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uniforms because the Communists had eliminated more than 90 percent of the army staff officers (Tr. p. 10311). Afterwards, he wore the regular army Latvian uniform until June 3, 1943 (Tr. p. 10482).
He stayed at the Latvian Society Headquarters with Colonel Plensners, who had returned from the Latvian Embassy in Berlin on July 10, 1941. At that point he was appointed to the staff of the Latvian Self Defense Unit located at 18 Meierovica Boulevard in Riga (Tr. p. 10323). He remained employed at the Self Defense Unit Headquarters as chief of the administrative department until October 10, 1942 (Tr. p. 1032, 10384). In October of 1042 he was appointed police commissioner for the Abrene District in Latvia where he served until May 28, 1943 (Tr. p. 1043, 10445). He was mobilized into the Latvian Legion on May 20, 1943 and left Abrene on May 28, 1943, arrived in Riga and from June 3, 1943, when he reported at Paplaka, he served in the Latvian Legion (Tr. p. 10636). He then wore a German uniform which in the beginning had the S.S. insignia on the right collar patch but was later changed to the Latvian Rising Sun insignia. On the left collar patch he had three cubes designating a captain's rank but when he was promoted to major on June 20, 1944 the insignia was changed to four cubes (Tr. p. 10497). He served In the Latvian Legion until March of 1946 (Tr. p. 10698). He received several decorations, including the Iron Cross, first and second class (Tr. p. 10699).
He testified that he was never involved in any war crimes (Tr. p. 105210), and never was a member of the Nazi party or a Nazi sympathizer (Tr.p. 105411). He also testified that he was only once at the Riga police headquarters in 1932 or 1933 when he went to find the address of a friend (Tr. p. 1035-103612). He also testified that Riga had several police precincts and other police units such as railway station police in addition to the Riga police headquarters. He also stated that he never had any duties connected with the Riga police headquarters (Tr. p. 103413). He never had anything to do with the Riga ghetto or any guard unit for it. He was never inside of it, and only drove past it once in August of 1944 (Tr. p. 103614). He also denied ever participating in the burning of any synagogue in Riga or anywhere else (Tr. p. 193815). He testified that he was interviewed by representatives of organizations such as the International Refugee Organization, the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the Central Intelligence Agency and by the Security Officer of the United States Consulate in Hamburg, West Germany before coming to the United States (Tr. p. 105616). He also stated that he always answered all questions truthfully regarding his war time activities
13
1 | Testimony of Vilis A. Hazners, 8-March-1978, direct, transcript pp. 1019–1059. |
2 | Testimony of Vilis A. Hazners, 8-March-1978, direct, transcript pp. 1019–1059. |
3 | Testimony of Vilis A. Hazners, 8-March-1978, direct, transcript pp. 1019–1059. |
4 | Testimony of Vilis A. Hazners, 8-March-1978, direct, transcript pp. 1019–1059. |
5 | Testimony of Vilis A. Hazners, 8-March-1978, direct, transcript pp. 1019–1059. |
6 | Testimony of Vilis A. Hazners, 9-March-1978, cross examination, transcript pp. 1061–1161. |
7 | Testimony of Vilis A. Hazners, 8-March-1978, direct, transcript pp. 1019–1059. |
8 | Testimony of Vilis A. Hazners, 9-March-1978, cross examination, transcript pp. 1061–1161. |
9 | Testimony of Vilis A. Hazners, 9-March-1978, cross examination, transcript pp. 1061–1161. |
10 | Testimony of Vilis A. Hazners, 8-March-1978, direct, transcript pp. 1019–1059. |
11 | Testimony of Ber Mendelkorn, 25-October-1977, direct, transcript pp. 15–93. |
12 | Testimony of Vilis A. Hazners, 8-March-1978, direct, transcript pp. 1019–1059. |
13 | Testimony of Vilis A. Hazners, 8-March-1978, direct, transcript pp. 1019–1059. |
14 | Testimony of Vilis A. Hazners, 8-March-1978, direct, transcript pp. 1019–1059. |
15 | Testimony of Arturs Ludriksons, 6-July-1978, direct, transcript pp. 1342–1351. |
16 | Testimony of Vilis A. Hazners, 8-March-1978, direct, transcript pp. 1019–1059. |