Children in DP camps

In the autumn of 1944, when military activities had already covered a large part of Latvia, the German public authorities ordered that children from the National Infants’ Orphanage of Riga and National Orphanage of Majori were evacuated to Germany. Initially they were placed in Swinemuende and Albeck, but in the spring of 1945 the National Infants’ Orphanage of Riga was moved to Hahnenklee in Harz Mountains, but National Orphanage of Majori was moved to Sierksdorf after a short stay in Rügen Island. Later children from this orphanage lived in Fisav, Malente, Rohlstorf and Klingenberg.

These Latvian orphans were attentively and with love cared for by Ignats Kuzmins, Smaida Ašeniece, Roze Briede (Austruma), Gaida Pūce, Alma Seķe (Mežaka), E. Heine, M. Rusova, A. Raiskuma, K. Raiskums, A. Zoss, V. Bergfelde and many other employees of Latvian orphanages. In the difficult times they received huge support from the Trustee Boards of the Latvian Red Cross and employees of other Latvian organisations.

In 1949 the majority of Latvian orphans were taken from Germany to the USA, Canada and Australia, while some remained to live in Germany.

Letter from teacher A. Sveķe to A. Šilde. 15 November 1944.
LVA, 2176. f., 2v. apr., 107. l., 5. lp.
Letter from Vilma Tene in Sweden. Year 1946.
LVA, 2176. f., 2v. apr., 106. l., 17. lp.
Kindergarten. Augsburg Haunstetten DP camp.
LVA, 2250. f., 2v. apr., 5. l., 9. lp.
Letter from Müssen Latvian orphanage senior teacher O. Mazarkevics. 19 October 1947.
LVA, 2176. f., 2v. apr., 106. l., 10. lp.
Letter from Latvian Red Cross secretary A. Kozlovskis. 21 August 1948.
LVA, 2176. f., 2v. apr., 106. l., 8. lp.
Report from Nordrhein-Westfalen area council Latvian representative E. Dravnieks about children that require assistance from Sweden. 30 September 1948.
LVA, 2176. f., 2v. apr., 113. l., 85. lp.
Book with completed data about Majori orphanage. Year 1948.
LVA, 2335. f., 1. apr., 334. l., 1. lp.
Veidene Latvian folk school.
LVA, 2250. f., 2v. apr., 6. l., 1. lp.
Latvian orphanage in Hahnenklee.
LVA, 2176. f., 2v. apr., 105. l., 21. lp.
Latvian orphanage in Hahnenklee.
LVA, 2176. f., 2v. apr., 105. l., 22. lp.

The beginning of displacement

DP camps in Germany

Repatriation

Screening

Latvian soldiers in Germany

Care for refugees

Children in DP camps

Culture and sport activities

Education

The Church

Latvian National Committee

Latvian National Committee in Bavaria

Latvian Central Council,
Latvian Central Committee

Archives

Organization “Latvian Red Cross” in Germany

Organization “Daugavas vanagi”

Youth organizations

Latvian Central Council

Latvian National Council

Public holidays

The Statehood representatives – Latvian envoys in DP camps

Unity of the Baltic States

The dispersal of refugees

Audiovisual Chronicle