Latvia. Documents To Latvian Wartime German Collaborator And Post War Refugee Ernests Rirdancis

The collection consists of: a Latvian Ministry of Public Affairs guard’s ID booklet (82x106mm, fine); a wartime Latvian weapon issue certificate (137x171mm, very fine); a post war refugee camp teacher certification note (207x75mm, near very fine); a post war German driver’s licence (97x151mm, near very fine); a refugee camp YMCA membership card (149x105mm, better than very fine).

The Ministry of Public Affairs ID booklet is dated to May 3, 1938. It is in Latvian. It states that Rirdancis, born on May 28, 1901 served as a guard since 1928. Yearly certificate stamps are dated to July 1, 1939, 1940, and 1941.

The weapon issue certificate is dated to June 26, 1940 and states that Rirdancis carries a pistol. It is in Latvian.

The refugee camp teacher certificate note is dated to May 4, 1946. It was issued by the UNRRA (United Nation Relief and Rehabilitation Administration) who ran camps in post war West Germany housing displaced persons (abbreviated as DP). It is in English. Rirdancis taught in an unspecified capacity in Camp 1204/E in Husum (northern Germany) between July 12, 1945 to May 4, 1946 when the camp was closed.

The driver’s licence is dated to October 2, 1946. It is in German. Rirdancis’ address is given as another camp in Flensburg (northern Germany).

The YMCA membership card was issued by the Young Men’s Christian Association For Latvians in the DP camp “Antverp” in Flensburg. It is in English and Latvian.

Footnote:

The fact that Rirdancis worked as a guard for a public office in German-occupied Latvia during the war, and him winding up in a refugee camp in Germany after the war presumably tells the story of a collaborator who chose to flee his home country when the Russians took over and start a new life in the country with which he had sympathised.