Latvia's Soviet past is finally being dismantled

Рет қаралды 4,484

Күн бұрын

When Latvia became independent of the USSR in 1991, its population was more or less evenly ethnic Latvians and Russians and other non-Latvian Soviets. The process of desovietisation since then has moved at varying speeds. The fear of Russia was one handbrake but now Latvia is a member of the European Union it has to protect its minorities.
The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 provided a further impetus to remove the symbols of Latvia's colonial Russian past. The Monument to Victory in Riga's Victory Park came down with little response from Russia, despite threats from the Russian government.
The process of stripping Russian-speakers of Latvian citizenship has proven controversial and is lagging behind somewhat.
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Пікірлер: 64

@AK-ej5ml 2 ай бұрын

No reason to leave propaganda from an occupier around.

@ih8people 2 ай бұрын

Especially since there was no such propaganda for over 25 years after the war to which most of these propaganda pieces were dedicated to has officially ended, and then suddenly started popping up like mushrooms

@AK-ej5ml 2 ай бұрын

@ih8people I didn't know about this: Does that mean that most / a lit of the Soviet propaganda was erected in the 70'es and 80'es? Thanks for bringing up that point.

@NEO-jb7bb 2 ай бұрын

@@AK-ej5ml It was exactly that because in Latvia specifically, after getting rid of the "national communists" in the 50s, there was a very pro-Moscow orientated governance, more than in most other republics, that would not stop demonstrating how loyal they are to the state or Moscow through grand gestures. The "Victory" Monument was built in 1985, there was no reason for it to be there, except that there were no such monuments in Riga as opposed to other big cities in the USSR.

@OkGoNowGo 2 ай бұрын

I can see the bots already working hard in the comments, be aware. As for the Russian minority being oppressed - I honestly disagree. There are 1.3 million people who speak Latvian in Latvia. The total population is 1.8 million. It's a very small country population-wise. We simply want to speak our language in our country, that's it. However, sometimes I cannot speak Latvian when I go to a shop or a restaurant (some of them have only Russian-speaking employees). I have nothing against Russian, I speak it freely, but if I don't speak Latvian to these people then the language will just simply cease to exist in the long run. During the Soviet times, some Russian-speaking people told me that I shouldn't speak to them in my "dog language" when I tried to stick to Latvian. I don't want any revenge, I really want to live peacefully together. Russians (not Putin supporters) are wonderful people, but I just want to feel safe when I speak the only official language of my country. I have Russian-speaking friends, and they support me as well.

@montyhinton4971 Ай бұрын

I just wanted to say I appreciated your view as someone who can see the past as what it is “the past”. I also appreciated your present view that your country is your own and have the natural right as Russian does to its own language. Language shapes our thoughts our culture and we all have the right to be who we are today. I do think that I might have problems with the Nazi element but with the history of the “Waffen SS in the Balkan states is not the history of the German SS.

@montyhinton4971 Ай бұрын

I should clarify a little. I studied elite units through out history and the Waffen SS was a very interesting unit and diverse in it composition. The units that formed from the Balkan States were not pro German but much more like the Spanish 350 Azul Division an Anti Soviet unit. Anyone who truely studied elite units by the deeds they accomplished the Balkan Stands out in it Espri de corps

@free2dialogue 2 ай бұрын

I admire the patience and goodwill of Latvian people, to keep potentially hostile Russian citizens in the country. Thanks to Putin, who is waging an aggresive imperial war and thanks to his state media, who are 24 by 7 using hate speech, accusing other countries of being fascists and Nazis and threatening them with military aggression as well, these people now face deportation. It is not the Latvian government, that acts in a discriminative manner. It is the denial by Russia of taking responsibility for the past repression, the enslavement of Latvians, the killing of leaders and the imposing of the Russian "civilization" on the small wonderful country of Latvia. That was violence and it is being denied in the past and it being denied today. Every person in Latvian with some Russian background should go to great length to make sure the Latvians understand that they are AGAINST the war in Ukraine, AGAINST the imperialist violent regime of Putin that they are AGAINST the hate talk on Russian TV. All of that would not be necessary if Russian people had not regressed to violence and put the Russian minorities in a position to make a choice FOR or AGAINST. Putin has been very clear that everybody who is not 100% for his violent path is a traitor. Solidarity with Latvia. Stop Russian interference through spies and sabotage groups.

@disco1974ever 2 ай бұрын

40-50% OF all Baltic countries citizens were Russian BEFORE they joined the USSR, Ethnic Russians are BALTIC citizens too. EST/LAT/LTH only became nations after WW!. Before that they were oblasts of Russia. This is just more Western Ethnic Cleansing. Like Purgiing Palestinians and Serbians from their homes and now Baltic Russians.

@squeakycleannnn 2 ай бұрын

as a latvian I know there's nothing to admire regarding our patience or whatever other virtues regarding russians, speaking truthfully it has taken so long only because of our laziness and unwillingness to act, also thanks to corrupt politicians and dishonest businessmen.. oligarchs is the word. however, knowing our history with russians it's difficult to blame our older generation as they've been oppressed and mentally traumatised. Russification leaves scars you know, something that is not easy to recover from. People were kept poor and insignificant as individuals, you can never forget that.

@free2dialogue 2 ай бұрын

@@squeakycleannnn thank you for bringing in your latvian view and experience. I hear the abuse has traumatized people deeply and it has been a truly uphill battle to tackle those difficult issues, as they do not come easy.

@yts4106 2 ай бұрын

Latvia has been free for almost half a century. Maybe time to look forward and not blame your problems on the rusophone minority?

@squeakycleannnn 2 ай бұрын

Russification is not one sided problem. It's like saying don't blame the rapist for your mental issues, just move on. Might wanna reflect on that. Also check you math with latvian independance, officially it's from 1991. We've been under russian oligarch thumb at least 10-15 years after that. A bit too early to speak of half-a-centuries of true independance and freedom, but don't worry, we'll get there.@@yts4106

@marupe22 2 ай бұрын

Hey from Latvija! We are not radicalized,we just prepare for worst,it is coming.

@artursbondars7789 2 ай бұрын

Correction from inside Latvian perspective. * Speaking about languages in Latvia. Latvian is the main language of society. Personally I use Latvian, also English, Chinese and Korean in my daily life, but that's because of my personal interests. I know Russian, but I don't use it and my Russian friends don't use it either with me. Also there are many, who do not know Russian at all or know it bad. * Speaking about #desovetizācija. This was question not only about Soviet past, but also Nazi occupation and imperial Russian past. Many monuments and symbols related to thous eras was removed or moved, some went to museum, also even some Soviet occupation monuments or parts of them. This issue are still in process, because many monuments and symbols are still standing on our lands our cityscape. Now we are working changing street names. * Other important laws wasn't mentioned at all - laws related to same sex partnership. This was huge and controversial issue not so long algo. Thous changes where also tide with to wich cultural area we belong and because of social pressure. Also or government changed from centrist-conservative-nationalist to centrist-liberal. * Law on historic Latvian lands (regions) and implementation of Latgalian and Livonian languages in street signs. * Lastly You should be careful with terminology. Deportation is sensitive issue here in Latvia and it is not proper or correct to use it, to decribe current issue in Latvia. It's expulsion or even more correct word - returnment - of Russian citizens from Latvia to Russia, but only thous, who do not complay with our laws and are openly disrespecting them and with accordance with all laws and conventions. There are already cases of forced Russian returnment happeing! * Also we are discussing comple trade ban with Russia and Belarus and how it would affect us. But this issue is not so simple. Here we would appreciate help from other friendly countries. And with it, question about our railway infrastructure (Russia are using it for spying!), is linked.

@dannydetonator 2 ай бұрын

Thanks, i'm a bit out of touch Latvian and learned a few things here. The same-sex partnership law is a red herring shamelessly used by our ultraconservatives for political gains though. I'm ashamed some went along with it. Many of organisers of this overblown contraversy are the same kind of people blocking aid from US to Ukraine imo. Not well educated. I'm a christian without LGBTQ+ sympathies, but i'm sorry people's ignorance and feelings are exploited this way, especially appealing to religion or patriotism. Nationalism is a doule-edged sword also. People are easily fooled and hardly reasoned of being fooled. We could do these ideology fights in peacetime, not when on a brink of all hell braking loose in Europe because of the hybrid-war already everywhere. Unity and reason is our best defense. Mēs varam strīdēties miera laikā, bet ir sācies hibrīdkarš, ne tikai LV vai Eiropā. Mums jāatmet visas nesaskaņas, jo tās tiks izmantotas pret mums. Tā ir tagad visās demokrātijās kā tests vai varam tās saglabāt.

@montyhinton4971 Ай бұрын

Would like to know more. Is there a reference site?

@artursbondars7789 Ай бұрын

@@montyhinton4971 To what exactly You are referring? The best sources would be Latvian constitution, other issued laws and official information of various state institutions.

@reinisrudzitis8254 2 ай бұрын

It always fascinates me how fograin my country sounds in these type of videos😅 A good and informative video overall thought!

@ZdzichaJedziesz 2 ай бұрын

Dość rosyjskiego imperializmu i kolonializmu⚡ Ukraina bez Putina ⚡ Demokratyczna Rosja też bez Putina

@andrebez9740 2 ай бұрын

Ruzzia is not a 'country', It is the name of the Muscovite empire. Now who the blazes are muscovites?

@johndewey6358 2 ай бұрын

Clearly, the Baltic states did not enjoy the Sovietification of their countries and culture. I hope fair and realistic solutions can be found for the Russian speakers of these nations as some are probably too old to be sent to Russia, a land that they may have never been born into or grown up in. I think by winning over the Russian speakers, Latvia may have more gain. But certainly the Russian broadcast propaganda TV and Radio stations should be shutdown.

@disco1974ever 2 ай бұрын

40-50% OF all Baltic countries citizens were Russian BEFORE they joined the USSR, Ethnic Russians are BALTIC citizens too. This is just more Western Ethnic Cleansing. Like Purgiing Palestinians and Serbians from their homes and now Baltic Russians.

@VilkatisJanis 2 ай бұрын

It is not russian speakers that are being sent back to russia. it is people with russian citizenship..

@dannydetonator 2 ай бұрын

Pro-kremlin state media is banned from TV and most major disinformation channels online are blocked from the start of the war too. That is a very smart move from Latvian Security Service, among other new laws introduced. Of course tankies abroad and those living in Kremlin's infosphere hate, decry and use this as propaganda tokens, but that was to be expected. Who wants to watch Russian channels and social network hubs still can and do. There is just a small minority who believes it, same as anywhere outside Russia. More dangerous is the covert western-orientated gray/black propaganda network in english and local conspiracy-nuts, however they got the short stick of the law too sometimes, deservedly. Those jumping on appeasing or justifying Russia train are most dangerous for big western countries though, most of all US. There's as much reasoning with these people as there were with convinced flerfers before they jeopardised themselves. The fog of war will clear eventually, but rise of fascists and far-right in "the west" is promoted and weaponised by all autocracies. We've already seen the consequences like stripping Ukraine of military aid from US and its effects, but remains to be seen where it leads the "western" world in general. Things are not looking good in a post-fact/post-truth world. Eastern Europe is the main bastion of pushback (as far as public opinion goes) against the global infowar campaigns against "the west" and democracies. Only time will tell the long-term consequences.

@Numischannel 2 ай бұрын

I spent two weeks in Riga travelling as a young backpacker in the summer of 92. The Red Army was still there. There was no border control with Russia, so I entered Russia without a visa. Border control was stablished 2 days after I entered Russia, so, I had to kind of sneak out back to Latvia when I came back from Petersburg and Moscow 😅

@dannydetonator 2 ай бұрын

Wow, that must've been some experience. A hard time for most people living here, but for early millenials like me makes me nostalgic too. Super poor and super unregulated then. Anything went, do logically Soviet industrial inheritence were plundered, mafia gangs and newly-baked opportunistic oligarchs reigned. We've really come a long way to lose it all, despite the economic and demographic problems of the last 15 years. We should concentrate on sustained tourism more imo, as here are some unique and splendid natural wonders here, still very unknown to most tourists. Where you're originally from?

@Numischannel 2 ай бұрын

@@dannydetonator I am originally and currently from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Born raised and live right here in BA.

@galshaine2018 2 ай бұрын

I always wondered how the procedure of establishing border control went at the time of the disolvment of the USSR. Especially with so many border areas populated by people who probably were running their life depending on resources and infrastructures located on both sides. From Lithuanians I have heard that their local political mechanisms already established some form of border and residence status controll even at 1989 (that means before official recognised independence) and that non Lithianian Soviet citizens who were living there due to high education or work opportunity (thus= not really settling there permanently) were in fear that if they go and visit family or friends in other parts of the USSR , and some sort of change will take place, they won't be allowed back. This as the Lithuanian government were already monitoring residency there, fearing that due to Lithiania being somewhat more affluent than most of the USSR, instability and economic problems will cause non Lithuanians to move there, thinking that the dissolution of the USSR is a possibility and that once new countries will be declared its better to be a Lithuanian passport holder than, let's say, a Ukranian one. I never managed to find a solid source in English describing this process. I did, several times, cross the old Lithianian/Latvian border out in the country and saw there were abandoned watch towers in certain intervals along it. Even in forests and remote spots. Looks to be as it they were all on the Lithianian side, facing Latvia....

@mcbatetens 18 күн бұрын

Fanfic 😅😅😅😅

@vidutepi2843 2 ай бұрын

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️. ❤️🇱🇹🇪🇺

@Rain_7777 2 ай бұрын

Loud titles about latvian language protection are still titles. Russians in Latvia absolute shameless and ultra aggressive - normal situation in Latvia where one russina force use russian language previously fully latvian collective, it is main reason to immigrate for young latvians. As mostly russina "minority" came as part of occupation forces, they never will accept latvian state existence

@tallguy6055 2 ай бұрын

I would get rid of most of the monuments because they are extraordinarily ugly and have no real artistic value. Latvia should keep a few to remind itself of the history here. I had a Latvian art teacher in High School and I remember her tales of her family on a refugee ship leaving after WWII and being persued by Russian subs including attempts to torpedo the ship. Some of that might be just shipboard rumor who knows but I know the Russian military treats people horribly. Heard it from former Russian Soldiers and former Russian Military as well.

@dannydetonator 2 ай бұрын

Interesting story i haven't heard before, though typical methods if true. When Latvian Legionnaires who escaped to Sweden were ordered by their cowardly goverment (despite protests from most of the Swedish population) to be sent to USSR for prosecution, many of them attempted to commit suicide (i'll spare you the gory details). That says enough. Nearly all my grandparents and many of their friends were deported to Siberia and gulags during the second part of '40s. So i've heard a lot of crazy stories from that side too, but not this one.

@tallguy6055 2 ай бұрын

@@dannydetonator I could never find out where exactly the chronology of her evacuation from Latvia occurred but at various points Russian subs did target ships leaving under the excuse they thought they were carrying weapons to Germany. So at one point in the timeline it had to do with civilians fleeing as the Russians approached. They were civilian ships and did not have German troops on them. Who knows what was in their holds but even so, fire on a fleeing civilian ship? It is written about in various books of the time.

@Mastah2006 2 ай бұрын

I appreciate the knowledge and expertise, but if I may ask - please work on the “yyyy”, “uuuuuhmmmm”, “eeeeee” pauses. It’s superannyoing and makes the podcast hard on ears

@jajajejehjune4301 2 ай бұрын

Good video

@oscarmora4602 2 ай бұрын

Interesting

@peterjaniceforan3080 2 ай бұрын

🇱🇻🫡 🇷🇺👎🏼

@SeArCh4DrEaMz 2 ай бұрын

I may be a drama queen, but it would be such a fantastic interview if it wasnt for the recurent ; "eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhh" and "mmmmmmmmmmmmhhhhh" and the "theeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" between each sentences on the part of the interviewee. It is really annoying... And before i get replies, english isnt my first language and it isnt my second language either...

@RealityCheck6969 2 ай бұрын

This is brutal. I kind of feel bad for Latvian russian ethnic minorities.

@marekbrodowski7225 2 ай бұрын

Communism in Russia killed millions of Russians in the first place

@Mastah2006 2 ай бұрын

I kind of feel bad for the Ukrainian majority

@gerryhouska2859 2 ай бұрын

I certainly don't! Their brutal barbaric rule is over, they can assimilate or emigrate - poo tin will welcome them with open arms.

@ih8people 2 ай бұрын

I am a representative of the local Russian-speaking population who has been living in Latvia since mid-80s. Believe me, we're absolutely fine. The only brutal thing that happened here was this project of the Soviet government where they suddenly started to erect monuments to _them_ in countries they occupied 25 years after the war while brutally supressing local language and culture. I can speak my mother tongue in modern Latvia openly and don't feel bullied for it, unlike ethnic Latvians in the period of Soviet occupation and the early 90s. Trust me, I know it was happening for I actually was part of it during my childhood

@Mastah2006 2 ай бұрын

@@ih8people it’s great to know. Living here in Poland i can assure You, that beside some mentally challenged small minority of morons no one here is an enemy to You or any Russian. We can easilly live side by side. No problem at all. There is a man taking care of the gardens around my neighbourhood. He drives his beloved bmw 3 series on russian plate. His bothering no one and no one bothers him. Moreover, I really like this guy, though he cant speak a word in Polish 😂