At the beginning of 1945 the functionaries of the Nazi regime of Germany decided to apparently yield to the demands of the Latvian nation for the restoration of the state independence. In this way the Nazi hoped to raise the battle will of the Latvian soldiers in Kurzeme and Germany.

On 20 February 1945, in Potsdam (not far from Berlin) the Latvian National Council that comprised Latvian economic, social and military activists convened. The Latvian National Council established the Latvian National Committee (LNC) intended to perform the functions of the Latvian provisional government. General Rūdolfs Bangerskis, the General Inspector of the Latvian voluntary SS legion, was elected the president of the LNC.

Nevertheless, the LNC did not gain any actual power as the German military authorities in Kurzeme did not take in into consideration. Hence, R. Bangerskis and other LNC members who were in Germany at the end of the war did not have any other choice but to engage in the refugee organising and care provision work.

The Latvian National Committee established in Potsdam opened its headquarters in Lübeck at the end of April 1945. The LNC considered its task to be protection of the interests of the Latvian soldiers who were under the British military administration, providing care for refugees and prevention of coercive repatriation of former soldiers and refugees. Rūdolfs Bangerskis, the President of the Latvian National Committee, also tried to contact Latvian ambassadors in western countries to coordinate the LNC activities with them.

The Latvian ambassadors and the refugee community however, remained reserved towards the LNC activities and it did not achieve the character of a central refugee representation. Actually it was a regional organisation, with its activities concentrated in Schleswig-Holstein. After the British supervisory bodies had interned R. Bangerskis, the management of the LNC was undertaken by Prof. Fricis Gulbis on 28 June 1945. After the central Latvian refugee organisations were founded, the Latvian National Committee closed itself down at the beginning of 1946.

	Noteikumi par Latvijas Nacionālo padomi un Latvijas Nacionālo komiteju. 1945. gada 10. februāris. LVA, 2335. f., 1. apr., 2. l., 25. lp.
	Latvijas Nacionālās Komitejas informācijas biļetens. 1945. gada 1. maijs. LVA, 2335. f., 1. apr., 2. l., 64. lp.