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Country in a Box:

Republic of Latvia Latvijas Republika

The House of the Blackheads Guild in Riga, Latvia

A Teacher’s Guide Compiled by the Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University http://ceres.georgetown.edu

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Latvia in a Box: Table of Contents

Latvia: Facts at a Glance

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History of Latvia

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Timeline 8

Culture of Latvia

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Folklore: Pastaris and the Giant

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Additional Resources on Latvia

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Bauska Castle on the Mūša River, Latvia

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The Latvian flag is one of the world’s oldest. The earliest extant reference to the Latvian flag describes a banner red in color, cut through with a white strip' used by a Latvian military unit in 1279. The red color of the Latvian flag is a particular dark red tone that is referred to as “Latvian red” in the rest of the world. The flag design was originally adopted in 1923, outlawed under the Soviet Union, and restored as the national flag on May 4, 1990. [Text taken directly from “Flags of the World.” Available at: http://flagspot.net/flags/tr.html]

Latvia: Facts at a Glance _______ Text taken directly from Central Intelligence Agency. The World Factbook: Latvia. Available at: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/lg.html Country Name: Republic of Latvia Background: The name "Latvia" originates from the ancient Latgalians, one of four eastern Baltic tribes that formed the ethnic core of the Latvian people (ca. 8th-12th centuries A.D.). The region subsequently came under the control of Germans, Poles, Swedes, and finally, Russians. A Latvian republic emerged following World War I, but it was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. Latvia reestablished its independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004. Capital: Riga Area total: 64,589 sq km (slightly larger than West Virginia), land: 62,249 sq km, water: 2,340 sq km Natural Resources: peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, timber, arable land Population: 2,204,708 (July 2011 est.) Ethnic Groups: Latvian 59.3%, Russian 27.8%, Belarusian 3.6%, Ukrainian 2.5%, Polish 2.4%, Lithuanian 1.3%,

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Photos: Latvijas Arhitektūras muzejs The Latvian banknotes feature popular symbols characteristic of our nation and stages of our cultural history: an ancient oak (LVL 5); a view of the Daugava (LVL 10); a Latvian farmstead (LVL 20); a sailing vessel of Riga as member of the Hanseatic League (LVL 50); the collector of traditional folksongs, the dainas, Krišjānis Barons (LVL 100); a Latvian woman symbolizing the country (LVL 500) from Zariņš’s 5-lat coin’s reverse. Taken directly from [Latvijas Kulturas Kanons (http://www.kulturaskanons.lv/en/1/9/31/)]

Religions: Lutheran 19.6%, Orthodox 15.3%, other Christian 1%, other 0.4%, unspecified 63.7% (2006) Government Type: Parliamentary democracy Executive Branch: chief of state: President Andris Berzins (since 8 July 2011) Head of government: Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis (since 12 March 2009) Legislative Branch: Unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members elected by proportional representation from party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms) Judicial Branch: Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by parliament); Constitutional Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by parliament) Economy Overview: Latvia is a small, open economy with exports contributing significantly to its GDP. Due to its geographical location, transit services are highly-developed, along with timber and wood-processing, agriculture and food products, and manufacturing of machinery and electronic devices. The bulk of the country's economic activity, however, is in the services sector. Corruption continues to be an impediment to attracting FDI flows and Latvia's low birth rate and decreasing population are major challenges to its long-term economic vitality. Latvia's economy experienced GDP growth of more than 10% per year during 2006-07, but entered a severe recession in 2008 as a result of an unsustainable current account deficit and large debt exposure amid the softening world economy. GDP plunged 18% in 2009 - the three Baltic states had the world's worst declines that year. Thanks to strong export growth in 2009 and 2010, the economy experienced its first real quarterly GDP growth in over two years (2.9%) in the third quarter of 2010. The IMF, EU, and other international donors provided substantial financial assistance to Latvia as part of an agreement to defend the currency's peg to the euro. The majority of companies, banks, and real

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estate have been privatized, although the state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February, 1999. EU membership, a top foreign policy goal, came in May 2004. Latvia's current major financial policy goal, entrance into the euro zone, is targeted for 2014. GDP (purchasing power parity): $32.51 billion (2010 est.) GDP (composition by sector): Agriculture: 4%; Industry: 21.7%; Services: 74.4% (2010 est.)

Exports (partners): Russia 15.2%, Lithuania 15.2%, Estonia 12.6%, Germany 8.2%, Sweden 5.9%, Poland 4.7% (2010) Imports (partners): Russia 13.8%, Germany 10.3%, China 7.8%, Italy 5.9%, US 4.8%, France 4.6% (2007).

A view of Riga from Daugava

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_______ Text taken directly from Lonely Planet Guide for Latvian History.

The Latvians and Lithuanians are the two surviving peoples of the Balt branch of the Indo-European ethnolinguistic group. The Balts are thought to have spread into the southeastern Russia (The term Balt, which was derived from the Baltic Sea, was first used in the 19th century). Those people who stayed behind were assimilated, much later, by Belarusian or Russian Slavs (who are ethnically the Balts' nearest relatives). By the 13th century the Balts were divided into a number of tribal kingdoms.

The first Christian missionaries arrived in Latvia in 1190 and tried to persuade the pagan population to convert.

In 1201, at the behest of the pope, German crusaders, led by Bishop von Buxhoevden of Bremen, conquered Latvia and founded Riga. Von Buxhoevden also founded the Knights of the Sword, who made Riga their base for subjugating Livonia.

Colonists from northern Germany followed and during the first period of German rule, Riga became the major city in the German Baltic, thriving from trade between Russia and the West and joining the Hanseatic League (a medieval merchant guild) in 1282. Furs, hides, honey and wax were among the products sold westward.

Power struggles between the church, knights and city authorities dominated the country's history between 1253 and 1420. Riga's bishop, elevated to archbishop in 1252, became the leader of the church in the German conquered lands, ruling a good slice of Livonia directly and further areas of Livonia and Estonia indirectly through his bishops. German merchant-dominated city authorities managed to maintain a degree of independence from 1253 to 1420.

History of Latvia

Latvians are descended from those tribes who settled in the territory of modern Latvia, such as the Letts (or Latgals), the Selonians, the Semigallians and the Cours. The Latgals, Semigallians and Cours gave their

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Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, First Woman President

of Latvia

Janis Cakste, First President of Latvia

Latvia was conquered by Poland in 1561 and Catholicism was firmly rooted. Sweden colonised Latvia in 1629 and occupied the country until the Great Northern War (1700-21), after which it became part of Russia.

Soviet occupation began in 1939, nationalisation, mass killings and about 35, 000 deportations. Latvia was then occupied by Nazi Germany from 1941 to 1945, when an estimated 75, 000 Latvians were killed or deported. The Jewish population suffered greatly during this period. The Germans captured Riga on 1 July 1941. At the end of WWII the Soviets reclaimed Latvia and occupied the country for another 40 years.

The first public protest against Soviet occupation was on 14 June 1987, when 5000 people rallied at Rīga's Freedom Monument to commemorate the 1941 Siberia deportations. On 31 May 1989 Latvian’s called for the full independence of Latvia. Less than two months later, on 23 August 1989, two million Latvians, Lithuanians and Estonians formed a 650km human chain from Vilnius, through Rīga, to Tallinn, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.

Latvia declared full independence on 21 August 1991. In 1992 Latvia competed independently in the Olympic Games for the first time since before WWII. By May 1, 2004 Latvia became a member of the European Union.

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Text taken directly from: City Paper’s Baltics Worldwide http://www.balticsworldwide.com/tourist/latvia/history.htm

2000 B.C.: Latvian ancestors settle on the Baltic coast. Couronians, Latgallians, Semgallians and Finno-Ugric Livs later assimilate to become Latvians. 1190 C.E.: The first Christian missionaries persuade some Latvians to convert. 1201 A.D. At the Pope’s behest, German crusaders, led by Bishop Albert von Buxhoevden of Bremen, conquer Latvia; Riga is founded and becomes a bridgehead for further German conquests in the Baltics. German domination continues for 700 years. 1282: Riga joins the Hanseatic League, Europe’s powerful trading bloc. 1561: Southern Latvia is conquered by Poland; Catholicism becomes entrenched. 1629 : Part of Latvia, including Riga, is conquered by Sweden 1640s: Latvian Duke Jacob funds an expedition colonizing the Caribbean’s Tobago in the 1600s 1710: Latvia falls to Russia; Polish-ruled Latvia ceded to Russia 80 years later. 1816: Age-old system of serfdom is abolished. 1920: Latvia wins independence. Amid post-war economic misery and destruction, land is taken from German nobility and redistributed to the poor. 1939: Hitler and Stalin carve up Europe, with the Baltics said to be in the Soviet sphere. 1944: Soviets occupy Latvia again. Over 2/3 of the nation’s intellectuals, flee to the West. 1949: Between 1940-49, Latvia loses 35% of its population 1987: First open protests against Soviet rule. May 4, 1990: Latvia declares independence 1999: Latvia swears in its first woman president, Vaira Vike-Freiberga. Ancient legend had it that the nation would prosper once a woman ruled; annual growth jumps from around 0 to over 5 percent. 2001 Riga celebrates 800th birthday. March 29, 2004 Latvia is accepted into NATO. May 1, 2004 Latvia joins the European Union.

Timeline of Events in Latvian History

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A Latvian Meal: Cold soup, pot cooked cabbage, a cotlette (meatball), a gjerkin (pickle), sour milk (kefir) and some Russian kvas. (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Latvian_dinner.jpg)

Latvian folk dancers at the World Festival of Youth and Students, 1949 (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-R90179,_Budapest,_II._Weltfestspiele,_Tanzgruppe_aus_Lettland.jpg)

_______ Food: Text taken directly from the World InfoZone. Latvia Information. Available at: http://worldinfozone.com/country.php?country=Latvia

Traditional Latvian cuisine includes soups, rye bread, blood sausages and piragi (meat, bacon, and onion pastries).

Main meals consist of meat (chicken, pork, veal and beef) or fish (including salmon and trout) with vegetables such as potatoes, beans, peas, cabbage, carrots, onions and mushrooms. Dairy products are part of the Latvian diet.

Favorite desserts are pastries and fruit: apples, cranberries, raspberries and red currants. Honey is used as a sweetener.

Beer is a traditional Latvian drink. Coffee is usually preferred in the morning and tea in the evening. Various juices and drinks like cola are also popular. Folk Music: Text taken directly from: Latvijas Institūts /http://www.li.lv/index.php?option= com_content&task=view&id=40&Itemid=1131/

The central role of the Latvian folk song or daina in Latvian life has long been viewed as one of the distinguishing features of Latvian culture. The Latvian folk song represents a tradition with a long history that is very much alive in Latvian culture today. The aesthetically

Latvian Culture

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refined daina is a form of oral literary art, and it is a symbol that has both shaped and epitomized Latvia's national identity for the last two centuries.

To the Latvian, the daina is not just any commonly sung popular song. It is classically defined as a song in quatrain form that is specifically Latvian in its structure, sentiments and worldview. Dating back well over a thousand years, more than 1.2 million texts and 30,000 melodies have been identified. Holidays: Religious holidays in Latvia include Easter and Christmas. Other holidays are New Year's Day (1 January), International Women’s Day (March 8), Restoration of the Independence of the Republic of Latvia Day (May 4), Midsummer or Jani (June 23-24).

Photo: Latvian Notes and Latvijas Instituts, respectively Latvian Midsummer Celebrations usually include bonfires, floral wreaths, caraway cheese, and traditional dress (Latvian Notes blog http://latvia5724.blogspot.com/2008/06/midsummer-celebration-jani.html) (Latvijas Instituts http://www.li.lv/index.php?option= com_content&task=view&id=41&Itemid)=1130

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Children’s Folklore: Pastaris and The Giant Text taken directly from: “Pastaris and the Giant - a Latvian David and Goliath Tale.” LexiLine, a Renaissance in Learning. /http://www.lexiline.com/lexiline/lexi81.htm/

_______ Once upon a time, there was a fisherman who had several sons. All died, except the youngest.

His father named him Pastaris. One day, the father and Pastaris were fishing at the side of the ocean when they saw a large and very strange ship. The ship came to the edge of the shore and stopped. Not a single person could be seen aboard.

All of a sudden, a Giant came out from the bottom of the ship - it was the Devil himself - and he called out to the fisherman: "Bring your son Pastaris to me!" The fisherman answered: "I will not bring him to you and you cannot have him."

Having heard the fisherman's answer, the Giant jumped into the ocean, waded onto the shore, grabbed Pastaris, carried him to the ship, and went off like a whirlwind. Toward evening, the ship stopped in the middle of the ocean at a beautiful palace. The Giant took Pastaris into the palace and showed him to a room of his own, at the same time threatening: "If you hear anything during the night, do not light a fire and do not look!"

Pastaris was now left alone in his room. He was worried and distressed, thinking: "Well, we shall see what we shall see!" He lay down in the evening but could not sleep. After it had gotten very dark, someone began to make noises. Pastaris thought to himself: "Make all the noise you want. I am not allowed to make a fire. Besides, there is nothing here to make it with." And that is the way it stayed. On the second night, the same thing happened.

On the third night, Pastaris thought to himself: "Such a wonder! Who could be making noises here all night long? Wait. Wait. Tomorrow I will talk to the Giant and ask him to let me pay a visit to my father for one day. If I can get him to do that, then maybe I can convince my father to give me a wick and something to light it with. Yes, that will be the right thing to do. Sooner or later, I will see you, my bird."

The next morning, Pastaris talked to the Giant and asked him whether he would bring Pastaris to visit his father for one day. "Why not!" answered the Giant. "But on the return trip you are not allowed to take anything from your father's house with you. Further, I will remain on the ship and wait for you. If, toward evening, I shout one time, then you must leave your father's

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house and come to me. When I shout a second time, then you have to be half-way to the ship. And when I shout a third time, then you must already be on the ship."

Well and good. On the following morning, Pastaris rode over to see his father and told him all that had happened. He explained why he had come to visit. The father could not figure out how to carry away the wick and lighter secretly, but Pastaris said: "Let us sew them into the lining of my coat. Then I can take them with me and I will have no problems." Fine. That is what they did.

Toward evening, the father's house quaked and trembled: the Giant had shouted the first time. Pastaris hurried off to the ship. As he had gone nearly half-way, the earth shook: the Giant had shouted a second time. When he had reached the edge of the ocean, the ocean roared: the Giant had shouted a third time. Pastaris now boarded the ship. "Did you bring anything with you?" the Giant asked. "You can see yourself that I have nothing!" replied Pastaris. "Well, let's go then!" said the Giant.

The ship took off like a whirlwind, and lickety-split, it had reached the palace in the ocean. In the evening, Pastaris laid down to sleep, but could not. When it had gotten quite dark, somebody began to make noises. Pastaris immediately lit a fire and saw a beautiful maiden. But she was frightened by the fire and ran away.

The next morning, the Giant came into Pastaris' room. "So that's the way it is, you rascal. You want to light a fire. Come with me!" Pastaris went.

Once outside, however, the Giant grabbed Pastaris and carried him over the ocean to a very high mountain, putting him at the very tip. There he left Pastaris and disappeared. Pastaris stood at the pinnacle of the mountain for one day, then another. How long was he to stand up there? He would try to creep down. Now he creeped, now he crawled, now he struggled and fought, until finally on the third day he had reached the bottom. His hands were torn, his knees were bloodied, and his clothes were in shreds. "Lucky that I got this far!"cried out Pastaris and started away.

As he went along the edge of the forest, he saw a fallen horse,a protruding sword, and four "eaters" with hungry mouths. Pastaris wanted to pass them by, but they did not allow it, saying: "Lad! Do not go by! We four overseers have felled this horse, and you have to divide it amongst us! One of us is the overseer of the steer. The other is the overseer of the bird. The third is the

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overseer of the fish. And the fourth is the overseer of the ant. If you will know how to divide up the horse, we will pay you well."

Good. Pastaris agreed to divide up the horse. To the overseer of the steer, he gave both shanks. To the overseer of the bird, he gave both shoulders. To the overseer of the fish, he gave the middle. And to the overseer of the ant, he gave the head. Pastaris now stuck the sword back where he had found it and started to leave.

This the overseers did not permit, saying "You knew how to divide up the horse. We are going to reward you for it."

"Here is an animal hair from the overseer of the steer. If some kind of misfortune should overtake you, then you need only to spin this hair and call out the name of the steer overseer: your strength will then suddenly be nine times greater than the strength of the steer overseer himself."

"Here is a feather from the overseer of the bird. If some kind of misfortune should overtake you, then you need only to spin this feather and call out the name of the bird overseer: you will then be able to run and fly nine times faster than the bird overseer himself."

"Here is a fish-scale from the overseer of the fish. If some kind of misfortune should overtake you, then you need only to spin this scale and call out the name of the fish overseer: you will at once be able to swim nine times faster and easier than the fish overseer himself."

"Here is a leg from the overseer of the ant. If some kind of misfortune should overtake you, then you need only to spin this leg and call out the name of the ant overseer: you will then be able to dig nine times deeper into the ground than the ant overseer himself."

Good. Pastaris said thank you for his gifts and went off. Toward evening, the earth began to quake and the ocean began to foam. Look! Sure enough, the Giant had appeared next to Pastaris, asking: "Who told you that you could creep down from the mountain?" “Pastaris said so!"

"Oh!?" exclaimed the Giant. "Well, if Pastaris said so, then Pastaris must be destroyed!" The Giant now attacked Pastaris. But Pastaris quickly spun the steer hair, called out the name of the steer overseer, and struck the Giant with such strength that the entire earth shook. In the flash of an eye, the Giant was laid flat like a log. He fought and struggled, but to no avail.

Finally, Pastaris said, "If you don't tell me where your life lies, then I will tie you with strong ropes to this cliff so that you will never get away. You will have to die of hunger like a dog. The

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crows will pick your bones!" The Giant begged Pastaris not to do it, since it would be a great shame to the Giant. He was prepared to talk. "Good," said Pastaris. "Tell me! Then I will let you go free!"

"Look, Pastaris," said the Giant. "On the other side of the ocean is the palace to which I first brought you. In the courtyard of the palace is a post. If you will hit this post with your little finger, then a sword will fall down out of the sky. If you take this sword and go to the nearest forest, then a large snake will appear. If you manage to cut off the head of this snake, then a rabbit will appear out of the head. If you manage to catch the rabbit and kill it, then a dove will appear from it. If you catch the dove and kill it, then an egg will drop out of the dove. My life's essence is found in that egg."

"But," said the Giant to Pastaris, "you will never be able to accomplish this, even with your great strength, because the egg in falling will drop nine fathoms deep into the earth."

"Good, you can now go free!" exclaimed Pastaris. Having said that, he let the Giant go and went to the shore of the ocean where he twirled the fish-scale, called out the name of the fish overseer and swam lickety-split over the ocean to the palace. There he went into the courtyard. Sure enough, the post was there. He hit it with his little finger. Swoosh! The sword fell to earth. Now he grabbed the sword and hurried off to the forest after the snake. The snake crawled out hissing, but as Pastaris struck it with his sword, the head went rolling away. At the same time, the rabbit came out and took off running, out of the forest. Swiftly, Pastaris twirled the feather of the bird overseer and called out his name. Having now great speed, he caught the rabbit, and although it resisted, he cut off its head. As soon as the head had fallen, the dove appeared and flew into the clouds. Pastaris again twirled the feather of the bird overseer, called out his name and caught the dove. When the dove had been killed, the egg dropped out. Splat! Nine fathoms deep into the earth!

Now Pastaris twirled the ant leg of the ant overseer, called out his name, and crawled into the earth after the egg. Moments later, the egg came out from under the earth. Now Pastaris and the egg hurried off to the palace. The Giant was already there.

"You hungered after my soul, Giant!" said Pastaris."But now your life is in my hands!" Having said that, Pastaris hit the Giant so hard in the head with the egg that it went

completely to pieces and the Giant, falling over backwards, lost his life.

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Pastaris now was free. He had been delivered from his persecutor. Now, however, he was possessed by thoughts of the young girl he had seen when he had earlier lit a fire at the palace. He wondered: "Where else could she be other than at the palace? I will have to go and see." So he went into the palace. Sure enough, the girl was there, sitting and mournful.

"Stop crying!” said Pastaris. "You should celebrate! The Giant is dead! I conquered him!" "What?" said the maiden, amazed. "Is it true? How can I ever thank you for saving me?" "Become my bride!" answered Pastaris. "Then I will have been repaid!" "Good! So be it!" And Pastaris brought his bride home, where they celebrated a splendid wedding.

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Bīlmanis, Alfreds. A History of Latvia. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1951. Embassy of

Latvia Website. Government of Latvia. Web. 14 Oct. 2011. "Latvia - Language, Culture, Customs and Business Etiquette." Kwintessential.co.uk.

Kwintessential, 2010. Web. 14 Oct. 2011. "Latvia." CIA World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency, 2011. Web. 14 Oct. 2011. The Latvian Institute. Ed. Karina Petersone. Latvijas Instituts, 2011. Web. 14 Oct. 2011. Lumans, Valdis O. Latvia in World War II. New York: Fordham University Press, 2006. Pabriks, Artis. Latvia: the Challenges of Change. New York: Routledge, 2001. Plakans, Andrejs. Historical Dictionary of Latvia. 2nd Ed. Lanham: Scarecrow Press, 2008. Tabuns, Aivars et al. National, State, and Regime Identity in Latvia. Riga: Baltic Study Center,

2001. Viksna, Sandis. "Latvian Culture." DailyLatvia.com. The Daily Latvia. Web. 14 Oct. 2011. "Welcome to Latvia." Official Latvian Tourism Portal. Latvian Tourism Development Agency.

Web. 14 Oct. 2011.

Select Bibliography of Sources on Latvia