Latvian Fighters

The Waffen SS Latvian Fighters, also known as the 15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Latvian), was a division of the Waffen-SS composed of Latvian volunteers who fought on the side of Nazi Germany during World War II. The division was formed in 1943 and saw action on the Eastern Front, fighting against the Soviet Union. The division was notorious for its involvement in numerous war crimes, including the massacre of civilians and the deportation of Jews to concentration camps. Despite its atrocities, the Waffen SS Latvian Fighters gained a reputation for being a highly effective fighting force, and many of its members were fiercely loyal to the Nazi cause until the end of the war. After the war, many former members of the division were tried and convicted for their crimes. The legacy of the Waffen SS Latvian Fighters remains a contentious issue in Latvia to this day.