Freedom Monument Brīvības Piemineklis
Riga Monument agency Rīgas Pieminekļu aģentūra
For Heroes killed in action during the Latvian War of Independence
Unveiled	November 18, 1935
Location	56°57′5″N 24°6′47″E / 56.95139, 24.11306 in Riga, Latvia
Designed by	Kārlis Zāle
TĒVZEMEI UN BRĪVĪBAI

The Freedom Monument (Latvian: Brīvības piemineklis) is a memorial located in Riga, Latvia honoring soldiers killed during the Latvian War of Independence (1918-1920). Killed in action ( KIA or K I A) is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces by other The Latvian War of Independence, sometimes called the Latvian War of Liberation (Latvijas brīvības cīņas literally the "Struggles for Latvia's freedom" or Events 326 - The old St Peter's Basilica is consecrated 1302 - Pope Boniface VIII issues the Papal bull Year 1935 ( MCMXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Riga (Rīga riːga) the Capital of Latvia, is situated on the Baltic Sea coast on the mouth of the river Daugava. Latvia ( Latvija officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvijas Republika is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region. Kārlis Zāle (born 28 October 1888, Mažeikiai, Lithuania; died 19 February 1942, Inčukalns Latvia) was a Latvian language (latviešu valoda is the official state language of Latvia. Riga (Rīga riːga) the Capital of Latvia, is situated on the Baltic Sea coast on the mouth of the river Daugava. Latvia ( Latvija officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvijas Republika is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region. The Latvian War of Independence, sometimes called the Latvian War of Liberation (Latvijas brīvības cīņas literally the "Struggles for Latvia's freedom" or It is considered an important symbol of the freedom, independence, and sovereignty of Latvia. ^[1] Unveiled in 1935, the 42-metre (138 ft) high monument of granite, travertine, and copper often serves as the focal point of public gatherings and official ceremonies in Riga. Granite (ˈɡrænɪt is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, Felsic, igneous rock. Travertine is a Sedimentary rock. It is a natural chemical precipitate of Carbonate minerals; typically Aragonite, but often recrystallized to Copper (ˈkɒpɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol Cu (cuprum and Atomic number 29

The sculptures and bas-reliefs of the monument, arranged in thirteen groups, depict Latvian culture and history. A bas-relief (baʁəljɛf in French; French for "low relief" derived from the Italian basso rilievo) or low relief is a Sculpture The core of the monument is composed of tetragonal shapes on top of each other, decreasing in size towards the top, completed by a 19-metre (62 ft) high travertine column bearing the copper figure of Liberty lifting three gilded stars. The concept for the monument first emerged in the early 1920s when the Latvian Prime Minister, Zigfrīds Anna Meierovics, ordered rules to be drawn up for a contest for designs of a "memorial column". Zigfrīds Anna Meierovics ( 5 February, 1887, Durbe - 22 August, 1925, near Tukums) was the first Minister of Foreign After several contests the monument was finally built at the beginning of the 1930s according to the scheme "Shine like a star!" submitted by Latvian sculptor Kārlis Zāle. Kārlis Zāle (born 28 October 1888, Mažeikiai, Lithuania; died 19 February 1942, Inčukalns Latvia) was a Construction works were financed by private donations.

During World War II, Latvia was annexed by the Soviet Union and the Freedom Monument was considered for demolition, but no such move was carried out. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Soviet sculptor Vera Mukhina is sometimes credited with the rescue of the monument, possibly because she considered it to be of the highest artistic value. Vera Ignatyevna Mukhina (Вера Игнатьевна Мухина Latvian: Vera Muhina; July 1 1889 Style and New Style dates|O Soviet propaganda attempted to alter the symbolic meaning of the monument to better fit with Communist ideology, but it remained a symbol of national independence to the general public. Indeed, on June 14, 1987 about 5,000 people gathered at the monument to commemorate the victims of the Soviet regime and to lay flowers. Events 1276 - While taking exile in Fuzhou in southern China, away from the advancing Mongol invaders, the remnants of the Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) This rally renewed the national independence movement that culminating three years later in the re-establishment of Latvian sovereignty.

Design

Diagram of the Freedom Monument (viewed from above, Mouseover to see name of each element, click on number to view image of design element)

The sculptures and bas-reliefs of the Freedom Monument, arranged in thirteen groups, depict Latvian culture and history. A bas-relief (baʁəljɛf in French; French for "low relief" derived from the Italian basso rilievo) or low relief is a Sculpture ^[2] The core of the monument is composed of tetragonal shapes on top of each other, decreasing in size towards the top. A red granite staircase of ten steps, 1. 8 metres (5. 9 ft) in height, winds around the base of the monument between two travertine reliefs 1. 7 metres (5. 6 ft) high and 4. 5 metres (15 ft) wide, "Latvian riflemen" (13; Latvian: Latvju strēlnieki) and "Latvian people: the Singers" (14; Latvian: Latvju tauta - dziedātāja), which decorate its 3 metres (9. Latvian riflemen (Latviešu strēlnieki Латышские стрелки were military formations assembled starting 1915 in Latvia in order to defend Baltic territories Latvian language (latviešu valoda is the official state language of Latvia. Latvian language (latviešu valoda is the official state language of Latvia. 8 ft) thick sides. ^[1] Two additional steps form a round platform, which is 28 metres (92 ft) in diameter, on which the whole monument stands. At the front of the monument this platform forms a rectangle, which is used for ceremonial proposes. The base of the monument, also made of red granite, is formed by two rectangular blocks: the lower one is a monolithic 3. 5 metres (11 ft) high, 9. 2 metres (30 ft) wide and 11 metres (36 ft) long, while the smaller upper block is 3. 5 metres (11 ft) high, 8. 5 metres (28 ft) wide and 10 metres (33 ft) long and has round niches in its corners, each containing a sculptural group of three figures. Its sides are also paneled with travertine. ^[3] On the front of the monument, in between the groups "Work" (10; depicting a fisherman, a craftsman and a farmer, who stands in the middle holding a scythe decorated with oak leaves and acorns to symbolize strength and manhood) and "Guards of the Fatherland" (9; depicting an ancient Latvian warrior standing between two kneeling modern soldiers), a dedication by the Latvian writer Kārlis Skalbe is inscribed on one of the travertine panels: For Fatherland and Freedom (6; Latvian: Tēvzemei un Brīvībai). Kārlis Skalbe ( 1879 &ndash 1945) was a Latvian writer and poet Latvian language (latviešu valoda is the official state language of Latvia. ^[1] On the sides the travertine panels bear two reliefs: "1905" (7; Latvian: 1905. Latvian language (latviešu valoda is the official state language of Latvia. gads in reference to the Russian Revolution of 1905), and "The Battle against the Bermontians on the Iron Bridge" (8; Latvian: Cīņa pret bermontiešiem uz Dzelzs tilta, referring to the decisive battle in Riga during the Latvian War of Independence). See also Russian Revolution (1917 The 1905 Russian Revolution also known as the Failed Russian Revolution of 1905 was an empire-wide struggle of The West Russian Volunteer Army or Bermontians was a Counterrevolutionary army in the Baltic provinces of the former Russian Empire during the Latvian language (latviešu valoda is the official state language of Latvia. Riga (Rīga riːga) the Capital of Latvia, is situated on the Baltic Sea coast on the mouth of the river Daugava. The Latvian War of Independence, sometimes called the Latvian War of Liberation (Latvijas brīvības cīņas literally the "Struggles for Latvia's freedom" or On the back of the monument are another two sculptural groups: "Family" (12; Latvian: Ģimene) (a mother standing between her two children) and "Scholars" (11; Latvian: Gara darbinieki). Latvian language (latviešu valoda is the official state language of Latvia. Latvian language (latviešu valoda is the official state language of Latvia. ^[1] On the red granite base there is yet another rectangular block, 6 metres (20 ft) high and wide, and 7. 5 metres (25 ft) long, encircled by four 5. 5–6 meters (18–20 ft) high gray granite sculptural groups: "Latvia" (2; Latvian: Latvija), "Lāčplēsis" (3; English: Bear-Slayer, an epic Latvian folk hero), "Vaidelotis" (5; a Baltic pagan priest) and "Chain breakers" (4; Latvian: Važu rāvēji) (three chained men trying to break free from their chains). Latvia ( Latvija officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvijas Republika is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region. Latvian language (latviešu valoda is the official state language of Latvia. Spīdola redirects here For other uses see Spidola Lāčplēsis is an epic poem by Andrejs Pumpurs, a English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States A folk hero is type of Hero, real or mythological. The single salient characteristic which makes a character a folk hero is the imprinting of the name personality The Balts or Baltic peoples (People who live by the Baltic Sea) defined as speakers of one of the Baltic languages, a branch of the Indo-European Paganism (from Latin paganus, meaning "country dweller rustic" is a word used to refer to various religions and religious beliefs from across the world Latvian language (latviešu valoda is the official state language of Latvia. ^[3]

The topmost block serves also as the foundation for the 19 metres (62 ft) high monolithic travertine column, which is 2. 5 metres (8. 2 ft) by 3 metres (9. 8 ft) at the base. To the front and rear a line of glass runs along the middle of the column. ^[3] The column is topped by a copper figure of Liberty (1), which is 9 metres (30 ft) tall and in the form of a woman lifting three gilded stars, symbolizing the constitutional districts of Latvia: Vidzeme, Latgale and Courland. Copper (ˈkɒpɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol Cu (cuprum and Atomic number 29 Gilding is the art of applying a thin layer of gold simulated gold or other metal to a surface The Constitution of Latvia (Satversme is the fundamental law of the Republic of Latvia. Vidzeme is one of the cultural and historical Regions of Latvia. Latgale or Latgalia (Latgale Latgale language: Latgolā) is one of the four cultural regions of Latvia recognised in the Constitution Courland (Kurzeme Kurland Latin: Curonia / Couronia; Kuršas Kuramaa Kurlandia Курляндия Курляндія Kuurinmaa is one of the historical ^[4] The whole monument is built around a frame of reinforced concrete and was originally fastened together with lead, bronze cables and lime mortar. Reinforced concrete is Concrete in which reinforcement bars (" Rebars quot or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen a material that would otherwise be Characteristics Lead has a dull luster and is a dense, Ductile, very soft highly Bronze is any of a broad range of Copper alloys, usually with Tin as the main additive but sometimes with other elements such as Phosphorus Lime mortar is a type of mortar. It was used in the construction of the vast majority of brick and stone buildings worldwide from ancient times until the widespread adoption ^[3] However, some of the original materials were replaced with polyurethane filler during restoration. ^[5] There is a room inside the Monument, accessed through a door in its rear side, which contains a staircase leading upwards in the Monument that is used for electrical installation and to provide access to the sewerage. The room cannot be accessed by the public and is used mainly as storage, however it has been proposed that the room could be redesigned forming a small exhibition, which would be used to introduce foreign officials visiting Latvia with the history of the Monument after the flower-laying ceremony. ^[6]

Location

Plaza of the Freedom Monument

The Laima Clock with the Freedom Monument visible in the background

The monument is located in the center of Riga on Brīvības bulvāris ("Freedom Boulevard"), near the old town of Riga. ^[4] In 1990 a section of the street around the monument, about 200 metres (660 ft) long, between Rainis and Aspazija boulevards, was pedestrianized, forming a plaza. Rainis, was the Pseudonym of Jānis Pliekšāns (b in Varslavāni, current Jēkabpils district &mdash d Aspazija was the Pen name of Elza Pliekšāne (born Elza Rozenberga; March 16, 1865 &ndash November 5, 1943 Part of it includes a bridge over the city's canal, once a part of the city's fortification system, which was demolished in the 19th century to build the modern boulevard district. See also List of cities with defensive walls A defensive wall is a Fortification used to defend a city or settlement from potential aggressors ^[7] The canal is 3. 2 kilometres (2. 0 mi) long and surrounded by parkland for half of its length. ^[2] The earth from the demolition of the fortifications was gathered in the park and now forms an artificial hill with a cascade of waterfalls to the north of the monument. ^[1] The Boulevard district east of the park is the location of several embassies and institutions, of which the closest to the Freedom Monument are the German and French embassies, the University of Latvia and Riga State Gymnasium No.1. A diplomatic mission is a group of people from one State or an international Inter-governmental organization (such as the United Nations) present in Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. University of Latvia (LU (Latvijas Universitāte is the oldest University in Latvia located in Riga, Latvia. Riga State Gymnasium No1 (Rīgas Valsts 1 ģimnāzija the oldest School in the Baltic states, offers Secondary education (grades 7 to 12 in Riga ^[8]

Situated in the park near the monument to the south is the National Opera House with a flower garden and a fountain in front of it. ^[9] Opposite the opera house on the western part of plaza near the old town, is a small café and the Laima clock. The clock was set up in 1924, and in 1936 it was decorated with an advertisement for the Latvian confectionery brand "Laima", from which it took its name; it is a popular meeting spot. Confectionery is a set of Food items that are rich in Sugar; modern usage may include substances rich in artificial sweeteners as well Laima is the largest producer of Confectionery in Latvia. Its headquarters are in Riga. ^[10]

Originally it was planned that an elliptical plaza would be built around the foot of the monument, enclosed by a granite wall 1. 6 metres (5. 2 ft) high, with benches placed inside it, while a hedge of thujas was to be planted around the outside. A hedge is a line of closely spaced Shrubs and bushes planted and trained in such a way as to form a barrier or to mark the boundary of an area Thuja (pronounced "thoo-ya" or " thoo-ja " is a genus of Coniferous Trees in the Cupressaceae (cypress This project was however not carried out in the 1930s. The idea was reconsidered in the 1980s but shelved again. ^[1]

Construction

The statue of Liberty on top of the monument

The idea of building a memorial to honor soldiers killed in action during the Latvian War of Independence first emerged in the early 1920s. Killed in action ( KIA or K I A) is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces by other The Latvian War of Independence, sometimes called the Latvian War of Liberation (Latvijas brīvības cīņas literally the "Struggles for Latvia's freedom" or On July 27, 1922, the Prime Minister of Latvia, Zigfrīds Anna Meierovics, ordered rules to be drawn up for a contest for designs of a "memorial column". Events 1214 - Battle of Bouvines: In France, Philip II of France defeats John of England. Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The Prime Minister of Latvia is the most powerful member of the Government of the Republic of Latvia, and presides over the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers Zigfrīds Anna Meierovics ( 5 February, 1887, Durbe - 22 August, 1925, near Tukums) was the first Minister of Foreign The winner of this contest was a scheme proposing a column 27 metres (89 ft) tall with reliefs of the official symbols of Latvia and bas-reliefs of Krišjānis Barons and Atis Kronvalds. A relief is a Sculptured Artwork where a modeled form is raised (or alternatively lowered from a flattened background without being disconnected from it A bas-relief (baʁəljɛf in French; French for "low relief" derived from the Italian basso rilievo) or low relief is a Sculpture Krišjānis Barons (born October 31 1835 in Strutele, Latvia, died March 8 1923 in Riga) is known as the Atis Kronvalds or Kronvaldu Atis ( 15 April, 1837 - 17 February, 1875) was Latvian author linguist and Teacher It was later rejected after a protest from 57 artists. ^[1] In October 1923, a new contest was announced, using for the first time the term "Freedom Monument". The contest ended with two winners, and a new closed contest was announced in March 1925, but, due to disagreement within the jury, there was no result. ^[1]

Finally in October 1929, the last contest was announced. The winner was the design "Shine like a star!" (Latvian: "Mirdzi kā zvaigzne!") by sculptor Kārlis Zāle, who had had success in the previous contests as well. Latvian language (latviešu valoda is the official state language of Latvia. After minor corrections made by the author and supervising architect Ernests Štālbergs, construction began on November 18, 1931. Ernests Štālbergs (1883-1958 was a Latvian architect whose works are in the Neoclassical and the functionalistic styles Events 326 - The old St Peter's Basilica is consecrated 1302 - Pope Boniface VIII issues the Papal bull Year 1931 ( MCMXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[1] Financed by private donations, the monument was erected by the entrance to the old town, in the same place where the previous central monument of Riga, a bronze equestrian statue of the Russian Emperor Peter the Great, had stood. An equestrian statue is a Statue of a Horse -mounted rider The term is from the Latin " eques," meaning " Knight ^[11] It was calculated in 1935, the year when the monument was unveiled, that in four years of construction 308,000 man-hours were required to work the stone materials alone: 130 years would have been required if one person were to carry out the work using the most advanced equipment of the time. The total weight of materials used was about 2,500 tons: such a quantity of materials would have required about 200 freight cars if transported by railway. Units of mass There are three similar units of Mass called the ton: Long ton (simply ton in countries such as the United ^[3]

Restoration

The monument is endangered by the climate (which has caused damage by frost and rain) and by air pollution. Acid rain is Rain or any other form of precipitation that is unusually Acidic It has harmful effects on plants aquatic animals and infastructure ^[12] Although in 1990 the area around the monument was pedestrianized, there are still three streets carrying traffic around it. ^[1] High concentrations of nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide have been recorded near the monument, which in combination with water cause corrosion of the fabric of the monument. Nitrogen dioxide is the Chemical compound with the formula N[[Oxygen O]]2 ^[12] In addition, water has caused cracking of the reinforced concrete core and rusting of its steel reinforcements and the fastenings of the monument, which also have been worn out by constant vibrations caused by traffic. ^[5]

Detail of weather-worn travertine relief

The porous travertine has gradually crumbled over time and its pores have filled with soot and particles of sand, causing it to blacken and providing a habitat for small organisms, such as moss and lichens. Mosses are small soft Plants that are typically 1–10  cm (0 Lichens (ˈlaɪkən or /lɪtʃən/ are symbiotic associations of a Fungus (the mycobiont with a photosynthetic partner (the photobiont also known as ^[12] Irregular maintenance and the unskillful performance of restoration work have also contributed to the weathering of the monument. To prevent its further decay some of the fastenings were replaced with polyurethane filler and water repellent was applied to the monument during the restoration in 2001. It was also determined that maintenance should be carried out every 2 years. ^[5]

The monument was restored twice during the Soviet era (1962 and 1980–1981). In keeping with tradition the restorations and maintenance after the renewal of Latvia's independence are financed partly by private donations. The monument underwent major restoration in 1998–2001. ^[1] During this restoration the statue of Liberty and its stars were cleaned, restored and gilded anew. ^[13] The monument was formally re-opened on July 24, 2001. Events 1132 - Battle of Nocera between Ranulf II of Alife and Roger II of Sicily. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. ^[14] The staircase, column, base and inside of the monument were restored, and the stone materials were cleaned and re-sealed. The supports of the monument were fixed to prevent subsidence. Although the restorers said at the time that the monument would withstand a hundred years without another major restoration, it was discovered a few years later that the gilding of the stars was damaged, due to the restoration technique used. Gilding is the art of applying a thin layer of gold simulated gold or other metal to a surface The stars were restored again during maintenance and restoration in 2006; however, this restoration was rushed and there is no warranty of its quality. ^[15]

Guard of Honor

The guard of honor at the foot of the Freedom Monument

The guard of honor was present from the unveiling of the monument until 1940, when it was removed shortly after the occupation of Latvia. An honor guard, or ceremonial guard, is a ceremonial escort often military in nature usually composed of volunteers who are carefully screened for their ability and physical ^[1] It was renewed on November 11, 1992. Events 308 - The Congress of Carnuntum: Attempting to keep peace within the Roman Empire, the leaders of the Tetrarchy declare Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) ^[1] The guards are soldiers of The Company of Guard of Honor of the Headquarters Battalion of the National Armed Forces (Latvian: Nacionālo Bruņoto spēku Štāba bataljona Goda sardzes rota). The Latvian National Armed Forces (Latvijas Nacionālie bruņotie spēki or NBS consist of 5910 personnel Latvian language (latviešu valoda is the official state language of Latvia. ^[16] The guard is not required to be on duty in bad weather conditions and if the temperatures are below −10 °C (14. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. 0 °F) or above 25 °C (77 °F). Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 ^[17][18] The guards work in two weekly shifts, with three or four pairs of guards taking over from each other hourly in a ceremony commanded by the chief of the guard. ^[17][18] Besides them there also are two watchmen in each shift, who look out for the safety of the guards of honor. ^[18]

Normally the guard changes every hour between 9 a. m. and 6 p. m. After an hour on watch the guards have two hours free that they spend in their rooms at the Ministry of Defence. The Ministry of Defence Republic of Latvia ( Latvijas Republikas Aizsardzības ministrija) is the Latvian government ministry in charge of the formation and implementation ^[18] Since September 2004 the guards also patrol every half hour during their watch: they march off from the base of the monument and march twice along each side of it and then return to their posts. ^[19] The guards are required to be 1. 82 metres (6. 0 ft) tall and in good health, as they are required to stand without moving for half an hour. ^[16][17]

Political significance

After the end of World War II, there were plans to demolish the monument, although little written evidence is available to historians and research is largely based on verbal testimony. ^[11] On September 29, 1949 (although according to verbal testimony, the issue was first raised as early as October 1944) the Council of People's Commissars of the Latvian SSR proposed the restoration of the statue of the Russian Emperor Peter the Great. Events 522 BC - Darius I of Persia kills the Magian usurper Gaumâta securing his hold as king of the Persian Empire. Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic (Latvijas Padomju Sociālistiskā Republika Латвийская Советская Социалистическая Республика

The Freedom Monument replaced a statue of the Russian Emperor Peter the Great

While they did not expressly call for the demolition of the Freedom Monument, the only way to restore the statue to its original position would have been to tear down the monument. The result of the debate is unrecorded, but since the monument still stands the proposition was presumably rejected. ^[11] The Soviet sculptor Vera Mukhina (1889–1953; a former student of Kārlis Zāle and designer of the monumental sculpture Worker and Kolkhoz Woman) is sometimes credited with the rescue of the monument, although there is no written evidence to support the fact. Vera Ignatyevna Mukhina (Вера Игнатьевна Мухина Latvian: Vera Muhina; July 1 1889 Style and New Style dates|O ^[20] According to her son, she took part in a meeting where the fate of the monument was discussed, at which her opinion, as reported by her son, was that the monument was of very high artistic value and that its demolition might hurt the most sacred feelings of the Latvian people. ^[11]

The Freedom Monument remained, but its symbolism was reinterpreted. The three stars were said to stand for the newly created Baltic Soviet Republics - Estonian SSR, Latvian SSR, and Lithuanian SSR - held aloft by Mother Russia and the monument was said to have been erected after World War II as a sign of popular gratitude toward the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin for the liberation of the Baltic States. The Republics of the Soviet Union were according to the Article 76 of the 1977 Soviet Constitution, Sovereign Soviet Socialist states that had united with other The Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic (Eesti Nõukogude Sotsialistlik Vabariik Эстонская Советская Социалистическая Республика Estonskaya The Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic (Latvijas Padomju Sociālistiskā Republika Латвийская Советская Социалистическая Республика The Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (Lietuvos Tarybų Socialistinė Respublika Литовская Советская Социалистическая Республика World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including A soviet (сове́т, "council" originally was a workers' local council in late Imperial Russia. Joseph Stalin ( ნამდვილი გვარი ჯუღაშვილი|Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili; March 5 1953 was General Secretary of the Communist Party The Baltic states (Balti riigid Baltijas valstis Baltijos valstybės or Baltic countries are three countries in Northern Europe, all members of the ^[3][11] In the summer of 1963, when the issue of demolition was raised again, it was decided that the destruction of a structure of such artistic and historic value, the building of which had been funded by donations of the residents of Latvia, would only cause deep indignation, which in turn would cause tension in society. ^[11] Over time the misinterpretation of symbolism also was toned down and by 1988 the monument was said, with somewhat more accuracy, to have been built to "celebrate the liberation from bondage of the autocracy of the tsar and German barons", although withholding the fact that the Bolshevik Red Army and the Red Latvian Riflemen were also adversaries in the Latvian War of Independence. An autocracy is a Form of government in which the Political power is held by a single self-appointed ruler Tsar csar and tzar redirect here For other uses see Tsar (disambiguation. The Baltic Germans (Deutschbalten or Baltendeutsche) were mostly ethnically German inhabitants of the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, which today The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists ( Большевик Большевист (singular, derived from bolshe, "more" were a faction The Red Army ( Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия R aboche- K rest'yanskaya K rasnaya A rmiya Latvian riflemen (Latviešu strēlnieki Латышские стрелки were military formations assembled starting 1915 in Latvia in order to defend Baltic territories The Latvian War of Independence, sometimes called the Latvian War of Liberation (Latvijas brīvības cīņas literally the "Struggles for Latvia's freedom" or ^[9][1]

Despite the Soviet government’s efforts, on June 14, 1987, about 5,000 people rallied to commemorate the victims of Soviet deportations. Events 1276 - While taking exile in Fuzhou in southern China, away from the advancing Mongol invaders, the remnants of the Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) Population transfer in the Soviet Union may be classified into the following broad categories deportations of " Anti-Soviet " categories of population often classified ^[1] This event, organized by the human rights group Helsinki-86, was the first time after the Soviet occupation that the flower-laying ceremony took place, as the practice was banned by the Soviet authorities. Human rights refers to the "basic Rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled The CTAG (Cilvēktiesību aizstāvības grupa Human Rights Defense Group Helsinki-86 was founded in July 1986 in the Latvian port town of Liepāja by three ^[1][21] In response the Soviet government organized a bicycle race at the monument at the time when the ceremony was planned to take place. Helsinki-86 organized another flower-laying ceremony on August 23 in the same year to commemorate the anniversary of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, at which the crowd was dispersed using jets of water. Events 79 - Mount Vesuvius begins stirring on the feast day of Vulcan the Roman god of fire Riot control refers to the measures used by police military or other forces to control, disperse and arrest civilians that are involved in a Riot, demonstration ^[22] Yet the independence movement grew in size, amounting in some events to more than half a million participants (about one quarter of Latvia's population) and three years later, on May 4, 1990, the re-establishment of the independence of Latvia was declared. Events 1256 - The Augustinian monastic order is constituted at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) ^[23]

Some events of the controversial Latvian Legion Day traditionally take place at the Freedom Monument‎

Since the re-establishment of independence the monument has become a focal point for a variety of events. Latvian Legion Day is a remembrance day on March 16, when soldiers of the Latvian Legion, part of the Waffen SS, are commemorated One of these - on March 16, the commemoration day of veterans of the Latvian Legion of the Waffen-SS, who fought the Soviet Union during World War II - has caused controversy. Events 597 BC - Babylonians capture Jerusalem, replace Jehoiachin with Zedekiah as king The Latvian Legion was a formation of the Waffen-SS consisting primarily of ethnic Latvians. The Waffen-SS ( German for "Armed SS" literally "Weapons SS" was the Combat arm of the Schutzstaffel ("Protective Squadron" The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including ^[24] The date was first celebrated by Latvians in exile before being brought to Latvia in 1990 and for a short time (1998–2000) was the official remembrance day. ^[24][25] In 1998 the event drew the attention of the foreign mass media and in the following year the Russian government condemned the event as a glorification of Nazism. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German ^[24] The event evolved into a political conflict between left and right, posing a threat to public safety. ^[13][26]

The Latvian government took a number of steps in order to try to bring the situation under control, and in 2006 not only were the events planned by right wing organizations not approved, but the monument was fenced off, according to an announcement by Riga city council, for restoration. Riga (Rīga riːga) the Capital of Latvia, is situated on the Baltic Sea coast on the mouth of the river Daugava. ^[13][27] The monument was indeed restored in 2006, but this statement was later questioned, as politicians named various other reasons for the change of date, the enclosed area was much larger than needed for restoration, and the weather appeared inappropriate for restoration work. ^[28] Therefore the government was criticized by the Latvian press for being unable to ensure public safety and freedom of speech. The unapproved events took place despite the ban. ^[27] On November 23, 2006, the law requiring the approval of the authorities for public gatherings was ruled unconstitutional. Events 800 - Charlemagne arrives at Rome to investigate the alleged crimes of Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The Constitution of Latvia (Satversme is the fundamental law of the Republic of Latvia. ^[29] In the future years the government mobilized the police force to guard the neighborhood of the monument and the events were relatively peaceful. ^[30][31]

See also

• Brothers' Cemetery (Riga)
• Latvian euro coins

References

Further reading

• Māra Caune (2002). 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 597 BC - Babylonians capture Jerusalem, replace Jehoiachin with Zedekiah as king 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 597 BC - Babylonians capture Jerusalem, replace Jehoiachin with Zedekiah as king Brīvības piemineklis: tautas celts un aprūpēts. Brīvības pieminekļa atjaunošanas fonds, Riga. ISBN 9984192539.  

External links

• Freedom monument (Russian)
• Latvijas brīvības dižākajam simbolam - jau 60 (Latvian)
• "Mirdzi kā zvaigzne" (1999), a film encouraging donations for the restoration of the Freedom Monument (Latvian)
• Monument to Liberty: A picture gallery
• Historical newsreels including "1935. Opening of the Freedom’s Monument in Riga"
• Virtual tour of Old Riga (includes images and panoramas of the monument and its surroundings)