Today there are 70 years since one of the greatest tragedies in history of Latvia, and the Supreme Court remembers seven ex-senators of Latvia’s Senate and their families, who were among more than 15 thousands inhabitants of Latvia deported from Latvia on the 14th of June, 1941.

No one of deported senators came back to Latvia.

Fridrihs Vesmanis. He was the senator of the Administrative Department and department of Civil Cassation 1921-1922 and 1932-1937. He was also Parliamentarian and the Chair of the first Saeima, and ambassador of Latvia in London. After he retired, he was awarded with the title of the Honoured Judge. He died on the 7th of December, 1941, in camp of Usolye. He was 66 years old.

Fricis Zilbers. He had been the senator in the Department of Criminal cassation since 1925 until 1936, and the Chief Prosecutor of the Senate until 1940. Until his appointment in the post of the senator he was the prosecutor of Riga and Jelgava regional courts and the Chair of Latgales regional court. He died on the 10th of May, 1942, in imprisonment in Vyatlag before the case was reviewed in Special Session. He was 67 years old.

Osvalds Ozolins. He was the senator in the Department of Civil Cassation from 1930 until 1934 and the Chair of the Department until liquidation of the Senate in November, 1940. Before his appointment for the post of the senator, he was member of Riga regional court and the Chamber. He died on the 18th of November, 1942, before death penalty sentenced was executed. He was 54 years old.

Jekabs Grots. He was the senator in the Department of Civil Cassation from 1934 until liquidation of the Senate in November, 1940. Before his appointment for the post of the senator, he was member of Riga regional court and the Chamber, as well as he worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia. He was shot in camp of Solimsk on the 17th of June, 1942. He was 54 years old.

Janis Skudre. /He and his family were deported on the 17th of June/ He was the senator in the Department of Criminal Cassation from 1934 until liquidation of the Senate in November, 1940. He was the Chair of Latvian Judicial Association. Before his appointment for the post of the senator, he was member of Jelgava regional court and the Chair of Latgales regional court. He died in imprisonment in Sverdlovsk region on the 8th of July, 1942. One week after his death the Special Session sentenced him to the most severe punishment – shooting down. He was 53 years old.

Karlis Ducmanis. He was the senator of the Administrative Department in 1936-1938, and then he formed Bureau of the Senate’s sentences and managed it until 1940. Before his appointment for the post of the senator, he had worked in Latvia’s diplomatic service. He died in prison in Kirov on the 20th of August, 1943. He was 62 years old.

Teodors Bergtals. He was the Chief prosecutor of the Senate in 1938, later – the senator in the Administrative Department until liquidation of the Senate in November, 1940. Before his appointment for the post of the senator, he was member and deputy of the Chair of Riga regional court. He was shot on the 9th of June, 1942, in Solimsk, in Perm region. He was 56 years old.



Information prepared by

Head of the Division of Communications of the Supreme Court Rasma Zvejniece

E-mail: rasma.zvejniece@at.gov.lv, telephone: 7020396, 28652211