The loss of Latvia’s independence, the horrors experienced during WWII, and the approach of the Red Army towards Latvia at the end of the war forced many thousands of people to leave Latvia, their homes, in order to avoid Stalinist terror and deportations again. At the end of WWII War, there was a second occupation by the USSR, meaning that even after the end of the war, the territory of Latvia de facto was a part of the USSR.

The impact of the 1940-1941 repressions on Latvian society was very significant. Until then, such severe repressions had never been experienced. The June 14, 1941 deportations had the most severe impact. Many officers, diplomats, civil servants, teaching staff and students of universities, industrialists, ship owners, publishers, etc. were deported. According to information in the State Archives of Latvia, at least 15,424 people were deported. These Soviet repressions led many to perceive the start of the German-Soviet war as liberation and encouraged cooperation with the Nazis.

But Nazi Germany never supported the idea of restoring Latvia’s independence. Towards the end of the war, as the Red Army drew closer, many Latvian residents decided to flee Latvia because of their previous experiences. In the Displaced Persons (DP) camps in Germany, 14 June was quickly established as a day of Commemoration for the Deported becoming as a tradition to be continued in exile.

On July 6, 1944, the German government decided to admit 1.5 million Estonians and Latvians into the territory of the German Reich. The evacuation of civilians took place at the last moment, in great haste and often improvised. Although there was no general evacuation order, Latvian emigration to Germany began at the beginning of August 1944. Many residents of Latvia were forcibly evacuated by the Nazi occupation authorities, including family members of persons who had openly worked for Germany, cultural workers, clergy, specialists in certain trades and others whose removal from Latvia had been secretly ordered by various German authorities. SThe German administration started to ease departure restrictions on September 29, 1944, but finally lifted them on October 5. From that date, Latvians could flee to Germany without special permits.

In Germany, the number of refugees was also supplemented by workers who had been sent there until 1944 during the Nazi occupation, also those detained in prisons and concentration camps, as well as legionnaires.