In May, 1945, when Kurzeme fell to the Soviets, Roberts Timermans escaped to Vidzeme and became involved
in partisan activity in the Meiranu area.
On December 24, 1945, he was being sheltered in the home of a partisan sympathizer named Zigurs. They had
been printing anti-communist flyers for distribution, but did not know that the girl who carried them away had been
caught by the Soviets. She was forced to reveal where she had obtained them and where the partisans could be found.
On that particular night Timermanis was sleeping in the attic and yet another partisan was sleeping in the upper
level of the barn, under the straw. During the night one of Zigurs' daughters woke her father and told him that
the house is surrounded. Timermanis, grasping the desperation of the situation, decided to make a break for the
woods. He ran out through the front door towards the forest, firing his pistol as he went. He was wounded
many times when the Soviets returned fire and, about 100-120 metres from the house he collapsed, dying, in the snow.
Zigurs was hauled out of the house and severely beaten with rifle butts. His daughters were stood up against the
wall of the barn and were told that they would be placed in the barn, then the building would be torched if they did
not reveal where the remaining partisans could be found. The girls denied knowing about any other partisans and, as
a result, the man hiding in the straw in the barn was saved.
Zigurs and his entire family were taken to Madona where they were interrogated by the Cheka, and eventually they
were all transported to Siberia.
Translated from the recollections of Goga Timermanis, who has visited the home where R.D.Timermanis met his end.
