Third Reich Policy in Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia

Added: 2026-05-06

[00:00:00]Another interesting document has survived, principles for the treatment of Latvians, which details the future of the population of Latvia. In many ways, it is also applicable to the peoples of Lithuania and Estonia, since the Latvian people have absorbed much German blood over the centuries. It stated their racial substance as a whole should be considered valuable, primarily Nordic.

[00:00:23]However, it further stated the national aspirations of Latafians must be turned toward harmless cultural activities and in particular the sphere of folk art, songs, national costumes, traditional festive rituals. Their political initiative should be kept to a minimum from the very beginning. To compensate for the inevitable political disenfranchisement of Latvians, they need to be well provided for economically. In general, they are already content when they can live well and enjoy small cultural freedoms.

[00:00:52]Latafians are incapable of subordinating their lives to ideals other than their own self-interest. Nazi anthropologists asserted, "By using this quality, we can easily manipulate them, pit them against each other, thereby preventing their unity. However, we must not go so far that they sense where we are heading.

[00:01:11]This will immediately make them unite with their enemies against us. We need to make them believe that the Germans wish them well. They are used to seeing the Germans as representatives of order.

[00:01:21]This attitude will help us keep them obedient. A reckless policy of divide and rule will put them in their place.

[00:01:27]The Baltic lands will be Germanized from which it follows that the peoples living here are partly subject to assimilation and partly to deportation. It was said in conclusion. According to the Nazis, the attractive force of the German people and the desire of Latvians, of course, the racially suitable and politically loyal part of the people to join the German community, were to play an important role in the Germanization of Latvians, as well as other peoples of the Baltic region. The ultimate dream of every Latvian should have been the desire to become a German.

[00:01:57]In 10 years, and perhaps even sooner, the document stated, "Germanizing the Latvians will no longer be a problem.

[00:02:04]The German people being the dominant nation in the world possess such a magnetic force that it only requires the discarding of unsuitable human material.

[00:02:14]Although this document concerned only Latians, other surviving documents indicate that in its main features it was also applicable to Estonians, Lithuanians and some other peoples. The differences concerned only the percentage ratio. How many Estonians, Latians, and Lithuanians are fit for Germanization? And how many are subject to deportation, use as labor force in the former territory, or extermination?