Repatriation of the millions of foreign workers and war prisoners deported by the Nazi was started immediately after the German capitulation, carried out by the military authorities of the Allies in cooperation with the UNRRA. In October 1945 the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force determined that the nationals of the Baltic States should not be repatriated to the USSR by coercion, but the Soviet liaison officers were permitted to visit refugee camps to persuade refugees to return to their motherland.

In the end of 1946 the UNRRA launched an extensive campaign for persuading refugees to return home. The Bolshevik occupation regime participated in the campaign with different propaganda brochures and appeals; in particular cases refugees were tempted to return to their occupied motherland with false patriotic and anti-communist letters composed by the workers of the USSR special services.

These efforts, however, did not bring about the expected results. During the UNRRA operation (1945-1947) 1379 Latvians returned from the Germany’s western occupation zones, during the IRO operation (1947-1951) 1909 Latvians returned, and 3600 former Latvian soldiers returned to Latvia from the war prisoner camps in 1945.

	Explanatory note on repatriation. 25 August 1945. LVA, 2176. f., 2v. apr., 8. l., 11. lp.
	Military command’s order on repatriation. 25 June 1945. LVA, 2335. f., 1. apr., 2 l., 81. lp.
	Appeal of Latvian SSR to Latvians. LVA, 1971. f., 1. apr., 54. l., 1. lp.
	Position of United States of America expedition forces towards repatriation to Soviet Union. Transcript of the translation. 15 November 1945. LVA, 2335. f., 1. apr., 281 l., 4. lp.
	Telegram from Envoy in Great Britain K. Zariņš to Envoy in Geneva J. Feldmanis. 15 May 1945. LVA, 2176. f., 1v. apr., 270. l., 3. lp.
	Letter from Envoy in Geneva J. Feldmanis to Consul General J. Kļaviņš-Ellanskis. 5 May 1945. LVA, 2176. f., 2v. apr., 270. l., 2. lp.
	Letter on extradition to USSR of the Latvians submitted to Hof camp-infirmary. 12 February 1946. LVA, 2176. f., 2v. apr., 121. l., 5. lp.
	Information on returning to Latvia. June 1947. LVA, 2176. f., 2v. apr., 172. l., 4. lp.
	Instructions of UNRRA director for Glasenbach camp. LVA, 2176. f., 2v. apr., 172. l., 3. lp.
	Periodical of Soviet propaganda invites Latvian refugees to return to Soviet Latvia from the West. Title page of "Dzimtajā zemē". Year 1949 Private archive.
	Soviet propaganda article in "Dzimtajā zemē" on returnee elected for local soviet Member. Year 1949. Private archive.