Just 200 Latvian Jews survived the Holocaust.
Just 200 Latvian Jews survived the Holocaust. Yes. 200. One single Latvian family rescued 42 of this 200. This is their story. When the Germans occupied Latvia in the summer of 1941, the atmosphere in the city was especially supportive. Cries of joy and happiness accompanied the convoys of soldiers entering the city. For many Latvians, this was a sign that perhaps they would gain independence through Hitler, and thwart Stalin’s desire to incorporate them into a Soviet bloc. In newspapers and on the radio, calls went out to “beat the Jews and the communists”; and Latvian citizens, led by collaborators with the Germans, struck out at their Jewish neighbors. Jews were hunted, murdered in the streets or brought to nearby forests to be killed. Latvian residents of Riga went from house to house, pointing out Jewish homes. The reality for Jews became unbearably difficult. Before the war, Janis Lipke worked at the port in the city, perfo...