Latvia Books

Plakans' dictionary is well thought out and reads extremely well with supporting background material. A must for scholars and historians as well as the casual Baltic observer or student!

For anyone who is interest in the history of Latvia, this book is a MUST. The book does not go in great depth. But presents the reader with highlights of Latvian history, culture, and chronology. Most of the book consists of a historical dictionary. The historical dictionary, portion of the book, is interesting. After the dictionary, I would rate the bibliography as interesting and useful. It is 25-1/2 pages long.

This book is a MUST, for the Latvian historian.

To the best of my knowledge this is the only book written about the Holocaust in Latvia, and in English, that was written through extensive research of existing source documents. That alone makes it worth reading.

This book gives the best description of the Arajis Kommando, and its leader, that I have read. The author describes the role of fraternities in Latvia and how Arajis used his connections inside one of the largest for recruiting purposes. Arajis comes off as yet another self-seeking power and recognition hungry flea that decided to catch a ride on the hyena that was the Reich.

What puzzled me was the authors insistence that Latvian auxillaries were the primary killers of the Jews and members of the communist party. My reading of this book left me somewhat doubtful as the author discusses how the Arajis Kommando was slow to organize that fateful summer. Also, Latvian auxillaries were not trusted with weapons other than rifles and pistols (pre 1943) and the ammo issued was counted before an after they were on duty.

I have no doubt that Latvians killed Jews and the Arajis Kommando helped. I am just not as positive as the author they killed as many of them. Yet, I write this and know I never would have even thought about it without the author having written this book. For me, this is why I read, and why I like history so much.

The book also discusses the clash between those who wanted (Lohse)to wring the maximum amount of productive labor from selected Jews and those who wanted to kill them all now (SD). The same clash was repeated through out the east and I found it interesting to read the logic behind it. Something few books touch upon.

I recommend this book.

Ezergailis' account of holocaust in Latvia is based on his analysis of German, Latvian, and Soviet sources, the latter just made available when he wrote his book. He describes the position of the Jews in pre War Latvia, the attitude of the government toward the Jews, and the rise of antisemitism in certain segments of what was then "a Jewish friendly state." Ezegailis also details the fate of the Jews in sobering passages in which he names those responsible for their deaths. He analyzes how the Nazis used their propaganda to enlist Latvian participation and where this worked. He also discusses how the Soviets used a similar line to discredit Latvian nationalists and ironically, how many American Latvians bought those arguments. To paraphrase the author, the Jews and the Latvians were stuck between two devils. The Latvians chose one; the Jews chose another.

I have traveled through the country several times to meet Latvians and Latvian Jews who survived the War. In a few cases, I have spoken to actual witnesses both in Riga, the capital, and in the rural areas of the country. I think I am in a position to comment on Ezegailis' book. It is a thorough work of scholarship for anyone interested in that sad time and the complex world it left.

The book I purchased was delivered to my house in great condition. It was if I had just bought the book at a book store.

The Merry Baker Of Riga: An American Entrepreneur Ventures Into Eastern Europe is the true story of an American expatriate who decided to establish a Western-style bakery in Latvia in 1992, just after the collapse of the Soviet Union. His run ins with language barriers, having to re-train Soviet-trained bakers, the threats of Russian mafia racketeers who menaced his business, culture shock, and much more fill the pages of this rousing travelogue and business tale filled with twists, turns, unexpected challenges and one man's remarkable determination to succeed.

It was Coo

In Tug of War, the Petersons and the Jansons are escaping their home country, Latvia, because of World War II. The Russians were coming to take over Latvia and all the countries surrounding it, so that forced almost all the citizens in these countries to leave. The crowds are massive and people are being left behind. Who ever thought that one of the Petersons, Hugo, would get separated from his family? I really enjoyed this book. It taught me more about WWII, but it wasn't like reading a History textbook. The author took a common situation for a family in WWII and wrote about that family and their life during the war, but at the same time she was educating her readers about what happened in the war.

Astra and Hugo Peterson are twins. When they leave Latvia to go to Leipzig, Germany to stay at an old friend's house and Hugo's godfather, Otto Zimmerman, they are fourteen, but they don't know that they'll be separated and won't see each other until they are eighteen, all because of the crowds of people trying to leave Latvia before the Russians come. Astra is devastated that her and Hugo got separated. She feels like the other half of her is missing.

While Astra is on her way to Leipzig and worrying about Hugo and if they will ever meet up again, Hugo is being taken care of. The Schneider's found Hugo beside the railroad tracks with a very deep cut from the middle of his forehead all the way to the bottom of his face. His glasses were broken so he couldn't see a thing. When the Schneider's took Hugo into their home, Hugo knew he would be safe there until he found his family. Little did Hugo know, he was going to find his future wife in the Schneider's household. Bettina Schneider was an only child and only a few months older than Hugo. They were happy with each others present and Hugo felt a whole lot better whenever Bettina would encourage him that he can still live his life without his family. After four years of Hugo living with the Schneider's, Hugo finally asks Bettina to marry him. Of course, Bettina agrees.

Astra never knew what ever happened to Hugo at the train station in those crowds. She never found out until she found Hugo four years later in a camp full of people waiting to leave Germany for America and Canada. When Hugo and Bettina were taking a walk along the side of the rode, an drove by, that the Petersons and Jansons were in, but Hugo, Bettina, nor the two families inside the van knew it was one another. The one thing that caught Hugo's attention was that the van had a Latvian flag on the window. He was pleased to learn that people from his home country were still around in Germany. Hugo told Bettina that he would catch up with her later and he followed the van to the camp. When he got to the camp, he looked around and then he heard an eager voice call his name. After a couple of yells for him, Hugo turned around and saw that it was Astra. Astra took Hugo back to their family and everyone was pleased. Hugo came home to the Schneider's late that night and explained what happened. The Schneider's were happy, but Bettina was also sad. Hugo had to make decision of staying in Germany with the Schneider's or going to Canada to start a better life with his family. In the end, Hugo decides to go to Canada and then come back for Bettina after a year of living in Canada.

I really enjoyed this book. It had a romantic twist to it, but it told the life story of people who had to live during World War II. I would recommend this book to teenagers who are curious about what happened to everyday people in World War II.

~E. Snowden

Dr. Gerhard Bassler, a History professor at Memorial University, reveals, in great and gripping detail, the business dealings of the Newfoundland government, more specifically the underhandedness of economist Alfred Valdmanis and former premier Joey Smallwood.

Many Newfoundlanders knew what was happening but this book closely examines Smallwood's ardent desire that the province must "develop or perish" and banked on Valdmanis to pave the way.

"The Baltic Nations and Europe: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuanai in the Twentieth Century" have to be very exotic book, because there is some new Baltic Nation mentioned - "LITHUANAI". What it is?

This book will help you to better understand Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, which have remarkably different personalities, although often collectively referred to as the Baltics. The countries are treated separately, as they deserve to be, illustrating their individual ambitions, which are often at odds to each other.

I was very impressed with Thomas Lane's scholarly but easily accessible account of Lithuania. In it he gives one of the most balanced appraisals of the country which I've read, taking it up to 1997 with the election of Valdas Adamkus. He charts Lithuania from its post WWI independence to its post Soviet independence, noting its tremendous resiliency in the face of two totalitarian regimes -- the Soviet Union and Germany. The country had a difficult time carving out its niche in the 1920's, battling Poland as well in staking out its independence, only to lose Vilnius to Poland's overextending claims. Lane gives special attention to this inter-war period, as it served as the inspiration for Lithuania's post-Soviet independence in 1991.

He recounts Lithuania's uneasy relationship with Germany and its role in the Holocaust, but is very careful in assessing blame. Lithuania quite literally found itself between a rock and a hard place, falling victim to the Soviet Union in the end. Lane provides a detailed study of the Soviet era and the impact it had on Lithuania's agrarian economy. Through this period, Lithuania still managed to retain its identity despite the prevailing Soviet influence.

Lane covers the key events of the 80's which led to independence, and the difficulties Lithuania faced in the 90's as it tried to distance itself from Moscow. He provides an excellent appraisal of the various political parties and the affect the rural vote still has on the outcome of the elections. Although Lithuania was still struggling to form a market economy by the time Lane concludes his account in the late 90's, the country has since enjoyed an economic boom, with the highest growth rate in Eastern Europe.

There is also a fine appraisal of Lithuania's current foreign policy and its ability to form key European alliances in the 90's, which it had been unable to do in the 20's. It no longer has a heavy reliance on Russia, having become an integral part of the European economy.

Stoker's work on inter-war Baltic Navies, and their relationship with the great powers is not only a first in English, but also very good. He provides a great deal of information on Polish, Latvian, Estonian, Finnish, efforts to produce naval power, at least capable of fending off the Soviets in the 1920s-30s. This book also covers the machinations of British and French arms dealers, who often pushed substandard, shoddy, or just plain peculiar weapons into the Baltic market. Based on research in many countries, this would be an excellent addition on the shelf of a naval, diplomatic, military, or Baltic historian.

This book is a wealth of fascinating information, past and preasent facts mixed in an informative and useful manner. It makes great reading for anyone planning a trip to Latvia as well as anyone with any curiosity about a small unique country.

I am an American of Latvian descent. My grandparents were Lutheran refugees from Latvia and survived the war. Their lives were hard, but were a piece of cake compared to how Freida suffered. She had so many doors slammed in her face when all she wanted to do was live, something most of us take for granted.