,766 soldiers in 19 regiments . In addition, 14,810 women and 14,000 young people were enrolled. The participants were mainly rural residents and formed one of the main pillars of the Kārlis Ulmanis regime after 1934.
One of the first measures taken by the Soviet occupying power in 1940 was the liquidation of the Aizsargi. About 80% of the officers , 2,200 people, were arrested. Former Aizsargi were active as partisans in the German-Soviet war , later collaborated with the German occupying forces and tried to revive the organization. In today's Latvia there is a similar organization, the Zemessardze .
literature
- Butulis Ilgvars: Sveiki, Aizsargi! Jumava, 2011 ISBN 978-9984-388-465 .
- Igors Vārpa: Latviešu karavīrs zem sarkanbaltsarkanā karoga. , Nordik Riga 2008 ISBN 978-9984-792-82-8 .
- Björn M. Felder: Latvia in World War II: Between Soviet and German occupiers 1940-1946. 2009 Schöningh ISBN 978-350-6765-444 .