1. Overview
Rūdolfs Gaitars (Rūdolfs GaitarsLatvian, 29 May 1907 - 22 March 1945) was a prominent Latvian military officer who served in the Waffen-SS during World War II. He is notable for being the first Latvian to be awarded the German Cross in Gold, a high military decoration, recognizing his gallantry and leadership in combat. This article details his life, from his early years and pre-war career to his significant military service during World War II, culminating in his death in 1945.
2. Early Life and Pre-War Career
Rūdolfs Gaitars was born on 29 May 1907 in Penkule Parish in Semigallia, a historical region in Latvia. Before the outbreak of World War II, Gaitars worked as a school administrator at a local primary school in Penkule. He also served in the Latvian Army and achieved the rank of warrant officer.
3. World War II Service
Rūdolfs Gaitars' military career during World War II began amidst significant political upheaval in Latvia, leading him to join various armed units and eventually serve in the Waffen-SS, where he distinguished himself in combat.
3.1. Impact of Soviet Occupation and Early Resistance
Following the Soviet occupation of Latvia in September 1940, Gaitars was dismissed from his position as a school administrator. During the mass Soviet deportations on 14 June 1941, Gaitars was listed for deportation but managed to evade capture by hiding in a forest. However, his family was not as fortunate and was deported to Siberia. With the commencement of Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, Gaitars organized armed units in Penkule. Collaborating with former members of the Aizsargi, a Latvian home guard organization, he established checkpoints on roads and actively participated in arresting Soviet activists and politicians. His leadership in these early resistance efforts led to him being appointed Commandant of the Penkule parish.
3.2. Service with Latvian Police Battalions
In May 1942, Gaitars officially enlisted in the 19th Latgale Police Battalion. This unit was subsequently deployed to the Eastern Front, where Gaitars participated in significant combat engagements. His battalion saw heavy fighting near the Leningrad Front, specifically near the Pulkovo Observatory, where they sustained considerable casualties.
3.3. Waffen-SS Service and Notable Engagements
In April 1943, the remnants of the 19th Battalion, including Rūdolfs Gaitars, were integrated into the 2nd Latvian SS Infantry Brigade and redeployed to the Volkhov Front. During this period, Gaitars was promoted to the rank of Untersturmführer. He quickly earned recognition for his bravery, receiving the Iron Cross 2nd Class in August 1943, followed by the Iron Cross 1st Class in October 1943.
Gaitars continued to distinguish himself through exceptional acts of gallantry. In February 1944, his company successfully repelled an attack by a Soviet unit of battalion size. Later, his company effectively destroyed a Soviet military column near Zapolye. For his outstanding leadership and bravery during these critical actions, Rūdolfs Gaitars was awarded the German Cross in Gold in May 1944, making him the first Latvian to receive this prestigious decoration.
3.4. Final Campaigns, Wounds, and Death
Rūdolfs Gaitars' company remained actively engaged in combat throughout the summer and autumn of 1944, as the German forces commenced their withdrawal from Russia back into Latvia. During intense fighting in the Courland Pocket, Gaitars sustained serious injuries, forcing him to withdraw from the front line until January 1945.
Despite his previous injuries, he returned to service. On 22 March 1945, Gaitars was once again severely wounded in combat. He subsequently succumbed to his injuries in a field hospital located in Zante, near Tukums. Rūdolfs Gaitars was laid to rest in a small rural cemetery close to the homestead known as Dārziņi.
4. Assessment and Legacy
Rūdolfs Gaitars' military service in the Waffen-SS, particularly his receipt of high German decorations, places him within the complex and often controversial historical context of Latvian involvement in World War II. While his military achievements, such as being the first Latvian to receive the German Cross in Gold, underscore his individual bravery and leadership in combat, his affiliation with the Waffen-SS, a declared criminal organization by the Nuremberg Trials, remains a subject of historical scrutiny. His actions reflect the multifaceted allegiances and experiences of individuals in occupied territories during the war, where choices were often made under extreme duress and ideological pressures.