Oskars Perro
Encyclopedia
Oskars Perro was Latvian
soldier and writer. First Latvian in second world war, who was awarded with iron cross
.
, Latvia
at 26 September 1918. He studied medicine
in Latvian University.
In 1941. his family suffered in soviet mass deportations. When soviet German war break out in June 1941, Oskars Perro volunteered in German army
.
In December 1941, first Latvian units
was sent to eastern front. In January 1942, Perro with small group of Latvian soldiers was trapped near Demyansk pocket
, at Kholm
. He was wounded twice, but managed to survive until the pocket was libarated in May 1942. For his valour in these battles he was awarded with Iron Cross 2nd Class, thus becaming first Latvian in second world war who was awarded with it. After that he was treated in military hospitals in Kaunas
and Munchen.
After treatment he returned to Riga
and was assigned as lecturer in training of NCO
. In spring 1943 he was put in the military hospital in Riga for further treatment.
When was established Latvian Legion, he was assigned to legion staff and became legions communications officer in Latvian radio.
In April 1944 Oskars Perro returned to eastern front. By the order of general inspector of Latvian Legion Rūdolfs Bangerskis, he was assigned as communications officer to German VI SS Corps. Both Latvian waffen SS divisions in that time was in Velikaya river positions and was part of VI SS corps.
Commander of VI army corps Karl Pfeffer-Wildenbruch
appointed Perro as his personal aide.
After heavy battles in summer 1944 when Latvian Legion retreated to Latvia Oskars Perro was commanded to 19th. Waffen SS (2nd Latvian) division
. There he was assigned as staff officer and later served in 19th. Fusilier battalion under command of Waffen-Sturmbannführer
Ernests Laumanis.
In Courland pocket
he was personal aide of Bruno Streckenbach
, commander of 19th. Waffen SS division. In spring 1945 he commanded company in Waffen-Grenadier Regiment der SS 43 in the same division. In Courland pocket he was awarded with the Iron Cross 1st Class.
In 27th. April he was fifth time injured and on the 8th. may, with the last ship from Ventspils
, evacuated to Germany
. On the 12th. may ship arrived in Kiel
and Oskars Perro, just like other passengers, entered in allied
captivity. He finished war in the rank of Waffen-Obersturmfuhrer
.
. He was active member of Latvian exile organizations. Published five, autobiographical books about Second world war. Oskars Perro died in 2nd. May 2003 in Canada. He was member of Latvian student fraternity
Fraternitas Cursica.
Latvians
Latvians or Letts are the indigenous Baltic people of Latvia.-History:Latvians occasionally refer to themselves by the ancient name of Latvji, which may have originated from the word Latve which is a name of the river that presumably flowed through what is now eastern Latvia...
soldier and writer. First Latvian in second world war, who was awarded with iron cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
.
Biography
Oskars Perro was born in MazsalacaMazsalaca
Mazsalaca is a town in Mazsalaca municipality, Vidzeme, Latvia with 2412 inhabitants.The area includes the largest known Stone Age burial site in Northern Europe and was first settled ca. 5000 BC...
, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
at 26 September 1918. He studied medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
in Latvian University.
In 1941. his family suffered in soviet mass deportations. When soviet German war break out in June 1941, Oskars Perro volunteered in German army
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
.
In December 1941, first Latvian units
Schutzmannschaft
Schutzmannschaft or Hilfspolizei were the collaborationist auxiliary police battalions of native policemen in occupied countries in East, which were created to fight the resistance during World War II mostly in the Eastern European countries occupied by Nazi Germany. Hilfspolizei refers also to...
was sent to eastern front. In January 1942, Perro with small group of Latvian soldiers was trapped near Demyansk pocket
Demyansk Pocket
The Demyansk Pocket was the name given for the encirclement of German troops by the Red Army around Demyansk , south of Leningrad, during World War II on the Eastern Front. The pocket existed mainly from 8 February-21 April 1942. A much smaller pocket was simultaneously surrounded in Kholm, about ...
, at Kholm
Kholm
Kholm is a town and the administrative center of Kholmsky District of Novgorod Oblast, Russia, situated at the confluence of the Lovat and Kunya Rivers, north of Toropets, southwest of Staraya Russa, and south of Veliky Novgorod. Population:...
. He was wounded twice, but managed to survive until the pocket was libarated in May 1942. For his valour in these battles he was awarded with Iron Cross 2nd Class, thus becaming first Latvian in second world war who was awarded with it. After that he was treated in military hospitals in Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
and Munchen.
After treatment he returned to Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
and was assigned as lecturer in training of NCO
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
. In spring 1943 he was put in the military hospital in Riga for further treatment.
When was established Latvian Legion, he was assigned to legion staff and became legions communications officer in Latvian radio.
In April 1944 Oskars Perro returned to eastern front. By the order of general inspector of Latvian Legion Rūdolfs Bangerskis, he was assigned as communications officer to German VI SS Corps. Both Latvian waffen SS divisions in that time was in Velikaya river positions and was part of VI SS corps.
Commander of VI army corps Karl Pfeffer-Wildenbruch
Karl Pfeffer-Wildenbruch
Karl Pfeffer Wildenbruch was a staff officer of the German General Staff during World War I and a Obergruppenführer General der Waffen-SS und der Polizei, during World War II, he commanded the 4th SS Polizei Division and the VI SS Army Corps and the IX SS Mountain Corps, he was awarded the...
appointed Perro as his personal aide.
After heavy battles in summer 1944 when Latvian Legion retreated to Latvia Oskars Perro was commanded to 19th. Waffen SS (2nd Latvian) division
19th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (2nd Latvian)
The 19th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS was an Infantry Division of the Waffen SS during World War II. It was the second Latvian division formed in January 1944, after its sister unit, the 15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS...
. There he was assigned as staff officer and later served in 19th. Fusilier battalion under command of Waffen-Sturmbannführer
Sturmbannführer
Sturmbannführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party equivalent to major, used both in the Sturmabteilung and the Schutzstaffel...
Ernests Laumanis.
In Courland pocket
Courland Pocket
The Courland Pocket referred to the Red Army's blockade or encirclement of Axis forces on the Courland peninsula during the closing months of World War II...
he was personal aide of Bruno Streckenbach
Bruno Streckenbach
Bruno Heinrich Streckenbach held the rank of SS-Brigadeführer , when he was the head of Amt I : Administration and Personnel of the Reichssicherheitshauptamt , but eventually achieved the rank of SS-Gruppenführer both in Allgemeine-SS and Waffen-SS...
, commander of 19th. Waffen SS division. In spring 1945 he commanded company in Waffen-Grenadier Regiment der SS 43 in the same division. In Courland pocket he was awarded with the Iron Cross 1st Class.
In 27th. April he was fifth time injured and on the 8th. may, with the last ship from Ventspils
Ventspils
Ventspils is a city in northwestern Latvia in the Courland historical region of Latvia, the sixth largest city in the country. As of 2006, Ventspils had a population of 43,806. Ventspils is situated on the Venta River and the Baltic Sea, and has an ice-free port...
, evacuated to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. On the 12th. may ship arrived in Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
and Oskars Perro, just like other passengers, entered in allied
Allies
In everyday English usage, allies are people, groups, or nations that have joined together in an association for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out between them...
captivity. He finished war in the rank of Waffen-Obersturmfuhrer
Obersturmführer
Obersturmführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi party that was used by the SS and also as a rank of the SA. Translated as “Senior Assault Leader”, the rank of Obersturmführer was first created in 1932 as the result of an expansion of the Sturmabteilung and the need for an additional rank in...
.
Life after war
After treatment and captivity he restored his studies. First in Germany, but since 1948 in CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He was active member of Latvian exile organizations. Published five, autobiographical books about Second world war. Oskars Perro died in 2nd. May 2003 in Canada. He was member of Latvian student fraternity
Corporation (university)
Corporation refers to different kinds of student organizations worldwide.Generally, universities in the various European countries have student organizations called corporations. The name is derived from the Latin corporatio meaning a body or group...
Fraternitas Cursica.