Military parade in Riga

Military parade in Riga

Military parade in Riga

Riga on old photographic cards and postcards

 

Grand 2023 welcoming party - the Jazz Masquerade in the Riga Circus

Special and rare "Zaporozhets"

 

In 1960, the first commercial copies of the ZAZ-965 left the automobile plant in Zaporozhye, which was destined to become the first more or less "people's" car of the USSR. The Cossacks went on trips across the country, made their way through the mud to summer cottages, and later were repeatedly recalled in jokes. 

IDA-10M - twin-engine passenger aircraft of the VEF Riga plant

 

Autotank brigade of the Latvian army

 

 The autotank brigade was part of the Technical Division of the Latvian Army.

Until March 1, 1940, it was called the Autotank Regiment. The brigade was stationed in Riga, on Pulka Seta (now Pulka Street), where a small monument "Armored Vehicle" is still located.(installed in 1939), and one of them was also located in Daugavpils, not far from the planned line of defense against a possible Soviet invasion.

After 1939, the brigade headquarters moved to Cēsis. The brigade was commanded by General Oto Grosbart, who was also the head of the Motorcycle Service, although in 1929 it was also briefly commanded by Janis Kalkis.



In the spring of 1940, Colonel Janis Kalkis was appointed commander of the brigade headquarters in Cēsis.

 The autotank brigade ceased to exist in July 1940.

As of September 1, 1939, the regiment had 35 officers, 274 instructors, 515 soldiers, and 21 freelancers. The battle consisted of 27 tanks, 6 armored vehicles, 30 transport and 10 cars, 15 motorcycles. They were armed with at least 35 machine guns and 10 cannons.

Badge of the Autotank Brigade



Badge of the Autotank Division. Author Senior Lieutenant M. Palekha. The first armed vehicles of the Latvian troops were in 1919 in the Soviet Latvian army. There was a small section of armored cars under the command of Kaugura. The army armored vehicle unit of the 1st Latvian Soviet Division mentions the armed vehicles "Kommunist", "Lakplesis" and "Imanta". These units played a minor role in the war, armored vehicles were frequently overhauled, and spare parts were in short supply.









When the Soviet Latvian Army left Riga on May 22, 1919, there were several Soviet armored vehicles left that were captured by the Baltic Landeswehr. The Latvian army prevented the use of these vehicles during the German attack on the Estonian and northern Latvian troops in the Cēsis battles. After the defeat of the Germans, the Latvian army took possession of this armored vehicle.

In June 1919, the armored cars Lakplesis and Zemgale supported the Latvian army in the fight against the Bolsheviks in the Krustpils and Lebanese regions. Austin Mk.2 "Zemgalietis" Putilov-Garford "Lāčplēsis"

“Wear a mask or go to Jail”, 1918.