Pencil sketch of a naxi by Dr k prabhakar. Rao

VILIS JANUMS... NAZI, WW II

Vilis Janums (7 January 1894 – 6 August 1981) was a Latvian officer in the First World War and later also in the Second World War. He was awarded with the Order of Three Stars (IV class), Order of Viesturs and German Cross (in gold). He served in Latvian army. And witnessed occupation of Latvia by USSR. In 1941 he managed to travel to Germany.Janums returned to Latvia soon after Operation Barbarossa was launched. Until 1943 he was a clerk in the Latvian self-government. In June he was appointed a regiment commander in the 15th Waffen Grenadier division of the SS with the rank of Waffen-Standartenfuhrer. In February 1944 he was awarded the Iron Cross (2nd class) and in August with the 1st class. For successful defensive battles in Pomerania he was awarded the German Cross (in gold) on 1 March 1945. In April Janums receives an order to form a battle group from units of his regiment and send it to Berlin. Battle group (Kampfgruppe Janums) was formed but instead of sending it to Berlin where it most likely would perish in the senseless battles, Janums disobeyed orders and led his group (more than 700 men) to the west. They bypassed Berlin from the south and safely reached the allied lines on 26 April near Lindau. After communication with Americans Janums and his whole battle group on the next day crossed the front line near Gutergluck village and surrendered to the American army.From May 1945 Janums was in allied captivity. He was released in 1946. Janums actively participated in the exile Latvian community. In 1946 he was one of the founders of the Daugavas Vanagi (Hawks of Daugava) Latvian military veteran organization and its first president. Rest of his life was spent in West Germany. He died in Munster 6 August 1981. In 2007 his remains were reburied in Brothers Cemetery, Riga.