Unlocking Latvia's military past

  • 2009-03-04
  • By Kate McIntosh

REMINDERS OF WAR: The More Battle Museum provides an overview of the region's rich military history and is worth a visit for its impressive collection of military paraphernalia.

RIGA -  Evidence of More's historical military past litters the small village near Sigulda.
Bullet casings and other remnants can still be found today hidden amongst the surrounding fields and forest paths.
The village is also home to the More Battle Museum, which documents its strategic place in Latvia's military history.

On Feb. 26 the museum launched its latest exhibition, which offers a Soviet perspective of one of the most significant battles to take place on More territory.
In September, 1944 as World War II drew to a close, soldiers from the Latvian Legion fought a fierce two week long battle against Soviet forces.
Despite being outnumbered by an army almost 10 times their size, the Latvian soldiers held their 40 kilometer defensive line. They halted the advance of Soviet forces to Riga and allowed retreating German soldiers to flee safely.

The victory was to have a major influence on further historical events.
Museum curator Anta Braca said the decision to include an exhibition from a Soviet perspective had been borne out of a desire to promote fuller understanding of the region's rich military past.
"We should not only look at one side, otherwise we close our eyes to the true history," said Braca.
A former garage, the More Battle Museum has grown from its humble beginnings. Funding grants from the EU, local government and the Latvian parliament has allowed for an expansion and the development of exposition programs.

"This place is so rich in battles that the museum just grew up from the ground," explains Braca.
The museum, which first opened in 2002, now incorporates an open air exhibition of Soviet army tanks and other military equipment from the era. It is home to an impressive collection of weapons, medals, military uniforms, detailed battle maps and other accessories 's most of which were donated by former soldiers and their families.

A jeweler's workshop, handicraft shop, playground and picnic area are located on site.
The museum also offers interactive tours 's albeit only in Latvian 's on specific episodes of the region's military history, incorporating visual aids and eyewitness accounts.
Braca said a long-term development plan had been drawn up, with a focus on establishing the museum as a cultural and historical research center.

The museum is a source of huge pride in More, a village scattered with Soviet-era wooden houses and home to just 700 people.
The latest exhibition was opened with huge fanfare, with civic, tourism and local government representatives all in attendance.

Last year the museum drew more than 4,500 visitors, a significant figure for a modest, country museum.
Historic points of interest abound in More's surrounds, with visitors also encouraged to view important memorial sites, including the cemeteries of fallen soldiers from both the Latvian Legion and Soviet army. The remains of bunkers and trenches on the former battlefield can also be visited and serve as stark reminders of the village's war-time past.

The More Battle Museum is located at Mores pagasts, Siguldas novads, Rigas rajons. Visits are by appointment only and can be arranged by calling: 6414 7236.


*Journalist traveled courtesy of Rivasi Tours and Sigulda Tourism Information Center.