You Have Paved the Way for a New Europe!
Poster from German-occupied Latvia, ruled at the time by an administrative body known as the Reichskommissariat Ostland (RKO). As in the other Baltic states at the time, the Germans enjoyed considerable local support within Latvia, whose local population viewed them as liberators from Bolshevik oppression. Conversely, loyal, gentile Latvians were largely spared the harsh treatment endured by other inhabitants of the Soviet Union proper, such as the Russians and Belarusians. In fact, in the wake of the German occupation, recruits flocked to local collaborationist entities such as the Latvian Legion and Arajs Commando that were formed under the auspices of the RKO, with its volunteers likely motivated in part by the hopes of political representation in the theorized post-war order that would be headed by Nazi Germany. This poster was likely distributed to stir pro-German sentiment within the civilian population of Latvia.
Main Latvian caption reads: Your work and your struggle have paved the way for your happy future in a new Europe!
Marginal text in German on bottom-right reads: P 174 / Sword / Lett. [short for Lettland, meaning Latvia]
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Poster from German-occupied Latvia, ruled at the time by an administrative body known as the Reichskommissariat Ostland (RKO). As in the other Baltic states at the time, the Germans enjoyed considerable local support within Latvia, whose local population viewed them as liberators from Bolshevik oppression. Conversely, loyal, gentile Latvians were largely spared the harsh treatment endured by other inhabitants of the Soviet Union proper, such as the Russians and Belarusians. In fact, in the wake of the German occupation, recruits flocked to local collaborationist entities such as the Latvian Legion and Arajs Commando that were formed under the auspices of the RKO, with its volunteers likely motivated in part by the hopes of political representation in the theorized post-war order that would be headed by Nazi Germany. This poster was likely distributed to stir pro-German sentiment within the civilian population of Latvia.
Main Latvian caption reads: Your work and your struggle have paved the way for your happy future in a new Europe!
Marginal text in German on bottom-right reads: P 174 / Sword / Lett. [short for Lettland, meaning Latvia]
