Two Occupations of Latvia

In the middle of 20th century two occupations changed the life of Latvians in many aspects, but their actions were rather different. Nazi and Soviet occupation reduced the numbers of inhabitants and had a great impact on country’s agricultural economy and religion.
First, both occupations made enormous crimes against civilization and Latvian nation. For example, immediately after the instalment of German authority a process of eliminating the Jewish and Gypsy population began. During the years of Nazi occupation special campaigns exterminated 18,000 Latvians, approximately 70,000 Jews and 2,000 Gypsies – in total about 90,000 people. Some 25,000 Jews were brought from Germany, Austria and the present-day Czech Republic into Latvia, of whom around 20,000 were killed.…