Six months after the German invasion in 1941, close to 70,000 Jews were murdered in Latvia. What is now called the “Holocaust of bullets” led to the massacre of 90% of the Latvian Jewish population. They had been living in Latvia since the 17th century and were fully integrated. It is one of the darkest sides of Latvian history. The Soviets, when they rewrote the story of the Nazi occupation in their own glory, intentionally left out the fate of the Jews. In Cesis, I discovered, by chance, the memorial stone that is set in the forest in commemoration of the Holocaust. It soberly mentions the victims of Fascism. It laid there, deeply buried under the moss and the branches, until an inhabitant dug it out very recently. According to historians, 200 to 300 Jews from Cesis and its surroundings were exterminated close to the Nierieris lake. The grave was never excavated and only forty victims were ever identified. The exact identity of the murderers remains unknown.

No Jewish community is left in Cesis and the Germans burnt all archives when they fled. In Cesis, this sanctuary is unknown. When I tell this story to the youth in Cesis, people born after the Soviet occupation, I aroused a true curiosity. Young Latvians long for a complete memory where only the shadows of their own identity stand. But how can it be recreated when the traces are old, witnesses have disappeared and so many ideological layers, due to soviet occupation, have covered up the tracks? My work is about this black hole. The birch woods here, like in Birkenau, keep the secret of the crimes.
Cesis countryside. Cold country. Nobody can survive in the wood in winter. Temperature is -20°c to -30°C. But during the Soviet occupation and the WWII, people from the resistance hid in the wood with the help of the local population.
The day of the independance of Latvia. It is a Day of Memory. History of Latvia is deeply tragic. People remember those who were fighted and killed and how the country has suffered for its independance.
Deep in the Priekuli forest, hidden by branches and moss, the forgotten Jews memorial of WWII. Here, 300 Jews from Cesis were killed by bullets. On the stone it's written " to the victims of fascism". This memorial has been erected by Soviet occupation forces in 1970. Under their military domination, they blurred the Latvian memory. After few years, this memorial was forgotten as it was not allowed to speek about the Jews holocaust. Very few people in Cesis know something about this place. There were no survivors and no Jews inhabitants remain today in Cesis.
Ninieris Lake, nearby the forgotten memorial and the place of the slaughter of 300 Jews from Cesis.
Postsoviet time generation. The green plants orning the window are typical of the grey time of Soviet occupation
Through the curtains of a former Soviet sanatorium : wood of secret. Latvian people call the former resistants in WWII and during soviet occupation "people of the wood". In the basement of this sanatorium, there was a secret Soviet military office.
An other memorial in Cesis. We can read on the stone the names and the birth dates of Soviet partisan (Tchekists) who fighted against Nazis. Some words are following to mention : "and the others". According to the version of the Jews memorial museum of Riga, "the others" are 100 Jews from the next village Ligatne, killed by the Nazi's SonderKomando.
Postsoviet time Generation. Here, a "radiocassette party". People are listening genuine Cassettes with the songs which was forbidden during the Soviet occupation
Former Soviet sanatorium, in its basement there was a secret Soviet military office.
Birch trees, typical from Latvian forest.  White trees keep the secret of crime. In Priekuli forest.
Postsoviet time generation.
In November, close to the Day of Memory : white and red are the colors of Latvian national flag. Here in Cesis.
Birch trees typical from Latvian forest.  White trees keep the secret of crime. Near Nieneris lake where 300 Jews was killed.
Mala Cafe, cultural center and cafe. This is a very democratic meeting place for young people and familly. For the Memory Day, the cafe was full and everybody take part to the event to pay respect to the resistance of Latvian people during Soviet occupation. The thirst of memory is very intense in the new generation
Day of memory
Back to Cesis, blurred History
Bus to Cesis. This light and this desk belong to the "Konductor". The people who are checking the tickets. These habits remind directly from Soviet occupation time
Requiem for Cesis, POM, a work from Carol Müller, Music Anne Joly
Back to Top