A new exhibition at the Latvian National Library opened October 16, which tells of the involvement of the United Kingdom in supporting Latvia's path to independence.
The Simon Wiesenthal Center in Jerusalem has written to Latvia's ambassador in Israel to express its "shock and indignation" at comments made by Latvian Defense Minister Artis Pabriks.
September 28 marked the 25th anniversary of the 1994 Estonia ferry disaster, which claimed more than 800 lives in the Baltic Sea, most of them Swedes and Estonians.
On September 27, 1919 the Polish army attacked the outskirts of Daugavpils, eastern Latvia, with the goal of overtaking the Grīva bridge fortifications and the city itself should there be the chance. The battle for Daugavpils was among the most bloody during the Latvian War of Independence (1918–1920) and it was the only battle in the war where tanks participated alongside regular units.
A hundred years ago, on September 21, 1919 the German army general Rüdiger von der Goltz as well as self-styled prince Pavel Bermondt-Avalov, the commander of the West Russian Volunteer Army, concluded a secret pact that foresaw the transfer of German army units to the Russian army. Meanwhile Bermondt agreed to submit to the pro-German military council, or government, of Western Russia that had been set up in Berlin. This marked the start of another episode in von der Goltz's affair undertaken against the Republic of Latvia and its provisional government.
German historian Michael North has written one of the best general histories of the Baltic region, titled appropriately enough The Baltic: A History and first published in 2015. He is Professor and Chair of Modern History at the University of Greifswald, Germany and has produced numerous papers, publications and books about the Baltic region.
A hundred years ago, on September 11, 1919 the Latvian government received a telegram from Georgy Chicherin, People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs in the Soviet government, with an offer to conclude a peace treaty. Such offers were sent to the Lithuanian and Finnish governments as well, while Estonia had received such an offer as early as August 31.
Renovation work is underway at Hāmaņa Muiža (Hamann Manor), a magnificent wooden manor house from the eighteenth century that has suffered decades of neglect and abuse.
Former Swedish Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, one of the region's most renowned and respected diplomats, was in Rīga on August 22 to attend a conference dedicated to the Baltic Way.
August 23, 2019 marks the 30th anniversary of the Baltic Way – the day in 1989 when Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians joined hands, forming a live human chain from Tallinn to Vilnius via Rīga to protest the Soviet occupation of their countries, which resulted from the signing of the notorious Molotov-Ribbentrop pact on August 23, 1939. They called for the renewed independence of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – a goal that, incredibly, was achieved within two years.
When the Baltic Way took place 30 years ago, it was in a world without the internet, email and social media where the cutting edge of communications technology was the fax machine, which itself was put to brilliant use to spread the word as this famous document from the time demonstrates.
Jonathan Steele is a distinguished former foreign correspondent with the British daily newspaper The Guardian, and remains a contributor to this day.
This week sees a large number of events taking place dedicated to the Baltic Way, an extraordinary piece of non-violent resistance on August 23, 1989, that saw Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians join hands all the way from Vilnius to Tallinn via Rīga to call for the restoration of their independence.
The prime ministers of the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania will mark the 30th anniversary of the Baltic Way together in Rīga on August 30th, Latvia's government said August 13.
The once elegant and popular resort of Ķemeri is hoping to return to something approaching its former glory with restoration work commencing on an historic water tower tower in the center of the now run-down spa resort.
The Latvian calendar has never been a mere catalog of days, but also an encyclopedia and a compendium of advice on various matters of living, the specialists of the National Library of Latvia (LNB) told Latvian Radio on July 2. For example, the “Household Calendar of 1937” provides advice on table manners.
As part of an initiative to familiarize Latvian residents with the battlefields that have played an important role in the country's history, this week, from August 5 to August 11, the Ministry of Defense is inviting people to visit the memorial site of the Battle of Piņķi, where an important clash against Bolshevik forces took place on May 22, 1919.
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has produced a new radio documentary outlining the life story of former Latvian president Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, who served two terms as head of state from 1999-2007.
The Latvian calendar has never been a mere catalog of days, but also an encyclopedia and a compendium of advice on various matters of living, the specialists of the National Library of Latvia (LNB) told Latvian Radio on July 2. For example, the “Household Calendar of 1923” includes some advice on saving firewood.
The Latvian calendar has never been a mere catalog of days, but also an encyclopedia and a compendium of advice on various matters of living, the specialists of the National Library of Latvia (LNB) told Latvian Radio on July 2. For example, the “Household Calendar of 1933” tells of “what our trees reveal about early winter”.
July 10 is the centenary of the official founding of the Latvian Army. To mark the occasion, here is another biography of one of the people who has served under the Latvian flag during the past century.
The story of Kārlis Šnēbergs, who fought among the ranks of the famed Latvian Riflemen during World War I, and won both the Order of Lāčplēsis from Latvia and an Iron Cross from Germany during World War II, is part of a story series on Latvian Radio dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Latvian Army.
One of the darkest periods in Latvia's history was commemorated July 4 at an annual ceremony held at the site of one of pre-war Rīga's synagogues.
The story of Eduards Sebris, who received the Lāčplēsis war award for heroism during the Bermondt affair period, but joined the National Partisans after the occupation of Latvia is part of a story series on Latvian Radio dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Latvian Army.
The calendar was never a mere a list of days, but also an encyclopedia and a compendium of advice on various matters of living, the specialists of the National Library of Latvia (LNB) told Latvian Radio on June 27. For example, the “Household Calendar of 1923” includes a list of medical treatments.
A small piece of Baltic history returned to Latvian shores June 26 when an inscribed piece of amber, originally given by Latvian Prime Minister and later President Kārlis Ulmanis to a British military officer, was handed back by the officer's descendants.
The steamer “Saratov”, on which the Latvian Provisional Government led by Kārlis Ulmanis spent two months floating on the waters near Liepāja, returned to the Liepāja harbor on June 27, 1919. This was the end of a period called the “Republic on Water”. LSM's Russian service joined historian Juris Raķis in taking a stroll around Liepāja to see where some of the significant events in Latvian history took place.
The story of Fricis Audze, who was enlisted in the Russian Army but witnessed the end of World War I in France is part of a story series on Latvian Radio dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Latvian Army.
A short documentary telling the tale of the creation of a special glass window in Rīga's Dome cathedral is now available for the first time with English subtitles.
June 22 saw history buffs performing a re-enactment to mark 100 years since the Battles of Cēsis, important military clashes that helped secure the status of newly-independent Latvia. You can watch a video of the re-enactment above and see a gallery of images below.