Documentary examines the fight of the 'Forest Brothers'

Take note – story published 4 years ago

Latvian Television has prepared another in its series of short documentary films under the banner "The Keys", complete with English-language subtitles.

In this episode the year in focus is 1944 and the start of active resistance to the second Soviet occupation of the country. The National Partisans, often referred to as the 'Forest Brothers', took up arms against overwhelming forces in an important statement of patriotic intent, ultimately paying a high price for doing so. They were supported by elements of the civilian population who also ran the risk of harsh reprisals from the occupying forces if their collaboration was discovered. 

Though often referenced in political, social and artistic discourse to this day, many people have little idea of exactly who the thousands of diverse Forest Brothers were and what they hoped to achieve. This documentary provides a good initial overview of the subject.

According to LTV "The Keys" series tells of the most important or "key" events, personalities and turning points in the history of the Latvian state from 1918 to the present. The purpose is to reveal each selected event from an unusual point of view, as if "unlocking the door" to lesser known and therefore particularly intriguing facts. 

"Such an exploratory approach, bypassing the usual stereotypes of presenting history, will allow viewers to perceive what is known to others and to better understand what has happened in the context of today's experience," says LTV.

The show is made by VFS Films, a long-time partner of Latvian Television and it is hosted by Mārtiņš Ķibilds, a distinguished cultural journalist who sadly passed away late last year.

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