# The Baltic Germans leave (October 1939)

URL: https://allhistories.com/latvia/timeline/1939-the-baltic-germans-leave
Themes: Key Events

Following an agreement with Germany, about 50,000 Baltic Germans left Latvia in late 1939 for German-occupied Poland, ending seven centuries of German community life in Latvia. A second wave followed in early 1941 under the Soviet occupation.

## Why it matters
The resettlement ended the 700-year history of the Baltic Germans in Latvia.

Ruler at the Time: [Kārlis Ulmanis](https://allhistories.com/latvia/rulers/karlis-ulmanis)

Prime Minister: Kārlis Ulmanis (Latvian Farmers' Union)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Baltic Germans](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltic_Germans)
- [Wikipedia — German–Soviet population transfers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German–Soviet_population_transfers)
- [Wikipedia — Constitution of Latvia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Latvia)
- [Wikipedia — History of Latvia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Latvia)