Latvian Riflemen Soviet Divisions were military formations of the Red Army during World War II created in 1941 and consisting primarily of ethnic Latvians.
After the occupation of Latvia in June 1940 the Soviet Armed Forces began to demobilize the Latvian Land Forces. The army was renamed People's Army and in September–November 1940- the Red Army's 24th Territorial Rifle Corps. In September the corps contained 24,416 men but in autumn more than 800 officers and about 10,000 instructors and soldiers were discharged. The arresting of soldiers continued in the following months. In June 1941, the entire Territorial Corps was sent to Litene camp. Before leaving the camp, Latvians drafted in 1939 were demobilised, and replaced by about 4000 Russian soldiers from area around Moscow. On June 10, the corps senior officers were sent to Russia where they were arrested and most of them shot. On June 14 at least 430 officers were arrested and sent to Gulag camps. After German attack to Soviet Union, from June 29 to July 1 more 2080 Latvian soldiers were demobilised, fearing that they might turn their weapons against the Russian commissars and officers. Simultaneously, many soldiers and officers deserted and when the corps crossed the Latvian border only about 3000 Latvian soldiers remained.[1]
In July 1940, 1st and 2nd workers regiments (the last later changed to 76th Latvian Rifle Regiment) were formed in Estonia from Latvian workers guard battalions and other active duty soldiers, who at the beginning of German attack, fled from Latvia to Estonia. 1st Latvian Workers Regiment was formed on July 18, 1941. Their strength was about 900 men, and that was subordinate to 8th Army (Soviet Union), 10th Rifle Corps. In the beginning the regiment guarded the Corps rear lines and fought with Estonian and Latvian Destruction battalions, but later joined in battles against the Army Group North (until July 29). The regiment suffered heavy losses, and at the end of July transferred to Gogland Island and later to Kotlin Island (Kronstadt). From the left over regiment was later formed (3rd through September 7) Latvian Battalion (commander Žanis Grīva-Folkmanis), which was part of the Red Army's 10th Rifle Division, 62nd Regiment. The Latvian battalion had only 283 soldiers. By riflemen, Germans battalions destroyed them and the remaining part retreated to Leningrad, and Peterhof to be placed in 76th Latvian Riflemen Regiment.[2] 2nd Regiment was formed July 15, also in Estonia. The regiment's strength was about 1,200 soldiers. In Estonia, the regiment suffered heavy losses (from July 24 until August 4), then was surrounded, but broke out and fought in the Leningrad Oblast until October 20. On September 4 the regiment transferred to 76th Latvian Rifle Regiment. On October 22 on account of heavy losses the regiment was disbanded January 1942 and the leftover soldiers were transferred to other Latvian Rifle Divisions.[3]
Following the Soviet re-occupation of Latvia in 1944 mobilisation of persons born between 1903 and 1926 began in Eastern Latvia on July 27 and in Riga on November 3. According to Soviet sources, a total of 50,000 Latvian citizens were mobilised in combatant units by the end of the war (not only in the Latvian units, but also in other Red Army units). However many Latvians evaded mobilisation and deserted. By January 1945, 2214 soldiers had deserted and by February 1529 soldiers had been sent to Gulag camps. The Latvian Division in Soviet Army continued operating in Latvia after the war until 1956.[8]
Soviet Union
Divisions of the Soviet Union 1957–1989