German forces, Soviet supporters resisting the German occupation, and nationalists resisting everyone who was occupying or trying to occupy Latvia. Then there were people who changed their support when the Soviets started arresting and deporting people, many more when the Nazi soldiers started killing Latvians, and others when the Soviet troops returned. And lastly there were people who felt persecuted, mainly the Jews, who resisted anyone trying to kill them, including Latvians as well as Germans. Many resistance people ended up joining either the German and some, the Soviet armies, as a means of fighting. Very few were able to live as independent bands in the forests. When the Germans first arrived in Latvia they found anti-Soviet guerrilla bands operating in many areas, of varying quality, some swollen by deserters from Soviet units. The largest and most effective was led by Kārlis Aperāts who moved on to become a Standartenführer, (full colonel) in the Waffen SS. Some Latvians resisted the German occupation undertaking solo acts of bravery, like Žanis Lipke who risked his life to save more than 50 Jews. The Latvian resistance movement was divided between the pro-independence units under the Latvian Central Council and the pro-Soviet forces under the Central Staff of the Partisan Movement in Moscow. Their Latvian commander was Arturs Sproģis. The Latvian Central Council published the outlawed publication Brīvā Latvija (Free Latvia). The periodical promoted the idea of renewing democracy in Latvia after the war. Public displays of resistance such as the 15 May 1942 in Riga resulted in the young nationalists being arrested, others were prevented when their plans were discovered. Partisan activity increased after Operation Winterzauber ("Winter Magic") undertaken by the Germans who destroyed 99 villages in eastern Latvia, 6,000 of the villagers deported for forced labour, and 3,600 shot in early 1943. However, much partisan activity was centred on forcing civilians to provide food and shelter for the partisans rather than fighting Germans. Soviet-supporting partisans, many of whom were actually Soviet soldiers operating behind the lines, sent messages to Moscow making wild claims of success, for instance claims that 364 trains were destroyed, which bear no resemblance to German reports. These "reports" were used as propaganda by the Soviets. Resistance continued at an increased level after the return of the Red Army in July 1944, with perhaps 40,000 Latvians involved and around 10,000 active at any point in time. Latvians in the