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The 70th Anniversary of the Last Battle of Īle National Partisans

Both the young and the old gathered at Īle Bunker to take part in the commemorative event dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the last battle of the national partisans. Those who fought side by side with the fallen, their relatives and many others not only shared their stories and memories, but also invited those present to take part in the reconstruction of the battle.

“Īle Bunker is a proof that freedom is a universal value that unites our brother nations - Latvians and Lithuanians, because Lithuanian partisans also fell here for the same values,” said Artis Pabriks, the Minister of Defence, at the commemorative event.

70 years ago, on 17 March 1949, 24 partisans who were then in the bunker heroically fought their last battle against the Ministry for State Security or KGB troop consisting of 760 men. 15 partisans were killed, nine were captured and together with their supporters sent to Siberia.

The commemorative event at Īle Bunker was attended by National Guard 4th Kurzeme Brigade Commander Colonel Andris Rieksts, representatives of National Guard 51st Infantry Battalion, Latvian and Lithuanian National Partisan Association, Latvian National Warrior Association, Latvian Officers Association, as well as representatives of the foundation “Namejs”.

The bunker in Īle's forests to continue the struggle against Soviet power was built by the partisans of the united Latvian-Lithuanian group in 1948. It was the largest winter bunker in the Baltic States. After restoration, it has become not only a tribute to the national partisans, but also an important site that tells about one of the pages of the Latvian history.

Īle National Partisan Bunker was restored in the autumn of 2013. Traditionally every year, on 17 March, on the last day of the battle, a commemorative event is held at the renovated bunker to remember the national partisan battles. This year, the commemorative event was an opportunity to observe the reconstruction of the battle “The Last Battle of Īle National Partisans - 70”.