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The last stop on my three-day whirlwind trip to Latvia and Lithuania was the Museum of Latvian Occupation in Riga.

Museum of Latvian Occupation, Riga, LatviaBesides the Hill of Crosses in Lithuania, this may have been my most favorite stopping point on the trip.  The museum is incredible!  And another great thing about it – they only ask for a donation for the entrance fee.  I was amazed that the suggested donation was 3€.  It is well worth it.

While in the museum you get to see some very interesting things, like this…

Museum of Latvian Occupation, Riga, LatviaIt’s the sleeping quarters of where Jews would be housed at camps.

You also learn of the great toll that Latvia paid from being occupied.

Museum of Latvian Occupation, Riga, LatviaAnd see some historical responses from around the world, like this…

Museum of Latvian Occupation, Riga, LatviaIt’s the declaration from US condemning the occupation of Latvia.

From there, you learn the whole history of Latvian occupation by the Soviets, then the Nazis, then the Soviets again.  It’s an incredible story.

The museum goes to great lengths to describe how occupation really works.  It’s really almost a manual on how to occupy a foreign land and change it.  I’ll be posting bits and pieces of this next week.

Here’s a preview…

Museum of Latvian Occupation, Riga, LatviaNext travel post – part II of the museum.