The State Language Centre (VVC) had earlier requested the Olaine municipality to change the name of the Medemciems train station and settlement to "Mēdemciems", as this would be "historically more correct". The Center said that the name is derived from the surname of the German-Baltic nobility - Mēdemi.
However, the Olaine Municipality has decided to leave the name Medemciems as it is because it has found out that the noble Mēdemi had no connection with the location of Medemciems.
Māris Ribickis, Senior Specialist at the Olaine Municipality Museum of History and Art, explained that the VVC refers to the Mēdemi family, but "the Mēdemi have owned estates in Kurzeme and Zemgale, Olaine is not in Zemgale".
"We have border posts nearby, which historically have divided Vidzeme and Zemgale since the 1930s. The other important thing is that this land could also be rented at that time. The owner of the land is the City of Riga. There is no document in our possession or in the archives that confirms that this family rented this land, on the basis of which it could be said that it is the name of this family," Ribickis said.
Meanwhile, Agris Timuška, chief linguist at the State Language Center, told LTV that the municipality would still have to change the name "because the correct form is definitely Mēdemciems with ē".
"The State Language Center is currently considering the possibility of enforcing the decision. Most probably by applying to the court to annul the incorrect decision of the Olaine Municipal Council," said Timuška.
The State Language Center plans to apply to the court in the coming months. If the court's decision is in favor of the name with a long "ē", the name of the village and the station will have to be changed.
