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Salaspils (pronunciation (population 21,106 in the census of 2000, known as Kircholm until 1917), is a city 18 km south-east of Riga in Latvia, on the northern bank of Daugava river. Salaspils is one of the oldest settlements in Latvia. Archaeological excavations of 1964-1975 (during the construction of Riga HES) in ancient settlements, burial grounds and castle mounds give evidence of very dense population of the region. During the excavations which were the largest in the history of Latvian archaeology, on the right bank of the Daugava the oldest ever known settlement of indigenous Latvians – Salaspils Laukskola (Country School of Salaspils) was found. 11,000 years ago reindeer hunters had settled there. From the 10th to 15th century, the site was settled by the Livonian and Baltic tribes.
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The Popular Front of Latvia (Latvijas Tautas Fronte in Latvian) was a political organization in Latvia in late 1980s and early 1990s which lead Latvia to its independence from the Soviet Union. It was similar to the Popular Front of Estonia and the Sajudis movement in Lithuania.
Latvia, together with Estonia and Lithuania, was annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940. While there was relatively little resistance to the occupation, many Latvians remained unhappy with it and waited for a chance to regain independence. Such a chance came in 1980s when Gorbachev attempted to reform the Soviet Union. In particular, Gorbachev's glasnost policy allowed more freedom of speech in the Soviet Union than ever before.
Latvia's independence movement started with small demonstrations for independence and human rights in 1986. The first demonstrations, organized by Helsinki-86, were, however, suppressed by the government of Latvian SSR. The breaking point came in summer 1988. Many prominent Latvians publicly announced their support for increased autonomy for Latvia. Latvian newspapers started writing about aspects of Latvian history which had been banned during the Soviet period (for example, how Latvia had been occupied in 1940). The flag of Latvia which had been banned during the Soviet period was brought back. To summarize, a strong resurgence of Latvian national identity had started.
The Constitution of Latvia (Latvian: Satversme) is the fundamental law of the Republic of Latvia. It was adopted by, as it states itself, the people of Latvia, in freely elected Constitutional Assembly, on 15 February 1922 and came into force on 7 November 1922. In Latvian, satversme is a synonym of Constitution (konstitūcija). The term was coined by Atis Kronvalds, one of the leaders of Latvian romantic nationalism in the 19th century. The movement was trying to promote Latvian culture after centuries of Baltic German influence and encourage use of Latvian. Kronvalds and like-minded individuals introduced several new terms intended to be used over loanwords in everyday use. He derived the term "satversme" from -tver- ("to hold"), combining it with the prefix "sa-", indicating something longlasting and strong, the -sm- suffix, and a feminine ending, -e, to illustrate how a constitution holds together all other laws. The Constitution was drafted by the Constitutional Assembly of Latvia (Satversmes sapulce), which consisted of 150 members elected in general elections. The initial bill was elaborated by a Constitutional committee (Satversmes komisija) and consisted of two parts. The first regulated the state's institutions; the second, citizens' rights and obligations. The committee presented its work on 20 September 1921. The first part of the bill was passed on 15 February 1922, while the second part was voted down on 5 April 1922. On 20 June 1922 a law was passed that set the new constitution to come into force at 12 a.m. on 7 November 1922.
Grobiņa (German: Seeburg, Seleburg) is a town in western Latvia, eleven kilometers east of Liepaja. It was founded by the Teutonic knights in the 13th century. Some ruins of their castle are still visible. The town was chartered in 1695.
During the Early Middle Ages, Grobiņa (or Grobin) was the most important political centre on the territory of Latvia. There was a centre of Scandinavian settlement on the Baltic Sea, comparable in many ways to Hedeby and Birka but probably predating them both. About 3,000 surviving burial mounds contain the most impressive remains of the Vendel Age in Eastern Europe.
The Viking settlement at Grobin was excavated by Birger Nerman in 1929 and 1930. Nerman found remains of an earthernwork stronghold, which had been protected on three sides by the Alanda River. To the period between ca. 650 and ca. 800 may be dated three Vendel Age cemeteries, one of them military in character and analogous to similar cemeteries in Mälaren Valley in Central Sweden, while two others indicate that there was "a community of Gotlanders who were carrying on peaceful pursuits behind the shield of the Swedish military".
The Freedom Monument (Latvian: Brīvības Piemineklis), located in Riga, Latvia, is a memorial in honor of soldiers killed in action during the Latvian War of Independence. It is an important symbol of the freedom, independence and sovereignty of Latvia. Unveiled in 1935, the 42 meters high monument of granite, travertine and copper often serves as the focal point of public gatherings and official ceremonies.
The sculptures and bas-reliefs of the Freedom Monument, arranged in thirteen groups, depict Latvian culture and history. The core of the monument is composed of tetragonal shapes on top of each other, decreasing in size towards the top, completed by a 19 meters high travertine column bearing the copper figure of Liberty lifting three gilded stars. The concept of the monument first emerged in the early 1920s, when the Prime Minister of Latvia, Zigfrīds Anna Meierovics, ordered rules to be drawn up for a contest for designs of a "memorial column". After several contests the monument was finally built at the beginning of the 1930s according to the scheme "Shine like a star!" by Latvian sculptor Kārlis Zāle.
During World War II Latvia was annexed by the USSR and the Freedom Monument was considered for demolition, but no such move was carried out, because of the high artistic value of the monument. Propaganda was used to alter the symbolical meaning of the monument according to Soviet ideology. Yet it remained a symbol of national independence to the general public and on 14 June 1987 about 5,000 people gathered at there to commemorate the victims of the Soviet regime and to lay flowers. This rally began the national independence movement and three years later the independence of Latvia was re-established.
Riga (Latvian: Rīga) the capital of Latvia and the largest city in the Baltic States situated on the Baltic Sea coast on the mouth of the river Daugava. Riga is the largest city in the Baltic states. The Historic Centre of Riga has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the city is particularly notable for its extensive Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) architecture, comparable in significance only with Vienna and Saint Petersburg.
Riga was founded by German traders and missionaries at the site of an ancient settlement of the Livonians, an ancient Finnic tribe, at the junction of the Daugava and Ridzene (Latvian: Rīdzene) rivers. The Ridzene was originally known as the Riga River, at one point forming a natural harbor called the Riga Lake, neither of which exist today. Riga was dominated first by Germans, later by Sweden and then by Russian Empire until Latvia, with Riga as its capital city, thus declared its independence on 18 November 1918. After World War II Latvia was incorporated in to Soviet Union, however it restored its independence in early 1990s.
In 2001, Riga celebrated its 800th anniversary as a city. In the near future, the face of Riga will undergo notable changes. In 2008, the first stage of the new Southern Bridge route across the Daugava will be completed and will help to reduce traffic jams and the amount of traffic in the city centre. Another construction project is the planned Riga Northern Transport Corridor, which is scheduled to start in 2010. The construction of a new landmark — the Latvian National Library building — will beginning in the autumn of 2007 and is due to be built by 2010. Currently discussions are underway in Riga council about the development of the central areas on the left bank of the Daugava. The major dispute surrounds plans to build skyscrapers in Ķīpsala. The construction of 3 buildings in Ķīpsala has already started — the Da Vinci complex (25 floors, construction stopped) and two high-rises called Z-Towers (30 floors).
Salaspils (pronunciation (population 21,106 in the census of 2000, known as Kircholm until 1917), is a city 18 km south-east of Riga in Latvia, on the western bank of Daugava river. Salaspils is one of the oldest settlements in Latvia, which dates back to 9,000 BC. From the 10th to 15th century, the site was settled by the Livonian and Baltic tribes. The first stone castles and Christian churches in Latvia were built at the nearby Ikšķile and on Mārtiņsala island. The Latvian name of the Salaspils comes from the Mārtiņsala Island castle, but the Germanized name Kircholm – from the Mārtiņsala Island church. Both names were referred to the territory on the right bank of the Daugava ruled by the Livonian Order. In 1605 the town was a site of one of the biggest battles in Europe in the 17th century - the Battle of Kircholm in which forces of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth defeated the much more numerous army of Sweden. The Riga – Daugavpils railway was installed in 1861. A new centre of the inhabited territory set up near Salaspils station. During the World War I for two years the front line was at Salaspils, as a result many public buildings and farmsteads, as well as both churches were destroyed. Several burials of soldiers bearwitness the fierce battles of World War I on the Island of Death (Nāves sala), at the river Mazā Jugla, in other parts of Salaspils and its surroundings. During World War II the Nazi occupation authorities established a camp for Soviet prisoners of war in Salaspils. Later, 2 km from that camp in the nearby forest, the Nazi SS established the largest occupation camp in the occupied Baltics for civilians. The number of those who died at Salapils camp is a the subject of ongoing debate, estimates range from 2,000 to 101,000. At the site of the Salaspils concentration camp, a major monument complex in remembrance of the Soviet victims of Nazism was opened on 31 October 1967. During last 60 years the amount of the inhabitants has increased about 70 times as Salaspils became an important centre of the Latvian power industry, science and agriculture.
Rainis, was the pseudonym of Jānis Pliekšāns (b. September 11 [O.S. August 30] 1865 in Varslavāni, current Jekabpils district — d. September 12, 1929 in Majori), a poet, playwright, translator, and politician who is considered to be the greatest Latvian writer. Rainis' works include the classic plays Uguns un nakts (Fire and Night, 1905) and Indulis un Ārija (Indulis and Ārija, 1911) and a highly regarded translation of Goethe's Faust. His works had a profound influence on the literary Latvian language, and the folkloric symbolism he employed in his major works has been central to Latvian nationalism. During his education at the Riga City Gymnasium he met and befriended Pēteris Stučka, later to become a prominent Latvian communist and Rainis's brother-in-law. Rainis studied law at the University of St. Petersburg. After completing his studies, he worked at the Vilnius regional court and with Andrejs Stērsts in Jelgava. Rainis wrote for Dienas Lapa (The Daily Sheet), Tēvija (Fatherland) and the Latvian Conversational Dictionary. From 1891 to 1895 Rainis was editor in chief of Dienas Lapa. Rainis was also socially active and politically prominent, being one of the spiritual leaders of the Revolution of 1905 in Latvia and the New Current that foreshadowed to it. In 1897 he married Aspazija (pseudonym of Elza Pliekšāne, born Rozenberga), another Latvian poet and playwright active in the New Current. The New Current was eventually subjected to a crackdown by the Tsarist authorities as a seditious movement. With the failure of the Revolution, he emigrated to Switzerland together with his wife, settling in Castagnola, a suburb of Lugano. Rainis and Aspazija returned to Latvia on April 4, 1920. Rainis, as a member of the Central Committee of the Latvian Social Democratic Workers' Party, resumed his political activities and was member of the Constitutional Assembly of Latvia (Satversmes sapulce) and Saeima (Parliament) and of the Ministry of Education Arts Department, founder and director of the Dailes Theater, and director of the National Theater from 1921 to 1925, Minister of Education from December, 1926 to January, 1928, and a member of the Cultural Fund and (Military) Order of Lāčplēsis Council. Rainis had the ambition of becoming Latvia's president and became less prominent in politics when this ambition was not fulfilled.
The 2006 Riga summit or the 19th NATO Summit was a NATO summit held in Riga, Latvia from November 28 until November 29, 2006. The most important topics discussed were the War in Afghanistan and the future role and borders of the alliance. Further, the summit focused on the alliance's continued transformation, taking stock of what has been accomplished since the 2002 Prague Summit. NATO also committed itself to extend further membership invitations in the upcoming 2008 Bucharest Summit. This summit was the first NATO summit held on territory of a former USSR republic and coincided with CIS' 2006 Minsk Summit of November 28. Roads in the center of Riga were closed down and parking was not allowed at the airport or at several roads, out of fear for car bombs. About 9000 Latvian police officers and soldiers took care of the Summit's security, while more than 450 other airmen from seven European NATO countries were called upon to ensure a no-fly zone above the summit in an operation called Operation Peaceful Summit. This enhanced ongoing Baltic Air Policing activities with additional aircraft, communications and maintenance support.
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Latvia Dates (Updated Monthly)
- January 1, 1876 - J. Akuraters born
- January 1, 1883 - Rūdolfs Blaumanis born
- January 10, 1905 - Baumaņu Kārlis dies
- January 11, 1920 - Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music founded
- January 13, 1991 - Barricades are erected around the parliament and Latvian citizens stand guard
- January 16, 1919 - Kalpaks' battalion engages in the first battle at Lielauce
- January 16, 1861 - Doku Atis born
- January 20, 1991 - Soviet Black Berets (OMON troops) attempt to put down freedom
- January 24, 1828 - Neredzīgais (Blind) Indriķis dies
- January 25, 1880 - Fricis Bārda born
- January 26, 1921 - The Great Powers recognize Latvia de iure
- January 28, 1935 - President Kārlis Ulmanis proclaims the "draudzīgais aicinājums" (friendly invitation)
- 8 February 1871 - Andrievs Niedra is born
- 1919 March 6 — Oskars Kalpaks, the first Commander in Chief of Latvian Armed Forces, is killed
- 1820 March 12 — Serfdom in Vidzeme abolished
- 1949 March 12 — Latvian opera singer Inessa Galante born
- 1927 March 14 — The first President of Latvia Jānis Čakste dies
- 1865 March 16 — Latvian poet Aspazija born
- 1866 March 18 — Latvian painter Janis Rozentāls born
- 1924 March 24 — Triju Zvaigžņu ordenis established
- 1949 March 25 — 40,000 people deported to be resettled at various points throughout the USSR by Soviet Government
- 1920 May 1 - Inauguration of the Constitutional Assembly of Latvia.
- 2004 May 1 - Latvia joins European Union
- 1990 May 4 - Supreme council of LSSR declares reestablishment of independence of Latvia.
- 1934 May 15 - after successful Coup d'état Kārlis Ulmanis establishes authoritarian regime.
- 1981 May 16 - Latvian football goalkeeper Māris Eltermanis born.
- 1587 May 17 — Gotthard Kettler, the last master of the Livonian Order and the first Duke of Courland, dies. He is succeeded by Friedrich and Wilhelm as Dukes of Courland.
- 1820 May 18 — Vilis Olavs born.
- 1941 June 14 - People from Latvia deported to be resettled at various points throughout the USSR by Soviet Government
- 1940 June 17 - Day of occupation of Republic of Latvia
- 1919 June 22 - Joined forces of Latvia and Estonia wins battle at Cēsis during Latvian War of Independence
- 10 July 1986 - Human Rights Defense Group Helsinki-86 is founeded in Liepāja
- 10 July 1988 - Latvian National Independence Movement is established in Riga
- 5 August 1940 - Latvian SSR is formally annexed into the Soviet Union
- 9 August 1944 - Alberts Kviesis the third president of Latvia dies
- 11 August 1920 - Latvian-Soviet Riga Peace Treaty is signed
- 12 August 1871 - Gustavs Zemgals the second president of Latvia born
- 16 August 1865 - Latvian poet Aspazija born
- 17 August 1642 - Friedrich Kettler duke of Courland dies
- 22 August 1925 - Zigfrīds Anna Meierovics dies in a car crash
- 23 August 1989 - Baltic Way takes place
- 4 September 1877 - Kārlis Ulmanis the fourth president of Latvia born
- 13 September 1939 - Guntis Ulmanis the fifth president of Latvia born
- 14 September 1859 - Jānis Čakste the first president of Latvia born
- 14 September 1973 - Gauja National Park the first National park in Latvia established
- 20 September 1942 - Kārlis Ulmanis dies
- 22 September 1236 - Battle of Saule takes place
- October 3, 1867 — Eduards Veidenbaums born
- October 12, 1196 - Meinhard the first known Roman catholic missionary in Latvia and first Bishop of Riga dies
- October 13, 1944 — Soviet occupation forces take the Latvian capital, Riga
- October 13, 1871 — Jānis Poruks born
- October 20, 1881 — Jānis Cimze dies
- October 31, 1835 — Krišjānis Barons born
- 11 November 1919 - Latvia defeats Germany during Latvian War of Independence
- 14 November 1922 - Jānis Čakste becomes the first president of Latvia
- 18 November 1918 - Independence of Latvia is declared
- 1 December 1937 - Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga the sixth president of Latvia is born
- 22 December 1881 - Alberts Kviesis the third president of Latvia is born
Latvian Events (Updated Monthly)
- January 1 - New Year’s Day
- January 20 - Commemoration Day of Defenders of the Barricades in 1991
- January 26 - International (de jure) Recognition of the Republic of Latvia
- 16 February - Independence Day of Lithuania
- 24 February - Independence Day of Estonia
- 16 March - Palm Sunday
- 21 March - Good Friday
- 23 March - Easter Sunday
- 24 March - Easter Monday
- 25 March - Commemoration Day of Victims of Communist Terror
- 1 April - April Fools' Day
- 1 May - Labour Day; Convocation of the Constitutional Assembly of Latvia Day
- 4 May - Renewal of Independence Day
- 11 May - Mothers’ Day
- 11 May - Whitsunday
- 14 June - Commemoration Day of Victims of Communist Terror
- 17 June - Occupation of the Republic of Latvia
- 22 June - Heroes’ Commemoration Day
- 23 June - Midsummer Eve
- 24 June - Midsummer
- 4 July - Commemoration Day of Genocide against the Jews
- 11 August - Commemoration Day of Latvian Freedom Fighters
- 21 August - Day of actual Restoration of the Republic of Latvia.
- 22 September - Baltic Unity Day
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- 11 November - Lāčplēsis Day
- 18 November - Independence Day
- 25 November - Remembrance Day of the dead (Candles Eve)
- 3 December - Commemoration Day of Victims of Genocide Against the Latvian People by the Totalitarian Communist Regime
- 24 - 26 December - Christmas
- 31 December - New Year’s Eve
