What is 'Lāčplēsis Day' and why do Latvians mark it?

Usually a day characterised by services, parades and the lighting of candles at Rīga Castle and other public places around the country, due to the COVID-19 pandemic this year's event will again be a more private and personal affair to be marked at home, though you can still expect to see candles glowing in windows and at war memorials.

Known as 'Lāčplēsis Day' (Lāčplēsis being the name of Latvia's mythical warrior hero), while it coincides with the date upon which the 1918 Armistice at the end of the First World War is commemorated in many other countries, the Latvian events are subtly different, officially marking the day a year later in 1919 when a crucial victory against allied German and White Russian forces under Count Pavel Bermondt-Avalov was won by the fledgling republic, which had declared independence a year earlier. 

During the decisive battles in and around Rīga, Latvia lost 743 soldiers, of whom 57 were officers, according to the Latvian Army.

It is often observed that though 1918 is regarded as the final year of World War One, in Latvia harsh military conflicts continued for a considerable period after that date, with Latvia receiving crucial support from its northern neighbor, Estonia, to repel not only the West Russian Volunteer Army but the Red Army, too.

Latvia also received valuable assistance from British and French warships. Later, in 1920, Polish troops helped the Latvian Army expel the Red Army from Daugavpils and the surrounding area before ceasefires with Germany and Soviet Russia were eventually signed.

But as with other remembrance events, Lāčplēsis Day is not only a day of historical commemoration but is also used to express appreciation for the service and sacrifice of all those who have served in the armed forces since and who do so today.

President Egils Levits reflects upon the meaning of Lāčplēsis Day 2021 in these comments:

Let's remember our own Lāčplēsis heroes, Latvian Army soldiers who sacrificed their lives for their homeland. Today we must find the strength of Lāčplēsis to fight for the health of the people, in order to resist delusions.

More details about the historical context and meaning of Lāčplēsis Day can be found in this helpful explanation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and this excellent independently-made online timeline.