Download or read book Introduction to Latvia written by Gilad James, PhD and published by Gilad James Mystery School. This book was released on with total page 89 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Latvia is a small country located in northern Europe, bordered by Estonia, Russia, Belarus, and Lithuania. After over 50 years of Soviet rule, Latvia gained its independence in 1991 and joined the European Union in 2004. The country is known for its picturesque countryside, dense forests, and stunning beaches along its 500-kilometer coastline. Latvia’s capital city, Riga, is a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its well-preserved medieval architecture, lively nightlife, and cosmopolitan atmosphere. The country has a population of around 1.9 million, with most people living in urban areas. The official language is Latvian, a Baltic language spoken by the majority of the population, but many people also speak English, Russian, and German. The Latvian economy has undergone significant growth and transformation since independence. The country is a member of the eurozone and has a highly skilled workforce, making it an attractive destination for foreign investors. The economy is based on a mixture of industries, with a strong focus on manufacturing, agriculture, and services. The country is also known for its IT sector, and Riga is home to a number of international technology companies. Latvia has a rich cultural heritage, with a history that dates back to the 12th century. The country celebrates many festivals and holidays throughout the year, including the Latvian Song and Dance Festival, which takes place every five years and attracts thousands of performers and visitors. Overall, Latvia is a vibrant and diverse country with a range of cultural, economic, and natural attractions that make it an intriguing destination for tourists, expats, and investors alike.
Download or read book Latvia in World War II written by Valdis O. Lumans and published by Fordham Univ Press. This book was released on 2006 with total page 572 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Valdis Lumans provides an authoritative, balanced, and comprehensive account of one of the most complex, and conflicted, arenas of the Second World War. Struggling against both Germany and the Soviet Union, Latvia emerged as an independent nation state after the First World War. In 1940, the Soviets occupied neutral Latvia, deporting or executing more than 30,000 Latvians before the Nazis invaded in 1941 and installed a puppet regime. The Red Army expelled the Germans in 1944 and reincorporated Latvia as a Soviet Republic. By the end of the war, an estimated 180,000 Latvians fled to the West. The Soviets would deport at least another 100,000. Drawing on a wide range of sources--many brought together here for the first time--Lumans synthesizes political, military, social, economic, diplomatic, and cultural history. He moves carefully through traditional sources, many of them partisan, to scholarship emerging since the end of the Cold War, to confront such issues as political loyalties, military collaboration, resistance, capitulation, the Soviet occupation, anti-Semitism, and the Latvian role in the Holocaust.
Download or read book Latvia written by Vilis Inde and published by . This book was released on 2021-01-18 with total page 112 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the first stop in learning about Latvian people and their culture and history. The Latvian people survived centuries of oppression under foreign rule, yet gained independence in 1918 and again in 1990. This history focuses on factors that played a role in maintaining the language and culture through difficult circumstances. The book also includes a brief section of one of Latvia's spiritual and political leaders of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Rainis. He inspired people to act in the quest for freedom and independence.
Download or read book Latvians in Michigan written by Silvija D. Meija and published by MSU Press. This book was released on 2005-07-11 with total page 186 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Latvians have contributed to the cultural mosaic and economy of Michigan far more than one might imagine. There are three large Latvian communities in Michigan—Kalamazoo, Detroit, and Grand Rapids—with several smaller enclaves elsewhere in the state. An underlying goal of Latvians who now live in Michigan, as well as other parts of the United States and Canada, is to maintain their language and culture. More than five thousand Latvians came to Michigan after World War II, found gainful employment, purchased homes, and became a part of the Michigan population. Most sought to reeducate themselves and struggled to educate their children in Michigan’s many colleges and universities. Latvians in Michigan examines Latvia and its history, and describes how World War II culminated in famine, death, and eventual flight from their homeland by many Latvian refugees. After the war ended, most Latvian emigrants eventually made their way to Sweden or Germany, where they lived in displaced persons camps. From there, the emigrants were sponsored by individuals or organizations and they moved once again to other parts of the world. Many came to the United States, where they established new roots and tried to perpetuate their cultural heritage while establishing new lives.
Download or read book Latvia written by Mara Kalnins and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2015-01-04 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The history of the Latvian people begins some four and a half millennia ago with the arrival of the proto-Baltic Indo-Europeans to northern Europe. One branch of these migrants coalesced into a community which evolved a distinctive and remarkably robust culture and language, and which eventually developed into a loose federation of tribal kingdoms that stretched from the shores of the Baltic sea to the upper Dniepr river. But these small independent kingdoms were unable to resist the later invasion of the Teutonic Knights in 1201, an invasion that initiated nearly eight hundred years of helotry for the Latvians in their own domains. In the centuries of domination by successive European powers that followed, the inhabitants nonetheless preserved a powerful sense of identity, fostered by their ancient language, oral literature, songs and customs. These in turn informed and gave impetus to the rise of national consciousness in the nineteenth century and the political activities of the twentieth which brought the modern nation-state of Latvia into being. This book traces the genesis and growth of that nation, its endurance over centuries of conquest and oppression, the process by which it achieved its independence, and its status as a member of the European community in the twenty-first century.
Download or read book How Latvia Came Through the Financial Crisis written by Anders Åslund and published by Peterson Institute. This book was released on 2011 with total page 159 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Latvia stands out as the East European country hardest hit by the global financial crisis; it lost approximately 25 percent of its GDP between 2008 and 2010. It was also the most overheated economy before the crisis. But in the second half of 2010, Latvia returned to economic growth. How did this happen so quickly? Current Latvian Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis, who shepherded Latvia through the crisis, and renowned author Anders slund discuss why the Latvian economy became so overheated; why an IMF and European Union stabilization program was needed; what the Latvian government did to resolve the financial crisis and why it made these choices; and what the outcome has been. This book offers a rare insider's look at how a national government responded to a global financial crisis, made tough choices, and led the country back to economic growth.
Download or read book Latvia written by Artis Pabriks and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-03-07 with total page 185 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The past one hundred years have been a very trying time for Latvia, complete with success, tragedy, and still unrealized promise. Within the course of a generation, the country experienced revolutions, wars and independent statehood, and then the slide into authoritarianism. World War II brought new occupations. The tragedies were staggering: holocaust, executions, and an exodus of refugees. Soviet consolidation bred deportations, forced collectivization and partisan warfare. Almost fifty years later, Latvia regained its independence and emerged from decades of disastrous Soviet rule. This book comprehensively surveys Latvia's recent past and prospects for the new millennium, placing contemporary events in historical perspective. The authors address the evolution of the country from the movement against Soviet rule to the dilemmas of contemporary politics: party formation, the problem of corruption, the quest for the future and a regional and international role, the struggle to develop a civil society, the issue of ethnic relations and the recurring tendency towards statist solutions. Proper attention is also given to economic developments.
Download or read book The Emigrant Communities of Latvia written by Rita Kaša and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-05-08 with total page 300 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This open access volume examines experiences of contemporary Latvian migrants, thereby focusing on reasons for emigration, processes of integration in their host countries, and – in the case of return migration - re-integration in their home country. In the context of European migration, the book describes the case of Latvia, which is interesting due to the multiple waves of excessive emigration, continuously high migration potential among European Union member states, and diverse migrant characteristics. It provides a fascinating insight into the social and psychological aspects linked to migration in a comparative context. The data in this volume is rich in providing individual level perspectives of contemporary Latvian migrants by addressing issues such as emigrants’ economic, social and cultural inclusion in the host country, ties with the home country and culture, interaction with public authorities both in the host and home country, political views, and perspectives on the permanent settlement in migration or return. Through topics such as assimilation of children, relationships between emigrants representing different emigration waves, the complex identities and attachments of minority emigrants, and the role of culture and media in identity formation and presentation, this book addresses topics that any contemporary emigrant community is faced with.
Download or read book The Baltic Nations and Europe written by John Hiden and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2014-01-14 with total page 238 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Of all the Soviet Union's subject nationalities, the three Baltic republics, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, were the most determined and best organised in seizing the opportunities created by glasnost and perestroika to win freedom from Moscow's grip. At the time of first publication, in 1991, the final section of the book was speculative. Now for this revised edition, the authors have provided a new final chapter which brings the story up to date -- and the three republics to political independence again.
Download or read book A History of the Baltic States written by Andres Kasekamp and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2017-10-26 with total page 235 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this key textbook, Andres Kasekamp masterfully traces the development of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, from the northern crusades against Europe's last pagans and Lithuania's rise to become one of medieval Europe's largest states, to their incorporation into the Russian Empire and the creation of their modern national identities. Employing a comparative approach, a particular emphasis is placed upon the last one hundred years, during which the Baltic states achieved independence, endured occupation by the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany, and transformed themselves into members of the European Union. This is an essential textbook for undergraduate students taking modules on Eastern or Central European History, Communism and Post-Communism, the Soviet Union, or Baltic Culture and Politics. Engaging and accessible, this is also an ideal introduction to the Baltic States for general readers.
Download or read book The Latvians written by Andrejs Plakans and published by Hoover Press. This book was released on 1995 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This postperestroika historical narrative should contribute significantly to assessing the likelihood of Latvia's survival as an independent republic."--BOOK JACKET.
Download or read book A Taste of Latvia written by Siri Lise Doub and published by Hippocrene Books. This book was released on 2000 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Here is a glimpse at the fascinating cuisine and culture of this Baltic country, from the culinary customs of pagan times to the modern cafés of Riga. The author includes 100 easy-to-follow recipes for classic Latvian dishes, along with bits of folk songs, poetry, mythology, historical accounts and local customs that reflect Latvia's rich history and cultural traditions.
Download or read book Staged Otherness written by Dagnosław Demski and published by Central European University Press. This book was released on 2021-12-22 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The cultural phenomenon of exhibiting non-European people in front of the European audiences in the 19th and 20th century was concentrated in the metropolises in the western part of the continent. Nevertheless, traveling ethnic troupes and temporary exhibitions of non-European humans took place also in territories located to the east of the Oder river and Austria. The contributors to this edited volume present practices of ethnographic shows in Russia, Poland, Czechia, Slovenia, Hungary, Germany, Romania, and Austria and discuss the reactions of local audiences. The essays offer critical arguments to rethink narratives of cultural encounters in the context of ethnic shows. By demonstrating the many ways in which the western models and customs were reshaped, developed, and contested in Central and Eastern European contexts, the authors argue that the dominant way of characterizing these performances as “human zoos” is too narrow. The contributors had to tackle the difficult task of finding traces other than faint copies of official press releases by the tour organizers. The original source material was drawn from local archives, museums, and newspapers of the discussed period. A unique feature of the volume is the rich amount of images that complement every single case study of ethnic shows.
Download or read book Mittens of Latvia 178 Traditional Designs to Knit written by and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Estonia Latvia and Lithuania Country Studies written by Walter Iwaskiw and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2013-06-13 with total page 334 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume is one in a continuing series of books prepared by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress. This volume is about Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Download or read book The Baltic States written by Thomas Lane and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-11-05 with total page 708 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since the end of the Cold War there has been an increased interest in the Baltics. The Baltic States brings together three titles, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, to provide a comprehensive and analytical guide integrating history, political science, economic development and contemporary events into one account. Since gaining their independence, each country has developed at its own pace with its own agenda and facing its own obstacles. The authors examine the tensions accompanying a post-communist return to Europe after the long years of separation and how each country has responded to the demands of becoming a modern European state. Estonia was the first of the former Soviet republics to enter membership negotiations with the European Union in 1988 and is a potential candidate for the next round of EU expansion in 2004. Lithuania and Latvia have also expressed their desire for future membership of NATO and the EU.
Download or read book Language Conflicts in Contemporary Estonia Latvia and Ukraine written by Ksenia Maksimovtsova and published by Ibidem Press. This book was released on 2019-05-28 with total page 514 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How are language policy and usage politicized in contemporary Estonia, Latvia, and Ukraine? This study presents a cross-cultural qualitative and quantitative analysis of publications in leading Russian-language blogs and news websites of these three post-Soviet states during the period of 2004-2017.
