Today, on 2 March, Latvia marks national partisan armed resistance remembrance day for the first time in its history. President of Latvia commemorated national partisans by attending a special event at the Stompaki marsh.
‘Battle of Stompaki is a symbol of armed national resistance to occupation. Resistance that lasted for a decade after the battle. Stompaki partisans were the largest resistance group in the history of national resistance movement of Latvia. They refused to surrender to the enemy and were never overpowered by adversaries. They continued to struggle despite being outnumbered and cornered by the enemy. The struggle of Stompaki partisans ended 45 years later, in 1990,’ President Levits said in his address to participants of the remembrance event.
President Levits noted that partisans had to struggle without any support. ‘They were hoping for the West, but West fell silent. It felt more comfortable that way. However, loyalty to Latvia that these national patriots felt made them fight. This was an island where free Latvia continued to exist. An area free from occupation,’ President Levits said.
He also said that by-laws of Latvian National Partisan Movement provided that movement operates within UN Charter and democratic constitution of Latvia, Satversme, and is to be considered a legitimate unit of Latvian Armed Forces.
