Latvia's unresolved knot: the Soviet Union is more hated than Germany.

Latvia's unresolved knot: the Soviet Union is more hated than Germany.

Latvia's unsolved heart knot

There is a poem about Latvians exiled to Siberia, and one of them goes like this: How precious are those seemingly cheap things? When all the bread in our hometown is eaten, we stick to it by the seeds hidden in our minds.

Among the three Baltic countries, Lithuania has the largest territory and the largest population, accounting for 6. 530,000 square kilometers and 3.35 million people; Estonia has the smallest area and the smallest population, only 4. 50,000 square kilometers, 6.5438+0.34 million people; The territory of central Latvia covers an area of 6. 46 square kilometers with a population of 2.26 million.

The national destinies of these three countries are also closely linked. Historically, they were controlled by Sweden and Russia for a long time. Soviet regimes were established after the October Revolution, but independent countries were established between 19 18 and 1920. Later according to 1939? Molotov? Ribbentrop Treaty? Were brought into the sphere of influence of the Soviet Union. 1940, the Soviet Union sent troops to occupy the Three Kingdoms. Although it was once occupied by Germany after the outbreak of the Soviet-German war, what was the basis after the war? Yalta agreement? They were all incorporated into the Soviet Union, becoming the last three countries to join the Soviet Union. They lived in the Soviet Union for more than half a century before they became independent again in 199 1.

So, after arriving in the three Baltic countries, I tried to find the imprint of history and interpret the thoughts of the people of the three countries with my own eyes. In this respect, Riga, the capital of Latvia, impressed me the most.

? Stalin architecture? There is only one building left.

Like Lithuania and Estonia, Latvia turned to the west in all aspects of social development after its independence again. Not only has it implemented multi-party parliamentary democracy and free market economy, but it has also joined the European Union and NATO. There is no Soviet socialism as a system in Latvia, but some signs of the latter still exist.

Riga, the capital, is located at the mouth of the Dogava River on the gulf of riga of the Baltic Sea, and consists of the old city, the new city and the old city. Among them, the old town was built at the beginning of13rd century, and 1997 was listed as a world cultural heritage by UNESCO. There is a 20-story tall building in a shabby old city on the outskirts of Riga, which is typical? Stalin architecture? .

So-called? Stalin architecture? , refers to the mid-1930s to the mid-1950s, for? Show * * * the revolution and glory of * *? Made in the Soviet Union? Majestic, towering, majestic, symmetrical layout, gorgeous decoration? That tall building. There are seven such buildings in Moscow, the largest of which is Moscow University.

Although this building in Riga can't compare with that in Moscow? Stalin architecture? Comparatively speaking, it is also the highest and largest among the three Baltic countries. Now it is the seat of the Latvian National Academy of Sciences, but the surrounding buildings are dilapidated, which is in great contrast with the prosperity of the old city and the new city. More importantly, this building no longer exists? Stalin architecture? The original connotation.

In addition, Latvia today, like Lithuania and Estonia, holds a negative attitude towards the Soviet Union. People in these three countries feel that joining the Soviet Union means the disappearance of their independent countries. What are the past years? Colonization? . Among them, Latvian people have the most direct emotions.

? Occupied museum? On display? The Baltic road?

There are many sculptures related to Latvia's struggle for independence in Riga, the most striking of which is the one next to the Freedom Monument in Riga Old Town. Latvia 1940? 199 1 occupy the museum? .

The shape of this museum is a cuboid, and the main part is black, which seems to have a heavy sense of oppression. Its logo is very special. It's a big white sign on the front building. There are two rude gangsters in the middle of the sign. The gangster has a museum written in Latvian above and an English below? Latvia 1940? 199 1 occupy the museum? .

Through visiting and talking with the staff, I learned that this museum was built in 1993 by a group of Latvians who were exiled overseas during the Soviet era and their supporters. Starting from 1997, Latvia * * * took over to maintain daily operations.

The main part of the museum consists of two floors, and the main exhibition area is on the second floor. Because the visit is free, and because it is located near the old town of Riga, there are many tourists, men, women and children, mainly Latvian nationals. 2009 is the 20th anniversary of the drastic changes in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Many countries have various forms of commemorative activities, and Latvia is no exception. When I visited in mid-September, the museum was being held? Baltic Road: 1989? 2009 retrospective exhibition? What is the subtitle of the exhibition? Looking back on the past, for the future? .

So-called? The Baltic road? 1On August 23rd, 989, 2 million Estonians, Lithuanians and Latvians joined hands from Tallinn, Estonia, in the northernmost part, to Vilnius, Lithuania, in the southernmost part. In order to demand independence from the Soviet Union, they formed a 600-kilometer human chain, which can be regarded as the demands of the three Baltic countries for independence. This exhibition mainly depicts the passionate scenes of the people of the three countries at that time through pictures, illustrations and text descriptions.

Of course. The Baltic road? Our exhibition is temporary. The theme of this museum is to use a large number of archives, photos and objects to illustrate Latvia's faltering social development from the early 1940s to the early 1990s, which mainly reflects the understanding of the Soviet Union and its social system.

Historically, Latvia and the other two Baltic countries' first independence in the 20th century lasted only 20 years, and then they were occupied by the Soviet Union and Germany for three times, namely 1940 by the Soviet Union, 194 1 year by Nazi Germany, and1July 1944 to/kloc. For this reason, the title of a brochure published by the museum in 2008 is very clearly called "Three occupations in Latvia: 1940? 199 1 year. The cover of the book is a black-and-white photo of Stalin shaking hands with ribbentrop who came to sign the contract, 1939, which is in sharp contrast with the title of the book with white characters on a red background below.

Sood? The occupier?

In the eyes of Latvians, both the Soviet Union and Germany were occupiers, which brought them great trauma, but the Soviet Union was even worse than Germany. In Latvia's mind, the last Soviet occupation not only deprived the Baltic countries of their independence, but also forcibly turned them into the last three countries to join the Soviet Union.

Like other countries in Eastern Europe, before the Baltic countries were formally merged into the Soviet Union, not only all aspects of social development were closely related to western European countries, but also Catholicism and Protestantism dominated religious traditions. Therefore, after being merged into the Soviet Union, Latvia's social development track was forcibly incorporated into the Soviet model. In this museum, Latvians gave a negative explanation to the Soviet Union from the perspective of the loss of independence of their country and nation, trying to explain how its social system was not suitable for Latvia's national conditions and how it hindered Latvia's social development.

Moreover, due to the lack of compatibility with Latvia's historical traditions and political culture, contradictions and conflicts between the Soviet Union and Latvian nationalism are inevitable. Therefore, this museum uses many files to illustrate that in order to completely conquer Latvia, the Soviet Union suppressed Latvians who resisted the Soviet Union in the 1940s, excluded them from normal social life and sent them to? Gulag? (forced labor camps), and even exiled to Siberia.

At the same time, the Soviet Union adopted the policy of emigrating from other regions to Latvia and other Baltic countries to change the ethnic composition of this region. As far as Latvia is concerned, the proportion of Russians in Latvia's total population has increased from about 10% before the war to 1989 34%, while the proportion of Latvians has decreased from 75% to 52%. This consequence is unforgettable for Latvians.

The book published by the museum bluntly says: The most prominent feature of the second Soviet occupation was the colonization of Latvia. ?

Now, although the Soviet Union has disintegrated and Latvia has become independent, it seems that the historical feud between them has not been completely settled.

In May 2005, entrusted by the President, the Latvian Parliament set up a special committee composed of historians and representatives of various ministries, and made a comment on 1940? 1990 Soviet union? Rules? Caused by Latvia? Loss? . More than three months later? Evaluation? In August of the same year, the Committee submitted a concluding report, demanding that Russia, the successor state of the Soviet Union, compensate Latvia for 654.38 billion US dollars? Loss? . Of course, Russia will not fulfill it, and it will go away afterwards. However, the relationship between Latvia and Russia is not smooth. In early 2008, the two countries also expelled each other's diplomats.

Leave riga. This? Occupied? Museum, my mind has been restless for a long time. I don't entirely agree with all the viewpoints put forward in the museum commentary, but I can understand the mixed feelings of Latvians.

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Among the exhibits in the museum, there is a poem describing Latvians exiled to Siberia. One of them is this: How precious are those things that look cheap? When all the bread in our hometown is eaten, we stick to it by the seeds hidden in our minds. ?