Obj. ID: 42946
Memorials  Saviors Memorial adjacent to the site of the Great Choral Synagogue in Riga, Latvia, 2007

To the main object: Great Choral Synagogue (ruins) in Riga, Latvia

Memorial Name

Monument to Žanis Lipke and all Latvian saviors of Jews

Who is Commemorated?

According to the text plaque next to the monument, “Monument to Žanis Lipke and all Latvian Jew saviours during the Holocaust in 1941 – 1945, who risked their lives to save more than 400 Jews from death.”

Description:

According to the text plaque next to the monument, “The monument consists of a crumbing wall that is threatening to destroy the Jewish people, and columns with names that hold it off, symbolizing the saviors.”

"The monument consists a 12 m long and 6 m high wall, which is almost falling, threatening to destroy the Jewish people, and supports – columns with the names of 20 saviours of Jews. Žanis Lipke, who managed to save more than 50 people, is portrayed on the central column. A quote from the Book of Isaiah is carved on the left side of the monument: “I will give them an everlasting name that shall not perish” (Isaiah  56:5)" (Holocaust Memorial Places in Latvia). The verse Isaiah 56:5 is the continuation of the verse where the words Yad Vashem are mentioned. It is written in Hebrew and Latvian. 

Inscription

On the wall:

Hebrew

שם עולם אתן-לו אשר לא יכרת. ישעיה

Latvian

Došu tiem mūžīgu vārdu, kas netaps izdzēsts. Jesaja 56:5

Translation: I will give them an everlasting name that shall not perish (Isaiah 56:5)

On the left-most column:

Latvian:

Katrs, kurš izglābj vienu
dzīvību, izglābj visu pasauli.
Mišna, Sanhedrin 4:5

Memoriāls izveidots
2007. gadā par godu tiem
daudzajiem Latvijas
iedzīvotājiem, kuri nacistu
okupācijas laikā
1941-1945. gada, neskatoties
uz dzīvības draudiem sev,
savām ģimenēm un
tuviniekiem, deva patvērumu
ebrejiem, glābjot viņus
no nenovēršamās nāves.

Pateicīgie pēcnācēji
apbrīnā un bezgalīgā cieņā
par Glābēju izcilo
varoņdarbu

 English:

Whoever saves one life
saves the world entire.
Mishnah, Sanhedrin 4:5

This memorial was installed
in 2007 in honor of the
many Latvians who gave
shelter to Jews during the
Nazi occupation 1941-1945,
despite the mortal danger
this brought to themselves,
to members of their family,
and to their loved ones.
Their actions saved Jews
from certain death.

Grateful descendants,
with unending respect
and admiration for the great
deeds of the Righteous

In Hebrew:

"כל המקיים נפש אחת –
כאילו קיים עולם מלא"
(משנה, מסכת סנהדרין,
פרק ד', משנה ה')

אנדרטה זו הוקמה בשנת
2007 להוקרת זכרם של חסדי
אומות העולם הרבים מלטביה
אשר במהלך שנות הכיבוש
הנאצי, על אף הסכנה
שנשקפה לחייהם,
למשפחותיהם ולקרוביהם,
העניקו ליהודים בני ארצם
מחסה ובכך הצילו אותם
ממוות וודאי.

בהערצה ובכבוד רב לגבורתם
צאצאי הניצולים אסירי התודה

Translation: Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire. Mishnah, Sanhedrin 4:5

This memorial was installed in 2007 in honor of the memory of many Righteous Among the People from Latvia, who, during the Nazi occupation, despite the danger this brought to their lives, to their families and to their loved ones, gave shelter to the Jews of their country and in this way saved them from certain death.

With admiration and great respect for their courage, grateful descendants of survivors.

Commissioned by

Latvian Council of Jewish Communities, Museum "Jews in Latvia," Municipality of Riga, Government of the Republic of Latvia, under the patronage of the President of Latvia, Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga.