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Historical Culture of Soviet Mass Deportations in Contemporary Latvia. How Do Cultural Expressions Form Historical Narrative and Use of History?

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Historical Culture of Soviet Mass Deportations in Contemporary Latvia. How Do Cultural Expressions Form Historical Narrative and Use of History? Historical culture of Soviet mass deportations in contemporary Latvia. How do cultural expressions form historical narrative and use of history? Elizabete Purvina European Studies: Politics, Societies, and Cultures Bachelor 15 ECTS Semester 6 /VT 2020 Supervisor: Inge Eriksson 17/08/2020 2 Abstract: This thesis discusses the Soviet mass deportation historical culture narrative formation and their use of history in contemporary Latvia. Looking to find research answer to question of: How are the Soviet mass deportations of 1941 and 1949 used in, and forms Latvian historical culture, in the novel Five Fingers and the film Chronicles of Melanie? The analysis is done via three connected parts using concepts of use of history, cultural and social memory. First, the paper gives an analysis of socio-historical context giving the historical background of mass deportations and the emerging historical culture use in society since 1986. The second part of the paper focuses on two separate narrative analysis of Latvian cultural expressions. The book “Five fingers” by Mara Zalite and the film “Chronicles of Melanie” dir. Viesturs Kairish. Both works analysed by their portrayed story narrative of deportation experience and how they form cultural narratives and use history within the work. The last part of the paper is interpretation- reinterpretation of socio-historical and narrative analysis together. To see the role of the novel and film, have in the use of historical culture, and how they help form the historical narrative in society. Analysing the broader context via social media responses book and film received from the public and seeing how cultural works are forming historical culture in Latvia. The thesis concluded that the novel and film are moral and existential uses of history, as they discuss topics censored during the Soviet period. The authors feel a duty to bring accounts of the past back to the centre of attention in order for people not to forget. Additionally, both works are playing a part in forming new narrative within historical culture, by moving away from identifying as the victim of soviet deportations to survivors of the past. Thus, playing an important role in Soviet mass deportation historical culture in Latvia. Keywords: Latvia, Soviet deportations, historical culture, Historical consciousness, cultural memory, Narrative analysis, use of history 17/08/2020 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 4 1.1 Literature Review .......................................................................................... 5 1.1.1 General academic research on Latvian Soviet Deportations........................ 5 1.1.2 Latvian Soviet Deportation remembrance and memory research ................. 7 1.1.3 How previous research relates to thesis ................................................... 9 1.2 Research problem, Aim, and Question .............................................................. 9 2. Theoretical Framework ..................................................................................................... 11 2.1 Epistemology .............................................................................................. 11 2.2 Historical culture ......................................................................................... 12 2.3 Historical consciousness ............................................................................... 12 2.4 Use of history .............................................................................................. 13 2.5 Collective Memory and its division ................................................................ 14 2.6 Conclusions ................................................................................................ 16 3. Methodology.................................................................................................................... 17 3.1 Method....................................................................................................... 17 3.2 Delim itat ions............................................................................................... 19 3.3 Ethical Concerns.......................................................................................... 19 4. Socio-Historical Context ................................................................................................... 20 4.1 Historical context......................................................................................... 20 4.1.1 June 14, 1941, First Soviet mass deportation.......................................... 20 4.1.2 March 25, 1949, Second Soviet mass deportation ................................... 22 4.2 Development of historical culture use in Socio-historical Context ...................... 23 5. Narrative Analysis and use of History in Novel “Five Fingers”.............................................. 25 6. Narrative analysis and use of history in Film “Chronicles of Melanie” .................................... 28 7. reinterpretation in wider Historical Culture context ............................................................... 33 8. Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 37 Works Cited ........................................................................................................................ 39 17/08/2020 4 1. INTRODUCTION While the last soviet deportation took place 71 years ago, it is still one of the most traumatic, as well as essential memories in Latvian collective consciousness that has tremendously affected its culture and shaped its identity. Since regaining independence, deportation memories have actively been remembered by the multiple established remembrance days, the more than 400 memoria l sculptures, the many autobiographica l novels, and academic research that has been released on this topic. All these elements together have created comprehensive soviet deportation historical culture in Latvia, and each plays a role in forming a particula r narrative of the events to the society. This thesis aims to understand how exactly cultural expression narratives fo rm and shift the historical culture of mass deportations in Latvia by analysing two narrative s portrayed in the book “Five fingers” by Mara Zalite and film dir. Viesturs Kairish “Chronicles of Melanie.” This paper has eight chapters. The introduction will present the research problem and previous research relevant to mass deportations. The next two chapters are focused on establishing the theoretical and methodological framework used in the analysis of the cultural expressions. In contrast, the fifth chapter's purpose is to give the historica l background needed to place the film and novel, into an accurate socio-historical context. The next two analysis chapters will be devoted to the narrative analysis of the novel and film, to see what narratives they are showcasing and how are they are using history. In chapter seven, interpretation-reinterpretation of the previous three analyses are interpreted in the broader context of historical culture in Latvian society. Lastly, in chapter eight, conclusions on the findings will be discussed. 17/08/2020 5 1.1 Literature Review In the following section, previous research that has focused on the primary topic discussed in this paper – soviet deportations in Latvia is reviewed. The chapter first explores general research done regarding mass deportations in Latvia. After discus s ing research that has looked at memory and remembrance activities in Latvia in the context of deportation memory. In the end, it is concluding how previous research is related to the thesis. 1.1.1 GENERAL ACADEMIC RESEARCH ON LATVIAN SOVIET DEPORTATIONS One of the first studies to link deportations with Latvia was already released in the 1950s by Alfred Erich Senn in the context of the sovietisation of Baltic states (Senn, 1958) and exiled Baltic historians trying to bring attention to soviet repressions. (Šilde, 1958; Švābe, 1952) It is noticeable that in the 50s, it was mostly only Baltic exiles car ing to write about deportations and trying to establish the context of communism regime and deportations as a way to communicate to the west of the activities happening in the USSR. These papers did not result in additiona l help or significant research in the west, for the occupied states. Academic historical and social research started to occur in the late 80s when national “awakening” movement started to form and culminated after USSR dissolved, as it became permitted for researchers to examine hidden USSR documents and limitations of censorship disbanded. When looking for research done on the case of Latvia, it is notable that Latvians or other Baltic states scholars have conducted most academic research, while west academics have not focused on the deportations. The research published by Latvians is mostly in the Latvian language, with some as Latvian National Archive also providing English and Russian translations to encourage international researcher interest. (Ignatane, 2005) There have also been many collaborations between the Baltic researchers, combining their research to discuss Baltic states in the context of deportations and experiences under communism together. When it comes to historical context research, historians in Latvia has examined it in great length. Latvian National Archive has done vital historical research
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