Following the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union, the SS-Einsatzgruppen, mobile death squads, were tasked with executing mass killings of Jews and other perceived enemies of the Reich. In late November 1941, these units rounded up about 25,000 Jews from the Riga Ghetto. The victims were transported to the outskirts of the city, particularly to the Rumbula forest, where they were executed in large numbers. The operation was characterized by its brutal efficiency and the complete disregard for human life as the victims were often led to their deaths under false pretenses, believing they were being relocated to safer areas.

The mass shootings at Rumbula were part of a series of actions taken by the Einsatzgruppen throughout Eastern Europe aimed at the systematic annihilation of Jews. This massacre represents one of the earliest examples of the Holocaust's extreme violence and foreshadows the more organized extermination efforts that would follow, particularly in extermination camps. The Rumbula massacre is notable not only for the sheer number of victims but also for the chilling efficiency of the mechanism of murder employed by the Nazis.

The aftermath of the Rumbula massacre left a deep scar on the Jewish community in Latvia and signified the total breakdown of Jewish life in the region. Many survivors fled or went into hiding as the Nazis intensified their operations. The Rumbula massacre remains a poignant symbol of the Holocaust's barbarity and has been studied extensively to understand the mechanics of genocide and the psychology of perpetrators and victims alike.