Latvia, an oft-occupied country
Written by Amanda Kendle
Latvia’s capital Riga is one of my favourite European cities – it’s picturesque with a lovely Old Town and sits nicely on the river – but one of the most memorable parts of Riga for me was the much-less-pretty Museum of the Occupation of Latvia.
This museum is housed in a dark grey “box” right in the centre of town – you can’t miss it – and although it started life as a tribute to Lenin and a way to encourage young Latvians to become good communists, it’s now turned 180 degrees and tells the history of two Soviet occupations of Latvia, along with a Nazi occupation as well. The displays are presented really well and I spent hours there – it even got down to very personal memorabilia like letters home from prisoner-of-war camps and a lot of the exhibition was really touching.
I say it’s a must see for Riga visitors, and there’s no excuse not to visit because entry is free (although they ask for a donation if you like what you see). It’s open 11am to 5pm all year with slightly longer hours during summer.
[Photo: wwhyte1968>/a> via CC]
Three occupations? WOW. And I’m sure this has affected their outlook on live. I’d love to find out what sayings developed after being occupied this often.
I remember visiting the museum a few years ago when we were there and found it touching to see some of the home-made everyday items, used by the prisoners, such as their felt boots.
I wrote about the things to see around Riga here
http://www.heatheronhertravels.com/a-visitor-from-riga/
[...] which was once used by merchants but is now a museum and concert hall. Then visit the free Museum of Occupation, which our whole family enjoyed, despite the unlikely subject. You can take a virtual tour of [...]
It’s quite a story…people threw flowers and cheered when the Nazi tanks rolled into Riga, thinking they were liberated from tyrany and the Russians. Within a very short time, Jewish people all over the city were missing and the Latvians discovered there was no cause for celebration.
This is a great museum that tells a story most people outside of Latvia have never heard.