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On the road: Latvia, then and now
Latvians don't shy away from their darker history
Latvia defines itself on its own terms, apart from its history of being subjugated by Imperial Poland, Sweden, Lithuania, Germany, and Russia. Latvian is now the language taught in schools, Latvia restaurants are proudly localvore, and holidays have a Latvian twist. Summer Solstice is a national holiday that involves staying up all night, visiting friends and family, and bonfires.
But Latvians don’t shy away from their darker history. I went in part because I wanted to learn about the Jews of Latvia. Though early Baltic tribes rebuffed Jewish settlements, Jews arrived in the later part of the 16th century after the country came under the control of Denmark, Poland and Lithuania. The Duchy of Courland — a vassal state of Poland in the western part of Latvia — actively invited Jews to settle and bring their skills with them.
The Jews who came to the Eastern part of Latvia — including the nation’s capital, Riga — did not fare so well. These settlements were made up of Belarus, Polish and Litvak (the term for Lithuanian Jews), who adhered to the Yiddish culture and language. They were not able to stay overnight in Riga, which limited possibilities for both travel and trade.
What to do
Salaspils Memorial Ensemble is a haunting collection of wood and stone monuments on the site of a former Nazi labor prison camp. It’s about a half hour from downtown Riga. With the large expanse of meadow and tree groves, there’s enough space to be contemplative.
The Museum of the Riga Ghetto and Holocaust in Latvia is a free museum in a vintage warehouse near the site of the old ghetto. One of their interesting exhibits is a collection of hanging paper lanterns covered with photos of local victims and some of the letters they wrote (along with translations).
It’s uplifting to learn what is happening with the Jewish population of Latvia today. The Jews in Latvia museum has a collection of rare photos and items from over a century ago, as well as a gorgeous performance space that hosts all kinds of acts important to Jewish heritage, such as dancers and klezmer bands. The museum is careful to show the full spectrum of Jews of Latvia. There are posters and ads showing great mercantile leaders. But there’s also a haunting photo of a peddler — with no horse and no cart — heading up a dusty road with just a heavy rucksack on his back. This is not a drawing from hundreds of years ago, but a photo taken during my grandparents’ lifetimes.
Riga also has a memorial to what are popularly called the “Righteous Gentiles”, those Christians of Latvia who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust.
You’ll have a new appreciation of freedom after visiting The Museum of the Occupation. The focus is on the Nazi and Soviet occupations from 1940 to 1991. But Latvia persevered through both. The exhibits end by documenting the fight for independence through civil resistance. Latvia joined its fellow Baltic nations, Estonia, and Lithuania, in declaring its own laws, to which the USSR capitulated.
Only one synagogue was spared in Riga during WWII and it’s still in operation: Peitav Shul. Though its location on a hidden little side street was probably originally considered a less than desirable location, that turned out to be its saving grace: it was too close to other buildings to be safe to burn.
In the shadow of tony Sigulda — Latvia’s “New Castle” (1878) — various outbuildings have been repurposed to host all kinds of arts workshops: writers’, handmade paper, textile, and leatherworking. One of the shops that sells retail items as well as holding classes is a truly interesting jewelry workshop: Baltu Rotas. Their whole focus is on preserving the ancient symbols and talismans of the ancient tribes of what is now Latvia. We in the U.S. are unfamiliar with these symbols, peoples, and tribes, but the locals are proud of them. Just as Navajo tribes, Celts, Viking, Caribbean natives have their own jewelry styles that convey deep meaning, so do tribal descendants in Latvia.
Where to eat
If you want to experience Latvian history through a meal, you can visit a cellar-type space in the ancient Old Town section of Riga that houses a restaurant that takes you back to 1454: Lasite. As it was then, dinner is served by candlelight. There are several game dishes on the menu, including rabbit and venison. Sensing that deer might be a “Latvian thing,” I ordered the tender and flavorful red deer flambe’ with glazed mini carrots, made with rum. It was flambeed table-side, so that was extra fun in the darkened room. I was told that the dish is symbolic of the summer solstice fests.
In a rustic barn next to Krimulda Manor is Cremon, a winery and distillery that uses local fruits and herbs. Krimulda Manor is a former aristocratic home that was converted into a children’s sanatorium during Soviet times and still sees patients and medical/health tourists.
Where to stay
Neiburgs hotel in Riga bills itself as a “mindful” hotel, which I experienced as modern furnishings, sustainable practices, but with comfy and luxe touches. There are large beds, deep bathtubs and a breakfast buffet including local salmon, cheeses and honey. The hotel is in the historic Old Town on a side street that still has nightlife.
Bauska is a cute town in the south of the country, closer to the Lithuanian border. Mazmezotnes Manor is a former Lord’s manor, with several buildings on the very handsome property. Rooms have beamed ceilings, for that vintage feel. Lots of tasty veggies and herbs are grown on-site. Though the restaurant is only available to guests, the chef is quite the gourmet.
Here's something you might be interested in.
On the road: Latvia, then and now
Latvians don't shy away from their darker history
On the road: Latvia, then and now
Latvians don't shy away from their darker history
Latvia defines itself on its own terms, apart from its history of being subjugated by Imperial Poland, Sweden, Lithuania, Germany, and Russia. Latvian is now the language taught in schools, Latvia restaurants are proudly localvore, and holidays have a Latvian twist. Summer Solstice is a national holiday that involves staying up all night, visiting friends and family, and bonfires.
But Latvians don’t shy away from their darker history. I went in part because I wanted to learn about the Jews of Latvia. Though early Baltic tribes rebuffed Jewish settlements, Jews arrived in the later part of the 16th century after the country came under the control of Denmark, Poland and Lithuania. The Duchy of Courland — a vassal state of Poland in the western part of Latvia — actively invited Jews to settle and bring their skills with them.
The Jews who came to the Eastern part of Latvia — including the nation’s capital, Riga — did not fare so well. These settlements were made up of Belarus, Polish and Litvak (the term for Lithuanian Jews), who adhered to the Yiddish culture and language. They were not able to stay overnight in Riga, which limited possibilities for both travel and trade.
What to do
Salaspils Memorial Ensemble is a haunting collection of wood and stone monuments on the site of a former Nazi labor prison camp. It’s about a half hour from downtown Riga. With the large expanse of meadow and tree groves, there’s enough space to be contemplative.
The Museum of the Riga Ghetto and Holocaust in Latvia is a free museum in a vintage warehouse near the site of the old ghetto. One of their interesting exhibits is a collection of hanging paper lanterns covered with photos of local victims and some of the letters they wrote (along with translations).
It’s uplifting to learn what is happening with the Jewish population of Latvia today. The Jews in Latvia museum has a collection of rare photos and items from over a century ago, as well as a gorgeous performance space that hosts all kinds of acts important to Jewish heritage, such as dancers and klezmer bands. The museum is careful to show the full spectrum of Jews of Latvia. There are posters and ads showing great mercantile leaders. But there’s also a haunting photo of a peddler — with no horse and no cart — heading up a dusty road with just a heavy rucksack on his back. This is not a drawing from hundreds of years ago, but a photo taken during my grandparents’ lifetimes.
Riga also has a memorial to what are popularly called the “Righteous Gentiles”, those Christians of Latvia who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust.
You’ll have a new appreciation of freedom after visiting The Museum of the Occupation. The focus is on the Nazi and Soviet occupations from 1940 to 1991. But Latvia persevered through both. The exhibits end by documenting the fight for independence through civil resistance. Latvia joined its fellow Baltic nations, Estonia, and Lithuania, in declaring its own laws, to which the USSR capitulated.
Only one synagogue was spared in Riga during WWII and it’s still in operation: Peitav Shul. Though its location on a hidden little side street was probably originally considered a less than desirable location, that turned out to be its saving grace: it was too close to other buildings to be safe to burn.
In the shadow of tony Sigulda — Latvia’s “New Castle” (1878) — various outbuildings have been repurposed to host all kinds of arts workshops: writers’, handmade paper, textile, and leatherworking. One of the shops that sells retail items as well as holding classes is a truly interesting jewelry workshop: Baltu Rotas. Their whole focus is on preserving the ancient symbols and talismans of the ancient tribes of what is now Latvia. We in the U.S. are unfamiliar with these symbols, peoples, and tribes, but the locals are proud of them. Just as Navajo tribes, Celts, Viking, Caribbean natives have their own jewelry styles that convey deep meaning, so do tribal descendants in Latvia.
Where to eat
If you want to experience Latvian history through a meal, you can visit a cellar-type space in the ancient Old Town section of Riga that houses a restaurant that takes you back to 1454: Lasite. As it was then, dinner is served by candlelight. There are several game dishes on the menu, including rabbit and venison. Sensing that deer might be a “Latvian thing,” I ordered the tender and flavorful red deer flambe’ with glazed mini carrots, made with rum. It was flambeed table-side, so that was extra fun in the darkened room. I was told that the dish is symbolic of the summer solstice fests.
In a rustic barn next to Krimulda Manor is Cremon, a winery and distillery that uses local fruits and herbs. Krimulda Manor is a former aristocratic home that was converted into a children’s sanatorium during Soviet times and still sees patients and medical/health tourists.
Where to stay
Neiburgs hotel in Riga bills itself as a “mindful” hotel, which I experienced as modern furnishings, sustainable practices, but with comfy and luxe touches. There are large beds, deep bathtubs and a breakfast buffet including local salmon, cheeses and honey. The hotel is in the historic Old Town on a side street that still has nightlife.
Bauska is a cute town in the south of the country, closer to the Lithuanian border. Mazmezotnes Manor is a former Lord’s manor, with several buildings on the very handsome property. Rooms have beamed ceilings, for that vintage feel. Lots of tasty veggies and herbs are grown on-site. Though the restaurant is only available to guests, the chef is quite the gourmet.