Otomārs Oškalns


Otomārs Oškalns was a prominent Latvian communist and partisan fighter.
He was one of three Latvian Soviet partisans who became Heroes of the Soviet Union.

Life

In 1925 Oškalns received his teacher's exam.
In 1939 he joined the Communist Party of Latvia, and in 1940 he became a member of the Supreme Soviet of the Latvian SSR. After Nazi Germany invaded Latvia in 1941, Oškalns was active as a leader of communist partisans.
He is buried in Riga.

Awards

Small bronze monument was erected in Jēkabpils after his death.
After his death, Riga's second largest railway station was named after him.
When Latvia became independent in 1991, Oškalns was viewed as a Soviet collaborator, and his name was stripped from the railway station. Monuments to him were also removed from public locations.