Documents / FOIA release

/specialCollection/nwcda2/27/LAUNAGS, FREDS VOL. 1/LAUNAGS, FREDS VOL. 1_0015.pdf

Central Intelligence Agency · 146 pages · text from the file's own layer

This undated, secret Central Intelligence Agency debriefing memo to the Chief, CSOB, records the life story of Clevland O. Hahn, a Latvian born in 1919. It covers his family and pre-war life, the Soviet and German occupations of Latvia, his anti-communist resistance group at the Jelgava Academy, and his post-war activities in Sweden. An appendix gives numbered biographic notes on Latvian emigres, intelligence figures and police officers. The document contains no UFO material.

  • p. 58 …0e-Terried to SWeden,and,that it will be PoSsible to conduct thieaCtiVit greater' ;Speed: because…
olepts tnE.r.Irmalion
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of the heavy losses sustained by the Latvian feeion on-the Russian front and
because a collapse of this front seemed imminent. Hahn discussed this with
Valdemar who was assigned to the Hq. of the Latvian Legion. Valdemar, who by
virtue of his assignment had access to factual military information, thought
Hahn's idea praiseworthy and advised that in his opinion many Latvian Legion
soldiers would take to the woods without hesitation because they too saw the
inevitable German defeat and retreat from Latvia, which then would again be
occupied by the Russians.
(260 In the very end of July 1944 the Russian forces which were advancing east-
ward through Lithuania sent a surprising bridgehead toward Jelgava, capturing
that city and proceeding to Tukums which was also captured. The element of sur-
prise caught the Germans off guard and thus enabled the Russians to cut off any
German retreat through the two Kurzeme ports Liepaja and Ventspils. However,
the Germans and many Latvians fighting completely independently managed to rally,
contain this drive, and eventually push this spearhead out of TukUms, thus clearing
an avenue of retreat for the German forces; the Russian forces were at that time
, firmly entrenched in Jelgava and vicinity where some flame fighting took place.
However, neither the Latvians nor the Germans could push this force out of
Jelgava which from then on remained in Russian hands. •
• . This Russian advanCei gkwell as German disinterest to hold Latvia
(which was indicated by!lbikpani4 *tempts on the part of a number
of highly placed officials tvflee .to Germany) enhanced . Hahn!a efforts to organize
a etay.behind group. Hahn accomplishedthis in the following manner:
Just prior to the aforementioned spearheads entrance into Latvia, the
6...German authorities permitted the Latvians to renew the "Aizsargi"(home guard)
. which had been outlawed since 1940 bietril 4stilginnli71111
117 the Germans. In ' •
. Anticipation of. a Russian fifth colume:plinimpef he Aizsargi were assigned
•.!

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FOIA release, from the cia-readingroom collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. 146 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.