On 16 January, the annual commemorative event marking the 75th anniversary of the National Partisan battle at Kabile took place in the forest between Kabile and Renda. Unlike previous years, when the event was widely organised and well-attended, this year it took place in a small circle in compliance with COVID-19 restrictions. Representatives from the Rubenis Foundation and JSC 'Latvijas valsts meži' (LVM) laid flowers, lit candles and gave short speeches at the final resting places of the partisans who fell in the battle.

A significant battle

Head of the Rubenis Foundation, Andrejs Ķeizars, reminded us that the battle of Kabile is not just a historical event of local significance. On that day, 75 years ago, 25 partisans fought against a Cheka military unit of more than 300 men throughout the entire day. The partisans managed to hold their positions, retreat in an organised manner under the cover of darkness, and even inflict 50 casualties on the attackers. Unfortunately, the battle did not come without losses on the partisan side either. Three of the participants fell in action. Two of them, Emīls Šmits and Ādolfs Kūrējs, were buried by their comrades in the forest near the battle site, while the third fallen partisan, Kārlis Kristolcs, was secretly buried by his relatives in the family plot.