In 1940, Latvia was occupied by the Soviet Union. A rigged election took place in Latvia. Many anti-Soviet men were arrested and many others were deported. Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941, and occupied Riga. During the invasion, Latvian Jews were brought into concentration camps. By the end of the war, most Jews were brought to Germany. The Soviet Union reclaimed Riga in 1944. Riga was made part of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic. Latvia gained independence from the Soviet Union in August of 1991. Riga became the capital of Latvia.