An opinion piece penned by Dainis Īvāns and Artūrs Snips, titled On the Fate of River Daugava, swayed public opinion so thoroughly that it led to cancelling the plan to build the Daugavpils Hydroelectric power plant, on which millions had been spent already.
On March 30 the European Commission (EC) decided to award the 'Three Brothers', the oldest stone buildings in Rīga, the European Heritage Label, according to the National Cultural Heritage Board (which is also housed at the site) on April 1.
In the 1980s, print and broadcast journalists in Latvia became freer from both Soviet ideology and censorship, but did this new spirit permeate to the local Russian speakers as well?
"Estonia must understand that Latvia is stronger than Estonia," reads a bellicose column in the June 1920 issue of the Latvijas Sargs newspaper. Similar utterances could be found in almost every single newspaper at the time, and the Estonian press followed suit. Latvian diplomat Oļģerds Grosvalds went so far as to warn Foreign Minister Zigfrīds Meierovics to abstain from military clashes with Estonia, as this could cause a catastrophe.
A Rīga Free City schilling, a key from a 16th-century chest, and two 17th-century stoves to be used at an inn. These are some of the finds in the excavations at Mazjumprava manor near Rīga, reports Latvian Radio.
May 4 this year will mark the 30th anniversary of the Supreme Council vote to reinstate Latvia's independence. A Latvian Radio strand looks back at the way the popular Avots (Source) magazine, which also published the first Latvian translations of many Western classics, contributed to the prevailing mood of the National Awakening.
May 4 this year will mark the 30th anniversary after the Supreme Council vote to reinstate Latvia's independence. Latvian Radio looks back at important radio broadcasts and personalities that contributed to the growing sentiment of the National Awakening in the 1980s.
The Labvakar (Good Evening!) program, first broadcast January 31, 1988 on LTV, was an information powerhouse just as Latvia was set to regain its independence. Labvakar undermined the Soviet system with direct and indirect criticism, and as such its hosts had to circumvent censorship to provide objective news stories.
An archeological dig is taking place at the Doma Dārzs summer terrace location in Rīga's Old Town to search for evidence of any historical artifacts, as the territory owners have plans to build a hotel on the land and the dig is a prerequisite for developing construction plans, according to a Latvian Radio broadcast on March 10.
The Daugavpils municipality has allocated 70 thousand euros for the restoration of eight buildings, and the sum will mostly cover historic architectural research and design for the buildings, which include unique art nouveau buildings and red-brick architectural monuments characteristic of Daugavpils, according to a Latvian Radio broadcast on February 20.
Latvian State President Egils Levits is in Poland January 27 and 28 to join in with international commemorations of the day 75 years ago when the Nazi-run Auschwitz death camp was liberated by the Allies.
When thousands of people came together in 1991 to protect the newly independent Republic of Latvia from the Soviet forces some people spent a short time at the barricades, and some stayed a month. LSM.lv interviewed five patriotic participants.
On 19 January 2020, the Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edgars Rinkēvičs, took part in the Ministerial Conference of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance in Brussels.
A trove of historical artifacts has been found in the basement sand and debris of the formerly famous Madame Hoyer Hotel in Liepāja, which is undergoing renovations and will eventually become a 17th-19th century historic interior museum, according to a Latvian Radio broadcast and LTV’s culture news broadcast “Kultūras ziņas” on January 10.
A new collection of essays by 13 researchers from seven different countries discussing the significance of medieval Livonia were written as the result of an international conference in 2017, that was part of a National Library and University of Latvia project in honor of the Latvian centenary, according to a Latvian Radio broadcast on January 11.
The KGB Building has expanded the “History of KGB operations in Latvia” exhibition with additional materials included in the new virtual exhibit “Confiscated Letters 1940/1941”, presented at the opening event on December 19.
80 years ago on December 15, 1939, the 700-year ethnic German minority effectively disappeared from Latvia after around 80% of the community repatriated back to Germany, LSM.lv wrote on December 15.
Illegal excavation at archeological sites (sometimes referred to as "black archeology") is one of the greatest threats to the preservation and protection of cultural heritage objects, and Latvian Radio reported on December 10 that police have seized around 4,000 of these objects over the past three years.
November 30, 2019 will mark 78 years since the biggest mass murder of civilians in the history of Latvia when around 25,000 Latvian Jews were killed in the Rumbula forest near Rīga during a two-day-long Holocaust atrocity.
Carbon dating of an item in the collection of the National History Museum of Latvia has thrown up a surprise with a small boat recovered from a swamp turning out to be far more ancient than initially thought, reported Latvian Radio November 18.
Latvia is in celebratory mood November 18 on the occasion of its independence day, with ceremonies, events and parties planned to mark 101 years since the proclamation of the independent Latvian state on November 18, 1918.
On 14 November 2019, to mark the 101st anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Latvia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted an event at which the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edgars Rinkēvičs, handed over to the Museum of Literature and Music a letter of gratitude presented in 1923 to the French composer Vincent d’Indy by the Latvian literary and artistic community in appreciation of his masterful conducting at several concerts at the Latvian National Opera.
Memorial services and other ceremonies are taking place across Latvia November 11 to remember those who have fallen in defense of the Latvian nation and its freedoms.
On 9 November 2019 in Berlin, at the invitation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany, Heiko Maas, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edgars Rinkēvičs, together with his counterparts from the Baltics and other European Union Member States, took part in events to mark the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Latvia's postal service reveals a special edition stamp November 8 commemorating the battle for Rīga in 1919.
It's one hundred years since crucial battles put the fledgling Latvian state on a firmer footing, and to mark the occasion the Latvian National History Museum is staging an exhibition that tells the tales of winners of the Order of Lāčplēsis, a military award established to honor those who showed outstanding bravery in the independence struggles.
The next week marks one hundred years since the Bermondt battles, which concluded with the liberation of Riga on November 11, 1919.
A new exhibit has been unveiled at the National History Museum of Latvia (LNVM). The “11 Heroic Stories” exhibit is dedicated to the military Order of Lāčplēsis, which turns 100 this year. Exhibit attendees will be able to see the history of how the military award was created, testimonies about presenting the award and learn about the cavaliers who were highly respected members of society during the first era of independence.
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.