: While officially named a "Volunteer Legion" to circumvent international laws against drafting occupied populations, roughly 80–85% of members were actually conscripted .
The was a national military formation within the German Waffen-SS, established in 1943 during the Nazi occupation of Latvia. Comprising primarily of the 15th and 19th Waffen Grenadier Divisions, it remains one of the most complex and debated legacies of World War II in the Baltic region. Historical Context: The "Devil's Pact" The Latvian Legion
: Many soldiers joined or were conscripted with the hope of restoring Latvian independence, drawing inspiration from the 1918–1920 War of Independence where they fought off both Bolshevik and German forces. : While officially named a "Volunteer Legion" to
For many Latvians, the Legion was viewed as a "lesser evil" compared to the Soviet Union, which had brutally occupied and annexed Latvia in 1940. Historical Context: The "Devil's Pact" : Many soldiers