23 Jul 2025
In July 2025, I visited the memorials at Salaspils & Rumbula near Riga with Latvian Gem. I couldn't have asked for a better tour. First, these sites are a must-see if you're interested in the Holocaust, WWII, Soviet history, or Jewish history. Salaspils was a forced labor camp from late 1941 until Sept. 1944. Today, nothing of the camp remains because the Germans destroyed it as they retreated. However, the memorials are fantastic. They are dominated by a Soviet memorial (erected in 1967). An example of Soviet monumentalism at its best. Rumbula is a massacre site where the Germans and their collaborators killed 25,000 Jews in 2 days in late 1941. It is a quiet (if not neglected) memorial. Second, Krista with Latvian Gem was terrific -- accommodating, flexible, knowledgeable, and friendly. If I had been staying in Riga longer, I would have booked more tours with Latvian Gem. Excellent value for the price. Highly recommend!