What is the Jewish population of Latvia?
Today, the Jewish population of Latvia is approximately 6,200 people. The origins of Latvian Jews lie in Livonia and Courland, which are located on the coast of the Baltic Sea. Both were not included in the Pale of Settlement, so only those Jews who could prove they had lived in the region before it came under Russia were permitted to live there.
Were Latvians the majority of the Rigans?
This was the only time in history Latvians were the majority of Rigans. German share stood at 10% and Russian share at 9%. Both of these minorities were surpassed by the Jews (11%) who arrived from towns (as the Russian Imperial limitations on Jewish settlement were scrapped by independent Latvia).
What happened to the Latvians in Riga?
The Soviet genocide of Latvians was replaced by a new German genocide of Riga’s Jews (the majority of them either perished or fled). In 1944-1945 the Soviets came back and the targets shifted back again. Not willing to wait for their death, many Latvian and German citizens of Riga evacuated to the West.
What happened to Latvian Jews after WW2?
After the war, 33,000 Jewish refugees and exiles scattered around the Soviet Union returned to Latvia. Only 1,000 Latvian Jews survived the concentration camps, most of whom remained in the displaced persons camps in Germany, Austria, and Italy, refusing repatriation.
Why was the pale called the Pale?
These four "obedient shires" were the only part of Ireland still under the control of the English crown. The king's perimeter was marked with wooden fence posts pounded into the Irish turf. These were called "pales," from the Latin palus, meaning "stake." A last "ditch" attempt to thwart cattle rustlers.
What does shtetl mean in Yiddish?
townBut according to Shandler, a professor in the Department of Jewish Studies at Rutgers: “In Yiddish, shtetl simply means 'town' – anywhere, at any time, inhabited by anyone. In popular usage, it has acquired all kinds of connotations, especially as the word moves into other languages.”
What tribe is Ashkenazi from?
Who are Ashkenazi Jews? The term Ashkenazi refers to a group of Jews who lived in the Rhineland valley and in neighbouring France before their migration eastward to Slavic lands (e.g., Poland, Lithuania, and Russia) after the Crusades (11th–13th century) and their descendants.
What's a Shadchan?
Definition of shadchan : a Jewish marriage broker or matchmaker.
What does Goyish mean?
A person who is not Jewish. [Yiddish, from Hebrew gôy, Jew ignorant of the Jewish religion, non-Jew; see gwy in Semitic roots.] goy′ish adj.
What did they eat in the shtetl?
The excellent nutrition naturally available in two dietary staples, rye bread and sauerkraut, served to ward off many a disease. The favorite accompaniment to baked or boiled potatoes was herring, which was also the preferred food to be eaten with bread. In Lithuania, herring was a national dish.
What does the term Hasidim mean?
[ (khah-see-dim, hah-see-dim) ] Jews (see also Jews) who observe a form of strict Orthodox Judaism. They generally wear severely plain black and white clothes, and the men, following the requirements of Mosaic law, leave parts of their hair and whiskers untrimmed.
What is the meaning of Yentl?
nobleYenta or Yente (Yiddish: יענטע) is a Yiddish women's given name. It is a variant form of the name Yentl, which ultimately is thought to be derived from the Italian word gentile, meaning 'noble' or 'refined'.
What was the Jewish history of Latvia?
Neighboring Polish Lithuania had a considerable Jewish population from the 13th century. In 1561 Poland took Livonia and Latgale but Kurland was an independent Duchy. The history of the Jews from then on was different in the three Provinces and as they were ruled by different people each had a different Jewish History.
What are the regions of Latvia?
Today's Latvia is divided into four regions, Kurzeme, Zemgale, Vidzeme, and Latgale. Kurzeme in the northwest and Zemgale in the southwest previously made up Courland (Kurland) gubernia (province) under the Russian Empire. The largest towns were Libau and Mitau. Vidzeme, also known as Livonia, has Riga as the capital. It extends northeast, bordering Estonia, and was Liflandia (Livland) gubernia under the Russian Empire. It included the towns of Walk, Wenden and Wolmar. Latgale, also known as Latgalia, was part of Vitebsk gubernia under Russia. The largest towns were Rezekne and Dvinsk.
What were the Jewish people in Courland?
Jews became permanent inhabitants of Courland in the 18th century. Especially favorable was the ruling of Duke Ernst Johann Biron (1737-1747, then 1762-1769, the favorite of Russian Empress Anna Ivanovna), who even nominated a Jew, Louis Lipmann, to be his chief financial advisor. In the 18th century many skilled Jewish workers and artisans (construction workers, roof-makers, inlay workers, tailors) arrived in Courland from Germany, as well as a number of medical doctors, the latter forming a core of Jewish intelligentsia, actively confirming and bearing the ideas of Jewish Enlightenment (Haskala). One of the founders of the Haskala movement in Courland was the medical doctor and philosopher Marcus Hertz (1743 - 1803). The German way of life dominated in Courland, having a great impact on the Jews. It is important to stress that mostly German (and not Yiddish) language was the spoken language of the Courland Jewish community and it continued until World War II.
What did the Jews of Latgale practice?
The Jews of Latgale practiced typical Eastern European Orthodoxy. The Haskala was only a minor influence on their culture. There were factions of both hasidism (led by the Rogachover Gaon Iosif Rosin) and mitnagdim (led by Rav Meir Simha).
Where did the Jews come from in the Piltene region?
The Province of Piltene (Pilten) included the districts of Grobin and Hasenpoth and part of Windau district. It is generally accepted that the first Jews arrived in Piltene around 1571 under the protection of Duke Magnuss, who obtained Piltene as a gift from his brother, the King of Denmark, to whom Pilten province was sold in 1559 along with the districts of Grobini (Grobin), Hasenpoth (now Aizpute), and part of Windau (now Ventspils) district. When the Piltene district was sold to the Polish king Stefan Batory in 1685, Polish legislation was extended to the Jews of the Piltene region and its neighborhood. The outcome was that while Courland was an independent Duchy under protection of Poland, Piltene was an enclave under the direct rule of the King of Poland. Even before selling to Denmark, the Bishop of Pilten allowed wealthy Jews to settle and contribute to the region’s development. Since Pilten lies near the sea, Jewish merchants probably settled there from Prussia. Politically, Piltene was ruled directly by Poland while Courland Duchy, with its capital in Mitau, was ruled by local nobility. The reason for the special interest in Piltene province was that all-season seaports such as Libau (now Liepaja) and Windau, were of utmost trade importance, even competing with Riga, whose port did not operate in winter. In Pilten there were no taxes imposed on Jews until 1717 (a charge of two talers). Then there were decrees of expulsion between 1727 and 1738 which were ineffective (as distinct from 1492, Spain). In 1708 the first synagogue was permitted to be built in Aizpute (Hasenpoth).
What was the name of the duchy of Poland in 1562?
From 1562-1795 Courland was a semi-independent duchy linked to Poland, but with a prevailing German influence. The local Jewry was closer to German Jewish than to Lithuanian Jewish.
How many Jews were in Riga in the 19th century?
In the middle of the 19th century there were about 4,500 Jews in Vidzeme, including Riga. Livonia was outside the Pale but there was a well established important Jewish community in Riga. This community was the most modern in the Empire, along with Odessa, with marked acculturation. In 1832 the community of “Jews of Shlok residing in Riga” applied for a Jewish school in Riga. Thus, one of the first (modern!) Jewish schools (Kaplan school) was established in 1840 in Riga, with German as the language of instruction.
What is the pale of settlement?
The Pale of Settlement was a term used by the Russian Empire. It meant the borders in which permanent residency by Jews was allowed (from 1791 to 1917). Beyond these places, Jewish residency, permanent or temporary, was mostly forbidden.
When did the Pale end?
The end of the enforcement and formal demarcation of the Pale coincided with the beginning of World War I in 1914 and then ultimately, the fall of the Russian Empire in the February and October Revolutions of 1917.
What was the motivation for the Pale?
Historians argue that the motivations for its creation were mainly economic and nationalist in nature.
Where did the word "pale" come from?
The old English term pale is got from the Latin word palus, a stake, and so extended to mean the area enclosed by a fence or boundary.
What were the consequences of the pale?
One consequence of the Pale was a tendency to restrict marriage by Jews, not just to other Jews, but often in practice to those who attended the same synagogue. The effects are similar to those of the Royal Families of Europe, who eventually showed the genetic effects of inbreeding even though the marriages were legal and in other ways quite appropriate. Just as in European royalty, the communities behind the Pale, and now in normal life, show a higher percentage of deleterious genetic defects than the wider population. This is because the parents were, unknowingly, to some extent consanguineous (related).
How many Jews left Latvia in 1925?
Between 1925 and 1935, 6,000 Jews left Latvia, the majority of whom made aliyah. This left 43,672 Jews in Riga, 11,106 in Daugavpils, and 7,379 in Libau.
Where did the Latvian Jews come from?
The origins of Latvian Jews lie in Livonia and Courland, which are located on the coast of the Baltic Sea. Both were not included in the Pale of Settlement, so only those Jews who could prove they had lived in the region before it came under Russia were permitted to live there. Therefore, the gradual annexation of the country by the Russian Empire weakened the Jewish presence. However Germnaized or Russianized the Jews became, their position was always uncertain in relation to the national movement in Latvia, which saw them as foreigners.
What was the oldest Jewish community in Latvia?
Boasting the oldest Jewish community in Latvia, Courland was made up of two separate realms, Piltene (Pilten) and Courland.
What is the difference between the Jewish community of Courland and the rest of Latvia?
Courland Jewish culture differs significantly from that of the rest of Latvia, due to the province’s proximity to Germany, though it was slightly influenced by the neighboring Lithuanian Jewish community. The community’s position declined, however, after the Duke of Courland and Piltene made an alliance.
How many Jews lived in Latgalia?
Toward the end of the Polish rule, in 1766, some 2,996 Jews lived in Latgalia. Latgalia came under Russian control after the First Partition of Poland in 1772. At the time, 5,000 Jews lived there, but by 1784, the number had been reduced to 3,700.
Why did Jews move to Courland?
In the mid-19th century, despite heavy restrictions on citizenship, Jews from the Pale managed to move to Courland to escape suffering. By 1850, the Jewish population had risen to 51,072, and on the eve of World War I, had skyrocketed to 68,000.
When did the Jews arrive in Piltene?
The first Jews arrived in Piltene in around 1571, after the Bishop of Courland sold the land to the King of Denmark, who then gave it to his brother, Duke Magnuss von Holstein. Under the duchy, Piltene became a sort of island within the province of Courland, leading to numerous military conflicts with Poland, until it was purchased by Poland in 1585.
Who was the Russian legislator who extended the Pale of Settlement?
To sum up, it was the intention of the Russian legislators of the reigns of Catherine II and Alexander I to extend the Pale of Settlement beyond the regions acquired from Poland only to those areas where Jews could serve as a colonizing element. However, from the reign of Alexander II the restrictive aspects of the Pale ...
What was the Pale of Settlement?
Cherta [ postoyannoy yevreyskoy] osedlosti ) was a territory within the borders of czarist Russia wherein the residence of Jews was legally authorized. Limits for the area in which Jewish settlement was permissible in Russia came into being when Russia was confronted with the necessity of adjusting to a Jewish element within its borders, from which Jews had been excluded since the end of the 15 th century. These limitations were consonant with the general conception of freedom of movement of persons which then applied. At the time, most of the inhabitants of Russia, not only the serfs but also townsmen and merchants, were deprived of freedom of movement and confined to their places of residence.
What law did not apply to the Vistula region?
However, they were disappointed when these alleviations came to a complete halt after 1881, as part of the general reaction in Russia at this period. The "Temporary ( *May ) Laws" of 1881 prohibited any new settlement by Jews outside towns and townlets in the Pale of Settlement (this law did not apply to the Vistula Region).
What language did the Jews speak in the Pale of Settlement?
The language spoken by the Jews in the Pale of Settlement was Yiddish (according to the census of 1897 by 99% of the Jews). Most Jewish children received a Jewish education in the ḥeder and the yeshivah. Jewish literature and newspapers in Yiddish , Hebrew, Russian, and Polish circulated in many thousands of copies.
What was the purpose of the partition of Poland?
After the first partition of Poland in 1772, when masses of Jews living within the former country came under Russian rule, it was decided (1791) to permit the presence of the Jews not only in their former regions of residence, but also in the new areas which had then been annexed from Turkey on the Black Sea shore, in whose rapid colonization the Russian government was interested. On the other hand, Jewish merchants were prohibited from trading in the provinces of inner Russia. These decrees were intended to serve the national and economic interests of the state by preventing competition of the Jewish with Russian merchants and encouraging settlement in the desolate steppes of southern Russia; after a time these formed the provinces of *Kherson , *Dnepropetrovsk (Yekaterinoslav), and Taurida ( *Crimea ). The Russian government also sought thus to reduce the excess of Jews in the branches of commerce and innkeeping within the territory annexed from Poland. In 1794 the earlier decree was ratified and applied to the regions which had been annexed with the second partition of Poland (1793) also – the provinces of *Minsk , *Volhynia, and *Podolia – as well as to the region to the east of the River Dnieper (the provinces of *Chernigov and *Poltava ).
What was the original motion to expel Jews from Russia?
The extreme Right retorted with a counter-motion "to expel the Jews from Russia"; the original motion was voted upon in February 1911 and transferred to the commission for personal freedom, where it fell into oblivion and was no longer mentioned in plenary session of the Duma.
How many Jews were there in Russia in 1897?
According to the census of 1897, 4,899,300 Jews lived there, forming 94% of the total Jewish population of Russia and c. 11.6% of the general population of this area. The largest of the other nations living within the area of the Pale were the Ukrainian, Polish, Belorussian, Russian, Lithuanian, Moldavian (mostly in Bessarabia), and German.
What did Latvia do after the Soviets rooted out of Latvia?
After the Soviet army was rooted out of Latvia, Latvians attempt to recognize the mutilated bodies of their relatives who were murdered by Soviets in Riga.
When did Latvia gain independence?
After a hard fight against various Russian forces (pro-czar Bermontians and the communist Bolsheviks), in 1918-1920 Latvians established a firm control over Riga and it was destined to become their capital.
What happened in Riga in 1940?
The Soviet occupation of Riga (1940) began as the “Year of Terror”. Tens of thousands Rigans were murdered or expelled to Siberia where further thousands perished. All the properties were nationalized and looted. Never before was Riga subjected to such brutality. The Soviet terror was so great that when Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941, most Latvians greeted the Germans as liberators.
How many people lived in Riga in 1935?
In 1935, Riga had 385 000 inhabitants, 63% of them ethnic Latvians. This was the only time in history Latvians were the majority of Rigans. German share stood at 10% and Russian share at 9%. Both of these minorities were surpassed by the Jews (11%) who arrived from towns (as the Russian Imperial limitations on Jewish settlement were scrapped by independent Latvia).
Why was the city hall in Riga built?
Riga city hall, one of the many interwar projects meant to give Riga that feeling of ‘seat of power’ (never built due to Soviet occupation).
Why was Riga destroyed?
Riga after Soviet re-occupation with parts of Old Town destroyed in order to create open fields or be rebuilt in a Soviet style.
What country lost Riga to Sweden?
Poland-Lithuania lost Riga to Sweden in 1621 and Sweden had to relinquish it to Russia in 1710. However, Riga has never been a mere frontier outpost. In fact, it was the largest city in Sweden (surpassing Stockholm) and one of the largest cities in Russia. Regardless of the ruling great power, the economy remained in the hands of the local German community, the “Baltic Barons”. As late as 1867, German-speakers comprised 43% of Riga‘s population of 103 000 (Russian-speakers – 25%, Latvian-speakers – 24%). The local laws that made it impossible for non-Germans to become craftsmen, for example, stayed unrepealed for centuries after Germans have lost the political control of the city.
Jews in Livonia
- (Latvian: Vidzeme, German: Livland, Russian: Livonia) Vidzeme (Livonia), including Riga, is the central part of Latvia, north of the Daugava River bordered by Estonia in the north and by the Gulf of Riga in the west. Vidzeme (Riga) along with Courland is the original nucleus of Latvian Jewry. Riga was always the most attractive focus of Jewish activities. The first houses for Jews in Rig…
Jews in The First Republic of Latvia
- The independent Republic of Latvia was proclaimed on November 18, 1918, and Jews, for the first time, were granted civil rights to their full extent. Eleven Jews became members of the People’s Council (later Saeima) of Latvia, while a lawyer named Paul Mintz was a member of Karlis Ulmanis’ government (1919-1921). 1,000 Jews took part in the war of liberation between 1918 a…
Soviet Occupation and Holocaust
- The following is a high-level timeline of the Soviet occupation and Holocaust in Latvia: 17 June 1940 - Latvia occupied by 100,000 Soviet army troops June 1940 - June 1941 -Soviets ended Jewish community life in Latvia 13/14June 1941 - Soviet deportation of 20,000 citizens (including Jews) 22 June 1941 - Germans violated non-aggression pact, invadi...
The Jewish Community in Independent Latvia Since 1991
- Since Latvia gained its independence in 1991, the Jews have been a traditional minority in multicultural society. In 1989, the first Jewish school in the Former Soviet Union opened in Riga. In 1989, the Latvian Society of Jewish Culture was established on Skolas Street. In 1991, the first flights in the Former Soviet Union were initiated by LATPASS Airlines. Later accomplishments in…
Bibliography
- Aleksejeva, T. Die Juden in Herzogtum Kurland Aus: Das Herzogtum Kurland 1561-1795. Lueneburg: Verlag Nordostdeutsches Kulturwerk, 1993. Pages 153-168. _____________ “Some aspects of Hebrew history in the Duchy of Courland (1561-1795).”Historical minorities in Latvia.Riga: University of Latvia, 1994. Pages 4-22. Ailvars, Stranga. Ebreji un diktatras Baltij 192…
Courland
- The origins of Latvian Jews lie in Livonia and Courland, which are located on the coast of the Baltic Sea. Both were not included in the Pale of Settlement, so only those Jews who could prove they had lived in the region before it came under Russiawere permitted to live there. Therefore, the gradual annexation of the country by the Russian Empire w...
Latgalia
- The Jews of Latgalia, the southwestern part of Latvia, developed along the same lines as the Jews of Lithuanian-Byelorussian region and the Polish kingdoms. Poland took over Latgalia in 1561, maintaining control until 1772. Jews began to arrive in Latgalia in the early 17 th century after severe pogroms in Poland from 1605 to 1639, and in the Ukraine and Byelorussia from 164…
The Republic of Latvia
- In November 1918, Latvia gained its independence from Russia. During this time, the majority of the Jews of Latvia worked in commerce. Approximately 29 percent of the community was involved in industry and about 7 percent in liberal professions. The government of Latvia was void of Jews and, between the wars, the economic situation of the Jews nose-dived. A series of gove…
World War II & The Holocaust
- Almost immediately after the war began, in July 1941, Germanyoverran Latvia. The country was placed in the new Reich Kommissariat “Ostland” and came under the control of Commissioner General Otto Heinrich Drexler. At the end of July, the military administration was replaced with a civil government, whose first order of business was to enact a series of anti-Jewish laws. Directl…
Holocaust Legacy
- After the war, the Soviet government investigated crimes committed by German and Latvian fascists during the German occupation. Those investigated included the Reich commissioner for Ostland, the commissioner general for Latvia, the chief of police for Ostland, the chief of the Gestapo, and the chief of the Riga concentration camp. On January 26, 1946, a number of suspe…
Modern Latvia
- Latvia once again came under Soviet control after the Germans were defeated. The country remained part of the Soviet Union until its collapse in the late 1980s. Very little is known about the Jewish community of Latvia under the Soviets. The Jewish population maintained a steady decline throughout the late 1970s and 1980s. In 1979, the community numbered 28,300 but, by …
Sites and Contacts
- Original article written by Joanna Sloame Sources: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia The Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS Jewish Encyclopedia Rumbula Yad Vashem Postcards from Judaica Philatelic Resources Photo of Bikernieki Memorial courtesy of www.Rumbula.org