{"product_id":"latvia-documents-to-latvian-wartime-german-collaborator-and-post-war-refugee-ernests-rirdancis-eu16366","title":"Latvia.  Documents To Latvian Wartime German Collaborator And Post War Refugee Ernests Rirdancis","description":"\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe 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).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe weapon issue certificate is dated to June 26, 1940 and states that Rirdancis carries a pistol. It is in Latvian.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe driver’s licence is dated to October 2, 1946. It is in German. Rirdancis’ address is given as another camp in Flensburg (northern Germany).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFootnote:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"eMedals","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46125945913621,"sku":"EU16366","price":105.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0713\/9105\/2053\/files\/m19_1378.jpg?v=1692884161","url":"https:\/\/www.emedals.com\/products\/latvia-documents-to-latvian-wartime-german-collaborator-and-post-war-refugee-ernests-rirdancis-eu16366","provider":"eMedals","version":"1.0","type":"link"}