According to the "Latvian Conversation Dictionary", the term "forest brothers" was used to describe the revolutionaries of 1905 who were forced to flee and hide in the woods as punitive expeditions approached. Initially, the number of people in the forests was significant, but by the spring and summer of 1906, some were already living (often illegally) in towns, while others were forced to emigrate.

A few hundred forest brothers still remained in the forests of Latvia – in the Dundaga area and the Maliena region of Vidzeme. The forest brothers provided for their living conditions through "voluntary contributions of clothing and food". When (if) this was not enough, the forest brothers carried out raids, mostly on the homesteads of landowners who were hostile or unfavourable to revolutionary ideas. To justify these actions, the forest brothers issued a special statement, stressing that they were "forced to hide only because of spies and traitors".
Of course, the forest brothers also frequently attacked those they considered direct enemies of the revolution – landlords and representatives of punitive expeditions – by burning down or otherwise destroying buildings (manors), or by killing the enemies themselves.

In areas where the forest brothers lived in larger groups, attempts were made to organise their activities. A special proclamation was also issued in this regard. The forest brothers in each designated district had their own leaders.

Punitive expeditions, in cooperation with the police, arrested or destroyed a large number of the forest brothers. As these operations continued, it can be considered that the forest brothers' movement had been crushed by 1907.

It is important to realise that the largest groups of forest brothers operated in areas that, at that time (the beginning of the 20th century) and even today, comprised large, contiguous forest massifs – the Dundaga area, the Ventspils-Talsu-Aizpute-Kuldīga region, the Žagare-Lithuanian border area, and the Alūksne-Balvi area.

It is certainly worth noting the fact that in 1905, the territory of Latvia was not as forested as it is now – at the beginning of the 21st century. During the "forest brothers' era" under review, Latvia's territory was covered by approximately 28% forest (in comparison – in 2014 – it was 52%), and it is understandable that the ability to hide was equally as important as the availability of food and information.

(To be continued)