Nazis are marching through Europe again. Real Nazis. Old ones, young ones, brazenly sporting the infamous uniforms and flags of a growing and genuinely dangerous movement.
To American ears, this has the sound of hysteria and impossibility. Nazism was defeated and repudiated, it is the unforgivable insult not just because it's so extreme but because it's incredible. The American post-war experience of Nazis ranged from the nuttiness of the American Nazi Party and its crazed head, George Lincoln Rockwell, to some of the militia groups, skinheads, Holocaust deniers and Aryan Nation types that pop up occasionally. They're annoying and angering, but they're clearly on the fringes of American society, a cost of our commitment to free expression.
That is not the case in many Eastern European nations. Numerous political parties and social movements have sprung up that support former and current Nazis and Nazi causes. This March 16 will see the emergence of the worst of this onto the world stage. Since the mid-'90s, in Latvia, there have been organized and growing demonstrations celebrating the Latvians who served in German Waffen-SS legions. Their activities included opposing the advancing Red Army, last-ditch fighting in Berlin, and for some of them liquidating ghettos and murdering Jews across Eastern Europe.
For about a decade a variety of Latvian right-wing parties have been seeking to provide government pensions to the Latvians who served Hitler. The explanations range from the apologist to revisionist to ideological. The central thesis is that most of the Waffen-SS soldiers were drafted, not volunteers and that they were fighting against Russian invaders, "Freedom Fighters" as a proposed Parliamentary resolution calls them. On March 16, In Riga, there will be another set of demonstrations and marches by SS veterans, with supporters from Sweden, Estonia, Lithuania and elsewhere.
What to make of all this? There will always be elements in society that actually want to resurrect Hitler, and others that use it for their own ends. But until recently there's been almost unanimity from governments and "responsible" political leaders that denied them any legitimacy or place of honor. Indeed, the German and French ambassadors were early and outspoken in their concern and opposition. March 16 has meaning beyond the event. It is the breaking of a taboo that has lasted since the War. If Europe agreed on nothing else, it agreed that Nazism was so repellant that any manifestation would be condemned and smashed before it could flourish. That United States is eroding. The lack of public concern from Western governments is upsetting and very short-sighted. It remains to be seen what, if anything, they will do as the SS assembles and marches again next week.
There are some that suggest we ignore these feral stirrings of hate and violence. In America, there are few who take this as a serious development. That's not good enough. One doesn't have to be Winston Churchill to remember how Nazism took hold the first time around. It may be that these are fringe developments. But we are better off, much better off, overreacting now and recreating the moral and political unity that defeated Hitler than we would be by yawning and hoping it all goes away. The U.S. State Department ought to lead this effort.
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Waffen SS veterans hold official memorial march in Latvian capital ...
Latvian court allows march honouring Waffen SS forces - The Local
"The Baltic Waffen SS Units (Baltic Legions) are to be considered as separate and distinct in purpose, ideology, activities, and qualifications for membership from the German SS, and therefore the Commission holds them not to be a movement hostile to the Government of the United States."
It doesn't matter if these non-Germans were conscripted as slave labour or front line soldiers, they were obviously Nazis, right?
First of all, there are no marches or cheers in 16 March in Riga, it is a day to mourn for people killed in war. Secondly, church service and flower-laying for soldiers killed is taking place since 1990 (yes, USSR still existed and Latvia was part of it), not mid-90. Since mid-90, since 1998 to be precise, Russian Foreign Affairs are making big fuzz about it. Why, one shall ask, because in 1997-98 Latvia was accepted to be a candidate for membership European Union and NATO, which Russia, of course, strongly opposed. Third, where he have seen any nazi insignia, flags, etc. on 16 March in Riga? Any photos? Just for the record, the red-white-red flag is not nazi flag, but the national flag of Latvia. One shall not write about things he does not know.
Soldiers serving in the Legion did not share Nazi ideology and upon conscription were not required to swear loyalty to Germany or Hitler. A report by the commander of the 15th Division, Oberführer Adolf Ax on 27 January 1945 stated: "They are first and foremost Latvians. They want a sustainable Latvian nation state. Forced to choose between Germany and Russia, they have chosen Germany, because they seek co-operation with western civilization. The rule of the Germans seems to them to be the lesser of two evils." [...] "The Terrible Year" during which tens of thousands of Latvian families were executed or deported to Siberia with men separated from the women and children to break down resistance.
Legionnaires hoped to fight off the Soviet Union until it was no longer dangerous to Latvia and then turn its arms against Nazi Germany, as a repeat of the Latvian War of Independence of 1918-1920, when Latvian forces expelled both the Red Army and German forces. [...] This sentiment was also reflected in one of the most popular legion songs which went "We will beat the Russians now and we will beat the Germans after that" (with euphemisms for Russians and Germans). Latvians[...] believed that Western powers, especially Britain, would come to their aid as they had in 1918-1920. They were unaware that Churchill and FDR had consigned the Baltics to Stalin.
P.S.
A report sent on April 13, 1950 to the US Secretary of State, and signed by the highest ranking army personnel in Germany, General Frank McCloy, explains the Baltic legions' position: These units should not be seen as either volunteers or SS - because (1) They received no Nazi indoctrination; (2) They were never required to affirm any Nazi doctrines; (3) They never swore the SS oath of allegiance (4) They did not enjoy any of the privileges of the SS (5) They did not wear the designated German SS uniform.
We were actually on the crossroads of two monster states.
Just my 2 cents, I'm not going there anyway.
Just one year before Hitler broke into USSR Latvia was already "given" to Stalin by Molotov–Ribbentrop pact. This document and its secret protocol still exists as a proof of criminal agreement between Hitler and Stalin. In year 1940. independent state of Latvia Republic (and also Estonia and Lithuania) was threatened by forces outnumbering ours at least 1:10000 and taken over by USSR. These forces were recalled form USSR-Finland war as Stalin had different plan for Europe.
During this first year of lost independence Latvians (and other nations) already suffered severe consequences and damage in form of Stalin genocide. While it's possible to blame half of Latvians for joining Hitler's forces, other half was fighting at Stalin's side. Exception is Arajs brigade which is true shame for all Latvians and crime against Hebrews. Still, most Latvians were joining either army called in by force. So for typical Latvian going to war wasn't act of free will, rather no-choice situation.
When war came close to an end Latvians that were in Waffen SS were hoping to prevent Stalin to take over Latvia again. That was their last hope and resulted in desperate fight which led to nothing but their death.
Reality is that the only reason there is racism, ethnic tension, revival of Nazi ideals, etc... is because of multi-culturalism and forced "diversity."
People aren't naturally hateful. I can say I don't hate anybody. However, I realize that people are different. Different groups of people aren't meant to mix. It's only in the most diverse countries that you find hate crimes. Only in the most diverse countries is there segregation, voluntary or involuntary.
Forced diversity has only taken conflict between countries and internalized it within those countries. Where there was the option to remain out of world affairs and avoid conflict before, that same option isn't necessarily available at the super-market or at schools.
t's hard to forget though that our state was blossoming once and see how degraded it is now. USSR did commit crimes but because they lost so many lives fighting against Hitler they are "saved". I respect that. Still the guilt of what they've done to Baltics is upon them. And they did have plans to invade Europe after acquiring Baltics and Polands. Do you agree with that?
So please do understand that making so shallow conclusions as to tying 16th of march to some Nazi or Hitler sympathies is at very least highly insulting for most of the Latvians.
"On March 16, In Riga, there will be another set of demonstrations and marches by SS veterans"
"There will always be elements in society that actually want to resurrect Hitler"
If you look 15 years back in time no one in world outside Latvia did care about 16th of March. And in Latvia itself it was perceived only as another day of remembrance for Latvian freedom fighters (many of whom paid the highest price for their dream). Still some 10 years ago due to Russian foreign policy becoming more aggressive with respect to independent ex USSR states, suddenly those poor old guys gathering in 16th of March were flagged by Russian news media to be Waffen SS and Nazi supporters. Now 10 years later we have full blown propaganda going on for the topic. And no actually one cares to notice that instead of Hitler pictures and Waffen SS banners those alleged "SS veterans" are carrying just Latvian flags and some flowers to our freedom monument. Like wise no one cares to actually ask what their agenda actually is.
Dear author, where from did you take assumption that 16th of March in Latvia is about Nazis or Hitler? Is Kremlin propaganda really your only source of information?
e.g. may I ask you to quote *exact* sources and facts, that allow you to characterize those Latvian independence fighters as "elements in society that actually want to resurrect Hitler".
Is the concern merely with fact that given remembrance day is called "Latvian Legion Day", which, yes, was the part of Waffen SS?
Or is it that any men who were soldiers in "Latvian Legion", regardless if they didn't commit war crimes, should not be allowed to gather for any remembrance day at all, no matter what it would called and what is it about?
No surprise that there are Nazi sympathizers everywhere, just in small numbers. Kooks will be kooks.
Why even the Pope was in a Nazi group when he was younger.
Of course he doesn't support that now...no way...not a chance....
Yes, these modern-day demonstrators could choose much more ways of seeking pensions for the people mentioned than invoking the Nazi symbology and so on, but to make false assertions and try to rewrite history just to generate false outrage that the article itself admits would be "overreacting" is dishonest.