Near Usma one of the bunkers of Lieutenant Roberts Rubenis’ battalion was renewed. In order to get the real taste of the battle together with Andrejs Ķeizars you can go to the encampment of 2nd company of Rubenis’ battalion in forest, near the lake Ilziķu, next to the former houses of Ilziķi. After hearing his story and taking a sip of healing drink you will relive dramatic autumn events. He offers two routes. The shortest is drive to bunker; the longest – drive through battle routes of Rubenis’ battalion, towards Renda. In autumn the most beautiful definitely is the second one.
In Ugāle, “Silmači” memorial museum of Rubenis’ battalion was opened.
Historical facts
From November 14 to December 9, 1944, fierce battles took place in the parishes of Ugale, Usma, Renda and Zlēki between units of the German 16th Army, SD and SS units (under the command of police general Friedrich Jekeln) and a separate battalion of the Kurelian unit commanded by lieutenant Roberts Reuben. Rubenis’ battalion was well-armed and organised division with more than 600 troops that saw themselves as a national force which stood apart from the two hostile occupant regimes during the WW2. The battle they won at the end of 1944 was the longest and most extensive battle in the history of Latvian national resistance.