Memorial to deported children in Riga/Mezaparks
Pictures and text by Mark R. Hatlie
These pictures were taken in Riga during the first week of September, 2007. It is located in the center of the Mezaparks area at the corners of Kokneses prospekts, Visbijas prospekts, Stokholmas iela and Peterupes iela in a small square. It was designed by Dzintra Jansone and dedicated on 14 June, 1993, the anniversary of the mass deportations during the first Soviet occupation.
The monument reads, "For the deported children and those who died during transport or in foreign land, 1941-1949". That embraces the Soviet and Nazi regimes, but the deportations obviously refer to the mass deportations of June, 1941 and March, 1949.
The memorial appears to be new. It is, in terms of emotive effect, the best memorial I have ever seen. It still moves me almost to tears. Click on the image for a larger view.
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The visit to this location was paid for by a research grant from the American Public University System. "Educating those who serve." |
