WIJ f 1181/- 1 p PHLET OFFICE LATVIA in the present WORLD GRISIS JUL 20 1942 Compiled by DB. ALFBED Bil.MANIS Printed by Albert Becker Co. New York, 1941 Printed in U.S.A. Latvia In The Present World Crisis Where and What is Latvia ? Facts in Review By DR. ALFRED BILMANIS Latvian Minister in Washington LOCATION· AREA· POPULATION· EDUCATION ' ·,·, , ECONOMIC LIFE · EMBLEMS ' · A Latvia, a democratic republic, the largest of the three Baltic ~ Republics, is situated between the other two, Lithuania and I Estonia, and lies on the Eastern shores of the Baltic Sea, where i f2 the chief routes of Western and Eastern Europe meet. ("Baits" ~ in the Latvian language means "white.") ~ ~ Latvia, with a territory larger than that of Switzerland, Den­ mark, Holland, and Belgium, became independent on November 18, 1918. The Republic has been recognized de jure by all the other countries of the world. Latvia has four provinces: Kur­ zeme (Courland), Zemgale (Semigallia), Vidzeme (Livonia), and Latgale (Inflantes ). Kur-zeme means the land "zeme" inhabited by the Kurs ( cours) a Latvian seafaring tribe. Zem­ gale is the frontier "gals" region with Lithuania. Vid-zeme the central "vid" part of the Latvian land "zeme." Latgale is the land where Latvia borders on Russia. FRONTIERS, AREA, etc. The total length of the frontiers is 1,050 miles with a sea boundary of 307 miles. On land, Latvia is bounded by Estonia, Soviet Russia, Poland, and Lithuania­ the routes to Germany passing through this latter country. Lat­ via has an area of 25,402 square miles (as large as that of West Virginia) 29.2 per cent of which are forests (chiefly pine), 27.15 per cent arable land, and 25.2 per cent meadows and pasture. There are about 1,000 lakes and 500 rivers, the falls of which are used for power. RIVERS: Daugava, the Mississippi of Latvia, Lielupe, ("big-river"), Gauja, and Venta are all suit­ able for floating rafts and for internal navigation. The natural resources of the country are: amber, gypsum, chalk, clay, sulphur springs, mud for curative purposes, peat and bog-iron­ ore. About 2,000 various plants, among them many medicinal herbs, are to be found in Latvia. The soil is favorable for the cultivation of fruit, flax, and sugar-beets. The average tempera­ ture is 46 ° Fahrenheit; it is below freezing l IO days of the year. POPULATION: about 2,000,000 i. e., 79 inhabitants to the square mile. The Latvians have cultivated their country for many thousands of years. The Latvians are not Slavs, but form a separate branch of the Indo-European family of nations together [ 1 1 with the Lithuanians, and their language is akin to Sanscrit. bricks, yarns, glass-ware, pottery, and china-ware, canned The Latvians, who are mostly Lutherans, possess about 240,000 fish, (sprots), candies, radio receivers, photographic cameras national songs, their own distinctive ornaments and a national and equipment, etc. The articles imported are: cotton, coal, costume, worn with a shawl. On an average they are fair artificial fertilizers, iron, rubber, naphtha, salt, automobiles, complexioned and reach the age of seventy. trucks, dried fruits, business machines, typewriters, tools, agri­ EDUCATION AND ARTS: School attendance is compulsory, cultural and industrial machinery. Shipping: In 1940 Latvia and English and German are the compulsory foreign languages had about 350,000 tons of ships. A Latvian-American Shipping taught, English being the official language of the Baltic Entente. Line was inaugurated in 1938. Latvia has an Institute for Historical Research, a University, TOWNS: Riga, on the Daugava River, one of the oldest cities an Agricultural Academy, and Academy of Arts, and a Con­ on the Baltic Shores, founded before the twelfth century, has servatory of Music. The Latvians are good linguists, and they 350,000 inhabitants. It is the seat of the Catholic Metropolitan have their own distinguished painters, artists, and poets, as Archbishop and the Lutheran Archbishop. It is the capital of well as an extensive literature. There are two Opera Houses, Latvia as well as her most important port, equipped with docks, in Riga and in Liepaja, and several theaters. The Opera House elevators and cold storage plants. It is also her commercial, in Riga has a permanent classical ballet. At intervals Singing industrial and cultural center. Riga is a modern town with Festivals are organized. The National Ligo, Mid-summer Night, beautiful parks and interesting historical buildings in her old Festival of songs and dances, is celebrated from June twenty­ streets. Modern hotels are available. Riga can be reached by second to the twenty-fifth. May first is the day when the Con­ car from every point of Europe. Air connection is maintained stituent Assembly met for the first time, and November with Stockholm and other European cities. The Cathedral of eighteenth is Independence Day. May fifteenth is the National St. Peter has the highest wooden steeple in the world. Unity Day. Besides, there are children's sports and other festi­ vals, Mother's Day, Harvest Day, Reformation Day, "4-H" Club Liepaja (Libau), has 60,000 inhabitants and is the second contests and conventions, etc. Racial minorities enjoy cultural city in importance industrially and commercially. The well­ autonomy, and freedom of the press and of religion. known harbor, open all the year round, can be entered by the largest transatlantic steamers. The amber industry is centuries ECONOMIC LIFE: Owing to her geographical position Latvia old. There is a beautiful beach near Liepaja at Bernati. Good is a transit country. It granted full railway and harbor facili­ automobile roads connect the city with Riga. ties to Soviet Russia, who nevertheless did not use them, Soviet Russian traffic amounting to only 7 per cent of all the transit Daugavpils (Dunaburg, meaning castle, on the Daugava traffic in the best year. The majority of Latvia's population River) has 45,000 inhabitants and is the most important junc­ live by agriculture. Eighty-seven per cent of all the farms are tion in transit traffic with Soviet Russia, Poland, and the from 5 to 125 acres, and the farmers live in separate home­ Ukraine. It is the center of the flax industry. steads. Great attention is paid to cattle-breeding and the culti­ vation of seeds and flax. Twelve per cent of the working Jelgava (Mitau) has 30,000 inhabitants and a harbor on the population are engaged in industries, the main branches of Lielupe. It is the former capital of the Duchy of Courland and which are: metal working, chemical, radio, and textile indus­ Semigallia and is the center of the sugar industry. The Ducal tries, mechanical wood working and mineral working. The Palace, having 365 rooms, built by the famous architect, famous Minox camera, which is the world's smallest precision Rastrelli, is now the seat of the Academy of Agriculture. camera, is manufactured in Latvia and is a splendid example Ventspils (Windau, meaning castle on the Venta River), of high quality Latvian workmanship. The chief articles of has 18,000 inhabitants; the harbor is ice-free all year round export are: timber, plywood, matchsplint, planks, boxboards, and accessible to transatlantic liners. It has the largest cold pulpwood, flax, twine, rayon, butter, bacon, eggs, cattle, seeds, storage plant and largest grain elevator in the world. Timber hides, liqueurs, fruit, rubbers, matches, paper, glue, cellulose, exports are extensive. [ 2] [ 3 ] Rezekne (Rositten) has 16,000 inhabitants and is the cultural deficit and in 1939 redeemed all her 6 per cent bonds in the center of South Latvia and has a large flax industry. United States of America. LATVIAN FLAG: Red (cherry )-white-red in the proportion of Kegums on the Daugava River near Riga, is the biggest hydraulic power station in Eastern Europe. 2-1-2. LATVIAN COAT OF ARMS: Tripartite Shield held by a red lion In Latvia there are fifty-seven towns with the right of self­ (left) and silver griffin (right) crowned by three gold stars administration. (three re-united Latvian provinces: Kurzeme-Zemgale, Vidzeme, Health Resorts: Latvia, which is rightly called the Baltic and Latgale ). On the shield a rising golden sun on blue Riviera, has a great number of watering-places and health background for Latgale, a red lion on silver background for resorts that can be favorably compared to well-known foreign Kurzeme and Zemgale and a silver griffin on red background resorts because of their characteristic charm and the healthy for Vidzeme. Decorations : oak leaves and flags. The coat of climatic conditions prevailing. Latvia has fine fishing and arms is used on Latvian stamps. hunting. LATVIAN DECORATIONS: Civilian-Order of "The Three Stars" and "Order of Merit"; Military-"Order of King Wiesturs." Rigas ]urmala, Gulf of Riga, twenty minutes by train from Riga, shallow beach with pine woods. There are many hotels LATVIAN NATIONAL ANTHEM as translated by Rev. Dr. Geo. A. and boarding-houses. Simons, New York. Sigulda, on the Gauja River, beautiful health spot, Livonian I. Bless Latvia, 0 God II. Our blooming Daughters Switzerland. Accommodation at the "Castle of newspapermen Our verdant native sod. near and authors." Where Baltic heroes trod, Our singing sons appear, Keep her from harm. May fortune smiling here Kemeri, near Riga, has State sulphur and mud baths. Finest Grace Latvia! and most modern hotel on the Baltic shore. It is surrounded by pine woods, three miles from sea-shore and there are bus and railway connections with Riga. POLITICAL - HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Baldone, near Riga, sulphur and mud baths. Hotels, board­ OF LATVIA ing-houses. Bus connection with Riga. Latvians, Lithuanians, and Estonians have inhabited the south-eastern shore of the Baltic Sea as organized State units WAYS AND MEANS OF COMMUNICATION: Latvia possesses a centuries before Christ.