Day defeat of Nazism and the Second World War Victims dienaŠajā day remembers it as historically important day of 1945. of 8 . May Nazi Germany signed the instrument of surrender as a result of Europe ended in 1939 . 1945 . year -old World War II . Victory over Nazism price was very high, because the world had lost about 50 million soldiers and civilians , but the victims of National Socialism became Jews , Gypsies , Poles and other nationalities . Latvia was among the countries affected , losing many of the generation of people who have lived , who lived in the time of independence . Part of the Latvian higher and educated society was shipped to Siberia , some were forced to flee to the West . After Latvia 1940 . was occupied and annexed by the Soviet Union , many Latvian Red army fighting against the Germans who have invaded their territory in 1941 . of 22l . June . During World War II the Red Army fought around 100,000 Latvian , of which the war dead around 35,000 to 45,000 Latvian soldiers . However, many Latvian soldiers fought in the German side , their goal was to defeat the Soviet army , which was due in 1940 . - 1941 . of Soviet repressions of Latvian population deportation to the outermost corners of the Soviet Union . German troops fought in the ranks of around 150 000 Latvian , including 80, 000 of their fighting fell or disappeared . 1944 . In December , Kurland , German troops 19 . Division , whose ranks were Latvians fought against the Red Army, 130 . Latvian Rifle Corps as a result of his brother had to shoot his brother , but the son of the father . Latvian soldiers fell fighting in the two world powers - Germany and the Soviet . They're a different nationality and land troops and civilians died in the war , World War II victims , which annually commemorates 8 . May . As noted, this day by senior officials place flowers at the Freedom Monument in the Cemetery and other memorial sites , says a solemn speech . There are other Latvian cleaned and tidied the victims of the Second World War memorials , organized a solemn Remembrance , lighted candles . .