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The leaders of the August Coup in 1991: Boris Pugo, the Minister of the Interior Affairs of the USSR (to the left); Gennady Yanayev, the Vice President of the Soviet Union (in the middle) and Oleg Baklanov, First Deputy Chairman of the Defense Council of the USSR (to the right).

On August 18 1991 the conspiracy by the high rank officials of the Kremlin and the KGB took place. A group of Soviet hardliners tried to avert the fall of the Soviet Union. In the end because of their incompetence, cowardice in contrary to the bravery of Mikhail Gorbachev, Boris Yelstsin and the defenders of the White House their plot failed. Soviet Union collapsed anyway and Latvia could once again regain its independence.

The KGB 9th division was responsible for guarding and escorting the Soviet leaders and high rank officials. In Foros, Crimea where the president of the USSR resided, his guard Vasili Kravets was in his usual duty. His everyday duty was fulfilling the needs of the officials who rested in this governmental resort. Like sending back to Moscow two jackets that the Minister of the Interior affairs Boris Pugo forgot. Or arranging a limo for one guest to visit another. Suddenly in his control system the red alarm signal of the radio station “Alternativa” (Alternative) begun to flash. This meant that there is a failure in the communication line with the mansion of the president of the USSR. Nothing like this had ever happened before. Kravets immediately made contact with KGB 21st division responsible for governmental communications. They said: “We will check!”. The red signal continued to flash even more. Kravets again made contact he received the answer: “The communications have been disrupted by hill landslide, the repair works have begun!”. It was Sunday August 18 1991.

At this same moment the gates of the presidential mansion opened. The KGB codenamed this mansion as the “object Zarya”. Five Volga limos entered the mansion without invitation or announcement. The security guards could not allow such trespassing, but from the first limo the head of the KGB Security Service Yuri Plehanov and the major Vyacheslav Generalov the chief of the technical authority and the Crimea KGB chief from 9th Division colonel Lev Tolstoy stepped out. From other cars many more important Soviet officials came out. The security guards where ordered to lay down their arms and not to forget Romania where the guards defended their dictator Ceausescu and how it ended. The guards were in complete incomprehension- what it had to with Romania? There the president was deposed and the guards defended him and perished with him altogether. But here everything was suppose to be alright?

The mansion was sealed with additional guards from Moscow. The telephone lines were disrupted. Unimaginable, but the presidential mansion guarded by 500 well armed men, three defense lines, 34 border guard posts, special task force Alfa and air fleet in the Black Sea. However, all this defense personal was not really subordinated to the president himself. They were the employees of the KGB. And it was the KGB that decided to turn the tables on the Mikhail Gorbachev who got him effectively trapped in the “Golden cage”.

The president was worried about this sudden visit. He either thought they going to put a pressure again, or try to depose him from power. The two men who trapped the Gorbachev were: Vyachelav Generalov the head of the KGB special maintenance and technical authority. His task was to take over the presidential mansion and keep the president imprisoned there. He knew everything about the mansion and was fiercely loyal. His chief was Yuri Plehanov general lieutenant the head of the KGB security service.

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The Gorbachev mansion at Foros or the Object Zarya

The main spokespersons of the conspirators were secretary of the Communist Party Central Committee Oleg Shenin and Oleg Baklanov the head of the Military Industrial complex. According to plan Shenin was to speak first, but Gorbachev seized the moment and started to talk with Baklanov who he thought was their leader. They wanted to convince Gorbachev to step down by his own will, implying on his bad state of health and fatigue. Gorbachev said that this was out of the question and reminded about the planned signing of the New Union Treaty on August 20. The Union Law was a last straw for Gorbachev to save the USSR, but everyone knew that the Baltic states will not going to sign it. They said to him that there will be no such treaty and the head of the Russian Federal Socialist Republic Boris Yeltsin is arrested. He then corrected himself: will be arrested! The conspirators shamefully asked “Dear Mikhail Sergeyevich! We don’t ask nothing from you. Remain here for some time. We will do all the dirty work for you!” Gorbachev insisted that he will not resign and go into any ventures. Then the chief of the USSR Land forces general Valentin Varenikov lost his patience and shouted “Resign!”. He shouted angry remarks about the bad shape of the army, the shameful retreat fro East Germany and the nationalists that do what they want. In the end Gorbachev stood firm against the plotters and asked to inform their masters in Moscow to call the Higher Council or the Party Congress. Plotters in shame left the mansion. Despite the enormous force they had, they could not force their president to resign.

The conspirators  in Moscow were anxious.  The Soviet defense minister Dmitri Yazov informed the army command and issued that the state of emergency is possible. Yazov announced that all resources had to be taken control of. All  state services and the civil security. The Moscow Guard 2th mobile riflemen division  and 4th guard tank division had to take over the city. The 106th Tula paratrooper division was called to Moscow. The conspirators who called themselves the State Committee on the State of Emergency (SCTE) (Государственный комитет по чрезвычайному положению, ГКЧП) with the Minister of the Interior an ethnic Latvian Boris Pugo and the chief of the KGB Vladimir Krychkov issued a state of emergency.

These people were the hardline communists or even neo-Stalinists. Dmitri Yazov a WW2 veteran and Soviet patriot could not bear with the changes made by Gorbachev and the direction the Soviet empire is heading to. Soviet army was forced to leave East Germany and other former Eastern European satellites. Soviet army was unable to stop separatism in the Caucasus and in the Baltic states. Both the KGB and the Soviet army were ready to suppress them with extreme force. But, no direct order from Gorbachev ever followed. Gorbachev himself was against the independence of the Baltic states or other republics. But, he was caught up with the promises to the western leaders, his own mistakes and in belief that things can be solved diplomatically. After the events in Riga and Vilnius in January 1991, he was no longer trusted both by the west and his aides. His principal mistake was to fire the liberal reformers with who begun his Perestroika policy and surrounded himself with hardliners from KGB and the army.

The chief of the KGB Valentin Krychkov was constantly afraid from the “influence agents” from abroad who wants to topple the Soviet Union. He blamed them for the rotten state economy. His most paranoid belief that the western countries are trying to artificially downsize the number of the Soviet citizens. According to his “information’ the CIA plans to lower the demographics of the USSR by 150-160 million people. The Prime Minister Valentin Pavlov considered his western counterparts a “saboteurs”. The Soviet Vice President Genady Yanayev was an ambitious man who felt himself endangered by the incoming changes. All these men feared the signing of the New Union Treaty that would make for some of them to lose their jobs.

The New Union Treaty would replace 1922 Treaty on the Creation of the USSR and replace the USSR with a new country Union of Sovereign States. It would be a less centralized state with more freedoms to participating republics. However, the Baltic States, Moldova, Armenia and Georgia were not going to sign therefore fully breaking away from Moscow. Also people such as Yanayev and Pavlov would lose their jobs. After Gorbachev had removed the Communist party monopoly of power, on March 1990 a plot was born to remove the liberal reformers and encircle Gorbachev with hardliners. They succeed by removing a Gorbachev long time ally Alexander Yakovlev. Other two enemies the Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze and Boris Yeltsin  Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR were far tougher enemies and was on the arrest list.

After the conspirators learned that Gorbachev had rejected a plea to resign by his own will, the conspirators wanted to remove his power because of his illness. After long hesitation Gennady Yanayev wrote the directive of taking the presidential office. They had lost the legitimacy they hoped to get from Gorbachev now they were playing a dangerous game. The speaker of the Soviet parliament Anatoly Lukyanov also was dissatisfied with the New Union Treaty, however when the conspirators informed about their actions and asked to join, he denounced their actions. However, he merely just asked them to remove him from their plotter list.

First arrests begun on the morning of August 19. The head of the Human rights “Schit” Nikolay Pavlenko met the SCTE men with a tear gas canister and an ax and managed to hurt them before his arrest. However, they could not arrest Yeltsin. He was able to leave his house and with his collage Ruslan Hasbulatov open the extraordinary meeting of the RSFSR Supreme Council. Soviet tanks were present at RSFSR building also called White House, but were not willing to shoot at anyone. Yelstin used this and stepped on one their tanks and declared that the coup has taken place and the legally elected president has been deposed. He asked for all Soviet citizens not to listen to the SCTE. It was a definite movement, the conspirators now encountered a serious enemy. Meanwhile Gorbachev was sealed off from all radio and TV sources and heavily guarded. The head of the Ukrainian SSR   Leonid Kravchuk accepted the coup and did nothing for the president who was imprisoned on his territory.

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Boris Yeltsin leading the Russian government

However, on August 19 things were still looking bright for conspirators. Except the Baltic States no serious protests took place. Radio stations and newspapers considered rouge were closed. In theory they had enough force to suppress any kind of resistance. But, then on 15:00 first reports of protests and strikes within mainland Russia begun. Yanayev with a shaking hands took a press conference in front of Soviet and foreign journalists. He lied about Gorbachev health state. Meanwhile in the Crimea the major of Yalta where the Gorbachov lived warned Generalov who was responsible for the mansion, that since Gorbachev is no longer in office, the mansion will no longer receive food supplies. To solve this issue, Generalov summoned his employee to Yalta. There Gorbachev ordered to send a letter of two demands – 1) give an airplane to return to Moscow 2) restore communications. This packet was sent and reached Yanayev.

Meanwhile Yelstin had issued that all Interior forces, army and KGB units should subordinate to the president of RSRSR that was Yelstin himself. On the night of 19-20 August the commander of the Taman tank division major Sergei Yevdokimov was not informed why his tanks are in the city center. He only learned the true reason from the crowds that started to gather in thousands. People asked him and his men to join the Yelstin side. They placed metal bars in the tank tracks to make them immobile. He then soon met the RSFSR parliament members who convinced him that this is a conspiracy and Gorbachev is trapped in Crimea. They asked to help him to defend the White House against the possible assault. Major Yevdokimov agreed and when he went back to his men he heard the news on the radio about him joining the Yeltsin forces. He only managed to move six tanks out of 10 because first barricades were built and to escape accidents he left the remaining tanks on the bridge. He himself never acknowledged that he actually joined the Yeltsin ranks, but just agreed to move tanks closer to the White house to escape the civilian causalities.

After watching the infamous press conference on TV Gorbachev asked if Yanayev has received his demands. After not getting any affirmative answer he decided to make an unusual and a desperate step. Since all communication equipment was confiscated he used an amateur TV  camera to record his message to the world. He stated that the reason for his removal was false and its an unconstitutional coup. The message was recorded perfectly, his wife and son in law then dismounted the VHS cassette and planned the way on how to send it to Moscow.

On the morning of 20 August the SCTE was aware of their worse situation. They were unable to impose order in the streets of Moscow and the main rivals were free to whatever they want. Yeltsin who was still free because of the incompetence of the capturing team, was now set to be arrested. Also the parliament building of the RSFRS had to be attacked. The plans were thought out how to do it. The operation was called “Thunder” coincidentally a same name was given to unrealized Stalin’s plan to attack Germany in 1941… However the Generals were worried about the large crowds and barricades and the armed defenders of the White House. The attack was set to start on August 21 at 3:00. The attack would involve regular soldiers, tanks, special forces and snipers.

Yeltsin had called a large rally at 12:00 despite the ban on public gathering thousands came. The Whole Soviet Union was alarmed by the never seen before manifestation. At 20:00 the SCTE held a meeting and realized they are standing on very thin base. Many soldiers joined the protesters. The Eho Moskvi Radio station was not closed because one colonel defended it and now it became the main voice of opposition. The whole square of the White House was filled with large crowds, many were armed with Molotov cocktails.   Then at 21:00 a woman entered the barricades and claimed she has very important information. She was taken to the headquarters of the defenders of the White House.  She claimed her husband a KGB officer has received orders to take part in the attack that would begin at 3:00. Later he masked in hood appeared himself and warned about the special task force Alpha attack. Radio issued all women to leave the square. Defenders gathered in companies and squads made a living defense line. The element of surprise was lost.

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Soviet tanks near the White House

Meanwhile the Alpha team was uneasy about their given task. Many did not want to kill their own government and the people. Such an attack would cause enormous losses of life’s on both sides. And the mass media attention from the whole world was more than ever. The SCTE order was insane, and even the Alpha team understood this and in the end asked to cancel the order. At 24:20 a brief battle erupted between the Taman tank division and the protesters in the Sadovoje koļco tunnel on the way to the White house. The curfew was issued to prevent the people from entering the White House square. The Taman tank division was tasked to ensure the curfew. As they moved towards the Smolensk square, they were attacked with stones. Armored vehicles broke through the trolleybus barricades. But, a war journalist first rank captain Mihail Glovlko was standing in the way with the raised hands, he was hit by the fast moving vehicle.  At that moment a 23 year old Afghan war veteran jumped Dmitri Kromar on the BMP 536 vehicle and tried to cover its sightseeing hatch to make it “blind.” The BMP tried to steer its turret to get him off and succeed. But by the hitting the  pole the hatch  opened. Kromar chased the BMP and jumped in it trough the open hatch. BMP made a swift move and threw him out, but his clothes get stuck in the open hatch dragging Kromar on the ground as the BMP moved backwards. 37 year old Vladimir Usov rushed to help and was shot dead by the warning shots from BMP crew.  Another protester throwing rocks Krichevsky was also killed.

All this made the General Yazov to finally cancel the order to attack the White House. It was a suicide for him and the whole coup, but it was the only possible solution. Two KGB mobile brigades was just an hour from the main target. Meanwhile, a special task force landed in the Crimea and was ready to storm the Gorbachev mansion. On August 21 Yazov decided to miss the SCTE morning meeting, making things worse. Now the last chance to save something was flying back to Crimea. On 14:15 Yazov, Baklanov, Lukyanov and others took the plane to Crimea.

However, Yeltsin also wanted to visit Gorbachev. Krysckhov chief of KGB did everything to prepare the SCTE visit in time. He received a message that the SCTE time for the Gorbachev visit was over and at 16:00 the Yeltsin delegation will fly to Foros. Krychkow said that he would join the delegation and asked to postpone the flight until the evening. It was a lie and it was only discovered once the SCTE plane was already in the air. Yeltsin was unable to get there before them and only could bring the plane down which he refused. Conspirators landed at the airfield filled with marines ready to strike the presidential mansion. However, they were convinced that they will be greeted peacefully for a cup of tea.

Instead they were greeted with AK-47′s and Gorbachev refused to talk to them before the arrival of the Yeltsin delegation. Meanwhile the Yeltsin TU-154 airplane made circles around the Belbeck airfield. They were refused to land. After Gorbachev’s communications were restored, the plane landed. KGB special forces silently left the airfield. The Russian government were the ones who brought back Gorbachev home to Moscow. But this was no longer the country he once ruled.

The Baltic States declared full independence and were officially supported by the majority of the world countries. All other Soviet republics followed suit. On August 29 the Communist Party was officially shut down and made illegal. On December 8 the USSR was officially dissolved.

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Protesters managed to tear down the statue of the KGB founder Felix Dzerzhinsky. However, the main force behind the August plot the KGB in disguise of FSB still lives on

The August Coup attempt was a heavy defeat for the KGB and the ultra patriotic army officials. However, the  KGB survived   and transformed into FSB the Federal Security Service. For many years these people sought to revenge on those who managed to break down the Soviet empire. In the end they succeeded – an ex KGB officer and the director of the FSB Vladimir Putin took over the modern Russia. Since then the Russian policy is based on revenge and revision. It’s a question if a similar situation  where the army and security forces will choose to support the people or to attack the White House like in 1995 by the Yeltsin orders. The Putin’s Russia has not yet reached this critical point and lets hope it will not reach it the same way.

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The removal of the monument of Lenin after the failed August coup

On May 4 1990 Latvian Supreme Soviet had accepted the Declaration of the Restoration of Independence. However, the declaration set an “interim period” until full restoration of the sovereign Republic of Latvia, after which the Saeima the Latvian parliament would be elected again. Until then the legitimate ruling body was the Supreme Soviet (Council) of the Republic of Latvia. After first free elections since 1934, it was controlled by the Popular Front of Latvia, Latvian National Independence Movement. However, in the opposition there were still many convinced communists who wanted Moscow to help them to stop the Latvian breakaway from USSR. Latvia was still full with Soviet troops and special forces like OMON. So the “interim period” was a dangerous game, since the President of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev was against the Baltic independence. And there were many around Gorbachev who tried to convince him to use more radical methods to not let it happen.

The main plot to effectively halt the Baltic independence was to impose the Presidential Order in the Baltic States. That would remove the Supreme Soviet from the power and impose direct rule from Moscow. The culmination of this plot was the January 1991 Barricade movement. The enemies of the Latvian independence could not bear their defeat and blamed the “Betrayal of Moscow”. On February 4 1991 the members of the LSSR Prosecutor’s office publicly asked the president of USSR to issue a state of emergency in Latvia, restore the order of the USSR constitution and stop the work of the “illegal state structures”.   On April 9 political organization “The Union of the Baltic Soldiers” issued a statement that it will with the use of arms will ensure the Soviet power within Latvia.

The series of provocative acts started once again. An explosion took place near dormitory rooms of the Latvian Ministry of Interior where Soviet soldiers and their families lived. Also an explosion on the bridge over Gauja where the Soviet troops were heading to their base in Ādaži. As in previous occasions these explosions were too weak to actually hurt anyone, but were intended to blame “radical nationalists” for the attacks on the Soviet forces. From May 23 to August 12 the OMON special forces responsible for bloodshed in January, started a series of attacks on Latvian customs posts. 21 such attacks were carried out. The customs points were burned down, the custom officers were beaten and their arms removed. In Lithuania on July 31 seven officers were killed by OMON and one paralyzed. On May 25 1991 the Soviet Army carried out a drill where they learned how to block the way to the center of Riga. Apparently the Soviets wanted to prevent a situation in January when people managed to move large amount of tractors and other agricultural transport and made barricades from them.

However, the local Soviet radicals were not informed about the plot to overthrow Gorbachev. On 19 August 11:00 after learning the news about the coup the main leader of the Soviet radicals Alfrēds Rubiks in the press conference issued the support for the coup. Alfrēds Rubiks was a carrier communist whose highest point of success was the chairman of the Riga Executive committee it can be compared to the title of the Major of Riga. Before the Latvian independence movement many remembered Rubiks as progressive communists supportive of the Gorbachev ideas. However, his ambition to build the metro system in Riga was halted by massive protests. Since the protest movement against the metro project involved certain national character the fear of more Soviet immigrants, Rubiks now turned completely into Soviet hardliner. He was the First Secretary of the breaking Latvian Communist party, and now took the leading role of the local coup supporters.

Meanwhile the Latvian Republic Supreme Soviet lead by Anatolijs Gorbunovs on 10:00 issued a statement that the State Council of State of Emergency that took over power in Moscow is illegal and has no power within Latvia. Meanwhile the head of the Soviet Baltic War region general Fjodor Kuzmin informed them that he is charge of the realization of the state of emergency in Latvia. Latvian Popular front stated that the coup has taken place in the neighboring country and it should be treated that way. At 18:00 the Latvian National Independence Movement made a decision to ask the Supreme Soviet to fully establish the Latvian independence.

Even when the Latvian national leaders declared that coup in August is not in effect within Latvia, in reality it was much more complicated. Western countries only had expressed sympathy and support for Latvian independence, but had not fully recognized. They wanted to that only in the most certain moment and if Moscow herself allows it. In this situation the Soviet Army and OMON had everything to remove the Latvian government from power. On 19:15 OMON and Soviet paratroopers raided the first floor of the Latvian TV center. On 20:30 OMON invaded the Riga Interior affairs administration and in 20:45 OMON again took over the Latvian Ministry of Interior. On 22:30 OMON raided the Popular Front headquarters and vandalized it. On 22:15 OMON men murdered the driver of the Jūrmala Creative house Jānis Salmiņš near the Riga Interior affairs administration.

On 4:30 at August 20 OMON took over the Riga International telephone central and telegraph station. Then OMON took over the Latvian Radio building. Latvian Radio restored its work in the airwaves in illegal transmitter station in the city of Salaspils. On August 20 Estonia had fully declared its sovereignty. Meanwhile in Latvia the OMON was still on the run and raided the Latvian training camp at Kauguri and disarmed the security of the Latvian Council of Ministers.

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OMON armored cars heading to the center of Riga

The fate of the Latvian independence was decided in the White House square in Moscow. The Soviet army and the Special forces refused to attack the RSFSR parliament defended by thousands of Russian citizens. On August 20 it was clear that the coup had failed. However, on August 20 four OMON armored cars entered the Dome Square in Riga. They were heading to Latvian Supreme Soviet where people finally gathered to vote for the full sovereign status of the state of Latvia. As the sound of helicopters roared above and tanks moved even closer, elected deputies stopped the discussions and voted to end the interim period and restore the Latvian Republic de facto. 111 voted for, 13 against. In 13:10 the Republic of Latvia had become a sovereign country once again.

OMON did not received any clear order to assault the Supreme Soviet building. At 14:10 they left the scene. At the end of the day Soviets left the TV and Radio house. All who officially supported the coup attempt was removed from their office. In August 23 the Republic of Island officially recognized the Latvian independence first one to do so. On the same day Alfreds Rubiks was arrested. On August 24 the president of Russia Boris Yelstin officially recognized the Baltic states independence. The Latvian Communist party and all the Soviet security structures including KGB was made illegal.  On the night of August 24-25 the Lenin monument was demolished.

Soviet power was fully removed in the following months. In 1994 all Soviet forces were removed from Latvia. However, the people who in the critical days of August wowed to “arrest and shoot all the nationalists” still plays role in the Latvian politics. Alfrēds Rubiks leads the Latvian Socialist party and works in the European Parliament despite his imprisonment in nighties. Many others of his allies are trying to revenge the defeat of the August 1991 under the guise of the human rights and social democracy. We must understand that August 1991 was a close call for Latvian independence and if it succeeded we won’t be reading this. So our duty is to guard our country in every way we can.

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On 1938 whole Europe was worried about possible second full scale war. Hitlers troops had already marched into Austria and later Czechoslovakia. Meanwhile in Soviet Union the saw again the possibility to trigger new Worldwide Socialist revolution. According to Stalin’s understanding there were two ways of how do it – first drag the capitalist countries against each other in a full scale war, but don’t take part in it until the most favorable moment.  Other way was to provoke the enemy to attack USSR and then defeat the enemy in their own territory. And that is how it was shown movie made in 1938 called If the War Comes Tomorrow (Если завтра война). The movie quickly became long forgotten after Molotov-Ribbentrop pact and later after the war. However, the movie has been fully preserved and available to us all in here

The movie was directed by Efim Dzigan. He made Stalinist style propaganda movies like We from Kronstatd (1936) and the First Cavalry (1941). However, If the War Comes tomorrow was his most famous work of propaganda art. One of the main features of this movie was the main theme song of the same name composed by Vasily Lebedev-Kumach. Later he wrote the legendary song “The Holy War”.

It the War comes tomorrow lacked same artistic and dramatic depth as Sergei Eisenstein movie “Alexander Nevsky” that also had very similar message- he who comes to Russia with spear dies from spear. Dzigan movie characters were shown as simple and brave soviet citizens fully loyal to the Soviet power and the leader Stalin. In fact the movie had no in depth characters in whole. Dramatic dialogs were only needed to illustrate the massive battle scenes that took great part in this movie.

The movie plot starts in the New Year anniversary in Moscow. Since the Christmas was officially removed from the holiday list, the New Yer celebrations became widely popular. A dialog between two retired males about their children in the Red Army is shown. One brags about his four sons who are in the Red Army tank force and forms a family tank crew, other talks about his daughter in the army, who is also a wife of the border guards commander. Occasionally the propaganda voice talks about the great Soviet achievements and  large tall structure that proves the Soviet greatness. It could be that this large structure was the intended Palace of Soviets a gigantic 415 m structure that would became the tallest building in the world. The construction was begun on 1937, but the war canceled this grandiose plans. Right now its foundations have been turned in to worlds largest swimming pool.  But, then the propaganda voice alarms everyone about the uneasy situation in the border areas caused by foreign powers and the growing fascist threat”.

Movie then switches to USSR border areas in the night before the dawn. A enemy troops speaking in German gathers up the forces for the attack. Their symbol is swastika however its displayed different than official Nazi Germany symbol. One of their officers have a mustache just like Adolf Hitler, although the toothbrush mustache was quite popular among many before the WWII the occasional movie viewer would understand what the movie is trying to show. However, the “Fascist’ soldiers whose country and nationality is not shown, but speaks in German looks more like WWI British or French soldiers. A another message – the Soviet enemy is not just “Fascists” but also capitalists. Enemy uses an outdated TS-18 (MC-1) tank that was also the very first Soviet built tank.

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The “Fascist” invader symbol

On 1938 the Soviet Union had no border with Germany or any other “Fascist” country. So according to this movie at least Poland was no longer existent in this war. For many Soviet citizens who were unaware of the European geography or political situation this might be a missed spot. But, from our perspective this detail is pretty important. The fate of Poland was long decided in the Kremlin.

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Enemy soldier with peculiar mustache

The enemy is striving for a surprise attack however, Soviets aware of the alarming situation have sent reinforcements. And so the first attempt of the border crossing fails – the Fascist infantry lead by Hitler like captain is forced to retreat. The enemy attempt on crossing the border is shown in pretty vague WWI tactic style in heavy contrast to later massive Soviet attack shown in the movie. When the land attack fails, Fascists sends bombers to Minsk and Kiev. According to research made by historian Mark Solonin Stalin had planned to make fake bombing raids on his own cities, to justify his attack on Germany. To fight the enemy aircraft, Soviets sends their fighters. After the enemy bombers are destroyed, S0viet Pe-8 bombers takes flight to bomb the enemy airfields. Pe-8 was one of the heaviest long range bombers of those times. It could reach Berlin and even London. Interesting that the leading pilot of the bomber squad is called “Gromov” Interesting that the Soviet plan for aggression against Germany made in May 15 1941 is also called “Grom” (Thunder).  Actually this name went well with the people of those times, since the idea of fast and decisive strike was very popular both in Germany and USSR. The Soviet concept of the “deep operations” was published in book by N Shpanov “First Strike”.

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Soviet bomber squad leader Gromov

Soviets issue a full mobilization. A grandiose parade is gathered in the Red Square. This parade actually took place on May 1 1938 with the presence of Stalin and the chief commander Voroshilov Millions are rushing to join the Red Army including 12 old boy and the old man seen in the movie opening. He wants to support his four sons who are already in the army. Many woman joins too. Then movie switches to Uzbekistan, Georgia, Ukraine and other Soviet republics that also joins the  fight. And then the most interesting thing happens: a large movie comment appears declaring that “From the Black Sea, to the Arctic  from the Baltics to the Pacific Ocean millions of sons joins the fight”. The Baltic States were still independent from USSR on 1938. So we suppose that the fate of the Baltic States was also decided in this movie.

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“From the Black Sea, to the Arctic  from the Baltics to the Pacific Ocean millions of sons joins the fight

Movie then goes back to battlefield showing grandiose scenes of the Fascist attack and the Soviet counter attack. The enemy uses a French Renault FT-1 tanks. They get easily beaten. In return Soviets sends a horde of the BT-7 tanks. BT-7 was one of the fastest tanks of those times. According to some authors, this tanks were only good for the Western roads and therefore were  only used for aggressive purposes.  After the German invasion on 1941 large part of these tanks were made useless, destroyed and abandoned. Here the tanks are shown in their best – in fast speed they escape the enemy cannon fire and break their lines. In one of those tanks all four brothers mentioned earlier attacks. Its quite true that until 1941 the German tanks were quite lighter than the Soviet tanks. After meeting heavier Soviet counterparts Germans switched to more heavier models.

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Soviet main battle tank BT-7 attacks

The desperate enemy uses chemical weapons to stop the Soviets. Chemical weapons were never used by the Nazi Germany at least in the battlefields. This movie still was in the spirit of the WWI when chemical weapons were occasionally used. However, Soviets have gas masks and all the necessary equipment to survive a gas attack. Under the white smoke they gather up their attack fore.

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Enemy gas attack

Fascists sends reinforcements and that is where the Soviet paratroopers comes in. With the help of the Pe-8 bombers they land behind the enemy lines and ambushes the fascist reinforcements.   The enemy staff is alarmed that the paratroopers are near their positions. The Soviet paratroopers were not just an empty brag. Actually the Soviet Union had a force of 1 million of them. Since the paratroopers were almost impossible to use in the defensive actions it was obvious that their sole purpose was  to penetrate the enemy from behind. In the movie showed how it should be done.

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Soviet paratroopers takes of from Pe-8 bomber

Soviets accompanied by tanks, aircraft and even  cavalry starts a massive attack. Enemy is routing in panic. Cavalry lead by Marshal Budyonni chases them, Fascists sends they own cavalry resulting a bloody battle. Already after the Polish campaign it was clear that the cavalry is useless in this new kind of warfare.

Then something that the Soviets had long desired happens in the main Fascist capital. The “proletariat” the workers starts marching under the red banner. Police and army (interesting that soldiers shown there have a Nazi style helmets while soldiers shown in the front line have a British style helmets) fires at the crowd a desperate battle for red flag erupts. In the end the crowds march in the streets with the Soviet flag. That was according to long time Soviet belief made by Lenin, that the world war will cause a socialist uprising in the capitalist centers before the Soviet tanks reach them.

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Proletarians takes over the streets

And the Soviet tanks are marching in masses accompanied by grandiose hordes of bombers. Captured Fascist generals are watching this with the fear and disbelief. In the end the massive hordes of the Red Army is shown. The slogan reads “The First attack of the enemy has been beaten. In such way the war might start that would lead to the destruction of the capitalist world” And the song plays warning that there is no such force to destroy the Soviet Union.

The movie failed to prove its point. Despite the enormous resources gathered by the Red Army, on 1941 Germans managed to advance all the way to Moscow. Red Army needed not two days to beat of the enemy aggression, but four years. But in therms of destruction of Poland and the Baltic States the movie was right. Poland and the Baltic states were in between Germany and USSR. Only way to attack Soviet Union or Soviet Union to attack Germany was to remove these buffer states. And that was done by signing the Molotov – Ribbentrop pact on August 23 1939. But, the main movie slogan the destruction of the capitalist order left unfulfilled.

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Latvian postage stamp of the Castle of Riga 1938

On the night of July 20 to 21 2013 Latvia caught the word spotlight. And that light came from the blaze of the burning castle in Riga. The Medieval landmark of Riga, the Presidential residence, home to Museum of the Latvian National history, Museum of Arts and the Museum of Literature went ablaze from the burning roof. In this hot summer whole Latvia including me followed the events on radio, TV and twitter. The biggest worry for historians was the fate of the Latvian National History museum collection. In the end it was the “lesser evil” as the collection suffered not from the fire, but from the water. The reasons for the fire is still unknown and we are still far to fix all the damage. This post is not only about this fire, but the history of this castle and its future.

Riga was founded in 1201 by German Crusaders who sought to Christianize local pagans. The first crusader castles were built in Ikšķile and Salaspils on 1185 and 1186. They belonged to German Bishops Meinard and Berthold who first lead the crusade. After Berthold’s death in the battlefield his new successor Bishop Albert moved to Riga to establish his new capitol. The very first castle in Riga was the Bishops Court in old city between Jāņa Sēta, Skāŗņu, Kalēju and Kaļķu street. The Bishops Residence was first mentioned on 1207 by Chronicler Henry in the Livonian Chronicle. The small residence was damaged by fire on 1215. On 1234 the Bishop Nicholas gave his stone caste and its surroundings to Dominican Order. Dominicans built a Church of St John (Jānis) on the remains of the castle and the church still stands today.

After giving his castle to Dominicans, Bishop Nicholas moved to his new residence on the right coast of the river Daugava north of the Dome Cathedral. The residence survived until 17th century when it was turned into barn as the Bishop of Livonia was no longer in office since 1563.

The Livonian Order was the branch of the Teutonic Order and wanted to take biggest share of the Riga. Livonia was a confederacy ruled by many Bishoprics and the State of the Livonian Order. Riga was shared by the Archbishop of Riga, the Livonian Order and the Riga Town council. The complicated feudal relations caused a lot of stir even civil war. The first Riga castle for the crusader knights were mentioned on 1225.  The castle survived the fire of 1215, however on 1297 when the conflict between the knights and the city of Riga erupted into full-scale war the castle was burned down. The remains of this old castle is seen today as part of the Church of the St George.

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The Second castle of the Livonian Order

The crusader knights however won the upper hand. Riga was forced to give the city walls, the Smiļšu (Sand) tower, and the tower of Saint Spirit with the gates to the order. Also the stables were given to greedy knights. The act of capitulation signed on 1330 stated that Riga must give space around the Tower of the Saint Spirit to Order for its new castle. First part of the castle was finished on 1340. Until 147o it was used as the residence of the Master of the Order. The people of Riga disliked the castle and tried to remove it many times. On 1454 rebels attacked the Out tower and managed to burn it down. However, the knights forced them to give up. However, on 1481 a war started again and the castle was surrounded and sealed off for 10 years. On 1484 after most of the defenders died from famine and plagues the castle surrendered.

Victorious council of Riga ordered to blow up the castle. Holes were dug in the walls, doors broken and filled with firewood and explosives. The castle was sent on fire and the walls and towers were destroyed all together.  The Livonian Order was far from giving up. On 1491 the legendary master of the Livonian Order Walter von Pletenberg defeated the Riga auxiliary army near Bukulti. Riga was forced to give up and again recognize the treaty of 1452 that made the Order and the archbishop as the dual rulers of the city.

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The third Livonian order castle in 1515 according to Johan Broce

The new castle had to built on the same spot. And that is the castle we know today. Sources show first signs of the castle building on 1497. According to tradition castle was finished on 1515. It was built for 20 years because city lacked resources and was forced to ask the help from Tallinn. Also local Russian merchants came to help. The master of the Order Water von Plettenberg himself visited castle only once and resided in the Castle of Cēsis. Cēsis was the main base of operation for the order.

On 1558 The Tzar Ivan IV The Terrible invaded Livonia. The last Master of the Order Gothard Ketler was in the castle with 50 man. The Order lost its newly built castle. On 1525 the Teutonic Order to whom Livonian Order were vassals had ceased to exist and transformed into Kingdom of Prussia. On August 2 1560 the Livonian Order was completely defeated in the Battle of Ērģeme. The Polish-Lithuanian allies took the lands of the order for their own. On March 3 1562 the Master Gothard Ketler released Riga from its obligation to the order. On August 5 the representative of king of Poland and Lithuania Sigismund II  Nicolai Radzivill was invited to castle. The order ceremonially submitted to the king of Poland and Lithuania for it was the only way how to save Livonia from Russia. The Order ceased to exist and became the property of Polish – Lithuanian commonwealth.

The people of Riga once again rose to fight against the new Polish rulers. However, after many years Riga was taken over. The Castle was used for local Polish administration and visited by king Stephan Batory himself. On 1617 when war with Swedes attempted to capture Riga, the castle was not much of a help. Castle was in rotten state and citizens of Riga had to support it themselves to keep it from capture. Many parts of the castle were ruined. The siege failed, but on 1621 the Swedish king Gustav Adolphus II again attacked Riga it was guarded only by 25 men. Only by promising great reward two additional companies were added to the defenders. Castle was taken by Swedes and then recaptured until 1622 Swedes finally took over it.

Swedes choose the castle as the general governor residence for the conquered Vidzeme province. On 1656 Russians invaded Vidzeme and bombed Riga with cannons.  The General Governor Magnus Gabriel Delagadi was hurt by the exploding barrel while standing on castle bastion. During the Great Northern War on 1700-1710 Riga was under heavy siege. While the castle itself a little, a nearby Swedish stronghold suffered a heavy explosion. On 1710 Riga surrendered to Russians.

Swedes had made a lot of improvements and modern fortifications around the castle. Riga along the castle lost its medieval feel. On 1713 when the new Russian rulers established the province of Riga, the castle again became the residence of the governor. The castle church was turned from Lutheran to Orthodox. Castle was shared both by army and the civil authorities. Russians added many outbuildings to the castle. During the 18th century castle was restored many times. The clock tower was replaced because the old one was too unstable. Because of the administrative reforms by Empress Katrina II the bureaucracy needed more space and the castle experienced many changes in its interior. The outside looks also changed adding more modern look.

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Riga Castle during the Tzarist times

The Napoleonic invasion on 1812 and the unfortunate burning of the Riga suburbs, forced local authorities to modernize Riga even more. Castle was again renovated. On 1817 in front of the castle the Victory column was established. The General Governor marquise Filip Pauluchi took great care to improve the castle. His successor Karl Magnuss von der Palen continued to remake his residence. Many other General Governors were involved in constant repair and modernization works.  After all old walls and fortifications were completely removed  castle was no longer military important.  For many years the castle was the center of the General Province which had special status. Then on 1879 the special status for the Baltic province was removed. Castle became a property of the Riga town council. It was still used by the Governor of Vidzeme province. On 1910 Tzar Nicolai II was the last Russian Emperor to visit the castle. When the First Word war came to Latvia, the castle was still used by the last governor of Vidzeme who fled the city on August 1917. After that the German army staff occupied the castle.

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The Castle of Riga during the Battle for Riga in November 1919

On November 18 1918 the Republic of Latvia was proclaimed. German army was still residing in the castle. Soon they were changed by the Bolsheviks, however on May 1919 German Landeswerh took the city back. After the German defeat on June, the Latvian national provisional government returned to Riga. The flag of Latvia was raised on the main tower. On November 1919 when Riga was besieged by the Army of Bermont, the castle suffered artillery damage. After they were defeated, the castle was used by State office and the Prime Minister Kārlis Ulmanis. On August 6 1920 the leaders of the Baltic States held first meeting.

From August 6 1922 the castle became the residence of the first president of Latvia Jānis Čakste. He lived there until his death on 1927. Castle became the symbol of the Latvian presidency. His two successors Gustavs Zemgals and Alberts Kviesis moved their working office to other room and left the old Jānis Čakste office untouched. On 1929 the Swedish king Gustav V paid visit to Latvia and resided in the castle during his visit. The guard of honor was placed at the castle gates.

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The Presidential Castle during 1920ies

On 1936 Kārlis Ulmanis who had taken over the country by coup on 1934, installed himself as president. However, Kārlis Ulmanis only worked in the castle and lived in his mansion. He only lived there during his last months of rule. Castle was also used by Presidential Secretariat, official state newspaper “The Governmental Herald” and the Museum of Arts, Museum of History and the State Archive. State Archive later moved to Slokas street. Castle was in rotten state after the war. New repair works begun to make castle as the first building of the state. The Tzarist attributes were removed and replaced with national symbols. When Kārlis Ulmanis came to power his ambition was to build more Latvian Riga. On 1938 a new symbolic tower called “The Tower of Three Stars” was built to celebrate the 20 years of independence. Castle became more Latvian folk styled and there is no telling how far Ulmanis would go in his desire to scourge out the foreign past from Riga.

On 1940 Latvia was occupied by the Soviet Union. Kārlis Ulmanis stayed in his castle until July. He was then deported and never returned. The new invaders looted the castle riches and vandalized the national symbols. Soviet occupiers stayed in the castle until February 1941. After that it was turned into Palace of the Soviet Pioneers. During the German occupation it was used by German reichcommisariat. When Soviets returned it was again turned into Pioneer palace.

The Soviet Youth Pioneer organization was the Soviet version of the Hitlerjugend. Soviet symbolism was added and rooms revised for youth purposes. However, many of the nationalistic themed paintings were not removed and destroyed. In empty places soviets did added “ideologically correct” paintings. On 1956 Soviets installed central heating. Meanwhile the State History museum also came back to castle. The Museum of Arts moved to Valdemars street. A new addition was the Museum of Foreign arts and the Museum of the writer Jānis Rainis. On 1962 in the castle square a statue of Pēteris Stučka the Latvian Bolshevik leader on 1918-1920 was placed.

On November 11 1988 a great event took place. A flag of the Republic of Latvia was raised on tower of Saint Spirit. This marked the beginning of the great change. After Soviets finally left Latvia, the castle of Pioneers was renamed as the Castle of Riga students. Then on June 7 1993 it was decided that castle must once again became the residence for the president of Latvia. The Castle was visited by president of Poland Lech Valensa and  Bil Clinton from US on 1994. On November 1994 the Presidential office came back. On June 12 1995 the Presidential banner was raised.

Museum of the National History of Latvia and Museum of Foreign Arts remained. The Museum of Rainis was renamed to museum of the Latvian literature. The Soviet years had left the castle in rotten state. The restoration of the castle was one of the main issue for years. National symbols were returned and attempts on  restoring the old look were made. However, the castle still needed major restoration. There were rooms with visible cracks, falling plastering and failing electric installations. Castle was divided into “safe zones” and “unsafe zones”.

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The restored Presidential Palace in modern days

However, three presidents Guntis Ulmanis, Vaira Vīķe Freiberga and Valdis Zatlers worked there and welcomed foreign guests. Then on 2012 finally a major restoration works begun. Presidential office with president Andris Bērziņš moved to the House of Blackheads in Old City center. All the museums including the Museum of History still remained in their place and planned to move on 2014. Also since the Museum of the National Arts on the Valdemar street was also under reconstruction it was temporary placed inside the castle.

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The Riga Castle on Fire July 20-21 2013

On July 20 2013 at 18:45 the restoration workers finished their work and left the castle. The Military Police was responsible for the castle security. Then on 22:21 first calls for firefighters about the burning castle roof were made. It was made not by castle security, but by simple bystander. A huge crowd gathered to see terrific blaze. The castle roof  was burning with a open flame. Firefighters sent large amount of resources. However, the Soviet built water pump failed and broke down. Firefighters had hardships approaching the castle because of the complicated position of the castle. They were also unable to get water from river Daugava because a private yacht blocked the place. Helicopters were intended to be sent, but never came. One firefighter was hospitalized. At 1:00 the open flames were finally brought down. A dramatic pictures of the flag of Latvia amidst the flames terrified everyone. Army Corporal Alvis Brūveris went up the tower and rescued the flag. Next day another Private First Class Aldis Dortāns took the flag to its old place.

The fire left a hole in the roof and gravely damaged the fourth and third floor. The Presidential Office suffered the most damage, the representative halls were burned. The museums who were located at the lower floors escaped the main flames, but were spilled with water. None of the collection items were actually destroyed, but suffered damage.   A temporary roof has only been set up recently. The National History Museum is closed for uncertain time. Its undergoing repair works. Here you can see the damage caused to the museum.

In this long story you might noticed one detail. All other previous castles of Riga suffered from fires. But, this castle had never experienced a serious fire incident in its century long history. Bullet fire, invader vandalism and other calamities could not destroy the castle. However, not even this one fire was not too strong enough to completely end the story of the Castle of Riga. As long there will be people who will care for its historic and symbolic importance the castle will stand for centuries.

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The flag tower July 22 2013 after the fire

Selected Sources:

  Caune Māra. (2001) Rīgas pils. Rīga. Zinātne.

Caune, Andris, Ose, Ieva. (2004) Latvijas 12. gadsimta beigu 17. gadsimta vācu piļu leksikons. Rīga. Latvijas Vēstures institūta žurnāls.

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The Logo of the NATO summit in Riga 2006

When the North Atlantic Organization was established by the main western powers on April 4 1949 Latvia was part of the Soviet Union. Since NATO was made to defend the Western Europe and US from possible Soviet invasion no doubt that in case of war Latvia would become a battlefield. During the Cold War years Latvia was filled with Soviet bases and NATO gathered intelligence about them. Until the very end many of the NATO leaders could not imagine the collapse of the opposing Warsaw Pact Union and the Soviet Union. The question became open to the western leaders – what to do with former Eastern European satellite states and the Baltic States? Integrate them in the NATO? Or leave under the Russian influence? But, the answer for many of the Eastern European countries and the Baltic States was clear- we want to join NATO! The process of joining was difficult  because of protests from Russia and Latvian readiness for such step. And the responsibility of being a NATO member in this fast changing unstable world is even more challenging.

On January 1991 during the Barricade movement the Latvian government started to form a legislation for own armed forces. The past Latvian Army in 1918-1940 was in great memory for many, but it was unable to defend its homeland in the most critical moment. Mostly because of lack of foreign support, lack of unity between the Baltic states and the cowardice of the ruling politicians. The first national armed unit of the restored independent republic was the Latvian National Guard (Zemessardze) made right after the breakdown of the coup in August 1991.   NG is a basic land component, consisting of volunteers who perform traditional national guard duties such as crisis response and support for military operations. It consists of 3 regions of National Guard.

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First Latvian soldiers on 1991

On September 10 1991 a law of compulsory military draft was made to form new Latvian armed forces. The Latvian men from age of 19 to 50 had to fulfill a military duty. On November 13 1991 the Ministry of Defense was formed. Before the WW2 the ministry was officially called the Ministry of War. First Minister of Defense was Tālavs Jundzis who before that served as the chief of the commission of the defense and interior affairs.   In the same time the vitally important Latvian Border Guard was also formed. On January 21 1992 the main Joint Headquarters (NAF) was formed to take command of all land, sea and air units. All other headquarters of navy, air defense and border guards were subordinated to the main command.  The first commander-in-chief was colonel Dainis Turlais.

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The Coat of Arms of the Latvian National Armed forces

On November 4 1992 the law regarding National defense and armed forces was made. Latvian military was officially named the National Armed Forces (Nacionālie Bruņotie Spēki NBS). The structure of the NBS changed many times. The Land Forces (Sauszemes spēki SZS) consists of Headquarters HQ and Signal Company 1st Infantry Battalion 2nd Infantry BattalionFire Support Battalion Combat Support Battalion. Latvian Naval Forces (Latvijas Jūras spēki LJS), Air Force (Latvijas Gaisa Spēki LGS), Latvian Special Task Unit (Speciālo Uzdevumu Vienība SUV) and the Military Police. There are active 4,763 active duty personnel in the NAF. 971 in SZS,  552 in LJS, 10,642 voluntary national guardsmen with 1,284 officers and 1,945 non-commissioned officers in the Latvian National Guard. There are 1,288 civil employees serving in the NAF. From 2005 Latvia switched from institutional draft to professional army.

The cooperation with NATO begun shortly after the founding of the new Latvian military. On 20 December 1991, NATO founded the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC) to collaborate with potential partners. Latvia also participated in the NACC foundation session, thus becoming a Member State of the forum.
In 1994, Latvia joined the programme “Partnership for Peace” established in the same year, which gave the possibility to take advantage of consultations of NATO civil and military specialists, their support and practical assistance in development of the defence system. In 1995, the participation in the “Partnership for Peace” programme also allowed Latvia to get involved in the NATO Planning and Review Process that, in subsequent years, facilitated compliance of the Latvian National Armed Forces with those of NATO Member States.

The joining NATO meant that Latvia had to make many changes in its laws and policy. From 1992 to 1994 Latvia had tough time of managing the withdrawal of the Russian army from Latvia. The ex-Soviet soldiers now part of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation were still in their bases and many refused to leave. Latvian delegation managed to achieve that all ex-Soviet bases including the top-secret sites are evacuated. Russians destroyed most of their military objects and made unusable for the Latvian army. After the last Russian soldier left Latvia (not including the retired officers and their families) the Latvian government set path to join EU and NATO. Many amendments were made including the Citizenship law that caused a failed referendum to cancel these changes.

Latvian Armed forces also had to prove themselves in the International operations. From 1996 to 2009 Latvia joined the Peace Keeping operations on Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 1999 Latvia sent its soldiers to join the peace keeping  mission in Kosovo the KFOR. Latvians left on 2009. 17 soldiers, 13 Military reconnaissance experts and four staff sergeants was stationed there during the mission.

On 23―25 April 1999, at the NATO summit meeting in Washington, USA, NATO suggested Latvia and the other eight candidate states to elaborate a Member Action Plan (MAP) for participation in NATO by reflecting the entire preparatory process and measures for the participation in NATO therein. MAP would permit the states to receive additional consultations, support and practical assistance from NATO Member States. On 21 November 2002, at the meeting of NATO Heads of state in Prague, Czech Republic, Latvia and six other candidate states were invited to join NATO. This marked the beginning of the last stage for Latvia for becoming a NATO Member State, which took place on 29 March 2004.

The reasons for invitation only in 2002 is linked with the change in the global policy. US started a “Crusade against terrorism” and needed more supporters for their actions. Russia who was actively acting against the Baltic States joining in NATO, after September 11 seemed for friendlier to US than before.  However, Russia again became more hostile after US invasion in Iraq on 2003. But, it was too late to prevent the full integration of Eastern Europe and the Baltic States. The borders of NATO had extended to Russian borders making Russians to adopt the “encircled fortress doctrine” that stated that Russia is surrounded by the western powers and needs to defend itself from the foreign influence. The so-called “orange revolutions” in Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan where liberal forces managed to overthrow the pro-Moscow autocratic regimes made Russian leaders believe that NATO is against them even more. As Russia again experienced economic boom due to the rising oil prices, Russian military started a revival and power demonstration.

Meanwhile Latvia joined the ISAF mission in Afghanistan on 2003. Latvian soldiers were already sent under the Soviet lines on “International Duty” to Afghanistan from 1979 to 1989. However, they were sent mainly against their own will. This time the participation in the mission was voluntary and paid. So far Latvia has sent 144 soldiers and the mission still continues. Latvians operate in Kabul, Mazar-i-Sharif and Meymaneh. So far three soldiers have been lost. Latvians were and are involved in heavy firefights with the Taliban insurgents. Now Latvians are mostly involved in training the Afghanistan Defense forces. The US, Norwegian and other partner state military has praised their Latvian colleges for their courage and discipline.

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Latvian soldiers in Afghanistan

Latvia officially supported the US invasion in Iraq when other NATO states such as France and Germany did not. First soldiers were sent to Iraq on August 2003. Latvian troops were initially deployed to Kirkuk (under U.S. command) for a year, then transferred to Camp Charlie in Al Hillah, followed by Camp Delta in Al Kut. Finally, the Latvians were stationed at Camp Echo in Ad Diwaniyah where they conducted external security patrols. During their final posting, three Latvian soldiers were killed in action. On June 18, 2007, all but 7 of Latvia’s 125 troops left Iraq. Four of the remainder left within two weeks, leaving three officers who participated in intelligence analysis and operational planning from July 2007 onwards. The last three Latvian soldiers concluded their mission on November 8, 2008.

Latvian army specialists were also involved in military conflict in Macedonia on 2003, Latvian military observers were sent to Georgia on 2008. Latvian government officially sided with Georgia, during the war with Russia. The Prime Minister of Latvia Ivars Godmanis joined others western leaders and went to Tblisi during the war action. From 2011 Latvian naval specialists are involved in action against the Somalian pirates. On 2013 Latvian military instructors were sent to Liberia to help instructing the Liberian armed forces. And the latest ongoing mission with the Latvian troops on the ground is Mali where Latvia has sent officer and instructor.

Important aspect of the Latvian NATO membership is national security. The Article V is the most important for Latvia. This committed each member state to consider an armed attack against one state to be an armed attack against all states. This would mean if for instance Russia would attack Latvia it would trigger full NATO-Russian war. Optimists see this as a full-time guarantee for the Latvian security. Pessimists remind that in case of such event the nuclear weapons would have to be used and NATO would give up the Baltic States to escape nuclear war. What they forget that because the gigantic amount of the nuclear weapons made by both sides in the past would meant a total destruction and make these weapons useless for achieving victory. So nuclear weapons are mostly used as power demonstration and diplomatic argument. And the other important issue is that the Russian nuclear arsenal has been outdated and downsized by the many nuclear disarmament treaties. The Russian nuclear forces also can be destroyed in pre-emptive strike with using conventional weapons as concluded by many Russian military experts. Therefore in case of NATO-Russia conflict Russia may only be able to threaten others with their nukes not actually use them. And is Russia wiling to doom itself for the sake of the Baltic States if loosing few thousand conventional troops would be more cheaper.

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French fighters in NATO Baltic Air Policing mission

The NATO guarantee for Baltic States security so far is Baltic Air Policing. Its NATO air defence Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) in order to guard the airspace over the three Baltic states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The NATO jet fighters are stationed on Zoknia airfield at Lithuania. The Latvian main air force base at Lielvārde so far is not sufficient for modern NATO aircraft. Various NATO countries including Germany, France, Portugal, Poland and others have sent their fighters to do routine flights across the Baltic States. Their daily routine is sometimes interrupted by Russian Tu-95 bombers and fighter planes who for some reason heads to close to Baltic air space or even enters it. During the past decades Russians have sent their heavy strategical bombers on regular flights. In many cases they dare to violate the NATO airspace. Its a Russian power demonstration, however most of these bombers are built during the Soviet era and are outdated. While Russian air force is still in large numbers and pose a significant threat its suffers from outdated aircraft and accidents. Russians still face heavy problems in releasing new aircraft’s and  rockets. Numerous test accidents were widespread during the Soviet Union, but no the Russian military simply cannot hide it.

The main threat for the Baltic State security is the military inequality between the member states. Also the US foreign policy during the Barack Obama administration have shifted from Eastern Europe towards the Middle East and Asia. However, in recent two years its apparent that the American “reset” policy has failed. Russia is wiling for more confrontation with US and NATO. The reasons for this is the downsizing Russian economy and falling popularity of the Vladimir Putin regime. To divert the national attention from domestic issues the Russian government blames the US, NATO and EU for its failures. Also Russia is interested in keeping the Middle Eastern conflict hot as possible to keep the oil prices up at high level. Since the main profit for Russian economy goes from oil and gas exports, Russia is interested to keep the oil prices high as possible at the expense of the Middle Eastern peace. And also the Russian paranoid belief that all the democratic opposition is actually a western agents makes them more aggressive towards the west.

With such nervous neighbor, Latvia has irresponsibility kept low military budget for many years. Only in recent times the current Defense Minister Artis Pabriks has openly pushed for adding more funds for Latvian military budget. On 2008 the military budget was 63 000 000 LVL on 2011 93 000 000 LVL. When the new state budget is being arranged the Defense Minister had openly stated that the funding for the defense is still not enough and not reach the NATO standard levels. He even said that the NATO leadership may object the Latvian capability of fulfilling their duty. Meanwhile Estonia spends 249 million euros on defense. Lithuania spends 252.0 million. While it’s not meant as un-patriotic criticism it could bring the situation where in case of emergency Latvia becomes a “white spot” in Baltic State security.

  NATO is also concerned about the Swedish military capability. Russians have even played a war games where they proved they can isolate the Swedish air forces in case of war in the Baltic States. Sweden has also neglected its defense for some time and stands as fragile ally. With the US military action looming in Syria, Russia has become even more nervous and some war hawks have even called for invasion in the Baltic States in case of US strike on Syria. While we may view these as empty threats its clear that Russia is no longer a stable neighbor. For Latvia the Putin regime is more desirable as long its controls its military rhetoric and economy to stable level. However, Latvia must also keep off the “soft power” this regime makes.  Awareness of danger posed by authoritarian neo-soviet thinking that Moscow tries to import even in the rooms of the parliament must be eminent. The worst case scenario the Russian regime drift to extreme military policy or the complete civil disorder is the main reason why Latvia and other NATO states should do everything to improve their security.

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In 1945 the Soviet Army occupied Latvia for the second time. Despite the fact that the Republic of Latvia did not exist, its annexation by the USSR was not legally recognized by the most Western powers. During the long Cold Wars in US and UK Latvian diplomats in exile still continued their work. Also the Latvian organizations in exile did everything in its power to put pressure on the Western governments to keep its non recognition of the Soviet occupation policy. However, the exiles themselves were not strong enough to achieve the restoration of independence. The main impulse had t0 come from Latvia, and with the western support. When the political changes begun in the Soviet Union after 1985 that lead to independence movement the local leaders had to find ways for their own foreign policy. They had many tasks: first make contact with the Latvians in exile, gain the western support and start direct talks with Moscow. Later when the juridical and practical process for restoration of independence had started, Latvia had to restore its Foreign Ministry and build its diplomatic service from the scratch. It was a hard and complicated work knowing the experience and knowledge of the independence activists.

Before we start to talk about the Latvian diplomatic activities we must take a look at the global diplomatic situation from late 70′s to the end of the 80′s. The Cold War a stiff competition between the Western Block and the Soviet Union and its satellite states. The political and ideological struggle erupted in conflicts within the so called Third World Countries, Middle East and Asia. Soviets spent enormous resources for their diplomatic and military activities, but the results were questionable at best. The Soviet centralized economy was unfit to survive this arms race and that eventually lead to its collapse. However, the Western powers lacked proper knowledge about the exact scale of the Soviet problems and they could not predict the Soviet collapse. However, there was a hope to win the Cold war or at least peacefully end it.

To do this a great powerful leaders were needed. And coincidentally at the same time both opposing countries USA and USSR  got two such men. Ronald Reagan and Michael Gorbachev. Both remarkable men with a  great will power. The goal of the Ronald Reagan was to restore the lost greatness of US during the Democrat rule. Gorbachev wanted to make grand reforms to end stagnation and restore the greatness of the USSR.  At first Reagan challenged the USSR with strong remarks like “The Empire of Evil” speech that heated up the arms race. However, at the same time he hoped to make equal dialogue with Gorbachev. And the pressure made by US against the Soviets achieved this. Gorbachev who himself started a cardinal reforms in his interior policy also wanted to make a change in the Soviet foreign policy. His goal was to reach strategic balance between the West and East to ensure the survival of the Soviet state. To achieve this he had to cut down the arms race and end the ideological rivalry. By such means Gorbachev gave up his positions one by one that lead to the ultimate breakdown of the USSR.

The Baltic States were not top priority for the Western powers. The main goal was to make the Soviet Union harmless. The collapse of the communist system was a wild desire for the West, however they were afraid of the consequences that may come. However, already in 1986 in Jurmala, Latvia during The Chautauqua Conference the US ambassador Jack F. Matlock openly declared that US still does not recognize the annexation of the Baltic States. However, the main support from US only begun in 1989 and lasted till 1991 when it was clear that the USSR has no future and the restoration of the Baltic States independence is  technically possible. This support was realized as warnings to Gorbachev not to realize any aggressive actions against the Baltic States. On 1989 the new US president George Bush in the Malta conference stated his support for the Baltic independence and made Gorbachev promise not to use any force, but make talks with the Baltic leaders to settle the question. Gorbachev kept his promise until  January 1991 and after the worldwide condemnation he was unable to make any more aggressive steps. 

In 1989 New York Times published a supportive statement for the Baltic States independence. Soon after that the US Secretary of State sent a letter to Latvian envoy in exile Anatols Dinsberģis where he promised to support the Latvian efforts to restore full power over their future and with the help of the emotional protests he wished Latvians to restore freedom in a peaceful way. Also the British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher expressed her support. In 1991 president Bush again pressed on Gorbachev to fulfill the Baltic States demands, however he pointed out that the Baltic States they have to resolve this process with Moscow leadership. US had no intention to escalate the relations with the USSR because of the Baltic States. The US and other Western countries feared that the Baltic States are pushing for the independence too fast and may halt the process of liberalization within the USSR and endanger the international balance. The fear that living space of the Soviet Union may turn into “black hole” made many to watch the Baltic efforts with suspicion and weariness.

During the 1991 August coup the US decided to wait for the outcome of this coup was unclear. However, the outcome was so favorable that Latvia finally restored its independence and almost every country rushed to officially recognize Latvia as a sovereign state. From these facts however, we cannot make an equivalent conclusion that it was only the US position that decided the Baltic States independence. The position by the US and its allies were greatly affected by Latvian load demands and foreign lobby. If there were no active struggle for independence within the Baltic States and no active communication with the Western powers, their position would be just as neutral as regards the question of the independence of the Central Asian Republics.

So we must pay attention to Latvian attempts of making foreign diplomacy during the restoration of independence. The first ones who tried to approach the West was the Helsinki – 86 human rights group founded in Liepaja 1986 by nationally minded individuals. Their acts of commemoration on June 14 and August 23 in 1987 sparked a start for the national awakening. They sent letters to US delegation in Jurmala on 1986 and also to the UN. They expressed anger over the worse social and political situation in the occupied Latvia. It has been a an act of courage since until then no such letters came from Latvia itself, but from Latvians in exile. Sadly the Helsinki-86 movement was soon repressed by the KGB and their leaders exiled.

In 1988 the Latvian Popular Front was established as a mass political movement. One of its goals was to establish contacts with Latvian organizations in exile. In every country with a significant Latvian population there were active organizations that may help to get LPF to appeal to western governments. The main Latvian exile organization was the Worlds Free Latvian Organization. Some Latvian exiles were suspicious of the LPF and feared the KGB involvement.  But, most representatives of WFLO expressed support. The head of the Latvian writers union Jānis Peters made a first LPF foreign visit to Canada. LPF made its first foreign support group in Sweden with the help of exile Atis Lejiņš. After that LPF made its groups in USA, UK, Canada and Australia. The first congress of the LPF was only speaking about the need for Latvian autonomy since the prospects for full independence seemed practically impossible.

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The head of the LPF delegation Pēteris Laķis speaks to Latvian exiles in the castle of Abrene France May 1989

On 1989 a Baltic Assembly was made that gathered LPF along with its Lithuanian and Estonian counterparts under a common goal. The WFLO and American Latvian Union expressed full support. On May 1989 in the castle of Abrene, France the WFLO and LPF made a meeting. The talks were led by Pēteris Laķis, Eduards Berklavs, Juris Rozenvalds and Juris Golde. In these talks a path to restoration of Latvian independence was set. From this point the cooperation between LPF and WFLO became frequent. LPF leaders made occasional visits to US and Europe. During the 1991 August coup the leader of LPF Dainis Īvāns was in the US with his exile friends. Also the Latvian National Independence Movement made similar contacts with Latvian exiles. These contacts were essential; if in the case of Soviet repressions the exiles had to support LPF and inform the world.

The successful talks with Latvian exiles helped to spread the word of LPF across the world. Exiles made lobbies in their governments. LPF also sent its envoys to other Soviet republics like Ukraine and Georgia. A petition of 700 000 sign ups was gathered to propose changes in the USSR Constitution to achieve greater freedoms for Soviet republics. In a clandestine way this petition was sent to Moscow to bypass KGB. However, what happened to these petitions reminds a mystery.

On 1990 the first free elections took place and the LPF managed to achieve a majority in the Latvian Supreme Soviet. With communists in opposition the LPF now could slowly transform the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic into the independent Republic of Latvia. On May 4 1990 a Declaration of restoration of independence was passed. The declaration made Latvia to start its own foreign policy. The will for good relations with neighboring states by using democracy and justice was expressed. Latvia declared its support of the Universal Declaration of the Human rights and 27 other international documents. Since the Latvian independence was not yet juridically and practically ensured no state rushed to recognize it. On May 16 Latvia received a document where the King of Sedang David Gil Mayréna II recognizes the Latvian independence and sovereignty. After the first moments of positive surprise, it soon turned out that this kingdom exists only on paper with no chance of recognition for herself.

To get recognition from real countries, Latvia had to make direct talks with the USSR. The president of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev was against the Baltic States independence and Latvia was still full of Soviet armed forces and KGB waiting for takeover. A Latvian Foreign Ministry was restored. The LSSR had its own Foreign Ministry, but it was made for symbolic functions and had only few active workers. Thus it was not recognized by anyone outside the USSR. On July 9 the Latvian government made a statement that the goal of the LR Foreign Ministry is to achieve the restoration of the Latvian independence -de facto. Jānis Jurkāns had become the first Latvian Foreign Minister since 1940.

On May 14 1990 Gorbachev outlawed the Latvian declaration of independence. Instead he proposed the formation of Soviet confederation and after that the Union of Sovereign States.  While some Latvian leaders like Ilmārs Bišers was ready to support this the majority of the national leaders stood against it. Soviets did not even start any talks about their proposal. On July 10 1990 Latvian Supreme Soviet proposed talks about the restoration of the Sovereign Republic of Latvia according to July 16 1940. Andrejs Skrastiņš was nominated as the chief of negotiations along with Jānis Peters who became the main representative of the Latvian Council of Ministers in Moscow. However, Gorbachev was still reluctant and hoped for his New Union Treaty. At the same time his rival Boris Yeltsin the leader of the Russian Federal Soviet Socialist republic took the chance and visited Latvia and expressed his support.

With no chances for peacefully stopping the Baltic breakaway, Gorbachev now looked ways to install presidential order over the Baltic States. It would mean the beginning of repressions and the removal of the national governments. However, such acts needed an internationally approved reason and failure to do so caused a massacre on January 13 in Vilnius, Lithuania and the Barricade movement in Riga. Soviet army and KGB was unable to make a provocation that would justify Gorbachev’s actions. With the Western media on the spot and even despite the Gulf War crisis Gorbachev received worldwide condemnation. He also lost his support from hardliners in the party, army and KGB.

On January 13 the Chief of  the Latvian Supreme Soviet Anatolijs Gorbunovs signed treaty with Boris Yeltsin is regarding the foundations in bilateral relations with the Republic of Latvia and Russian Soviet Socialist Republic. It was ratified by the Latvian Supreme Soviet and acknowledged the sovereignty of  the both states. However, it also asked Latvia to grant citizen rights to all people within its territory. This would mean that large masses of the Soviet migrants also may become citizens. That sparked protests within society.

However, this treaty limited the Gorbachev chances to affect Latvia. After the January crisis he met Gorbunovs and agreed on talks. It was achieved not without the help of US president George Bush who in congress speech declared that the soviets have promised to withdraw its forces and stop violence. On February 19 new delegation was sent to Moscow with Ilmārs Bišers and Jānis Dinēvičš. The first set of talks was about the Soviet Army, the Latvian property conversion, the state enterprises and the Latvian intellectual property. The next set of talks on March 17 failed because the Soviets were unable to accept the Latvian demands.

Lithuania and Estonia were also unable to reach common ground with Moscow. On May 12 1990 in Tallinn the tree Baltic States leaders Anatolijs Gorbunovs, Vytautas Landsbergis and Arnold Rüütel restored the Baltic States Council originally made in 1934. On December 1990 in Vilnius all three Supreme Soviets came together in joint session. All three governments made a common demand to stop the Soviet aggressive policy and allow the Baltic States representation in the international institutions.

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The Baltic States Council

Letters were sent to the Parliamentary Assembly of the European Union to make an inter-parliamentary delegation speed up the restoration process. Also EU Parliamentary Assembly received plea to make special status for the Baltic States. EU institutions in fear from USSR reaction denied every such proposal. On November 19 1990 the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe asked the Baltic delegation to leave the conference room after receiving complaints from USSR. Only on June 1991 the OSCE finally discussed the Baltic question.

On July 10 1990 the chief of the Latvian Council of Ministers Ivars Godmanis and the Foreign minister Jānis Jurkāns went to Washington DC on a private visit. They managed to hold a meeting with president of US George Bush, and the Secretary of State James Baker.  Baker again expressed his support for Baltic States independence and said that Latvia has legal rights with the help of negotiations to restore their freedom. The President was much more reserved in his expressions.

The Sweden was the only state that recognized Latvia as legal soviet part and handed over the Latvian soldiers fighting in German ranks. However, now the Swedish government was more sympathetic towards Latvia. In 1989 Sweden opened Consular branch in Leningrad with diplomat Lars Freden  in charge. He was supportive towards Latvia and achieved official visit of the Swedish ambassador in Riga. The Swedish government made apologies to veterans and their families who were handed over to the Soviets in 1945.  Meanwhile the Eastern European countries who also looked to get rid of the Moscow yoke were quite reserved in talks with Latvians.

The August coup of 1991 suddenly halted all the talks for a short time. On August 21 the coup had failed and Latvia declared full independence. The first country to recognize Latvia as an independent country was Iceland. All others followed. The last country that was little “late” was Rwanda on 1993.  The US herself only officially recognized Latvian independence on September 2 after the Soviet Union had agreed to recognize it too. It was done by Moscow on December 6.

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Baltic States leaders visiting George Bush at the White House

Just like in 1917-1921 when Latvia was fighting its war for freedom, Latvian diplomats had to make their message to the world. Only this time Latvians had support from exile compatriots and historical legacy. The US non recognition policy was essential to US position on the Latvian independence. The diplomatic activity from Latvian freedom fighters played the most important part in convincing the US and other western powers to keep this favorable position.  If the US position would be neutral Latvia may regain independence in the same way as Belarus and remain within the Moscow sphere of interest. The Latvian will of democratic western society is what achieved our independence. And this achievement must not be undiminished as there are many other far larger nations without their own country.

Selected Sources:

Latvijas valsts atjaunošana, 1986.-1993. : autoru veltījums Latvijas Republikas proklamēšanas 80. gadadienai. Universitātes žurnāla “Latvijas Vēsture” fonds, Latvijas Zinātņu akadēmijas Baltijas stratēģisko pētījumu centrs. Rīga : Latvijas Universitātes žurnāla “Latvijas Vēsture” fonds, 1998

Lapsa,Lato Metuzāls Sandris, Jančevska, Kristīne  Mūsu vēsture, 1985-2005 Rīga : Atēna, 2008 1. sēj.

Īvāns, Dainis LTF Rietumos  Rīga 2001

Argita, Daudze. Latvija Zviedrijas ārpolitikā 1945.-1991. Rīga. Zvaigzne ABC 2011

Matlock, Jack F, Jr.Reagan and Gorbachev: How the Cold War Ended. Random House (NY), 2004

Fredēns, Pēters, Larss. Baltijas brīvības ceļš un Zviedrijas diplomātija 1989-1991 Atēna, c2007

Mille, Astra.  Te un citadelē. Jānis Peters : tumšsarkanā.Rīga : Atēna, c2006.

Lejiņš, Atis,  Mūra drupinātājs jeb Ceļš atpakaļ uz mājām Rīga : Jumava, 2002

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Today on our Smartphones and computers an applications called “Ghost Radar”, “Spirit Vox”, “EVP Recorder” ect. have became widely popular. There are certain groups of individuals who try to communicate with “spirits from the afterlife” using modern equipment like tape recorders, microphones or voice recorders. There are even “Ghost Boxes” for sale that claims receive voice messages from the afterlife. It’s interesting enough that the man behind this is Latvian exile Konstantīns Raudive the husband of the famous Latvian poet Zenta Mauriņa. He was one of the first to discover the Electronic Voice Phenomenon (EVP) and bring the world’s attention to it.

Electronic voice phenomena (EVP) are the sounds found on electronic recordings which resemble speech, but are reportedly not the result of intentional recording or rendering. EVP are commonly found in recordings with static, stray radio transmissions, and background noise. Recordings of EVP are often produced by increasing the gain (i.e. sensitivity) of the recording equipment.

Konstatīns Raudive was born in April 30 1909 in the Asūne parish in Latgallia not far from the town of Dagda. Born in farmer family a devout Catholic as the majority of Latgalians in those times. Raudive attended the Krāslava Gymnasium and the Riga Catholic Theological Seminary, but did not graduate it. He then started to look for education abroad at the University of Parma, Madrid, Edinburgh. He lived in Italy and Finland. During his studies he became a student of Carl Jung. In 1938 he returned to Latvia and became active publisher and lecturer. He was untouched by the Soviet occupation in 1940, during the Nazi occupation he expressed deeply sympathetic views towards national socialist ideology in his publication For the culture of life. Problems of the Modern Day Man. There he spoke about the importance of the racial purity and health.

His wife Zenta Mauriņa was however known as humanist, philosopher and talked about spiritual purity rather than racial. Since she was disabled by poliomyelitis from early childhood she was bound to a wheelchair. The marriage union between two however lasted until the very end. In 1944 they both moved to Germany to escape returning Soviets. In 1947 he moved to Sweden and gave lectures. In 1965 he returned to West Germany at Bad Krocingen and remained there with his wife until his death in 1974.

The literal talent of Zenta Mauriņa was well known in whole Europe. She received the Konrad Adenauer Prize, for literature and Officer Cross, of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. Some call here one of the greatest Latvian philosophers. Raudive had to find another way how to enter history and in 1964 this chance came.

Friedrich Jürgenson was well known Swedish opera singer set up a microphone on the windowsill of his country home outside Stockholm, intent on recording bird songs”  He thought, however, that he heard voices when he played back his tapes. He also heard voices even when he wasn’t playing back his tapes; he thought of them as telepathic messages. After the first such event in 1959 he started extending research and on 1964 made a book Voices from Space. Raudive read his book and became heavily influenced by it.

He arranged a meeting with Friedrich Jürgenson and soon started to record his own tapes. And he too managed to record what he thought was the voices of the dead. These voices are embedded in other sounds on the tape usually. They are very short and require a trained ear to detect and interpret them. Direct voices on the other hand can be heard as any other sound by everyone present, be it that they emanate from a point in space. The attraction of the EVP registrations is, however, that they can be received by anyone. With the help of various electronics experts he recorded over 100,000 audiotapes, most of which were made under what he described as “strict laboratory conditions.”

Raudive developed several different approaches to the recording of EVP, and he referred to: – Microphone voices: one simply leaves the tape recorder running, with no one talking; he indicated that one can even disconnect the microphone. – Radio voices: one records the white noise from a radio that is not tuned to any station. – Diode voices: one records from what is essentially a crystal set not tuned to a station. Interestingly enough he transcribed some voices as Latvian, French, Russian while recording them in Germany. He attributed some of these voices to recently passed friends.

In 1968 he published his conclusive research called Breakthrough: An Amazing Experiment in Electronic Communication with the Dead . In 1971 this work was published in English and reached a wider audience. After his death in 1974, his legacy prevailed with the help of his book and voice recordings sold as LP’s. Paranormal researchers have used his methods and improved them. To many he is known as the patriarch of the EVP research.

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The cover of the original Raudive book Breakthrough in German

The discoveries of the Jürgensson and Raudive have not been widely recognized by the mainstream science. The voices on the empty radio spectrum was just random radio  interference interpreted as voices by the human brain. It could be Interference from CB Radio transmissions and wireless baby monitors, or anomalies generated though cross modulation from other electronic devices, are all documented phenomena. It is even possible for circuits to resonate without any internal power source by means of radio reception. In child days after reading about EVP I also made tape recordings of empty AM frequency. I did not hear any messages, however there was 0ne intriguing noise that resembled a sound of marching soldiers. What ever that was is unclear, but it also leads to another explanation: Raudive was a victim of the wishful thinking.

Many of the Raudive recordings do resemble human voices, however in some cases its not easy to transcript them in the same way as Raudive does. For instance when Raudive claims that he heard voices in Latvian, for me as Latvian speaker is somewhat hard to recognize it as Latvian voice. For the recordings in many cases are faint and unclear leading to many explanations. For instance if the voice is claimed to be French, some Russian speaker may recognize as spoken in his own language. Below is a video of the Raudive recordings showing how complicated is to recognize these voice messages. And both Jürgensson and Raudive really wanted to discover ghost voices and these random sounds lead them to interesting conclusions. For instance if you use the Tarot card deck to foresee the future, the cards you pick in most cases show what you want to see not what they really might show. If one writes down his Tarot card reading and reads it again after some time, the reading may seem surprisingly different and even closer to reality.

However, that does not mean Raudive and other paranormal researchers were delusional. EVP is still not fully explained. The very problem lies within the fact if a man has not experienced a paranormal event he will never fully understand those who have. Albert Einstein proved that all the energy of the universe is constant and that it can neither be created nor destroyed. So what happens to that energy when we die? If it cannot be destroyed, it must then, according to Dr. Einstein, be transformed into another form of energy.  The important information that we get from Einstein’s theory is that this energy always exists. The electrical nature of this energy could explain the disruptions in electrical equipment and unusual readings on EMF detectors that often accompany paranormal events. Whatever is the truth we must recognize Konstantīns Raudive as one of the many Latvians who influenced the whole world.

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The Flag of Latvia above the Castle of Riga

This month Latvia celebrates the 95 years of the state of Latvia. Because of this special attention will be given to national symbols of the Latvian state. And our red – white – red flag is one of  the most visible Latvian symbols. Although similar to flag of Austria, its one of the oldest flags used in our days. The first records of the use of red-  white – red flag was recorded on 13th century. This article will the story of the flag of Latvia, how it became the unifying symbol of the Latvian nation and how important is for our society.

The  use of this flag was first mentioned in Livonian Rhymed Chronicle by Ditleb von Alnpeke. According to chronicle on 1280 when the Namejs the leader of Ancient Latvian Semigallian tribe lead the attack against the Teutonic Crusader controlled Riga, Latgalian soldiers from Cēsis came to support the crusaders. The Latgalians came with red-white-red flag that chronicler called the “flag of the letts”. Flag was red with white line in center. For those times the letts were mostly seen as Latgalian tribes, however later the word “lett” was associated with whole  Latvian nation. Its bit ironical that Latgalians were using this flag to assist the foreign invaders the Livonian Order, however they were subjected to it for many years and did not saw Namejs forces as their common people. There was no common Latvian nation in 13th century.

There is also legend about a mortally wounded chief of a Latvian tribe who was wrapped in a white sheet. The part of the sheet on which he was lying remained white, but the two edges were stained in his blood. During the next battle the bloodstained sheet was used as a flag. According to the legend this time the Latvian warriors were successful and drove the enemy away. Ever since then Latvian tribes have used these colours.

On 19th century when the new generation of Latvian intellectuals and students started to form new Latvian national identity. A common symbol was needed for this. The professor  at University of Dorpat (Tartu) Jēkabs Lautebahs – Jūsmiņš was researching the Livonian Rhymed Chronicle and found the citation about the flag and it became popular among Latvian students. On 1873 during the First Latvian Song and Dance festival the Dorpat University students who  were enforcing the security wore a red-white-red flag ribbons. The very first flag of the Song and Dance festival was also made in red-white-red tones.

Before the 1917  the Latvian national colours were defined by Dr.Oskar Voits and Linards Laicēns. It was proposed that red colour should be deep red carmine. However, there were arguments that the Latvian translation of the Rymed Chronicle was incorrect and Latgalians actually used more than one white line.  However, within the society the deep red flag with one line became popular.

Even complicated was the discussions about the proportions of the flag. Artists Ansis Cīrulis and Olģerts Grosvalds proposed colour proportions of 1:1:1, while Olģerts Grosvalds and Voldemārs Tone 2:1:2 proportional flag. On may 1917 the Latvian Art popularization society chose the variants of Cīrulis and Tone. However, they were not deep red as Laicēns and Voits had proposed earlier. The end of discussion was only reached when Latvia was under threat of Bolsheviks and white Germans. The variant by Ansis Cīruis popularized by Jānis Riekts made postcards became widely accepted. The proportions were changed to  2:1:2.

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The Latvian Flag by Ansis Cīrulis postcard by Jānis Rieksts. The title says: “We the small tribe , shall be be grand as our will”

The 1917 after the fall of the Tsarist government the territory of Latvia was in power chaos. While one part worked for national sovereign country, others railed under Bolshevik red flag the third part dreamed about Baltic German Duchy. Latvian National Provisional Council picked the red-white-red flag as their symbol. On January 1918 Latvians in Petrograd used the flag to in demonstration  support the deposed Constituent Assembly and were chased away by the red guards. The flag was popularized in various parts of former Russian Empire from Ukraine to Far East.  Meanwhile, the Latvian territory was under German control that was tried to limit Latvian national movement.

On November 18 1918 the Republic of Latvia was proclaimed in present day Latvian Theater building. As seen in only picture of this event by taken Vilis Rīdzenieks the Flag of Latvia was used as decoration and was still far from present day proportions. The cloth used for the flag was probably bought from some Jewish tailor shop as most tailors in those times were Jews.

Flag then became immediately used in demonstrations supporting the independence. Because of the lack of proper materials and unified standards the first red-white-flags were in made in many variants. As the War for Freedom begun the flag was used by Latvian national forces. Also in Siberia the Latvian rifleman who fought on the white side, used to Latvian flag. The oldest surviving version of the Latvian flag was made Jānis Lapiņš on 1916 and now is displayed at the Cēsis history and arts museum. This flag version featured Sun in upper left side.

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The oldest surviving variant oi the Latvian flag from 1916 in Cēsis museum

After the victory, the law of the Republic of Latvia was made in June 15 1921. Law made provisions for colour proportions, but said nothing about color tones. The Latvian Constitution made on 1922 made no new provisions on the flag appearance.  The variations of the flag was used for Presidential and naval flags. On 1923 law regarding the flag use of various sea vessels made more clearer provisions about the color tones and described it as deep red carmine and made height and width attitude to  3:2.

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The Latvian Agricultural Academy over decorated with Latvian flags on 1939

During the 20 first years of independence the flag of Latvia became a widely popular symbol and was used in every official state celebrations.  Along with other national symbols like the Order of Lāčplēsis and Latvian National Anthem it became a sacred canonical value. After Latvia was occupied by the Soviets on 1940, the flag was banned and its usage was a crime. The red-white-red flag returned briefly on June-July 1941 when Nazi Germany invaded sparking national movement against the Soviet power. National partisans supporting the Germans used red-white-red ribbons to identify themselves. On July 1 1941 when Riga was taken by Germans, Latvian flag was taken to the streets along with Nazi Germany flag. However, after few  days Nazi German occupiers banned any use of the national symbols. However, as Germany was losing the battle, Germans allowed limited use of the Latvian flag. For instance the Latvian Waffen SS Legion arm badge had red -white -red colors with name “Latvia”. Germans till the last-minute of the war refrained from giving full independence to Latvians, but toyed with this idea to keep Latvians on their side till the end.

Soviet power for 50 years banned the Latvian flag. Instead the flag of Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic was introduced that had red and blue waves along with hammer and sickle. Latvian flag was kept hidden in attics. Being caught using the national flag could result imprisonment. Meanwhile the Latvian exiles used the national flag in rallies and gatherings.

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Latvian flag on march June 14 1988

National flag made comeback on 1987 when the wave of liberation sparked calls for revival of the national symbolism. The Human rights group Helsinki-86 started to show the national flag in demonstrations. On 1988 the Helsinki – 86 activist Konstantīns Pupurs marked the deportations of June 14 1941, by marching with the national flag from the Monument of Freedom to the Brothers Cemetery. The usage of red-white-red banner became so extended that the communist government could no longer control it and on September 29 1988 allowed the public use of national symbols. On November 11  1988 a Latvian rifleman and artist Ēvalds Valters along with writer Alberts Bels raised the red-white-flag on the St, Spirit tower of the Castle of Riga. On February 15 1990 the red -white-red flag, along with national coat of arms and the anthem was made again as the official symbols of Latvia. The restoration of independence was not yet declared as the national flag was flowing above the Latvian Supreme Soviet building.

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Latvian hockey fans with large flag of Latvia

Until August 1991 Latvia was technically living under two flags, as there was institutions who were still loyal to Soviet power. As Latvia regained full independence the flag of LSSR as well the Red banner of USSR was gone from the public space completely. Latvian national flag once again rose to prominence. Used in all official celebrations, being placed on city streets the flag in recent years have become popular in society. Used as ribbon in recent years the red-white-red colors are visible on peoples clothes to mark their patriotism. Most Latvian sports teams use red -white-red colors also their supporters sometimes take large size national flags to sports competitions.  On July 20 as the castle of Riga was engulfed in flames many were horrified by the fate of the Latvian flag that flew over the main castle tower. The flag was rescued from the flames and taken down and next days taken back, by the Latvian soldiers. This shows how much respect Latvians have for their national flag. The red-white-red  flag is also a symbol of this website and held dear by the author. Lets hope that this flag will be around forever no matter what the future brings us.

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The notes to the anthem written by Baumaņu Kārlis

In continuation of describing the  national symbols we now take our attention to national anthem of Latvia. “Dievs Svētī Latviju! or “God Bless Latvia!” has been the only national anthem since 1920. Written and composed by Baumaņu Kārlis the anthem is another definite symbol resembling Latvia worldwide.

Baumaņu Kārlis or Kārlis Baumanis was born in May 11 1835 was born in Viļķene parish of Libaži district in Vidzeme region. He was the sixth son of the Jānis Baumanis family who rented property from German nobles. As the youngest son he had little chance to lead the family household so he was sent to educate. He studied at Limbaži Congregational School, Limbaži Elementary School   and Limbaži District School. After graduating the last, he joined the Valka teacher seminar 1853 lead by composer Jānis Cimze. The Valka teachers seminar was one of the most important educational facilities which purpose was to prepare Latvian teachers to work at schools. Many important Latvian intellectuals finished this school.

On 1856 he finished the seminar with highest marks in every subject and came to work as home teacher at Ķirbižu mansion. The German nobles who owned the mansion however insulted his national feelings on 1858 he left the job and moved to Petersburg. Within few months he passed all necessary exams and became the educator and calligraphy teacher at St. Anna school. Also he worked as home teacher in Rebinder family.

On 1860 he acquired full time job at Petersburg Reformatted Church School and worked there for more than 20 years. He joined the Petersburg Latvian Readers Society and worked at “Petersburg Newspaper” the main Latvian newspaper for those times. Baumaņu Kārlis had acquired the  composing skills already at Valka seminary. He first practiced to to harmonize German folk songs. On 1860 he know considered to compose his own songs.

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Baumaņu Kārlis the author of the national anthem

On 1870 he was elected as a spokesperson of Riga Latvian Society and member of the Singing commision. He helped to organize the first Latvian Song and Dance festival. He married the daughter of the renter of the Sārumu mansion Ferdiand von der Vitte Marija Karolīna Elizabete. His job was at the Noble Virgin School at Smolny Institute. On 1873 he was awarded with the Order of St. Anna.

On 1873 the first Latvian Song and Dance festival took place. Baumaņu Kārlis came with three new songs. Two of them- The Song of the Fatherland, and The Song of Latvian Fisherman were included in the song and dance festival the third one was rejected by the tsarist censorship. However, it was sung in the opening act of the Song festival behind closed doors. It was called God Bless Latvia! It was printed soon after and released on Baumanis song book “Austra” on 1874. The second Baumanis song book with this song was issued on 1875 and was called “Līgo”. It was immediately confiscated and destroyed by the Tsarist authorities.

What was in this song that was so compelling to Latvians and so feared by Russian Tsarist government? It was the lyrics that mentioned word Latvia and its people. In time when talks about Latvian sovereignty was completely unimaginable the lyrics sent a strong message. The lyrics went as follows:

God bless Latvia,
Our beloved fatherland.
Bless Latvia,
Oh bless it, we beseech thee! (repeat)

Where Latvian daughters bloom,
Where Latvian sons sing,
Let us dance happily there,
In our Latvia! (repeat)

The future national anthem was written when Latvian nation was divided within three provinces of the Russian Empire. The main economic and political power belonged to Baltic Germans and Russians. Only a small minority of Latvians could live up to Middle Class standards and have a good education.  However, Latvians were the national majority that had not full power over their land. The anthem send strong prayer to God above to allow them to live and rule in their Latvia (as euphemism to dance happily there in our Latvia). Understandably this anthem was not just a prayer for God, it was a call for whole Latvian people, as Gods will can only realized by the will of man.

Only on 1895 on Jelgava Song and Dance Festival the hymn was first played however, the censorship forced to replace Latvia with Baltic (Baltija). To make it look more like blessing for the Baltic provinces of the Russian empire. However, the message was clear to everyone. Latvian writer called the hymn as one of the best national hymns that with the help of choir and orchestra becomes even stronger. Hymn became so popular and on 1905 during the revolution the Tsarist regime again renamed as God Bless the Baltic.

Meanwhile Baumaņu Kārlis continued his work as composer and publisher. He made new songs for Song and Dance festival of 1880 and was awarded with the Order of St. Stanislavsky. However, his national activities did not went unnoticed and on 1881 he was fired from the Petersburg Reformatted Church school. He returned to Latvia and worked in social activities. He died on January 10 1905.

The hymn became popular among nationally minded Latvians. On November 18 1918 when the Republic of Latvia was proclaimed, the God Bless Latvia was sung at the end of the proclamation act. Understandably it was chosen as the national anthem on July 7 1920. There were some objections from the Latvian Social Democrats who disliked the use of word “God” and instead proposed more patriotic and strong willed “Latvian Hymn” by Vilis Plūdonis. The lyrics included: “We want to be masters in our native land. We want to make our own rules for ourselves, this land is ours, these cities are ours! We don’t want to beg for what is ours but take by our will!”. However, the Kārlis Baumanis hymn won the upper hand and became the symbol of the Latvian state.

Latvian communists who rebelled the Latvian democratic state meanwhile sang the Latvian version of “Internationale” even during the parliament discussions. Baltic German nationalists especially in  late thirties enjoyed provoking Latvians by openly singing the “Deutschland Uber Alles!”.  After Latvia was occupied annexed the national anthem was banned. The official anthem was the Russian version of Internationale and later the new Stalinist Anthem of USSR. On 1945 Fricis Rokpelnis and Jūlijs Vanags wrote lyrics for the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic. Music was composed by Anaotols Liepiņš. With more lyrics than God Bless Latvia, the anthem was melodically similar to anthem of USSR and called for unity with the Russian people.

Let Soviet Latvia live for ever,

Let it shine bright in the Soviet crown!

The Soviet Latvia did not live for ever. The God Bless Latvia was secretly sung or played in closed circles. As the national movement for the restoration of independence started on 1987 the God Bless Latvia returned to public stage. On February 15 1991 just as Flag of Latvia the God Bless Latvia once again became the national anthem. God Bless Latvia! has been present in most public and political activities. The tradition in recent years asks all Latvians in every corner of the world to sing the National Anthem on November 18.  National Anthem has entered the sports field. First years after the independence often made confusions. On 1993 during the C group Ice Hockey competition Latvia won the Belgian team, and local Slovenian organizers played the Latvian Soviet Anthem.  However, when Latvia won the Russian hockey team in St. Petersburg the God Bless Latvia took over the arena as the arena projectors were showing images of Riga and flag of Latvia. On 2000 Sidney Olympics the Latvian National Anthem was played for the first time as the gymnastic Igors Vihrovs won the first ever Olympic gold. Latvian anthem returned to Olympics at 2008 and 2012 when BMX Cyclist Māris Štrombergs won two gold medals in a row.

In recent years, some people have criticized the Baumaņu Kārlis anthem is its to unmodern and irrelevant to present day Latvia. Some have criticized it for mentioning God as it does not stand with the modern secular values. They also criticize it for being too pitiful and short. to Some have suggested the hymn by Mārtiņš Brauns “Sun, Thunder, Daugava” as replacement. The Brauns hymn is more energetic and powerful, however purely designed for mass choir singing at the Song and Dance festival.

National Anthem despite some criticism is still very strong and powerful song. Short and sonorous the anthem is one of the most beautiful European anthem. Despite Latvia being secular state the presence of God in the anthem is still actual as God exists for all human beings only in different forms each other. The ask for blessings to live and rule in our land has never lost its importance. Strong nations with stable historical background never change their anthems and so the anthem by Baumaņu Kārlis is part of strong national Latvian tradition and will be the national anthem for the time being.

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The Monument of Freedom on the Latvian post mark before WW2

One of the most definite Latvian national symbols is the Monument of Freedom at the very center of Riga at the Brīvības Bulvāris (The Boulevard of Freedom). Also called Freedom Monument (Brīvības Piemineklis in Latvian) this great memorial complex has become a landmark for Riga. All the main national celebrations takes place within it. At every November 11 the military parade is being held to celebrate the Day of Lāčplēsis. The guard of honor is placed within the monument and all visiting state leaders place their flowers at the monument during their official state visits.

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The first proposal of the Memorial Column by Eižens Laube

After Latvia gained independence there were calls for building monument to commemorate the heroes killed in action during the War for Freedom. On July 27 1922 the Prime Minister of Latvia Zigfrīds Anna Meierovics issued an order to make rules for contest for the “Memorial Column”.  The winner of this scheme was Eižens Laube who proposed a 27 meter high obelisk, that would be placed within the Alexander Boulevard, Raiņa Boulevard and the pedestal of the former statue of Tzar Peter I. Laube called his obelisk as “The monument of the fallen soldiers and Victory”. It was a classical approach, with similar designs across Europe. Also it was somewhat similar to Washington Monument in US. However, the idea was widely rejected within the society and called “artistically inferior”. On April 1923 a protest letter of 57 artists reached government calling to cancel this project. The government was forced to cancel the Laube project and issued a new project on October 9 1923. Here for the first time the name “Monument of Freedom” was used. A deadline for the contest was May 15 1924.

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Statue of Peter I the Great that stood where the Monument of Freedom stands now

Latvian society was weary about how the monument should look like. Only now Latvians had real chance to decide what kind of monuments can be placed in Riga. During the Tzarist times, the main monuments were devoted to the Tzarist regime. The Victory Column in Riga palace square, the Statue of Peter I in the Alexander Boulevard.  The Statue of Peter I was built on 1910 commemorating the capture of Riga on 1710. The Statue was unveiled with Tzar Nicholas II  himself present. Peter I on his horse did not stand long, as on 1915 because of approaching German invaders the statue was evacuated and placed on ship “Serebino”. It was however, sunk by German U-Boat. All what was left was the foundations of the Peter I statue. Now this very place was chosen as the place for the new Monument of Freedom. Understandably it had to be something more grander than the statue of Peter I.

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The proposal by Marta Liepiņa Skulme

The Monument should in honorable, clear way express the idea of Latvian liberation with sculptures and architectural setting. 25 contestants with them Kārlis Zāle and Mārta Liepiņa Skulme. Kārlis Zāle proposed a large two massive blocks as the “Gates of Freedom”. Marta Liepiņa Skulme proposed a simple setting of Lāčplēsis – Latvian hero warrior standing in front of obelisk. The contest jury could not decide between the two different proposals as well as 23 other proposals. So the contest ended only with awards, but no clear winner.

On March 18 1925 a new contest was made. In contrary to previous contest this contest was closed to avoid proposal hoarding. Kārlis Zāle, Marta Liepiņa Skulme, Emīls Melderis, Eižens Laube and Teodors Zalkalns were invited. This time Kārlis Zāle proposed a completely new project with a large obelisk with the Mother Latvia armed with sword looking at Old Riga direction. However, he then replaced Mother Latvia with Lāčplēsis the hero warrior. Teodors Zaļkalns also made similar proposal with a multi-level architectonic composition with horseman on top. He also wanted to make a shrine within monument. However, because of quarrels and rivalry between artists the contest again ended with no results. Many were envious of Kārlis Zāle and his successes in Monument Freedom and Brothers War cemetery contests. For some years no new contests were not made. Many monuments were placed within the battle sites of WWI and War for Freedom.

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The Bismark monument in Hamburg may have inspired the Kārlis Zāle Monument of Freedom final project

On 1929 October 15 new contest was issued. Kārlis Zāle returned once again with more original and monumental project. He may have been inspired by the Soviet monuments that featured a Mother figure on the top of large obelisk. Others have noted that his new project was inspired by the Monument of Bismark in Hamburg. Indeed the architectonic setting of the Monument of Bismark by Johann Emil Schaudt had similar architectonic setting. Not only the large sculpture on the obelisk, but the oval architectonic setting was somewhat similar to the Monument of Freedom.

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Karlis Zāle final project on 1930

At the end of 1929 his project was ready. A large vertical spire in three levels decorated with many symbols of the Latvian past ends in concluding Statue of Liberty or Mother Latvia holding three stars – Courland, Vidzeme and Latgalia. The three main Latvian regions (in this case Semigallia is connected with Courland according to pre-WWI regional setting). His project won the first prize, Teodors Zaļkalns came second, Kārlis Baumanis came third. On 1930 Kārlis Zāle teamed up with architect Ernests Štālbergs who helped to improve the monument with architectonic part and area around the monument. On November 18 1931 the construction begun.

A large sums for the monument were acquired by the state-wide public charity. Because of massive support from the society the monument construction went steadfast. On November 18 1935 it was unveiled to the cheering public. By this time the Kārlis Ulmanis had taken power by coup and dissolved the parliament. So the Monument had even more importance within Ulmanis nationalist ideology. The unveiling celebrations begun on 9:00 large crows gathered to the new Monument square. On 10:00 the Ulmanis and the formal president Alberts Kviesis along with other leaders of the regime arrived in limos. The president Alberts Kviesis made the last public appearance and gave the opening speech. As the sheet from the monument was taken down the cannon fire marked the opening. 12 war planes crossed over and large military parade took place. The Monument was praised by the society and became strong national symbol.

The Monument stood strong during the WW2. Both occupational regimes disregarded it, but were unable to tear it down. It was situated on the very center of the city making unable for silent removal. Most prewar monuments in country side were taken away during the night. This monument was too large to simply take it away. However, on 1949 Council of People’s Commissars of the Latvian SSR proposed to restore the statue of Peter I. While they did not openly called to remove the Monument of Freedom, there was no other way to restore the Peter I statue on its historical spot. However, at end of the debate the idea was rejected. According some unproven sources the Russian Artist Vera Mukhnia the author of the Worker and the Kolkhoz Woman who was present at the meeting convinced others to keep the monument since it was of very high artistic value and that its demolition might hurt the most sacred feelings of the Latvian people. Instead the Soviet propagandists tried to re-interpret the meaning of the monument. It was now explained that the Woman Statue is not Mother Latvia, but the Mother Russia that holds three Baltic Soviet republics. Also they tried to convince that the monument was erected after WWII.

However, the blunt lies could not wash away the truth. For many decades soviet KGB recorded dozens of attempts of people placing flowers to commemorate the independent Latvia. On 1963 idea to demolish the monument was sounded again, but rejected because of fears of negative response from the Latvian society. Soviets placed a trolleybus depot around the monument to prevent people from accessing it. However, when on June 14 1987 the Helsinki -86 movement came to monument to commemorate the deportations of 1941, not even improvised bicyclist celebrations could not stop them. The Monument once again became the center of political activity and regained its prewar legacy.

As the independence was regained the Monument of Freedom received its guard of honor back. Multiple restorations have taken place. Some restoration and preservation attempts have taken place even during the Soviet times. The Monument of Freedom is of high artistic quality. It was made in the time when monumentalism was very popular across Europe. It’s known that Kārlis Zālis was a modernist during his early carrier, but then changed to more publicly appealing traditionalism and monumentalism. Some say that Marta Liepiņa Skulme who modernist artist did a much better proposal, however its a matter of taste. The importance of the Monument of Freedom, have not been lost during the decades and will not lose in the future.

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The Monument of Freedom today

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Lilita Bērziņa as Laimdota in the opening scene

Lāčplēsis day on November 11 is heading close. The Latvian victory over the German-White Russian army of Bermont-Avalov was one of the major military victories of the Latvian people. No wonder why many still held this date and celebrations as sacred. But, they were even more sacred during the first twenty years of independence. Latvia was full of war veterans and large portions of Latvian society remembered the events of 1918-1920 like they were yesterday. So it was no wonder why the Latvian cinema and theater were dedicated to war events. First Latvian movie made on 1920 was called “Me joining the war”. Latvian cinematographers  had very little experience to make high quality movies like in US or Germany. Even Soviet Union started to make high class works of art despite their propagandist character.

As the 10 anniversary of the victory in the War for Freedom was heading close, a grand movie was needed to mark these events and show them in nationally patriotic way. And that is where actor Aleksandrs Rusteiķis, cameraman Jānis Sīlis and drill sergeant of the Civil Guard Alfrēds Bērziņš came in. On 1928 they made the first movie For Fatherland on 1928 about the Soviet invasion in Latvia on 1919. Movie was known for explicit scenes of violence and rape, but managed to pass the censorship law  that usually rejected such scenes. Mostly because of the Civil Guard support that was very popular paramilitary movement. The movie was poorly received and was technically weak for those times.

Then Rusteiķis started his project for the movie to mark 10 years of independent Latvia. His movie was called “Lāčplēsis” Lāčplēsis translated roughly in English as Bear Slayer was mythical hero who first appeared in Andrejs Pumpurs epic poem of the same name. Lāčplēsis is a strong ancient Latvian hero who fights against the German crusaders and also for his beloved Laimdota. This epic poem was one of the strongest literal works of the New Latvian movement. After Latvian army defeated the mainly German lead army of Bermont the victory seemed almost like the final victory of Lāčplēsis. Since the epic poem ended tragically with both Lāčplēsis and his enemy the Black Knight drowning in the river Daugava. The poem said that they still fight with each other in the deeps of the river and when Lācplēsis finally defeats the Black Knight the Latvian nation shall be free again. It seemed on November 1919 that this day has come and ever since then the November 11 is celebrated as Lāčplēsis day.

The movie was silent, but with musical score that follows the plot and changes according to dramatics. However, for our days it seems rather annoying. Massive battle scenes involving gas and artillery attacks were made. There are many special effects like explosions and falling war planes. However, in same cases like the war plane explosions its clearly seen that a plane is just a model.

So it was logical to name the movie in such way. The main cast for the movie was mostly amateurs. Voldemārs Dimze was a pilot. He played the main hero Lāčplēsis and Jānis Vanags as Lāčplēsis spiritual incarnation. His character is brave, honest and monolith personality not bounded by fear or lust. His character set the traditions for the future Latvian male characters as manly and patriotic. The main female character Laimdota or Marta was played by Lilita Bērziņa. She played beautiful and honest Latvian virgin who is trapped by the evil forces.  She also shows signs of courage and self confidence. She can spend a great time alone and defend herself. It was common for post war Latvian society with lot of single women forced to look after themselves. The main villain the Black Knight or later German officer was played by Osvalds Mednis. His character was shown in the best traditions of horror movies of those times. With one eye, bald head and frozen sinister look he resembled Count Dracula. A minor but colorful role by Jēkabs Upelnieks was Kangars. The vile Latvian traitor who assisted the Black Knight. Sinister expressions and moves were played out well.

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The main characters of the movie. From the left: Lilita Bērziņa as Laimdota/Marta, Voldemārs Dimze as Lāčplēsis/Jānis Vanags, Osvalds Osis as the Blak Night/German villain, Kangars as Jēkabs Upelnieks

As we already noticed all three main epic characters – the Lāčplēsis, Laimdota and the Black Knight appear later as people within the historical setting of 1905-1919. That’s because the movie starts in Mythical age within the setting of Andrejs Pumpurs and then all three main characters spiritually reborn within Jānis Vanags, Marta and unnamed German officer. Also Kangars appears by his side as unnamed Latvian traitor. This seems rather mystical for our days, but in those days it was understood perfectly. Also special part in the movie is given to Laimdota brooch, decorated with Latvian  folk symbols including swastikas this decorative peace had rather mystical role on the main characters. It was nothing unusual to add such esoteric things as  spiritual rebirth or magic brooches since these things were very popular among European society.

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The magical brooch of Laimdota

The movie starts with Laimdota trapped in crusader castle with her brooch on her chest. Then the vile Black Knight appears and attempts to take her by force. In the event of struggle she looses her brooch and its been taken by Kangars. The brooch seems to defend Laimdota. A bunch of witches and wizards with grotesque expressionist style faces tries to place spell on the brooch to make Laimdota love the Black Knight. After failed attempts the evil spirit appears from nowhere and commands to use the blood of dove. As they prepare to spill the blood of dove on the brooch the Lāčplēsis appears. Lurking in darkness within the castle walls he hears the cry from Laimdota about her lost brooch. He throws the spear at the room where wizards are and stops the dove from being killed.

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Wizards and witches

As Lāčplēsis then rushes to free Laimdota he defeats the German soldiers, who curiously wears more WWI style helmets rather than Medieval helmets. Some even have horns on them showing the way people understood ancient days in those times. Lāčplēsis meets the Black Knight in duel. Kangars tries to stab the Lāčplēsis in the back, but gets killed by the Black Knight’s sword who falls out of the knights hands. By loosing his sword Black Knight retreats and Lāčplēsis considers it as a victory. But, the vile knight grabs the sword and apparently kills Lāčplēsis.

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Tzarist executioners on 1905. The vile German/Black Knight on the left

Movie then departs to the revolution of 1905. Lāčplēsis is spiritually reborn in the young Jānis Vanags. Vanags means hawk and hawk was a very popular Latvian patriotic symbol. He has the Laimdota brooch with him proving his connection with Lāčplēsis. He then encounters the Tsarist punishment expedition   driving to Saulīšu house. He immediately recognizes the peculiar looking stiff faced Baltic German  Tsarist officer with one eye as reincarnation of the Black Knight. Violent Russian officer demands to show the way to Saulīšu house. Jānis ruins the carriage wheel and makes to Saulīšu house before the officers do. There he meets Saulītis and his young daughter Mirdza. Saulītis manages to escape, but the vile German Tsarist officer slain Jānis with a whip and leaves a scar on his left cheek.

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Mirdza and Jānis meets again

Movie then moves to 1914. Germany invades the territory of Latvia. Latvian rifleman comes to defend their homeland. With them the officer Jānis a grownup mature man. He is summoned by Captain Briedis a real life person to send a message to Colonel Francis another real life personality. Colonel Jānis Francis is stationed on the Island of Death a bridgehead encircled by Germans. The Island of Death was one of the most bloodiest war points for the Latvian riflemen. In his way he encounters Mirdza and his father who are trapped in forest after their refugee carriage crashed in the forest. Another – Latvian social trauma the massive Latvian exodus during the first months of WWI. To make things more dramatic the refugee caravans are bombed by German war planes. Luckily Mirdza who lost her conciseness is found and rescued by Jānis. Mirdza recognizes the boy who saved her father and instant love erupts between them. She and her father moves further to Riga, while Jānis continues his military duty. He survives many battles because of Laimdota brooch that stood in the way the bullets as he was always carrying underneath his uniform. After last such event in 1917 Christmas Battles he sends the brooch to Mirdza as sign of his love to her.

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German WWI gas attack

A major war scenes are shown: artillery fire and German gas attacks. The Eastern front within Latvia was no stranger to chemical warfare another message for the social memory. Meanwhile in Riga, the Baltic Germans and the ex-Tsarist officer are plotting against the Latvians. Baltic Germans who were on the other side of the front were not united against the Tzarist regime, as there was many German nationals fighting within Russian lines. However, there were certain Baltic German groups who wanted to create the German state in the outcome of the war. Movie shows real footage of Germans entering Riga on 1917 and Kaiser Wilhelm II who made a visit there.

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The proclamation of independence on November 18 1918

However, then movie departs to November 18, 1918. Around the present day National theater where the proclamation of independence took place, a man in a German spike helmet is hanging around showing that independence was proclaimed during the German military presence. A unique scenes were made as the directors choose to replay the whole proclamation scene with people who took direct part there. Kārlis Ulmanis and Gustavs Zemgals as well other real life people were present at the proclamation scene. Its known that there is only one picture made from this event. On 2008 it was done for the second time in the movie The Only Photograph.

While the rule of the Soviet government in Riga from 1918 to spring of 1919 its not directly mentioned, the next part begins in winter time Riga where Mirdza is struggling to survive by selling her valuables. A reference to poverty made by Bolshevik terror. She is then approached by the vile German alias Black Knight who she does not recognize. He seduces her by buying some valuables and asks if  there is more. She says “Yes in apartment”. German follows her to her apartment and notices the brooch. He wants to buy it as well, when Mirdza rejects he tries to take it by force. He is only interrupted by Mirdza father who recognizes him. After the German leaves the father angrily asks: “You did not know what is person did in 1905?”. German returns again to steal the brooch and assaults Mirdza. In the event of struggle she runs away, but the German assistant the reborn Kangars finds the brooch and gives it to vile German. After, Germans demands to give herself in return for brooch she leaves Riga and sends letter to her imprisoned father to tell Jānis to find the villain.

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Pavel Bermont Avalov

Jānis meanwhile is in Estonia and takes part in the organization of the Northern Latvia brigade that together with Estonians defeated Germans at Cēsis at June 22. A scenes show the Latvian army marching in the streets of Riga Jānis returns to Riga and finds that Mirdza had left for country side. Vile German and his traitor is leaving his office, but forgets the brooches. Jānis finds it takes it back. However, the German is far from giving up. He plots with Bermont-Avalov who stereotypically chews his cigar and shows eccentric dull behavior.  The Bermont army is showed in German and Tzarist uniforms and are marching to Riga. The German finds out where Mirdza is. As she tries to hide he asks: “Why you are so inhospitable to the victors?”, she replays: “I am not won yet!”, “Then soon you shall be!” German smears.

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The Symbolism in the movie

The Battle of Riga is shown in grandiose way. The allied help from British and French navy was not forgotten, instead their ships play exact role as they really did. A scene of Bermont war plane being shot down and exploding on ground was rather unsuccessful since its clearly seen its just a prop. Then there is a interesting special effect: on the left side of River Daugava that was taken by Bermont a vile German face appears and changes to Black Knight, and on the right side of Riga the opposite happens – Jānis face changes to Lāčplēsis. It was a symbol of eternal struggle between Latvians and Germans. The Germans were clearly shown as enemies and many people who lived those times really saw Germans as the main enemies of the Latvian nation. And the Black Knight was the symbol of the German reactionary forces.

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The battle scenes with the spirit of Lāčplēsis taking action

In grand battle scenes Latvians chase away Bermnot, another special effect the spirit of Lāčplēsis clears the front line with  his sword. As the battle ends a map shows up showing Latvian forces marked as Swastikas chasing away the Germans shown up as crosses. On 1930 swastika was still mainly seen as Latvian national folk symbol and as we see this movie had very anti-German character. The Bolsheviks were never directly mentioned in this movie.

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Defeated Bermont is enjoying himself in Jelgava

Vivid scenes are shown after Germans are forced to retreat to Jelgava. The officers of the Bermont army is enjoying wild party with dancers and alcohol. Such travesty actually took place not to mention the damage the Bermnont made to Jelgava before finally leaving it.

The movie ends with Jānis confronting the German. He unhands his pistol and orders to defend himself with his sword. Kangars again sneaks to shoot Jānis from behind and gets killed by the German sword. Again the vile German tries to grab his pistol, but the father of Mirdza shows up and fires from behind. German is shot twice and falls down the stairs. As the father is looking if her daughter is fine, he sees her kissing with Jānis. He silently closes the door and in relief lights up his smoking pipe.

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The ending scene

The movie was praised by viewers and the press. Few criticized for being oriented slightly towards the Kārlis Ulmanis party the Green Farmers Union, since it was funded by Civil Guards who were openly supportive of Ulmanis. Jānis Čakste and Zigfrīds Anna Meierovics was not present at the movie. Some technical flaws made this movie not as good as Eisenstein’s Battleship Potemkin. In Hollywood first full audio movies were already present. But, what it makes this movie so special it was first major Latvian movie, with special effects, major historical background and artistic quality. On 1939 the Fishermans Son was first full audio Latvian movie a classic a adaptation of Vilis Lācis novel. But, without Lāčpēsis the Latvian cinema would be different.

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Latvian post stamp showing the score from the movie

On 2007 similar Latvian movie The Guards of Riga was produced. Also resolved around the Battle of Riga on 1919 sadly it was more historically biased then 193o Lāčplēsis. While Lāčplēsis showed that Latvians had enough forces at the beginning of the battle, the Guards of Riga was showing that Latvians had to build army from the scratch. The role of the Northern Latvia brigade and the allied warships were completely diminished by the Guards of Riga, while Lāčplēsis took large detail on this. The whole historical context of the battle events were completely misinterpreted in the Guards of Riga while they mostly close to history in Lāčplēsis. This shows, how the national memory about the War for Freedom gets deformed by the years. On 1930 the movie producers who witnessed the war themselves despite lack of technical advances made a movie that by all right is included in the Latvian national canon.

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The Coat of Arms of Latvia

In conclusion of describing the Latvian national symbols, the coat of arms of Latvia needs its attention. Latvia was a new country on 1918 without no sovereign heraldic traditions like Lithuania had. Therefore, it took time to make concept of how the new coat of arms would look like. During the War for Freedom the Latvian Provisional Government used  unofficial coat of arms that rather looked like emblem than Coat of Arms. It was  a flaming sun enclosed in round shape. In the middle a capital “L” resembles word “Latvia” and three stars – Courland, Vidzeme and Latgale – the three Latvian regions. Below a Latvian national flag. It was a simple yet powerful state symbol that included three important elements Sun- the Symbol of The Latvian Riflemen, The Three Stars as the Latvian regions and the Flag of Latvia. However, according to heraldic rules this was in no way as legitimate coat of arms. So when Latvia won the War for Freedom the plans were set to make a new official Coat of Arms.

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The first unifocial emblem of the Republic of Latvia

The designer of the Coat of Arms was well-known  Latvian graphic artist Rihards Zariņš. His project was made official by the Constituent Assembly on July 16 1921.

The sun in the upper part of the coat of arms symbolizes Latvian national statehood. A stylized depiction of the sun was used as a symbol of distinction and national identity by the  Latvian Riflemen during World War I. During the war, the sun figure was fashioned with 17 rays that symbolized the 17 Latvian-inhabited districts. The three stars above the coat of arms embody the idea of the inclusion of historical districts (Vidzeme, Latgale and combined Courland-Semigalia (Kurzeme-Zemgale) into the united Latvia.

Culturally historical regions are also characterized by older heraldic figures, which already appeared in the 17th century. Courland and Semigalia (Western Latvia) are symbolized by a red lion, which appears as early as 1569 in the coat of arms of the former Duke of Courland and Semigalia. Vidzeme and Latgale (Eastern Latvia) are symbolized by the legendary winged silver creature with an eagle’s head, a griffin. This symbol appeared in 1566, when the territories known today as Vidzeme and Latgale had come under Lithuanian control. Base of the coat of arms is decorated with the branches of an oak tree, Quercus robur, which is one of Latvian national symbols.

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The three versions of the Coat of Arms of Latvia. From the left the major Coat of Arms, Small Coat of Arms and Middle Coat of Arms

Coat of Arms is used in three versions. The large version with all details, Middle Version and Small Version. Large version is used by is used by the President of Latvia, the Parliament, the Prime Minister, the Cabinet of Ministers, government ministries, the Supreme Court and Prosecutor General, as well as Latvian diplomatic and consular missions. Middle version is used by The Small Enhanced Coat of Arms is used by the Parliament agencies, the Cabinet of Ministers and other institutions under direct or indirect supervision of the government ministries. And the small version by The Small Coat of Arms is used by other government institutions, municipal authorities and educational institutions on official documents.

After the occupation of Latvia on 1940, the coat of arms was forbidden to use. Soviets tried to remove all images of the Coat of Arms as much as possible. For instance in the Brothers War  Cemetery the Coat of Arms on the main gate was removed and all the pre-WW2 coat of arms of the various Latvian cities were removed. Right now the Coat of Arms of Latvia has been restored on the main gate and other coat of arms of the Latvian cities are placed back. The Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic had its own coat of arms featuring hammer and  sickle, wheat and the Baltic sea. On February 15 1990 together with national flag and the national anthem the  Coat of Arms was restored as official symbol of the Latvian Republic.

The Latvian Coat of Arms was made according to Western European heraldic traditions. Its symbolic code involves heraldic symbols from the Latvian past and national symbols such as sun and oak tree. The Coat of Arms shows Latvian special identity a western nation who was under foreign rule and unique nation with its own history and desire for freedom.

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Collapsed Maxima Superstore that shaked the Latvian political system

It’s rather sad and frustrating to see all the events that have taken place during the last week since November 18, the day that most Latvians held dear. It also not pleasant to write about these things, but its my duty to report and say my opinion about what’s happening now in Latvia.

It was November 21, a rainy and dark day in contrast to bright and sunny November 18. Beautiful military parade was held involving NATO planes. Great fireworks display ended the rather positive and patriotic Independence day. And then on November 21 a tragedy happened that shocked the whole nation.

On 17:48 local time the State Fire and Rescue Service received news about roof collapse in Maxima supermarket Priedaine Street 20 at Zolitūde suburb. Maxima is shopping chain service from Lithuania. Entered the Latvian market in the economical growth years the Maxima soon became key player in Latvian shopping market. Its rivals are Rimi from Norway, Stockman from Sweden and other smaller shopping chains. As the name implies Maxima company is focused on maximum profit. And that was one of the reasons for this tragedy. This medium size supermarket was located in Zolitūde suburb on  the left side of river Daugava. Zolitūde named after word solitude soon became the center of national attention.

The roof had partially collapsed over the busy supermarket. As it was end of workday it was filled with people and for the worst the most part of roof had collapsed right on checkout counters.First rescue unit arrived and issued a state of severe danger. Reports described a large numbers of suffering people. Then on 19:01  the roof collapsed for the second time burying more people and rescuers under the rubble. And there was another more shocking thing: around 16:21 a fire alarm went off in the crowded supermarket asking people to evacuate. According to eyewitnesses no  proper evacuation by the shopping center administration was made. According to later statements by Maxima representatives the fire alarm was caused by welding construction in the basement. So it was considered a false alarm plus they also found unable to turn it off. However, other smaller shops like Narvesen and Drogas within the building ordered the evacuation of their employees. Maxima instead kept everyone inside that was crucial mistake. According to western safety standards even in case of false alarm the building should be evacuated until the reason for the alarm is determined. Instead only few rushed out, while others continued to shop under the breaking roof.

As enormous numbers of rescue service was brought to action, the size of rescued grew, but more worse the number of victims grew even steadily. At the end of third rescue day the final report was 29 injured and 54 dead. Along with them 3 firefighters lost their lives.

What was the cause of this tragedy? First we must describe this supermarket building project for its a unusual one: The building was completed on November 3 2011. Architectural design was by Zane Kalinka and Andris Kalinka from the local architectural firm of KUBS. It was developed by Homburg Valda and built by the company Re&Re. When the building was finished, it won the Latvian Building of the Year award. Just several months after its opening, a fire broke out in the market in which nobody was injured. At the time of the collapse, there was construction taking place, also by Re&Re. The area of supermarket was 4,750 m2 (51,100 sq ft). and cost around €1.4 million. The part of the building where the Maxima supermarket is located is owned by SIA Tineo, but originally was owned by The Homburg Group, which still owns the apartment building next to it.

The construction that took place on the roof of the working building was attempt of making winter garden with kids playgrounds. The Riga Building Administration had allowed to make construction works on the top of working supermarket. Originally the project just included green roof, however then the focus came to build garden with stone pathways. Plus the large residential building that was connected to the supermarket may have extorted its wall and destabilized the supermarket roof foundation. If this true then the building is in a danger of collapse that would bring even more tragic consequences.  More speculations follows about integral flaw in design and construction. But, the bottom line was that not one of the involved sides declined to take any responsibility until the end of investigation. Plus also they started their own investigations. And that opened door to widespread criticism and calls for resignations and swift changes. As its widely known in Latvia the investigations are slow and bring no clear results.

Ones asked to boycott or even ban Maxima chain. Others pointed their fingers at Re&RE. The company responsible also for many other grand projects like the repair works of Riga Castle, that went in flames in July during the repair works. It also turned out that one of the Re&Re built supermarkets Alfa had suffered a roof collapse on October 25 2012.  Since it happened in the night when the shop was closed the supermarket was not evacuated and the very event was kept silent. Yesterday in the State TV interview two owners of Re&RE company stated that they were not informed about it. And another roof collapse took place in Riga school also maintained by Re&Re, luckily it happened in the night right before Autumn semester. Meanwhile many were talking about the systematic incompetence and corruption in the building process that is widespread. It is no secret that many new buildings in Riga and other parts of Latvia are built in low quality. Many experienced flaws in quality just few months after unveiling, as they were built by incompetent builders. With large part of experienced builders emigrating to Western countries the Latvian building sector suffers of lack of skilled builders in all levels. Also the RE&RE as other such companies do not build themselves – they give job to lover level companies, but takes the most profit. What is worse the building companies enjoy very light control from the building inspections. On 2009 the Latvian parliament Saeima in the spirit of austerity policies closed the State Building Inspection. Since then the building inspection is only carried out by local municipal inspections. In such way the control over the buildings were weakened, and on 2013 more changes were made within the Building Law to ease the administrative control over the private builders.

This lead to question is the government of the Riga municipality responsible? Latvian President Andris Bērziņš sent a strong emotional message calling the tragedy as “murder” and called for statewide responsibility. Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis in his usual slow tempered style called the event as “crime” and demanded a fast investigation. The Chairman of Saeima (Parliament) Solvita Āboltiņa compared the disaster to 9/11 in America. Meanwhile the Mayor of Riga Nil Ushakov in his usual style rather blamed government and fired some members of Riga Building Inspection that signed the documents approving the supermarket construction. He however, did not saw much blame for himself.

On October 27 Valdis Dombrovskis after meeting the President Andris Bērziņs issued a resignation. Longest serving Latvian Prime Minister who survived the hardest years of crisis and the dismissal of Saeima of 2011 now made a decision to resign. It may seem that he was forced to resign by the president as he was meeting him in smile, but the left the meeting in unusual emotions and in tears issued his resignation. An event that surprised most including his party members, ministers and advisers.

Meanwhile the Mayor of Riga Nil Ushakov in his usual arrogance declined that he should resign too as he was supported by 55% of voters and he needs to finish his job, not to quit. A typical gesture of pro-Kremlin type politician who sees the resignation as the sign of weakness. Instead he would just put others to blame not himself. It’s a systematic belief caused by post-soviet thinking that taking responsibility is a sign of weakness and  vilingful resignation is a sign of humiliation.

Valdis Dombrovskis came to power when Latvia was deeply hit by the economic crisis. The previous government by Ivars Godmanis had left an inheritance of flawed state budget, nationalized PAREX Bank and International Monetary Fund connection. In his first government Valdis Dombrovskis managed to hold a government filled with hostile Peoples Party who was one of the blame for the crisis. He pragmatically pushed tough austerity measures and won the 2010 election. He led the coalition with the Green Farmers Union lead by Aivars Lembergs accused of corruption charges.  Despite heavy pressure from Green Farmers he kept his seat and was left unscarred by the dismissal of parliament on 2011. Despite his party Unity that came in third he again took the Prime Minister seat and took over a complicated coalition with Reformists lead by former president Valdis Zatlers and National Union that constantly opposed him. His third government was in constant struggle, two of the Reform Party ministers had resigned because of great criticism from the society. National Union Minister of Culture was asked to resign by Dombrovskis, while the National Union had excluded their own Minister of Justice from their party. As Dombrovskis decided to keep him, the National Union called that they no longer apply to coalition treaty. His coalition was slowly collapsing, but most predicted that it will last till the 2014 elections. Because there was no one good enough to replace him.

What is the political future of Latvia? It will be tough work to find a proper candidate, most parties have seldom choice of leaders especially National Union and the Reform Party. As Dombrovskis has stated that he will not lead the next government the Unity will had to wage struggle to keep the power. Green Farmers will probably try to enter coalition. Harmony Center actions are unpredictable as their may ally with  Green Farmers to secure power or will stay in opposition to gather forces for 2014 elections. And the responsibility of the President Andris Bērziņš in this situation is crucial.

In the eve of 2014 elections such situation is unbearable. The political rivalry could overshadow the Maxima disaster investigation. The stable currency change from Lats to Euro may be strained. A national ethnic rhetoric may again rise as opposing nationalist groups will try to gain attention. Russia who has become excessively hostile to most Western countries may try to take advantage of this situation. And new political forces lead by re-emerging politicians as Einars Repše and former state  controller Ingūna Sudraba will use to boost their political capital. Latvia is in for political rivalry and social instability. Rationality and carefulness can bring us to better while irrational and dubious politics may bring us in to nowhere.

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Cover of the book about the Latvian Fighters in the Spanish civil war

On July 18 Spanish radio station issued a signal ”Over all of Spain, the sky is clear”. It was a code phrase that started the right-wing nationalist coup against the left-wing Popular Front government that also was allied with Catalan and Basque nationalists. For three years Spain erupted in all out civil war between the fascist National Alliance and the Republican Alliance an alliance between communists, anarchists, republicans and Basque and Catalan national fighters. As fascist Italy and Nazi Germany came to support the Francisco Franco lead fascist forces, Soviet Union supported the republicans. While France and United Kingdom claimed neutrality, large numbers of volunteers from the western countries arrived at Spain to fight the republican cause. George Orwell, Ernest Hemingway were one of the most known.  And there were many Latvians from Latvia and the Soviet Union who came to Spain to support the republicans. For the most part they were on the communist side. Latvian authoritarian regime claimed neutrality and tried to prevent Latvian volunteers from reaching Spain. However, there are many stories about Latvians and Latvian Jews and Latvians from Soviet Union who took direct part in the war. This is a small collection of these.

On 1930 Spanish King Alfonso XIII was forced to abdicate. A Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed. As in every new democratic republic Spain became involved in political struggle with various political forces looking to seize power. Republican party together with Socialists tried to install various reforms limiting the power of the army and widespread secularization angering Catholic community. Anarcho-Syndicalists and radical communists had their own paramilitary units. Among ethnic Basques and Catalans a strong will of national sovereignty was eminent. That caused the conservative forces among Spanish army and Catholics to gather under Fascist slogans.

Weakened by the unstable governments, anti-Catholic riots, military coup attempts, on 1936 left-wing parties including Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), Communist Party of Spain (PCE), the Workers’ Party of Marxist Unification (POUM, independent communist) and the republicans: Republican Left (IR), (led by Azaña) and Republican Union Party (UR), led by Diego Martínez Barrio joined in Popular Alliance and secured a narrow victory. Right wing nationalist Spanish Confederation of Autonomous Right-wing Groups faced defeat. A left-wing government led by socialists took power. Meanwhile in Catalonia and  Basque land that enjoyed vast autonomy became dominated by left-wing radicals, armed trade unions, Trotskyists and anarchists. Spanish socialists faced a split after radical leftists lead by Francisco Largo Caballero demanding socialist revolution left the united cause. In growing tension a shot that killed the conservative leader Hose Kalvo Sotelo on July 13 1936 triggered the full-scale civil war.

A few days later the best Spanish military units located in Spanish protectorate of Morocco started uprising. On July 18 a full-scale nationalist uprising took place in mainland Spain. Reactionary army units, together with Fascist Falange movement and monarchists took over vast regions of Andalusia, Seville, Navarra. The cities of Saragossa, Salamanca, Burgos and the Canarian Islands were taken over by them. However, Madrid, Barcelona and other parts of Spain was still in the  hands of central government. The commander of Morocco Spanish units Francisco Franco soon became the leader of the Nationalist forces.

While UK and France looking to avoid a new world war in all costs claimed neutrality, Nazi Germany together with Italy saw the Spanish conflict as possibility to test their military capabilities. Same went for Soviet Union who used the chance to become the main supporter of the Republican alliance. In long run it turned out that support from Moscow actually ruined the Republican efforts. Also the rather cowardly stance of UK and France was to blame.

Meanwhile Latvia itself had been ruled by authoritarian dictator Kārlis Ulmanis since 1934. Ulmanis regime although more lighter and liberal was hostile to both radical right and left-wing movements. Latvian government declared full neutrality in the Spanish matter and on February 23 1937 banned Latvian citizens from taking part in the war. However, Latvia was no stranger to radical leftist movements. With the help of illegal Latvian Communist Party and the Communist Internationale in Moscow, many Latvian citizens joined the International Brigades.

According to Soviet intelligence reports 862 people from all three Baltic states came to Spain. 179 of them fell in battle 21% of all count. Baltic fighters suffered the most casualties within all foreign volunteers.  According to some sources 120 Latvians and 25 Latvians from USSR joined the Republican cause. Most Latvians joined in united International Brigade Artillery units. 13th Dombrovsky International Brigade 6th Slavic antitank battery Latvians formed a group named after poet Leon Paegle. Other Latvian artillery unit was formed within 1st Slavic heavy artillery squadron 3th Kolorov Bulgarian battery. The group was named after Janis – Jansnons-Brauns the Latvian revolutionary. 16 Latvians took part in 15th International brigade Dimitrov battalion.

The International Brigade 20th battalion was commanded by Major Georgs Boziņs. His adjutant was lieutenant Fricis Pūce. Assisted by the communist party he left Latvia in secret to avoid draft in the Latvian army. In Paris, France a hub of communications and assistance was organized by Latvian citizen Masja Zilberman.

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Jānis Bērziņš on the soviet postmark

One if the most notable Latvians who took direct part was Jānis Bērziņš the head of the Soviet Foreign Intelligence.  As he arrived at Madrid on 1936 and became advisor to José Miaja – the main commander of the Republican army. Along with him the aviation specialist Dāvids Beika, artillery specialist Vilhelms Kumelāns, intelligence advisors Artūrs Sproģis Kristaps Saliņš.

Jānis Bērziņš or General Grishin as they called him in Russia, was famous Russian Civil War veteran. For many years he led the Soviet military intelligence and is regarded as many as the main designer of the soviet spy net across the world. His methods in recruiting, spying, coded message system helped the soviet to take the lead in the intelligence warfare.

Bērziņš helped the Republicans defend Madrid on 1936 -1937. However, his reports to Moscow where he accused the soviet diplomats treating the Spain as a Soviet colony angered Joseph Stalin. Despite awarded with the Order of Lenin he was shot as many other Latvians during the 1938 purge. Many Latvians from Soviet Union who returned to Spain at this time perished along him. With exception of Arturs Sproģis who survived the purge and took part in the WW2 by training and commanding the soviet commandos.

Other Latvian from Soviet Union Pēteris Tiltiņš  lived in Riga when he joined the communists on 1920. He then moved to France to study radio equipment and as French communist party member changed his name to Paul Armane. Posing as actor of Jelgava Drama Theater he took part in the communist underground within Latvia and France.  His brother Alfrēds Tiltiņš was a soviet resident spy in US and UK. Later Pēteris arrived at USSR and emerged as a commander of 4th army mechanized corps. And in Spain he lead the soviet tanks. On 1936 October 28 his T-26 tanks faced the Italian “Ansaldo” light tancettes. Some soviet history books even called this event as first known tank battle in history. He was awarded with the title of the Soviet Hero, first tank commander in USSR. He also escaped the purge and died in 1943 August 7 near Leningrad.

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Spanish Republican General Voldemārs Ozols

One of the most known Latvian volunteers from Latvia was colonel Voldemārs Ozols. Ozols started as first class officer in Petersburg War school. He made his name in the WWI Eastern Front. First as Staff Captain in the Caucasus front where he organized the Armenian national units and lead  the capture of Van and Erzerum. On 1916 by his own demand he was dispatched to Latvian rifleman units and directed the 2th Latvian Rifleman Brigade in the Christmas Battles of 1917. He was awarded and promoted as junior colonel. After the 1917 February revolution he was elected as the head of the Latvian Rifleman united executive soviet committee. Or Iskolatstrel that was dominated by Bolsheviks. He however, resigned and returned to 12th Russian army staff and asked to form united Latvian corps removing the Bolshevik supporters. He was turned down and he left the army.

When Latvia was invaded by Bolsheviks on 1918, he arrived at Latvia and asked to join the Latvian army. He was however, rejected because of his involvement with Bolsheviks on 1917 and accused of spying. He was arrested, but released because of  the lack of evidence. He moved to Estonia and joined the Estonian forces. By his help the Latvian North Latvian Brigade was organized that defeated the Germans near Cēsis on 1919. However, he was still distrusted by Latvian generals and the Provisional government. He left the Estonian army and then shortly joined the Lithuanian army and took part in Lithuanian – Polish conflict.

Disappointed, about his rejection and mistrust Ozols opposed the Latvian democratic system. He became the leader of the right-wing nationalist movement “Legion”. His movement was very similar to Francoist movement as it involved demobilized generals and he was planning to  overthrow the democratic government. The “Legion” became pursued by the Latvian Secret Police on 1933. On 1934 Kārlis Ulmanis who deposed the government used him as scapegoat to justify the takeover.

Ozols was exiled and lived in Estonia and Lithuania. His attempts to organize the Legion underground struggle failed and he was arrested for entering Latvia again on 1934. After spending time in prison he was exiled again in 1936. He went to Paris and became involved with Latvians who organized the International Brigades against Franco’s Fascists. Voldemārs Ozols who once strived to create fascist type government now took part in battle against Spanish fascist forces. In Spain he was ranked as General and served as reserve forces instructor. Republicans however also mistrusted him and on 1937 arrested him. The Failed Latvian Franco was however released by the help of Latvian social democrat Fēliks Cielēns. And then Ozols joined the Soviet secret service and as agent Zola worked in France. He survived the WWII within France and returned to Latvia as lecturer in Latvian State University in Faculty of Geography. Such was the story of the Latvian Military adventurer – from the officer in the Russian Imperial Army to foreign spy in Soviet secret service. In Latvia he desired to make his own nationalist military coup while in Spain he was fighting against nationalist militants. A truly exceptional personality in Latvian history.

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Latvian movie about Spanish Civil war “Nocturne” on 1966

During the Soviet times a well-known Latvian literate was Žanis Grīva, also a volunteer in the Republican forces. He came trough all front lines and ended up in French front lines. He returned on 1940 after Soviet occupation and later fought the Nazis in the Eastern Front. As veteran after the war he published many books about Latvians in the Spanish civil war from the Soviet point of view. On 1966 one of his novels about the Civil war “Nocturne” was adapted on the movie of the same name.

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Latvian citizen Harijs Tranzē book about his fight for Francos army

There was one known Latvian citizen who fought on the Franco’s side. Harijs Tranzē an heir of Baltic German noble family arrived at Berlin, Germany at the Nationalist Spain consulate. He served in Spain for nine months and wrote memoirs about it.

Among Latvian nationals who went to Spain, many were Jews. Most of them were convinced communists. 14 of them fell in battle. Those who survived took part in WWII on the Soviet side. Baron Abram Solmonovitch was convinced communist and spend time communist underground also in Czechoslovakia. When he was called to serve in Latvian army on 1935 he left Prague and carried out his duty despite his communist conviction. On 1936 he joined the International Brigade. He served there until his death in Aragon front on 1938. Kur Chaimanovitch survived the war and on 1939 entered France and was detained by the French authorities. He was denied to go back to Latvia. He returned only on February 1941. As Germans invaded he joined the Latvian Red Riflemen division and fell in battle near Moscow in 1942.  Permand Chaim Davidovich also survived the war and was in the French detention camp. He returned to Latvia after it was occupied by the Soviet Union. Žanis Grīva helped him to escape Germans and both joined the Latvian red divisions. He also survived the both one of few to do so.

The Republican forces failed to defeat the Nationalist forces. There was no valid support from France and UK, while Germany and Italy sent bombing raids and equipped Fascists with best weapons. Republicans were abused by devious Stalin’s policies, on 1939 Stalin was now looking to ally with Nazi Germany. So all the support from Moscow was halted. On February France and UK recognized the Franco government. On March 28 Madrid was taken without a fight. Valencia was last to surrender. On April 1 1939 war was officially over.

Hitler’s gamble on Franco later backfired. Franco refused to join the Axis forces and refused to attack Gibraltar that belonged to British. Had the Spain joined the Axis forces the outcome of the North African front would be different.  Francoist victory was a disaster for Catalans and Basques. Barcelona was ravaged by the conflicting anarchists and fascists. Catalan national autonomy was suppressed for many decades. Basques who suffered heavy casualties continued the national struggle in the means of terrorism against the post-Francoist government. The scars of the Civil War are clearly visible today. As Catalan national forces are looking to restore their independence by civil legal means, the Madrid government has shown a Franco style hostile reaction. The passion for Franco is still present in Spain and is masked by unionism. Despite the long distance Latvia has long-lasting historical connection with Spain and Catalonia and this connection is still needed today and in the future.

Selected Sources: 

Latvijas cīnītāji Spānijā : 1936-1939 : Atmiņas un dokumenti. (1966) LKP CK Partijas vēst. inst. PSKP CK Marksisma-ļeninisma inst. filiāle ; [Red. kol.: S. Ziemelis (atb. red.) u.c.]. Rīga : Liesma

Daukšts, Bonifācijs (2013) Kopveža Voldemāra Ozola kara gaitas un politiskā evolūcija.Rīga : LU Akadēmiskais apgāds.

Ватер, Ева.(2006) Евреи Латвии в борьбе с нацизмом. Latvian Jews in fight against Nazism Иерасулим

Рочко, Иосиф.(2010) Евреи в Латгалии. Исторические очерки. Кн. 1. Даугавпилс: Музей «Евреи в Даугавпилсе и Латгалии» Даугавпилсской религозной обшины и еврейского обшества.

Latvieši Spānijas piloņu kara ellē. Ilustrētā Vēsture. 2011. Nr. 39

http://www.laikraksts.com/raksti/raksts.php?KursRaksts=2901

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Destroyed forests by the 1967 super storm

Many describe Latvia as rather safe country. We have no volcanos, earthquakes and severe tropical climate. However, nature caused calamities on Latvian soil has always occurred. Storms, floods and severe winters have caused damage and the loss of human lives. And as the climate changes Latvia is more affected by storms and unusual climate conditions. On the time of this writing the storm Xaver has ravaged many parts of Europe, but Latvia seems to have avoided the worst part. This article is a short collection of the major natural disasters that had taken place in Latvia.

Storms

The strongest ever known registered winds reached Latvia on October 18 1967. The port city of Liepāja was hit 48 m/s strong winds. It was October 17-18 when the most powerful autumn season reached the Baltic region. October-November is usual time for cyclones that forms over the Northern Sea and then reaches the Baltic Sea in weaker manner. But, on this time it was called the storm of the millennium. The storm was so powerful because it formed over Denmark from two cyclones at the speed of 30 m/s and the gust at Liepāja was 48 m/s. Storm moved over Courland, from Aizpute to Saldus, and then to Jēkabpils where it weakened. On its way the storm did enormous damage to Latvian forests, bringing down about 12 million cubic-meters of trees. Riga was barely affected with just 20 m/s strong wind. To clean out the forests more than 30 million m³ of wood had to be removed. With all the native Latvian woodworkers available this would take for 10 years. So large numbers of woodworkers were or so-called black brigades were called from Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. Many of them stayed in Latvia for the living.

After the storm of such power, most considered that the storm of such power may occur again in some 300 or even 800 years. However, it just took some 2 years and 14 days to similar superstorm to hit Latvia. On November 2 1969 a cyclone formed over Scotland and moved towards Scandinavia en route to Tallinn – Novgorod. A wind of 35 m/s with the highest extent in Daugavpils with 44 m/s. In Riga 40 m/s. was registered. After that the storm entered second cycle on November 3 with lesser power of 34 m/s. Daugavpils, Saldus and Skulte. The storm became the most strongest within the Gulf of Riga dragging a large amount of water. The water level reached 2,14 m. within Daugavgrīva. Flooding took place, Soviet armored transporter was evacuating people from flooded Vējzaķu island and knocked over by the wind killing the driver and five civilians. Also three more people within Riga perished from the falling objects taken down from buildings by the wind. Great damage was done to the beach of Jūrmala completely devastating the beach buildings. A capes in Jūrmala were destroyed and woods brought down. A coast of Gulf of Riga had to be strengthened to  withstood further storm attacks. Forests were mostly damaged in Northern Courland and Vidzeme coastal areas.   The storm made more damage than the first storm in terms of human lives and restoration expenses.

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The 2005 storm Ervin

Many cyclones reached Latvia after that, but most were less powerful. On 1978 winds reached 32 m/s. On 1993 35 m/s. were reached. But, then came the January 8-9 of 2005 when cyclone “Ervin” became the strongest storm in 35 years. The highest point was 40 m/s. The record was reached at the Ventspils harbor, in Liepāja 36 m/s. At Riga 3o m/s. The Grobiņa wind power station even managed to register 51 m/s. Emerged on the skies of United Kingdom the storm became powerful over the Gulf of Bothnia. In its center the pressure reached minimum — 721,9 mm/Hg. As Latvia was in the southern side of the cyclone – the strongest winds took place there. The trouble started January 8 on 16:00 at the western shores. Wind begun at 20 m/s and on 22:00 started to become even stronger. On 2:00 -3:00 wind reached the maximum point. Wind continued until the nightfall of  January 9. The water level in Riga reached 213 cm just 16 cm bellow the 1969 record.

Some parts of Riga were flooded. Bolderāja was evacuated. Large parts of Courland was left without electricity. Capes were fully or almost damaged. Many hydrotechnical defense structures were damaged. Roads were cut off including the Via Baltica highway to Tallinn. Coastal damage and erosion and with the length of 2000 km 8—15 ha. of land was taken by the sea. On October 28-29 2013 storm Christian reached Latvia, knocking out electricity in the city of Ventspils.

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The 2011 Tornado of Raiskums village that left significant damage

Tornadoes

Tornado is a rare sighting in Latvia. In recent years the sea tornadoes have been observed at the Latvian beaches. However, at the summer seasons the lighting storms can get violent and form a tornado. Such occurrences took place on 1946 August 20 at Skulte, on 1967 in Ludza district, on July 10 near Jēkabpils. On 1995 July 22 the baroque castle of Rundāle was hit by a tornado that tore off 75 m² of the castle roof, damaging also the interior. Usually the victims of such tornadoes are farms and forests. They are usually weak and short-lived. However, on July 7 1986 in Vidzeme region near the town of Ērgļi on 14:00 the land was surrounded by a haze. It got more darker, as the lightning and wind broke the trees. Then on 14:40 a dark tornado came down from the sky and made his away to village of Ranka within two hours in route of 50 km. Tornado overpassed the lake of Jumurda sucking all the fishes and dropping then off far from the lake. 10 country farms were damaged one was destroyed completely. After the tornado was over a 15-20 min rain shower and hail followed.

Floods

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The 1929 floods in Riga

The flooding that happened in coastal areas of Riga was caused by severe storms. However, in past the center of Riga was almost yearly endangered by the moving ice. As the spring appeared the ice started to melt and move to the sea. The depth of river Daugava before the building of the port was just 2-3 meters. Large ice jams and floods were usually bellow the borders of Riga. Riga for many centuries were defended from floods by the heavy fortifications. However, there were people living outside walls and on the islands. They were affected by the flooding. Large floods with loss of life’s  took place on 1744, 1771 and 1807. On 1877 the floods ruined the railway embankment and flooded large areas from Babīte to Spilve. On 1917 after heavy winter the ice jam occurred within both sides of island Zaķusala. The riverside was flooded  within the Moscow district. Houses and trees were destroyed. Riga was flooded again on 1922, 1924 and on 1929.

The summer of 1928 was excessively humid. The rainfall limit was over 80% leaving the half of country farms in waste. The flooding caused by rainfalls destroyed the newly built bridge in Bauska over river Mēmele. The raining was not over until September damaging the harvest production. Latvian farmers learned their lesson and improved the melioration and work mechanization. Soon Latvia became a crop exporter, rather than importer.

However, the rainy summer was followed by severe winter. Whole Gulf of Riga was covered by ice. On April 1929 a storm broke the ice and brought the blocks of ice, jamming the entry of Daugava in to the sea. Icebreakers started to brake the ice along with powerful “Krišijānis Valdemārs”. But, as the ice moved along Riga and became stuck near Daugavgrīva the flooding was imminent. From the islands and low coastal areas people were evacuated. All supplies from Riga export port was taken away to safer place. However, the strong winds pushed more ice and the floods started. Islands, port areas, the Spilve airfield the Bolderāja highway was underwater. Water continued to rise and flooded the islands of Kundziņsala, Zaķusala and Klīversala. On April 23 the highest point was reached 2,8 m above normal level. Ganību dambis, Akmeņu street, Ranķu dambis was flooded. Cars and boats were together. During the  next days the wind changed its direction and moved the ice away from the shore. As the entry of Daugava was clear from ice the water moved away.

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Bridge over river Daugava in Riga destroyed by the ice jam

The floods on 1924 destroyed the Lübeck wooden bridge, built by Germans on 1917. It was located from Grēcenieki street to Šoneri street at Klīversala. As it was built for military purposes it was built with rush, the ice breakers were placed in wrong angle in front of stream. The bridge was left intact during the War for Freedom, but the floods of 1924 was crucial for the German army bridge. The ice jam was located between  Maruška and Ikšķile. On April 5 this almost 10 km long ice block was blown up by Latvian engineers with four large mines. The explosion caused a huge gust of water and ice heading towards Riga. Four small steamers were dropping ice between the old Iron bridge and the Lübeck bridge and were caught by surprise. Three ships managed to escape, while “Zibens” (lightning) was caught by the strong wave and capsized many times. The wave in fast speed dragged the ship under the Lübeck bridge, knocking off its chimney, captains lodge and the dock surroundings. The steerman managed to hang on the bridge handrails and climbed up the bridge. Other crew members jumped on the ice and were rescued. But, the bridge itself was cut in half by ice blocks. Also the old Iron Bridge was damaged. Pārdaugava was left without electricity, trams stopped and phone cables were cut off.

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The flooded city of Jēkabpils in 1981

Riga was no longer affected by the ice jams after the Hydroelectric dam was built near Aizkraukle. However, now the ice became stuck within this dam and now the cities of Pļaviņas and Jēkabpils became endangered by the floods. On 1981 the third of the city of Jēkabils was flooded. 65 streets, 650 buildings were underwater. 45 buildings were needed to be demolished. Some 800 people were evacuated. After that the city authorities of Jēkabpils have built many hydrological defense structures and the floods of such extent have not occurred ever again. However, the town of Pļaviņas are affected by ice jams every year. This year the floods again made damage to the town. There were occurrences when the town hospital was flooded.

Last two years the town of Ogre above the Pļaviņu hydro dam has become severely affected by the ice jams on the local Ogre river that enters the Daugava. As often explained the reason for the flooding is privately built hydro-electric dam. After the regaining the independence, many small rivers were used to be built private hydro-electric dams. As result more and more rivers are affected by the spring floods. The Lielupe river has also flooded many times affecting the city of Jelgava.

Freezing Rain

The Autumn and winter  of 2010 was very light. November and December was mostly warm in contrast to other years. Snow only appeared on Christmas night. But, on December 24-26 in minus temperatures a rain started to fall accompanied with snow. The snowing surface was cowered by frozen snow crust. Trees covered by heavy burden of snow fell on power lines leaving many people without electricity during the Christmas holidays. Restoration works took many weeks involving foreign support. The Freezing rain has become a problem ever since.

Earthquakes 

Latvia is far from seismic fault lines and is not affected by strong earthquakes. However, the tectonic seam within Poland can cause a earthquakes that may cause a small damage. On 1616 a 5-6 EMS -98 scale earthquake shacked Bauska and areas in Courland.  On 1821 the town of Koknese was woken up by 5,5 scale earthquake. Riga was affected by earthquakes on  1853 and 1854 with roaring noise and shaking ground. The earthquake of 1857 that happened in the Strait of Irbe managed to bring down old buildings and roofs. The 2004 Kaliningrad earthquake was so strong it was felt in whole Latvia. Last small earthquake was recorded near Salacgrīva on 2011.

The extent of natural disasters on Latvian soil are nothing in comparison with natural calamities in other parts of the world. However, the human caused disasters in Latvia also were many and took the life’s of many. A separate story is needed to tell about them.

Sources:

http://www.meteo.lv/lapas/visstiprakie-veji-latvija?id=1844

http://neogeo.lv/?p=3653

http://weatherfoto.wordpress.com/virpulviesuli-tornado-latvija/

Grūtups, Gaitis. Dabas Mātes Untumi Latvijā. (2001) Dabas Stihijas. Rīga. Zvaigzne. ABC.

Caune, Andris. (1998) Rīgas Pārdaugava pirms 100 gadiem. Rīga. “Zinātne.”

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The Last special issue of the Latvian 1 Lat coin

Only a few weeks left until another currency change takes place in Latvia. This time Latvia joins the Eurozone and replaces its national currency Lats with one of the largest currencies in the world – Euro. But, the history of money in Latvia has been long and many currencies have been used here. This is a concise history of the various currencies in Latvia during the centuries

During the Prehistoric times for the exchange of goods various valuable objects were used. Nauda means money in Latvian and originates from the word cattle, similar to Lithuanian nauda, Norvegian nautr. Also the Indian rupee originates from word in Sanskrit rupa that also means cattle. That’s because the cattle exchange was used before the proper means of currencies were introduced. Other valuable and often symbolic objects were used. The Baltic region was known across the ancient world for its amber a fossilized tree resin was favored by the Greeks and Romans. Used primary for jewelry it was also known to make electricity giving it divine reputation. First signs of amber trade were found Middle Neolithic Stone Age. At the swamp village of Sārnate locals built amber manufacture. They exchanged amber for flint and shale work tools.

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The Roman Silver Denarii found in Latvia

First coin money is known to appear in the 7th  century BC Lydian kingdom in modern day Turkey. As the metal was recognized as the most effective mean of exchange – solid and easily divided and with precise weight. Now the metal was made as a round coin with inscriptions and pictures on the both sides. First coins found in Latvia dates to Early Iron Age 1-4 century AD (according to Latvian specific periodization). The first coins in Latvia came from Roman Empire, the Baltic tribes were reached by Roman traders. They visited Latvia using the so called Amber way from the city of Carnuntum (modern day Austria) to the East Prussia and Courland where the valuable amber was mostly found. Another way was by the sea route from the lower river Rhine and the Gallic provinces to the Baltic coastline. The Roman historian Tacitus in his Germania reported that the Baltic people that he called Aesti receives a money reward with wonder for their amber. It’s probably because local Balts did not know what to do with coin money; they viewed it as just as some pieces of metal. Despite that they kept and made deposits and took them in their graves, believing it could be valuable in the afterlife.

Mostly the Roman silver denaries and bronze semis were found by archaeologists in the ancient grave sites and hidden deposits. After the fall of the Roman empire the territory of Latvia was no longer reached by the Roman coins. The silver was used as the main currency coming from Russia and Scandinavia.

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The Arabian Dirham

During the 8th-9th century in the ascent of the Muslim civilization the Arabian currency dirham became the most valuable across Europe. Dirhams came to Baltic lands from the Kievan Rus, using Volga- Daugava waterway. From Persia to Volga Bulgaria (modern day Tatarstan), from Volga to Ladoga, then trough river Neva to the Finnish Strait. And then with the help of the Scandinavian Vikings reached Courland. Another route was from Middle East trough Caucasus region and then by river Dnepr to the lake of Ladoga. Arab traders never entered the Baltic lands and mostly stopped and the Volga Bulgaria as it was Islamic country. Their goods were then transported by Vikings who had their trade bases in Novgorod, Smolensk and Old Rostov. The national museums in Tallinn, Stokholm, St Perersburg and Moscow holds more Arabian dirhams than in whole Middle Eastern countries. In Latvia 2 473 dirhams have been discovered, originating from Iran, Turkey, Baghdad, Syria and the Central Asia. At the middle of the 11th century dirhams became less used as the Muslim Caliphate collapsed and whole Europe became affected by the silver deficit.

The Western European rulers adopted their own coins and with the help of Vikings the Baltic lands were now reaching by the silver dinars. German phenings were commonly found in Latvia. As the Holy German Empire was not a unified country, but a union of the many smaller states, that had rights to forge their own coins there are many types of denars in Latvia. Also Danish coins from the time of the Knut the Great was found in Latvia.

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Ancient Latvian made replicas of the Western European money

The 11th century was known for its monetary crisis. Again silver bars were used as a currency. There are reports of the ancient Livonian tribes making their own replicas of the Western denars. 39 such local made coins were found in 13 places within Latvia. It was a sign of early state development among Baltic and Finno-Ugrian tribes.

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The Phenning of the Bishop Albert

The 12-13th century is the time of the Crusades in Latvia. The first minted coins in Riga were the Bishop Albert Phenings made at the Castle of Mārtiņsala. After the Confederation of Livonia was established on 14th century, Riga started to forge their own silver coins. Every city of state within the confederation that had its own rights for minting issued their own currencies Currencies in Livonia were many. 1 Marc was 4 Verdins or 36 Shillings. Sometimes in Livonia silver Dalders and golden Ducats.

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The Dalderis of the Free City of Riga

After the collapse of the Livonian Confederation and its annexation by Poland – Lithuania in 1561, a new era of money begun in Latvia. Riga for a long time tried to become independent from Poland -Lithuania and rejected the Polish minting rules.  So they issued their own coins for a long time. The Duchy of Pārdaugava issued shillings and verdins at the Castle of Dole in 1572. The city of Riga known for its hostile stance to the Polish king banned the use of these coins. On 1589 Riga convinced the Polish king Sigismund III to become the only city in whole Livonia to mint coins. Riga issued Ducats and Graši.

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1780 Dalderis showing Peter Biron the last duke of Courland

The Duchy of Courland and Semigallia was an autonomous state within Poland and Lithuania with its own royal family. Its capital was Jelgava (Mittau) where the first shillings were made in 1575. On 1577 Polish king Stephan Batory canceled the Jelgava minting rights. They were restored in 1579 in accordance to the Polish-Lithuanian rulers. Despite the economical upswing during the rule Duke Jacob the money was issued on small numbers. Last coins were issued during the rule of Duke Peter Biron called Dalderis.

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The Swedish dalderis minted in Riga showing Gustav Adolf the II

In 1621 Sweden annexed Riga and the region of Vidzeme. Latvian lands became even more divided in the terms of currencies. Sweden hoped to establish unified Swedish currency rules within the new Baltic province, but failed to do so. Riga still kept its rights to forge money according to Polish rules. Only on 1630 Sweden forced Riga to issue silver shillings according to Swedish rules.

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1704 Russian 1 Ruble showing Peter I the Great

On 1710 Riga and Vidzeme was taken over by the Russian Empire. During the next decades of the 18th century whole territory of Latvia was annexed by the Imperial Russia. The decimal money system established by Peter I the Great finally ended rather chaotic money times and united whole Baltic region under one Russian currency.

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Golden 15 Rubles showing Tsar Nicholas II

The Riga money mint was closed. Pleas to restore the minting rights were denied by Petersburg authorities. Slowly the Baltic lands were adopted to the Russian ruble and the Russian unified economic system. In 1786 first Russian paper money called asignatsia (from french assignet- paper money). There were 100, 75, 50 and 25 ruble assignatsias. On 1843 they were replaced by the state credit tickets fixated by silver and gold equivalent. On the end 19th century Russia entered the Gold Standard and minted golden rubles.

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1917 postamp-money in value of 3 kopeks

On 1915 the German army invaded the Latvian territory sparking a new currency chaos. Plagued by the deficit of coins Russia even issued money stamps as equivalent of kopek. The paper money lost its value, after the 1917 February revolution the Provisional government issued paper state cash signs or so called kerenkas after the Prime Minister Alaxander Kerensky. With the old imperial rubles still in effect the money flow was in chaos.

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1916 German Ostkopek for Eastern Frontlines

Meanwhile the Germans occupying the Courland and Semigallia issued their own Ostmarks and Ostrubles. Also a iron kopeks and loan sings were issued within the German owned lands. After the German capitulation on 1919 the currency chaos deepened. Some cities like Liepāja, Venstpils and Jelgava issued their own municipal currencies. They were allowed to use until 1925 and was allowed to convert to Lats until 1931.

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Riga Soviet of Workers 3 rubles 1919

Meanwhile the Bolsheviks invading Latvia made their own currencies. Cēsis had its Cēsis district Workers Deputy Soviet executive committee loan coupons 5 to 1o rubles. Riga Soviet made its own currency sign 3, 5 and 10 rubles. Even the Baltic German and White Russian army of Bermont issued its own money that was used only for a month.

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The money of the Army of Bermont

Northern Latvia was for a long time occupied by the Estonian army assisting the Latvian army in their fight for independence. So also the Estonian money was in effect along the Vidzeme region. Estonian marks were used there until 1920. On 1919 Riga town council issued their own rubles after the city was taken over by the Latvian government.

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Latvian 500 rubles 1919

The Latvian government had to stop this never ending chaos of currencies. On  January 29 1919 decision was made to release Latvian State cash signs and on March 22 a design competition was called for the new Latvian currency. Even the hostile pro-German government kept issuing these banknotes. After was for freedom was won a work was underway for a a unified Latvian currency. The Latvian ruble was a provisional currency and was in effect during the post war economic stabilization. On 1922 all was ready to adapt the new national currency Lats.

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Latvian 100 Lats 1923

On August 3 1922 Lats became the official currency. Without taking the loans from abroad Latvia managed to stabilize its currency in short time. On September 19 the Latvian State Bank was founded to issue the new currency. Most Latvian paper lats were made in UK, only in 1939 100 Lats banknote was printed in Latvia. Designed by Rihards Zariņš the Latvian paper money was one of the most beautiful in Europe.

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The famous Five Lats silver coin from 1931

Latvian Lats and its demoniation santīms were released also in coins minted in Switzerland and UK. On 1937 first Latvian coins were minted in Riga. Latvia was known for its silver 5 Lats coins showing a Latvian woman in traditional costume and the cout of arms of Latvia in reverse. Designed by Rihards Zariņš who chose his employe Zelma Brauere. The coin became famous across the world, Latvians nicknamed it as “Milda” a common Latvian female name. The coin was valued after the occupation of Latvia as the symbol of the independent Latvia.

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50 Latvian Lats with dictator Kārlis Ulmanis

After the 1934 coup by Kārlis Ulmanis, his portrait appeared on 50 Lats banknote. On 1939 Ulmanis was looking forward to make a new five lats silver coin with his face on it. Soviet occupation halted his ambitions however the British minting company received the orders and managed to make a prototype of silver five lats replacing Milda with Ulmanis.

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Latvian five lats from 1940

The last Latvian banknote was issued in 1940. The Latvian Soviet puppet government first promised to keep lots. However, soon on August 25 1940 the Soviet ruble was issued as a parallel currency. On March 25 1941 the last was abolished and completely replaced with the ruble.

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Soviet ruble of 1937. Showing soviet paratrooper a symbol of Soviet expansionist plans

When Nazi Germany invaded Latvia, some patriots restored the work of Latvian State bank and tried to restore Lats as a national currency by imprinting “Latvia July 1 1941″ on the pre war Latvian Lats. Nazi Germany was no less hostile to Latvian national efforts as soviets and issued the Reichmark as the official currency. After Soviets returned on 1944 ruble came back with them.

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Soviet banknotes

Despite the original Marxist teachings about the abolishment of money, Lenin and his successor Stalin had no clear idea of how to do it. And again rubles with Lenin replacing Peter the I returned. On 1947 Soviets made a significant currency reform stabilizing the ruble for years to come. However, it failed to thwart the speculation and corruption. Efforts on reforming the soviet economy followed after the death of Joseph Stalin. Nikita Khrushchev made many advancements but failed and lost his power. Leonid Brezhnev a moderate neo-Stalinist perfectly understood that radical reforms in the Soviet social system would mean its collapse. In so the Soviet Union was caught in stagnation for many years to come. In the era of total deficit various vouchers for products became the unofficial Soviet currency. The attempt to cure the plague of deficit and corruption by Mikhael Gorbachev ended in the collapse of the Soviet Union.

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A 1991 sketch of the new Latvian lats

As the spirit of regaining independence was in the air, on 1991 the Latvian Cultural Fund issued a design competition of the restored future Lats. Some 20  projects including Sergey Kovalenko from Kharkiv were made. Most of the ideas resembled the past Latvian lats. Some wanted to place Kārlis Ulmanis, while others wanted to add Baltic German writer Garibl Merkel on 2 lat banknotes.

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Latvian rubles 1992

In 1990 the Latvian government made real steps to replace the Soviet ruble. The Latvian State bank was restored. After full independence was gained a fast moves were made to leave the inflation driven Soviet ruble. On May 7 1992 the Latvian ruble was again in effect. Nicknamed “repšiki” after the first president of the Latvian Bank Einārs Repše the Latvian Lats was introduced successfully. On 1993 Latvian Lats returned as the national currency. Latvian currency survived the hard economical situation during the 90′ies. Despite the relative ecomical upswing during the 2004-2007 Lats was plagued with inflation. Calls of devavation during the 2008-2009 economic crisis, were not met instead an inner devaluation was made.

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Special 1 Lat coin. The Middle coin with a salmon is standart 1 lat

Latvian Bank made a great tradition of releasing the special 1 Lat coins for special events. They became admired by coin collectors for their great design. Many special coins won special international prices. However, when Latvia entered the European Union one of its obligations to enter the Eurozone. Unlike Poland, where the constitution prevents from changing currency, Latvia had no law to prevent the entry into Eurozone. Instead the Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis was pushing to enter the Eurozone despite the crisis and problems within the Eurozone. And it was achieved despite large numbers of Eurosceptics within the government and society. However, their efforts were rather passive. Latvia in the XXI century has only three choices all of them not positive. First is to keep going west with its EU and US allies despite their instability, second is going East with Russia that has become semi-totalitarian and hostile, and third keep full neutrality, that is completely impossible. The third choice was made by Kārlis Ulmanis on 1934-1940 that doomed the state of Latvia. This time the currency change was made by the Latvian government and the people that elected them. The Latvia future with Euro is a story to be told by the next generation historians.

Selected Sources:

Ozoliņa, Anda, Ducmane, Kristīne (2013). Naudas Laiki Latvijā. No mārkas un vērdiņa līdz Latam un Eiro. Rīga. Lauku Avīze.

Ducmane, Kristīne. (2004). Nauda : enciklopēdija par savu un svešu naudu Latvijā no seniem laikiem līdz mūsdienām. Riga : Zvaigzne ABC.
Ducmane, Kristīne and Veciņš, Ēvalds.(1995) Nauda Latvijā. Riga. Latvijas Banka.
Paiders, Juris. (2002) Arābu laiki Latvijā. Riga. Zvaigzne ABC.

Tagged: Baltic States, coins, Latvia, Latvian history, Latvian lats, Latvian money, money history, Nummismatics Image may be NSFW.
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Another year is coming to an end and as always I will gather all what was important in Latvia during the 2013. The year 2012 was labeled by me as the year of quarrels, now in 2013 these quarrels have become a full time struggles. Struggles between various political forces and forces within the society have resulted in many calamities like the burning of the Riga Castle, the Zolitūte disaster and the breakdown of the Valdis Dombrovskis government. The results of these struggles are yet to be foreseen for next year as they are still unfolding in full strength. This was truly the year of Snake as the unpridicatbaly of the Snake was the eminent within the events of Latvia and elsewhere.

Municipal elections with a record low turnout

Municipal elections took place on June 1 a very hot summer day. Was this the reason for such a low participation of voters – 686 097 or 45,85% of all eligible voters? More possibly it was a political passivity within the towns and rural areas, the lack of new voters because of emigration. In such almost in every major city there were no big surprises. Cities such as Ventspils, Liepāja, Jēkabpils kept their mayors who had been in office for some 20 years. There were major changes in Daugavpils. The old leadership by Žanna Kulakova was voted out, as she made a poor move by joining the declining Reform Party and was caught up in corruption scandals. She was replaced by old time mayor of Daugavpils Jānis Lāčplēsis from the Unity. However, the most votes were acquired by the Harmony Center party. While securing stable win within the center of Latgalian region – Rēzekne, Harmony Center still is unable to take a clear lead over the second largest city of Latvia with the mayor Russian speaking population. Also the resort town of Jūrmala, favored by Russian millionaires, with one of the most unstable municipality with more than 4 mayors in four years, finally got a “stable” municipality with “just” five parties and Gatis Truksnis as the mayor. Despite his flamboyant arrogance and attempts of making a cult of personality he managed to secure leadership of the resort city. Harmony Center was unable to seize power in the major parts of Latvia, but one point of the Latvian map became their stronghold – the city of Riga, also known as the capital of Latvia.

Riga Municipality – a state within the state with a Tzar Nil Ushakov

When the young journalist Nil Ushakov from First Baltic Channel entered the politics he was portrayed as the new political hope of the pro-Russian parties. Seemingly good intellect, perfect Latvian knowledge skills and magnetic personality were what convinced many to elect him into parliament in 2006. However, the work in the  opposition was boring for him and so on the 2009 he was placed as a first runner for the Riga municipal elections. With the help of the massive election campaign, using the 9th May celebrations, assisted by the advisers from the Russian Embassy, he secured a first great victory for the Harmony Center. He however had to share his power with Ainārs Šlesers an experienced businessman and a political gambler. By leaving the New Era party and the Civic Union who later united in Unity party, Ushakov and Šļeser had a stable dual leadership. Some said that Ushakov will be just a puppet in the Šlesers hands. But, on 2010 Šļesers made another gamble to gain entry into the new parliament that proved to be a political disaster for his party. The Vice Mayor Šlesers was replaced with his party member Andris Ameriks an experienced politician. Ushakov now gained a upper hand in all the deals within Riga and started to rule as sole Tzar of the city with Ameriks as his faithful First Advisor.

The power changed the actions and the personality of the Nil Ushakov. After the failure of his party in 2011, when it failed to enter the coalition despite gaining the most votes, he made a crucial step by supporting the two language referendum initiated by the Russian nationalist radicals. He now alienated himself from the leading Latvian parties and set path to long run hostile opposition in the Harmony Center. With Harmony Center in hapless opposition within the parliament, Ushakov made Riga as a fortress that disobeys the central government. While Dombrovskis government desperately pursued the austerity policy looking to lower the state budget deficit, Ushakovs made populist moves like giving free public transport for pensioners and school students. A multi million flower pavilion with no toilets and screeching doors, enormous andministarive resource spending on boosting on political advertising. Also dark cases such as assault on freelance journalist Leonīds Jākabsons who uncovered Ushakov association with the Russian Embassy. There is no proof of Ushakov has been involved in this crime against Jākabons, but the cynical tweet by Ushakovs – “I have an alibi!” at the time of the assault showed the face of the Tzar of Riga.

With all this on 2013 municipal elections the coalition parties should have to devise a way to topple him from his throne. Instead all was done to allow Ushakov to gain victory more easy. Instead of making a united election list each party went on their own. The Unity first runner was Sarmīte Ēlerte a notable figure from the times of Third Awakening, former editor of the newspaper Diena and former Minister of Culture. She however picked up a poor election strategy by centering on the nationalist slogans, “If we loose Riga, we loose Latvia!” a slogan more preferred by the National Alliance. National Alliance took advantage of this and made Baiba Broka as the first runner a jurist, working in the Ministry of Justice. A charming, calm but also a cunning woman Broka instead of emotional nationalist slogans put forward argumented social policy and in the end National Alliance won more seats than Unity. However, Ushakov’s Harmony Center unified list with Ameriks new party Honor to Serve Riga gained 54% of votes and secured the fortress of Riga.

Ushakovs now a comfortable leader with two cats living in his cabinet to show his good side made two poor choices. First an attempt to make a special Riga resident card for people registered in Riga. People with such cards would have a cheaper public transport prices, while others registered in other parts of Latvia would have to pay more. A wave of protest soon followed against such segregation of the people of Riga. After all many people who live in other towns have a daily work in Riga, or those who live in Riga, but have declared address in other municipalities. Despite governmental disapproval, protest campaigns Ushakovs went against all odds, even by openly bypassing the law issued these Riga Citizen Cards. On December 18 the Riga Town Council issued a budget deficit of 35 million Lats. Obviously a Riga Card was a vain attempt to fix the deficit issue. Free public transport for elders and school children is not exactly free, but funded by Riga tax payers. Another mistake by Ushakov was an erratic response to Zolitūde disaster. First showing sings of strong leadership and responsibility, after the resigning of Dombrovskis, Ushakovs showed an erratic behavior of calling the Dombrovskis resignation as the act of populism and aggressively denied any calls of resignation for himself. In the end Ushakov just showed that he is just another Eastern type politician who sees the resignation as a sign of personal weakness and taking responsibility as a sign of humiliation. Just like Vladimir Putin in Russia whose party United Russia has signed a cooperation agreement.

The fight within the coalition that lead to collapse of the Dombrovskis government

Already in 2011 after the emergency elections were over the new Dombrovskis government were seen as short lived by some. There were simply too many different parties with different aims. Unity party kept their Prime Minister seat, the Chairman of the Parliament, Finance, Defense and tried to lead the coalition. The Zatlers Reform Party already loosing six elected members in the first of parliament working day was badly traumatized. The leader Valdis Zatlers soon lost his control over the party because of his illness. So the party was simply renamed to the Reform Party. But, the reforms pushed by the ambitious Minister of Education Roberts Ķīlis that met a strong resistance right from the start finally ended when he resigned April on behalf of his poor health. Later he was caught in making drunk driving which resulted in a car crash. His replacement Vjačelavs Dombrovskis is more known for his scandalous press secretary Anna Kononova who previously worked for Ushakovs. Another Reformist Edmunds Sprūdžs also faced his defeat against the oligarch mayor of Ventspils Aivars Lembergs in vain attempts of removing him. He resigned and later left the party as the new leadership was now looking to work with the Lembergs Green Farmers. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edmunds Rinkēvičš, Minister of Economy Daniels Pavļuts and the Minister of Interior Rihards Kozlovskis had better results, but since the Reform Party ratings are below 5% the Reformist struggle started by Valdis Zatlers has suffered a mayor defeat.

Meanwhile the third coalition partner the National Alliance was playing a partisan warfare against the Dombrovskis. Constantly threatening the bring down the government if their demands are not met, they never came close to actually do it. Fight against the residence permits in return of investments for non EU citizens, resulted only in partial victory. The Minister of Culture Žanete Jaunzeme Grende a business lady tried to instore order over the Latvian National Opera. Despite Latvian Opera artists being famous all over the world, the Opera had financial problems. Jaunzeme Grende decided that the only way to save the opera was the change Opera leadership. But, the longtime director of the opera was wealthy Andrejs Žagars, with too many connections with National Alliance rivals and vast support base of the artistic society. In the end Valdis Dombrovskis dissatisfied with the Opera scandal dismissed Žanete Jaunzeme Grende sparking anger from the National Alliance. However, Dombrovskis also decided not to cancel the removal of Žagars. In such he shot two rabbits with one shot. Opera was then taken over by famous composer Zigmārs Liepiņš known for his conservative views and connections with the National Alliance. A pyrric victory for the National Alliance.

The NA defended Žanete Jaunzeme Grende in the most aggressive way, but in this same way they wanted to remove their own minister of Justice Jānis Bordāns by excluding him from his party and asking him to resign. The official reason was his affiliation  with the Democratic Patriots an offshoot movement from NA. However, the real reason was the Bordāns desire to reform the insolvency process. Many of the NA leaders including the General Secretary Aigars Lūsis where an experienced insolvency administers boosting the party profit. Bordāns soon became involved in conflict with the NA jurist clan lead by Gaidis Bērziņš his predecessor. In the result he was excluded, despite his desire to continue working with the NA. But, NA could simply fire Bordāns from his office and replace him with Baiba Broka. Valdis Dombrovskis could only fire his ministers and he decided to keep Bordāns as the Minister of Justice. Confused NA declared the coalition agreement no longer in effect. Despite such calls, the coalition continued to work and even managed to issue a state budget for 2014. The coalition was like breaking building with unstable foundations and one great trigger was needed to destroy it completely- and that was the disaster of Zolitūde.

Latvia 2013 A year of disasters

When Latvia is mentioned on the first page of any international news page? A) Election event, B) major sports victory, C) a major disaster. Sadly enough on 2013 C) variant was the most frequent. The first event was in March during the Good Friday on March 30 223 under ice fisherman became stranded on the ice cap that was washed away from the coast. Navy ships and army helicopters were involved to get them back on the land. Fishing on frozen ice is a tradition in Latvia for decades, and every year at least 2 fisherman is lost because of unstable ice. But, when they start to fish on the ice of the frozen sea the trouble begins. Rūdolfs Blaumanis already at the end of the 19th century wrote a novel called “In the Shadow of Death” of ice stranded fisherman in the open sea. This shows how long Latvia had dealt with this issue. For news agencies like CNN this might had been amusing, but for Latvia nothing unusual and rather shameful.

The frosty winter took away 23 lives of Latvian citizens. But the hot summer was not only hot in temperature, but also in the flames that destroyed the Castle of Riga. The Medieval Castle surviving many wars, renovations had never caught a fire in his history. But on the night of June 20, when the repair workers had gone away the castle roof erupted in massive flames. The Castle again had renovation works, the Presidential residence was moved to the House of Blackheads in the main Old City Square. But, the Museum of Arts, and the Museum of National History were still working there. The whole night of June 20-21 was spent in the heroic struggle of extinguishing the flames. In the end the museum collections survived, but they will be moved to other places next year. The Presidential block however suffered the most.

The November 18 the Latvian Independence day seemed very happy and full of patriotism. Most could not imagine the calamity that took place on the late evening of November 21. A roof over crowded Maxima supermarket collapsed burying many people under the ruins. Safety services again tried to rescue people from the rubble of blocks, 3 firefighters were lost in the process. 54 people died resulting the biggest disaster in the Latvian history.

The rescue works were not over as the struggle to find the responsible begun. One blamed the Re&Re company that was responsible for the building, others blamed Maxima shopping chain because it continue to work while there was buildups of artificial garden on the roof. And also for making evacuation because of alarms that for some reason went off an hour before the roof collapsed. The Maxima response was a communications disaster when its arrogant and cynical Latvian Maxima director Gintars Jasinskis made comments that angered the whole Latvian society resulting boycott of the Maxima shopping chain. Jasinskis was later fired.

As Ushakovs and Dombroviskis was unwilling to take political responsibility that is where the President of Latvia Andris Bērziņš came in. In his first speech after the disaster he called the event as “murder” and called for political shakeup. And then he realized his words with actions. A week after Valdis Dombrovskis the longest serving Prime Minister resigned after a long conversation with the president.

Andris Bērziņš now turned everything into even greater confusion by his inability to pick up a new candidate. The Unity put forward Artis Pabriks the Minister of Defense, but since Bērziņš disliked the strong anti-Putinist Russia stance by Pabriks he was turned down. Bērziņš then added even more confusion by asking to make people elected president, with full powers over all controlling state offices like the Bank of Latvia, The Anti-Corruption Bureau, Constitutional Defense Service ect. A president with such functions will be almost Vladimir Putin in Russia. After that some even asked about the mental state of the aged president. As Bērziņš is continuing to play games by not calling an exact candidate for the Prime Minister; it makes a question – are his actions dictated by the foolishness or a rafinate political cause. After all Bērziņš was from the Green Farmers party, the party of Aivars Lembergs is looking for revenge after the dismissal of the parliament in 2011. Or an old time Communist Party official is looking for a slick way to allow the Harmony Center in the coalition. The answer for this question will reveal on next year.

The next year may be labeled as the year of changes. The new Euro currency, the parliamentary elections and many other things that will happen along the way. There were many positive things of 2013. The Song and Dance Festival, many achievements of our sportsmen and international cultural achievements. Latvia became more closer to Catalonia by its Prime Minister acknowledging their legitimate struggle for independence. A connection that must kept within the next year as Catalonia will hold a concluding referendum next year. The Dalai Lama visit was inspiring for many.

Next year is the year of the Wodden Horse for it may be a good omen fast victories, unexpected adventure, and surprising romance. It is an excellent year for travel, and the more far away and off the beaten path the better. However, as the Trojan Horse was made from the wood we must let to make 2014 go off that way. Let’s work, act and pray to make the year 2014 as the year of our personal and mutual victories!

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Here’s an excerpt:

The Louvre Museum has 8.5 million visitors per year. This blog was viewed about 87,000 times in 2013. If it were an exhibit at the Louvre Museum, it would take about 4 days for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

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Peter the Piatkow or Jānis Žāklis wanted poster on January 30 1911

On January 11 1911 the fires of the Russian revolution reached the East End part of London. The British police was trying to arrest a group of politically motivated burglars with anarchist views from Russia. After many hours of erratic gunfight including artillery canons commanded by the Minister of the Interior Affairs Winston Churchill the two men of the gang were found dead, but the third one – supposed as the gang leader Peter the Painter or Peter Piatkow was nowhere to be found. The police started out a search, even placed wanted posters showing a photo of him. But, the notorious anarchist from Russia was nowhere to be found and his true identity was a mystery for many years. Various movies were made about him, many historians tried to find who really was this mysterious man. Yet, there is a reason why this blog post is dedicated to him. For the gang that caused so much trouble in London were not simply  anarchists from Russia. They were anarchists from modern-day Latvia, exiles of the revolution 0f 1905 – 1907. Anarchists were the pioneers of the modern-day terrorism long before Islamic radicals. And Latvians including the Peter the Painter were one of them. Thanks to historians such as Phillip Ruff the identity of the world-famous Peter the Painter became more clearer it was the Latvian artist and revolutionary known as Jānis Žāklis.

Jānis Žāklis was born in Saldus in 1883 a small town in the Courland province. According to Lutriņu parish church register book he was born on July 19. He had older brother Kārlis (1879) and older sister Anna (1880) and two younger sisters Šarlote Marija (1885) and Katrīna (1890). His possible cousin Kristaps Žāklis (1826-1889) was the illegitimate son of the German baron Heinrich von Mirbach and the maid Marija from the Neuhof mansion. She was forced to marry a Latvian called Ādams. A possible reason for the deep hatred of Germans within Jānis Žāklis. His father Jānis was a Latvian, but his mother Margrieta Tālberga according to official documents were a Lutheran Jew. A woman wealthy enough to buy a land from the baron, but disliked by the relatives of his husband because of her Jewish origins. Also a baptized Jew was usually excluded from her Jewish family circles.

Jānis Žāklis had a good education. First he went to Jaunmuiža school until the age of eleven. There he met teacher Gustavs Lācis later recognized as the participant of 1905 local uprisings. Jānis Žāklis then went to Kuldīga, had four years at the private school. At the age of sixteen he went to the German Classical gymnasium of Kuldīga. Money for education was provided by his father Jānis and uncle Juris Žāklis a colonel in the Russian engineer battalion located in Belarus.

A seemingly wealthy young student fluent in German, Russian, French and Yiddish was forced to quit his studies in 1901 and left Kuldīga. A reason was a poor health and not enough money. But, the good reading skills and intelligence lead to him to socialist ideas a common trend within Latvia brought from Germany. In 1901 he went to town of Talsi and met Jānis Linde the bookshop keeper. Together they founded the first illegal social democratic organization. Third man the 27-year-old Jūlijs Kažmers from Riga who made contacts with underground Baltic Latvian social democratic workers’ organization (BLSDWO). On 1902 Žāklis, Linde and Kažmers were leading the Talsi Committee of BLSDWO.

In 1903 the tsarist police caught a good friend of Žāklis Fricis Ratkalns. A 20-year-old student was spreading out leaflets of socialist slogans. He was reported by his schoolmate and arrested afterwards. Police made a search in and discovered his handwritten proclamations. He was tortured and forced to name Žāklis as the one who gave the proclamation text. Police tried to arrest Žāklis and searched him all across nearby areas. But, he was already in Belarus with his uncle in Babruysk. Belarus was no stranger to the revolutionary movement. In 1898 in Mink the Russian Social Democratic workers party (RSDWP) was founded. Babruysk was a center of Jewish revolutionary party Bund activities. On 1903 Bund was already forming combat units to counter possible pogroms.

On May 1 1904 Babruysk workers made a general strike. The railway station was blocked, a crowd of 800 people with Jānis Žāklis along them. On May 28 he was arrested for spreading out illegal socialist literature. He was taken to local prison. His prison photograph perfectly resembles the man later seen in British police wanted posters. Žāklis wrote pleas of appeal to Courland provincial police. He was however accused together with Fricis Ratklans of anti-governmental activities. Ratkalns however managed to escape to Great Britain before the trial. The local Minsk authorities no longer needed him and set him free on April 27 after he paid the bailout sum of 300 rubles. Žāklis came to Valmiera in Vidzeme, but soon came to rural areas around Sabile in Courland. He was under police monitoring and made money as a house painter. Also to divert police attention he regularly wrote them about his poor health problems. Because he was far from giving up politics.

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Jānis Žāklis in Belorussian prison

The Latvian Social Democratic Workers Party was founded in 1904 and had its Talsi-Tukums branch. Žāklis managed to sneak past his police monitoring and made in Riga at the end of 1904. As painter and artist he tried to enter the center of the Latvian political activities. The police finished the investigation, but failed to put him on trial since Ratkalns was gone. His case was closed so as the one in Belarus. On January 11 1905 police returned his personal documents. On January 13 a massive workers demonstration in Riga ended in bloodbath as the tzarist police fired at the crowd. The Revolution of 1905 in Latvia had begun.

Jānis Žāklis vanished from the police’s eyes and became a rogue. He was never again known by his real name, his undercover name was “surveyor”. A possible choice for such cover name was the famous Latvian novel by brothers Kaudzītes “The Times of Surveyors” where during the land reform a viscous bandit Grabovskis poses as surveyor and steals enourmos money and is failing to be caught causing many tragedies. Possibly inspired by the novel Žāklis chose such surname.

After the bloody events of January 13 where 64 people are known to be dead, Žāklis became an active member of Latvian Social Democrats. As the head of the Central Committee technical commission, that was responsible for making terrorist activities, Žāklis was assigned to gather weapons and money. A force of 200 men that robbed magazines and army patrols to gain weapons. In short time Žāklis was the commander of the revolutionary battle units. He was responsible for blowing up the Jelgava-Riga railroad and damaging the telegraph lines. On May 1 1905 a general strike was called. Despite social democrats refused to take an open part in it, fearing the armed tsarist patrols bombs killed police guards around the park of Grīziņkalns. The organizers were Žāklis and Pēteris Lapsa.  Since the official Marxist teachings forbidden the use of individual terror, that was most adjacent to anarchist moves of those times the Latvian Social Democrats on June 1905 decided to put an end to such activities.

Despite the LSDSWP calling not to start an open armed uprising, on the same time the Liepaja war sailors angered by the maggots in the meat begun an uprising, but were defeated. The armed actions were sporadic and caused tsarist authorities to strike back. On August 19 a state of emergency was called and many revolutionaries were arrested. Then on September Žāklis took the command of a rescue operation to release his comrades in the Riga Central Prison. Jūlijs Šleserrs and Jānis Lācis two senior fighters were sentenced to death. The large prison was assaulted on September 7 by 52 men from Latvian Social Democrats and the Jewish Bund. Žāklis was the commander. Four attack groups formed by him infiltrated the prison and managed to rescue Šlesers and Lācis. Under heavy gunfire the attackers made back to their safe houses achieving one of the most notable victories of the 1905 Revolution.

October – November of 1905 was a struglesome period. The general strike of October 13 and following Tzar Nicholas II manifesto promising open elections of the State Duma and the new constitution. The Riga was under the dual rule between the workers Federal Committee and the Tsarist authorities. Local Black Hundred was looking to start up pogroms against the Jews, on October 22 Žāklis with his comrades stopped the pogrom from taking place. Latvians social democrats managed to defeat the Black Hundred on the street battles on the next consequent days. Jews were rescued from the similar fate in Kiev, Kishinev and other cities across the Russian Empire.

A state of emergency was again called in December. Latvian countryside erupted in flames, mansions were burned, towns were taken over in gunfights. On November 24 Žāklis together with Lapsa arrived at Skrīveri from Riga and attacked the mansion of the Riga Regional General Governor August von Henning. The mansion was burned down and Henning was killed by the Žāklis orders. In following counter strike by the general Stern the revolutionaries crushed the tsarist forces. Only on December 1 reinforcements managed to crush the rebellion. But, Žāklis and Lapsa escaped killing the rest of senior tsarist officers. Bloody revenge made by the punitive expeditions killed thousands of Latvian peasants. But, Žāklis was gone was always.

Žāklis became more violent alienating his social democrat comrades not prone to such violence. On December 20 Žāklis organized a night raid on factory Provodnik that was occupied by raging Russian dragoons. To stop the constant abuse of the workers and even rapes, the revolutionaries surprised the sleeping dragoons murdering 17 and injuring 20 of them. All weapons and ammunition were taken away. However, the party leadership was not impressed and noted the anarchist tendencies within Žāklis. He was replaced by Mārtiņš Luters Bobis as commander.

On January 1906 large numbers of revolutionaries were arrested. On January 17 armed group of revolutionaries attacked the Riga Secret Police building releasing Mārtiņš Luters Bobis and Fricis Svars one of the killed gang members in the Sydney Street siege. Together with Žāklis he raided the Provodnik factory. He was arrested on December 31 and betrayed by one of his comrades Ziediņš. In following days police arrested more revolutionaries including Mārtiņs Luters Bobis. Žāklis was not one of them. A plan was devised and it succeeded attacking the main building of the secret police in the city center during broad daylight.

Žāklis with Luters and three other comrades made it to Petersburg. There they immediately started the armed revolutionary activities- attacking post offices, banks and shops. It was called expropriation by them to gather money for underground activities. Despite infiltrating two secret police agents within the Latvian group, tsarist police failed to stop them from attacking the Union bank in Helsingforss (Helsinki, Finland). Bank was robbed stealing 170 thousand rubles. Six Latvians were later arrested, but Žāklis was on his way to Germany…

As the revolution in Latvia and Russia was heading towards defeat, Žāklis was in Western Europe organizing arms contraband to Russia. Then trough Switzerland he went back to Latvia, no longer a social democrat but an anarchist. Rage addict Žāklis was impressed by the anarchist teachings of “invisible cycle of revolutionaries” and the “invisible dictatorship” that would instore order by using force not law and authority. Inspired by the ideas of Bakunin and Kropotkin Žāklis brought their home to Latvia and inspired many others.

In anarchist Latvian  newspaper “Freedom” Žāklis called anarchism a natural way of Latvian life not influenced by foreigners. Žāklis called his group of supporters “Myself – words and action”. Latvian Social Democrats were not sufficient in the views of Žāklis to start a massive revolution. Many who thought so too left the party and became radical anarchists. The party was in the shake-up started by Žāklis. On August 15 1906 a manifesto by the Žāklis group was issued. Žāklis rejected any use of organized orders, party ranks and commitees instead promoting independent action. The state was rejected instead calls for full break up of social society and resources were issued “Let’s go and take all by ourselves!”. Žāklis published his brochures in the summer of 1906. He was the main anarchist ideologue in Latvia.

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The confiscated weapons and literature of the Latvian revolutionaries including the anarchist magazine “Flame” (Leesma)

The police had enough of Žāklis and his anarchists. 110 police officers were killed in the clashes with them. On August 14 1906 on night time; police surrounded the house in Stabu street 65. Two Žāklis comrades Kārlis Krieviņš and Anna Caune were reported of hiding there. Police approached the doors and demanded to open them. In return anarchists opened fire. In the desperate gunfight until four of clocks of August 15 the couple resisted until they were killed. Similar events later took place at the Sydney street. The code of law for the anarchists was never to surrender.

The crackdown on anarchists were long and painful. More gunfights erupted, some were shot on the place, others were arrested. But, Žāklis again escaped together with his mistress Lidija Švarce also known as Marija and Anna, “yours black girl”. He was reported to be in Pskov, on the end of  1906 he left Latvia completely. Posing as Peter Piatkow probably went to US. In 1909 he was reported to be in Philadelphia where the famous photo of him used in police posters was taken. Despite the fact that the president of US William McKinley was assassinated by the polish anarchist Leon Czolgosz, who was inspired by other Baltic anarchist leader Emma Goldman on 1901, US proved to be an easy hideout for anarchists from the Russian Empire.

In US Žāklis met Fricis Svars again, and five others involved in the the Houndsditch murders. There they published Latvian anarchist magazine “Freedom”. But, just writing anarchist ideas was not part of their struggle in the US. The expropriation was again used. On 1908 February 6 Žāklis, Svars and Hartmanis robbed two merchants in Woburn, Massachusetts. In police chase two policemen and one local were shot. The robbers escaped.

In the spring of 1908 Peter Piatkow returned to Europe still hoping to restart the anarchist fight in his homeland. But, the lack of money was the reason for more robberies. On April 10 three armed Latvians invaded the Scottish Royal bank in  in Lancashire  county. In resulting gunfight and chase, two were arrested. Posing as local poor Englishmen the robbers may have been connected with Žāklis. Žāklis in mean time was in Switzerland then in France to study medicine and chemics. In Marseille he was soon under French police watch, but again sneaked out. Posing as a builder and an arts student Žāklis enjoyed the seaside and plotted more anarchist activities.

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Jānis Žāklis in the middle on board of the French ship in Marseilles. About 1908-1909

Latvian anarchists were still acting in Latvia, where local police still tried to find the mystical “surveyor” who they thought still hides there. Meanwhile in Boston Latvian anarchists caused another gun fight by attacking local pub. One was killed, others escaped. The police investigation showed that the attack had connections with Fricis Svars- Žāklis close comrade.  Many other armed attempts of robberies took place across Europe.

But that was not enough. On July 18 1909 Russian police caught Jānis Lapiņš who was arrested for shooting at some Mr Štāl. While during interrogation he confessed to be sent to Latvia by orders of the Latvian and Russian anarchist rig. Lead by Russian narodnik Alexey Telpov the group summoned him to transport literature and weapons. Along with him four men under false names arrived in Latvia to start an anarchist armed struggle. They called themselves “The Baltic Federation Anarchist group “Avanger”. The group was arrested, but two of them Alfrēds Dzirkalis and Juris Laiviņš managed to escape, two who later were involved in the Houndsditch Murders. On October 1909 Fricis Svars in London was visited by his cousin Jēkabs (Yakov) Peters who was for a long time considered as the real Peter the Painter. A experienced revolutionary during the 1905 struggles, he was still true to the social democrat cause and was angered by the ideological shift of his cousin Svars. He left London after three months to become a famous Bolshevik, a member of Cheka during the Civil War in Russia. He perished in 1938 purges.

In London on 1909 a Latvian anarchist group “Flame” emerged. Svars, Hartmanis and called Max Smoller. Also a Russian – Latvian couple Nina Vasileva and Wiliam Sokolov. The anarchists conducted a similar operations long before the Houndsditch Murders. Similar works of crime were donned before by drilling a hole in the roof they entered the jewelry shops and stole the goods. Three such thefts were recorded in the criminal archives may have been the work of the same gang that did the Houndsditch Murders.

On October 1910 Jānis Žāklis arrived at London and head directly to Fricis Svars. Introduced as Peter Piatkow to Svars mistress Ljuba Millstein. He spent the night at Dzirkalis apartment. On November 4 1910 the trio moved to the Grove street house Nr.4. The Russian secret police made a report of Latvian anarchists attempting to unify the separate groups in one congress along London. On April 14  according to Russian intelligence a special committee was made and led by Jānis Žāklis. The journal “Freedom” issued gratitude of cash flows from the London group. The last issue before the Houndsditch Murders of “Freedom” had an annual financial report made by a “surveyor” or Žāklis. A committee that needed substantial financial funding that could only gathered by use of expropriation according to views of Žāklis.

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The Post Morten photo of Hartmanis who died at the night of December 16

On December 16 Jānis Žāklis gathered his group in the Grove street apartment. The attempt of breaking into the rear of a jeweller’s shop at 119 Houndsditch was discovered by the adjacent shopkeeper who heard constant hammering and informed the police. Nine unarmed officers — three sergeants and six constables (two in plain clothes) — converged on Exchange Buildings. Sergeants Bentley and Bryant knocked at the door of No. 11 Exchange Buildings, unaware that the first constable on the scene had already done so, thus alerting the thieves. The gang’s leader, George Gardstein or Hartmanis, opened the door, but when he did not answer their questions they assumed he did not understand English and told him to fetch someone who did. Hartmanis left the door half-closed and disappeared. Growing impatient, the two sergeants entered the house to find the room apparently empty, before they became aware of a man standing in the darkness at the top of the stairs. After a short conversation, another man entered through the yard door, rapidly firing a pistol, while the man on the stairs also started shooting. Both officers were hit, with Bentley collapsing across the doorstep, while Bryant managed to stagger outside. In the street, Constable Woodhams ran to help Bentley, but was himself wounded by one of the gang firing from the cover of the house, as was Sergeant Tucker, who died almost instantly. The gang then attempted to break out of the cul-de-sac, Hartmanis being grabbed by Constable Choate almost at the entrance. In the struggle, Choate was wounded several times by Hartmanis, before being shot five more times by other members of the gang, who also managed to hit Hartmanis in the back. They then dragged Hartmanis ¾ of a mile to 59 Grove Street, where he died the next day. Constable Choate and Sergeant Bentley died in separate hospitals the same day. Police found dead Hartmanis in the Grove Street apartment and made the connection with Jānis Žāklis or Peter Piatkow who owned the apartment.

London was shocked by the murder of two unarmed policemen. A scare of “murdering foreigners” errputed in the London press. Police soon established the connection with the dead Hartmanis and the rest of the anarchist group. In Fricis Svars apartment they found various documents of communication between anarchist groups. “Flame”, “Fighter”, “Freedom” in the US and also “The Black Flag” in Paris. A plan was to create an international union of anarchists.

Ljuba Milstein arrived at the police station on December 18. Forced by her Jewish family to wash away all the suspicion from her she reported the man blamed for the murders. It was Svars, Hartmanis and Sokolovs.  Žāklis did not take direct part and stayed home at night. She was asked to care of dying Hartmanis which she could not bare it. Consequent arrests were made, Jānis Laiviņš was arrested who was part of the anarchist network. Then mandolin teacher who was present at the Grove Street meeting on December 16 reported Jēkabs Peters the cousin of Sivas. He denied any connection, but was arrested.

500 pounds reward for reporting encouraged a unanimous informant on January 1991 1 to report the possible location of Fricis Svars.  It was Charles Perelman the owner of the house where Svars and Žāklis lived. Svars had given him a letter addressed to his father and the father of the brother Sudmaļi. And also Perelman revealed the location where the Svars was hiding in the Sydney Street 100, Stepney, along with William Sokolov.

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Fricis Svars who resisted the British police to the last blood on January 3 1911

The police secretly surrounded the hiding spot. The plan was to get them by force, no talks about peaceful arrest were considered. The house was evacuated, but the surrounded bandits showed no sign of life. At eight of clock police sent officer Benjamin Lyson to throw rocks at the second floor window where the Latvian were hiding. After rocks had no effect, the concrete brick “did the trick” and Lyson was shot Brauning and Mauzer pistols. He was shot down but survived.  A Sydney street siege had begun. For more than an hour police was kept away in significant length from the Latvians. Sporadic shooting did nothing to harm them. The Ministry of War was informed and Secretary of Interior Affairs Winston Churchill was called while being in bath. Churchill called the London Tower garrison. The Lieutenant Hugh “Jack” Ross, two private first class along with 17th men of the 1st Scottish guard. Armed with Lee Enfield guns the soldiers took the both sides of the streets. Driven by “curiosity” Churchill arrived  at the site and took the full operational command work. A never seen before action by the state minister.

Churchill wanted to play out the role of the war commander and asked to bring two machine guns and even artillery cannons. They came too late, when battle was already over. While still figuring out how to enter the building, the bullet hit the gas pipe and the house erupted in flames. The firefighters arrived only to be halted by Churchill who insisted that the building must be burned down to flames with Latvians inside. But, despite the heavy smoke surrounding building two Latvians Svars and Sokolovs still recklessly fired at the police. More Scottish guards were called the Maxim machine gun was mounted. Then Sokolovs was shot in the head and died. Svars put down on the ground still fired his gun until 13:50. British police and Winston Churchill may not know the number one law of the Latvian anarchists – Never, never, never surrender!

After the roof fell in the firefighters finally came in.  And the first and last causality on the British side appeared as the one of the firefighters got hit by massive building block. Two burned bodies of Fricis Svars and William Sokolov were found. Police arrested Jakob Peters, Miljtein,  Trayonsk, Laiviņš  and Fyodorov who were connected to “Flame” group. The closed trial failed to prove their direct guilt and most including Jakob Peters were set free. But, the man who rented the Grove Street apartment where the gang planned the  Houndsditch robbery – Peter Piatkow, Peter the Painter or Jānis Žāklis was nowhere to be found – again….

Posters of Jānis Žāklis showing his photograph made in US were spread all around London. Police however, knew that Žāklis was not present at the scene of the Houndsditch shootings. But, Peter the Painter became an urban legend similar to the Jack the Ripper. According to 1932 MI5 report Žāklis was hiding in some apartment belonging to some Wagner. Also shared with Latvian anarchist named Valdis, who later served at Canada Housman Guard. Žāklis escaped the police search in and made his way to Netherlands. Later he was reported to be in Brussels. His comrades were dead and his plan of starting up the revolution in Latvia had failed. He was on the run again, the Russian secret police reported to London that he is hiding in Germany. The British police decided that they lack enough proof to hunt Žāklis and did nothing.

Ljuba Milstein was pregnant from Fricis Svars when he died on the Sydney Street. Together with Alfrēds Dzirkalis she left for US and raised the son of Svars Alfred Driskol   together. Jakob Peters remained in London and later returned to Russia and became close associate to Vladimir Lenin. Juris Laiviņš returned to Latvia and was arrested by force. He was released on 1917 and not heard until 1926 when he was photographed in 1905 memorial arrangement. Nothing more about him is known afterwards.

Jānis Žāklis was last seen in Germany 1912. Žāklis possible moved to Australia. The Australian police from 1911 to 1917 arrested three persons who they thought they were Peter the Painter. All were released because of the lack of evidence. The distant relatives of Žāklis were know to live in Australia after WW2. Peter the Painter could possibly entered Australia as disguised businessman to more easily pass the naturalization tests. There with his wife Lidija Švarce he spent the rest of life as Australian businessman.

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The movie dramatization of the events of January 3 1911. 1960 Movie the Siege of the Sydney Street

Latvian anarchist movement went to decay after the Sydney Street siege. At the end of the WWI Latvia was the battleground between the national independence movement, Bolsheviks and the Baltic Germans. There was no room for anarchists anymore. But, the legend of Peter the Painter moved on. He was featured in many films and songs. The 2012 TV drama Titanic even placed him above on the board of the sunken ship. The first to be wounded on January 3 1911 officer Lyson later claimed that Peter the Painter was no other than Joseph Stalin himself. True, Stalin was also involved in robberies or so-called expropriations. But Stalin is known to never left Russia before 1945 when he arrived at Potsdam. The Peter the Painter was Jānis Žāklis a man from Latvia. One of the most famous Latvian adventurers, anarchists and the man who was never caught by any police force around the world. A true legend of its own.

Selected Sources

Rufs, Filips. (2012) Pa stāvu liesmu debesīs : nenotveramā latviešu anarhista Pētera Māldera laiks un dzīve. Rīga : Dienas Grāmata

Latvijas revolucionāro cīnītāju piemiņas grāmata / redkolēģija: S. Ziemelis (galvenais redaktors) … [u.c.] ; Latvijas KP CK Partijas vēstures institūts – PSKP CK Marksisma-ļeņinisma institūta filiāle, Latvijas PSR Zinātņu akadēmijas vēstures institūts, Latvijas PSR Centrālais valsts vēstures arhīvs ; [pēcvārds krievu valodā]. 2. pārstr. un papild. izd. Rīga : Liesma, 1976-1987. 2 sēj.

Bērzinš, Jānis. (Ed.) (2006) 1905. gads Latvijā: 100 : pētījumi un starptautiskas konferences materiāli, 2005. gada 11.-12. janvāris, Rīga. Riga: Latvijas Vēstures institūta apgāds

http://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/rjdgpg

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Those who have some elementary  knowledge in the history of the Latvian cinema may tell that first drama movie made in independent Latvia was Es Karā Aiziedams (I am leaving for war) on 1920. The movie that has sadly not survived. But, few may know that before WWI when Latvia was a part of the Russian Empire, first three drama movies on 1913 where made by Jewish filmographers. “Where is the truth?  The Tragedy of the Jewish Student”, “Listen Israel!” and “The Shoemaker Leiba”. Of all three only the first one “Where is the truth?” is conserved and can be viewable on youtube.  There is some doubts that “The Shoomaker Lieba” was actually filmed outside Latvia. But, from the first scenes of the “Where is the truth?” it is clear that this movie was shot in Riga and Ventspils. A movie remarkable for its political context and still obscure information about the its  producer and director S. Mintus.

Cinema was the new trend of the XX century. After it first appeared in 1895 Paris, it soon arrived in Riga. On 1901 the first cinema was built-in Riga. A decade later 1910 first documentary of the Tzar Nicholas II visiting Riga were taken. The 2 min footage by Alexander Drankov study were made and still can be viewable today. As Russian Empire allowed private movie screening business and movie making the doors were open to Latvia to make first dramatic movies. And that is where the Jewish photographer and photo equipment seller S Mintus came in. He owned his own company “S Mintus shopping house”. With enough money and connections he went on venture to film his own movies. He also owned his own cinema “The Coliseum” in Riga.  Since films were valuable and were mostly rented, not copied because of the technical issues, Mintus became wealthy by renting films all across the Baltic province. The cinemas rented film to display it on their screens. Copying was possible, but it could damage the original over time.

The large Jewish community in Ukraine and Belarus were the first to make Jewish themed movies. The script was taken from theater plays and were usually based along the ethnic lines of the Jewish life. Because the Russian Tsarist censorship was more touchy about political baselines than ethnic folk stories.  Odessa soon became the center of the Russian Jewish cinema. Despite the political oppression by the Tsarist government and  uneasy relations with other nationals, especially during the pogroms of 1905 Jews managed to stood out before others. And the trendy film making was one of the kind.

It’s not clear was S Mintus from Latvia, or he came from Ukraine, but he was certainly inspired by the movies made by Ukrainian Jews. The 1910 “L’Haim” that was said to based on Jewish traditional song, despite there was not such was a success.  It was the very first Jewish film in Russia. On 1913 the Odessa based company “Mirograf” made the movie “The Tragedy of the Jewish student” (Трагедия еврейской курсистки), also in Germany a seemingly similar movie was made. It seems that both movies from Ukraine and Germany and the one in Latvia was based on the same theater play whose author is yet to be found. Of all three the film made by S Mintus was the most known and conserved until today.

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The outside scenes of Riga the Polytechnical institute nowadays the University of Latvia

The main role of the Adele Vaitzekind was played by Falkher (name not known), Ādams Ozols as her lover Rafail, Lūcija Lilaste in unconfirmed role and Ivan Hudpoleev as the Doctor. The movie was shot in Riga and Venstpils. The opening scenes features the center of Riga during the winter. The Riga Orthodox Cathedral, the University of Latvia main building is within the scenes. At the middle of the movie despite the main character still in Riga, the actual scene is shot in Ventspils. Also many of the interior scenes were actually filmed outside as decorations. Since the scenes were taken during the cold February winds, some of the room scenes shows flowers and carpets moved by the strong wind. It was because the decorations had no roof and were affected by the strong winter winds. As silent movie it had only live piano feature, but also the preserved version had no subtitles. It was because the lines of the movie characters were spoken by actors during the movie display.

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The two main characters Rafail and Adele

The movie plot has a very complicated and social character. The main heroine Adele is from Bessarabia (Moldova). Without her parents she arrives at Riga to look for higher knowledge. She suddenly meets her old friend Rafail Edelgertz. A love is born as two enjoy sudden rush of romance. But, then a first wave of storm hits: authorities has sent her a notification to leave Riga as her rights of residence has been removed. This was because of the old Tsarist law since the Third partition of Poland. Russian Empire after acquiring vast territories of Poland-Lithuania was not ready to deal with such a large Jewish minority. Afraid from the migration, the Tsars suppressed Jews to live outside the former borders of Poland-Lithuania. And Riga was outside the so-called “Settlement line”. Getting into Riga was tricky for many Jews, but as Russia became more liberal at the end of 19th century it was possible for more Jews to come. But, in this case her residence permit was declined.

In desperate thoughts about going back to Kishinev, Adele asks Rafail for help. He seeks the advise from an educated doctor who also knows the law. He suggests to register Adele as prostitute so she can stay in Riga. To get registered she and Rafial makes a fake date, where Rafail poses as client. Police officers catches them in the intimate situation at  the table with drinks near bed. After that she moves to another apartment to clear off police suspicion.

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Scene shot in Venstpils

But, the storm rashes again; Rafiel must visit his sick father. He leaves Adele all alone in Riga. And then the trouble starts. A two robbers with similar look of Adele and Rafiel attacks man on the street and robs him. In fateful coincidence the event takes place near Adele apartment and as they run off the Adele walks out the door. In similar clothes and hat the robbed victim quickly turns her to police.

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The first part of the prison cell dramatic scene

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Second Part of the prison scene

This is where the movie culminates: in mental breakdown in the prison cell innocent Adele dressed in black recalls her past. In the dramatically emotional moment Adele fades into her childhood home in Kishinev. She sees her parents and the maid. A seemingly happy scene turns into nightmare when the angry mob of men invades their house and kills her parents. It was a clear reference to the Jewish pogrom of 1903 that took place in Kishinev. A more pogroms took place during 1905 revolution. This part is notable for two things. The grandiose gothic like scene of Adele loosing her mind and the  spectacular fading to events in past. A genial dramatic footage for the times of 1913. Also the pogrom scene a – touchy subject sparking the Jewish will of resistance.

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The pogrom scene

The real criminals are found and Adele is released, but she is sick from her mental suffering. In final scene she dies in the hands of the ruined Rafail. The original footage featured him also dying on her grave, but the 1917 version of the movie had cut that scene out. The movie was a great success, however the Tsarist authorities were not too pleased about the pogrom scene. Many had accused the Russian government on being involved in the Jewish pogroms or doing not enough to halt them. Movie screening was limited. On 1917 after the revolution the movie was re-edited and shown again.

After a year on 1914 the World War I begun. Large numbers of the Latvian Jews were forced to move to Russia. The settlement line was suddenly broken. There is no info of what happened to S Mintus and his photo and movie business. Many details about his biography are yet to be found. The Riga Jewish History Museum and Ventspils History Museum has held events commemorating this historic movie, an academic detailed account is hopefully to follow.

Selected Sources:

http://www.kinoglaz.fr/u_fiche_film.php?num=4597

http://www.kino-teatr.ru/kino/movie/empire/12698/annot/

http://judaica.kiev.ua/Eg_11/Eg1115.htm

http://www.lechaim.ru/ARHIV/100/kino.htm

http://jewishmuseum.lv/en/item/89-Kinovecher_v_muzee_100-letee_pervogo_khudozhestvennogo_filma_v_Latvii.html

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