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Sixteenth installment from the diary of my great-grandfather’s sister Alise, written during the First World War. When the diary starts, she is living just a few miles from the front lines of the Eastern Front, and is then forced to flee with her husband and two young daughters to her family’s house near Limbaži as the war moves even closer. For the background, see here, click on the tag “diary entries” to see all of the entries that I have posted.
March 5, 1916
Thanks be to God, again so far and on my feet. On February 22nd, at 9 o’clock in the morning, our son was born. A lot of happiness and joy for Papa, my heart also fills with pride and joy, holding the hand of this small dear creature. His sisters are already in love with their little brother. Dagmāra, who is still only 1.5 years old, talks only about “baklaba” [NB: toddler-speak of some kind? Possibly "brālis laba", meaning "brother good"]. The boy is very strong and handsome, I’m sorry only about his small ear, which for some reason is not the same as the other. Maybe all of the horrible experiences of the past while had an impact, maybe the fault is also to be found somewhere else. That is God’s mind and His secret. We will love him even more. We are now settled in the upstairs room at Kroņi. If someone had told me this earlier, that it would be so, I would not believe them and I would be angry. Yes – you may see the end of your nose, but not the end of your life! The hardest part – Trūtiņa and Dagīte are ill with whooping cough. The cough is very strong. Trūde is bleeding from her nose, Daga from the eyes. We have to protect the boy from catching it – if that is possible – the heart tires just thinking about it. Papa is certainly earning love, who sacrifices to serve us and care for us. No work is too hard or simple for him, he will do everything without complaining. He even washes his son in the evenings, and wraps him up and puts him to bed at night, so that things are not hard for me and so that I can rest and gather new energy. We still owe him so much love. We will try to grant this to him in this life.
In this series, I am providing pictures of tombstones from Latvian cemeteries, all with death dates prior to 1945. I do not have any further information on the people mentioned.
Photo taken by me, October 2012. Click to enlarge.
Top Inscriptions: Durchs Kreuz zur Krone (“Through the Cross to the Crown”); Erbbegräbnis Familie Kruhmin (“Krūmiņš Family Burial Site”)
Names: Johans Krūmiņš, born Feburary 12, 1852, died November 16, 19118; Otīlija Krūmiņš (maiden name Witte), born April 11, 1860, death date missing; Lilly Witte, born March 7, 1866, died December 29, 1938
Location: Meža kapi, Rīga
Inscriptions on tombstone are in German and old Latvian orthography, translation and transcription in modern orthography is mine.
I have to wonder what happened to Otīlija. I’m guessing that there isn’t a 151-year old woman somewhere in Latvia – that would be a record! What happened such that she wasn’t buried with people who look to be her husband and sister? While “Krūmiņš” is a very Latvian name, “Witte” sounds more German. Was she an ethnic German? If she outlived her sister Lilly, maybe she was one of the ethnic Germans that repatriated to Germany at the outset of the Second World War? Did she remarry and was thus buried with her new husband? Questions abound!
Now, the title is a bit of a misnomer. There isn’t a Latvian royal family. Nobles in Latvia were typically German, sometimes Polish, sometimes Russian. But this post is about a group in Latvia that can be considered the closest thing to nobility that ethnic Latvians have – the “kuršu ķoniņi”, or “Curonian Kings”.
This group is said to originate from the leaders of the Curonian people (one of the groups that eventually melded into what would become Latvians) in central Kurland, in the communities of Ķoniņciems, Kalējciems, Ziemeļciems, Pliķuciems, Dragūnciems, Viesalgciems and Sausgaļciems, all located around the town of Kuldīga. Their main church was the Lipaiķi Lutheran Church, which was the home parish for the communities of Ķoniņciems, Kalējciems, Ziemeļciems and Pliķuciems, southwest of Kuldīga.
When the Livonian Order came knocking and took over Latvian territory, they were able to negotiate special privileges that most Latvian peasants were not able to have. They were not nobility or landowners on the scale of the German barons, nor were they allowed to own serfs of their own, but they maintained their land rights, hunting and fishing rights and had personal freedoms that serfs did not have (right to marry freely, inheritance, etc.).
The extent of these rights came and went depending on the ruling power, but some measure of special rights and privileges were granted to the kuršu ķoniņi from the fourteenth century up until Latvian independence in the early 20th century, when special privileges were abolished.
The kuršu ķoniņi, unlike most Latvians, have a coat of arms, which is displayed prominently in the Lipaiķi church. They also maintained a number of pagan customs well into the 15th century, and superstitions regarding local holy tree groves persist into the modern era. It is not permitted to hunt, break branches or light fires in the sacred forests, lest something bad happen to the community.
What does this information mean for genealogy? I’m not sure of all of the documents that exist regarding this group, but many certainly do – I’ve read about several documents that granted this special status that still appear to be extant, and of course the people appear in the church records. It is also important to know the names of the people who were a part of this extended group. The rule was such that the son who was to inherit needed to marry within the group, but daughters could marry other peasants, “as long as they were wealthy enough”.
Kuršu Ķoniņi surnames: Peniķis, Tontegode (Tonteguts), Sirkants (Saukants), Šmēdiņš, Bergholcs (Bartolds), Kalējs (Šmits), Dragūns (Vidiņš), Grīnbergs. The oldest of these families – at least as it comes to having privileges – are the Tontegode and Peniķis families. I should note though that some of these names – particularly Kalējs, Šmits, Vidiņš and Grīnbergs – are quite common all over Latvia, so having one of these surnames in your tree does not mean you have kuršu ķoniņi ancestors. Though if they are from the Lipaiķi congregation, the chances can be quite good. You will have to dig into the church records and see.
Looking through the Latvian newspapers on Periodika, I have found mentions of some members of the Peniķis and Tontegode families having emigrated after the Second World War. Are you one of them, or descended from them? Do you have more information to share regarding the kuršu ķoniņi? Share in comments!
In this series, I am providing pictures of tombstones from Latvian cemeteries, all with death dates prior to 1945. I do not have any further information on the people mentioned.
Photo taken by me, October 2012. Click to enlarge.
Name: Air Force Warrant Officer August Lapiņš, born September 3, 1902, died August 29, 1931.
Location: Meža kapi, Rīga
This is part of my series of interesting newspaper articles that I find in the old Latvian newspapers available through Periodika. Most of the articles I post are in some way related to migration, wars or other events that are of particular genealogical note.
Source: Ventas Balss (Venta’s Voice), February 22, 1940
Surname changes without well-founded reasons
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has already received 1655 requests for changes of surname. Some of the applicants have already been granted their chosen surnames. However, it has been noted that many people, who already have Latvian surnames, want to change them for new ones. The Ministry has received a number of requests where residents with surnames such as Zaķis, Gailis, etc. want to change their surname to something more common. There are even occasions where people with pleasant Latvian surnames, for example, Daija (meaning – a tool used to dam rivers), who want to call themselves Lazdiņš. Norītis wants to become Noriņš. The Ministry would like to remind people that if they already have Latvian surnames that are not demeaning, rude or obscene, they do not have a well-founded reason to change them.
As I already described with this news article, surname changes were very popular in early 1940. However, the strict rules in place meant that not everyone could do it – you could only change your name to an ethnic Latvian surname if you were an ethnic Latvian, you could not choose a very common surname, you could not choose a non-Latvian surname if you were an ethnic Latvian, you could not change your surname if it was considered to be a pleasant Latvian surname. As the article above indicates, you also couldn’t change the diminutive ending of your name (Noriņš vs. Norītis as above – both mean the same thing, just a different diminutive form). After the surname change process got under way, the authorities also began to limit the number of families who could change to any given surname – the newspapers tell me this number was originally 30 families, but it seems to have gone up to 50.
The first name to be restricted was Straume (meaning “river current”), followed in short order by Krauja, Veldre, Atvars, Līdums, Strauts, Salna, Vilnis, Dzelme, Dzintars, Ritums, Klints, Avots, Austrums, Kalve, Krasts, Brīvkalns, Bajārs, Grava, Sarma, Selga, Zelmenis, Roga, Vētra, Eglājs, Arājs, Kalnājs, Ziediņš, Grants, Aigars, Leja, Raits, Rasa, Ziemelis – and these, along with four others that I have not been able to identify yet, were already restricted by June 1. After June 1, eleven more were added to the list: Banga, Drava, Grauds, Lejnieks, Pumpurs, Rožkalns, Salnājs, Smilga, Sūna, Tērauds, Vaivars. If names were restricted at 30 or 50 families, this gives you an idea of the scope of the surname changing frenzy in these few short months, since many other surnames were being chosen as well. These restrictions also do not include the most common surnames amongst Latvians, which were already restricted beforehand – names such as Kalniņš, Bērziņš, Ozoliņš, Krūmiņš, etc.
Pick one of the names in your Latvian family tree. If you were living in Latvia in 1940, would you have been eligible to change your surname? If so, what would you have changed it to? If you know a meaning you’d like your name to have, but don’t know the Latvian word for it, just ask, or search the Latvian Surname Project to see if I have it in there!
This is part of my series of interesting newspaper articles and snippets that I find in the old Latvian newspapers available through Periodika. Most of the articles I post are in some way related to migration, wars or other events that are of particular genealogical or historical note.
Here we read about how early Latvian migrants to Brazil (that is, the migrants who went to Brazil before the large Baptist migration of the early 1920s) felt about the news they were getting from a Latvia in the midst of the War of Independence.
Source: Baltijas Vēstnesis (Baltic Herald), February 20, 1920
How Brazil’s Latvians feel about Latvia’s suffering
We just received word from our correspondent in Brazil, a letter from Mr. A. Schmidt (earlier a trader in Cēsis and Liepāja), who provides an overview of the feelings and impressions of Brazil’s Latvians, after the takeover of Rīga’s newspapers during the Bermontian attack on Latvia:
“The heart beats quickly, reading news of Latvia. The meeting of the People’s Council, patriotism, telegrams from the French mission, the Allied commission, the Danes mentioning Rīga’s suffering! It stirred great feelings against the Bermontians and their terror, but the song of the people won’t disappear under their snarls: “That which the German did to me, I will do the German.” May they go off to the Fatherland. Latvia for Latvians!
I send you the Brazilian (Portuguese) newspapers and “Graudi” [NB:"Grain"] in Latvian. The latter is the only Latvian periodical in South America.
On November 11, 1918, a Latvian battalion arrived in Brazil from Archangelsk. The trip took almost two months, and difficulties along the way were great and there were many many delays, until they made it here from Archangelsk.
Brazil’s Latvians also ask that these attached letters make it to the addressed people: Mr. J. Schmiidt in Limbaži (Jūras street), Mr. J. Blankenburg in Liepāja (Graudu street), Mr. K. Schmidt in Moscow. It is not known if the aformentioned people stil live at these addresses, so we send them to you and ask that the addressees respond to receive them.
It is easy to forget in this world of instant communication that just a hundred years ago it was not possible. Transatlantic telephone calls only started to become possible in the 1920s, and it was decades after that before people could call internationally directly from their homes. People needed to send letters, or watch newspapers for news of loved ones. Latvian newspapers during the First World War were full of notices from readers looking for their lost relatives. If there is interest, I can start posting some of these notices as well. Yes? No?
In this series, I am providing pictures of tombstones from Latvian cemeteries, all with death dates prior to 1945. I usually don’t have any more information on the people mentioned, but on rare occasions, I do – like this one.
Jānis Ducens was a member of Latvia’s first Saeima (Parliament), and later the Minister of Defense. He was born in Jaunpiebalga parish, studied at the Rīga Alexander Gymnasium, then Moscow University, and also at the Petrograd Nicholas Engineer-Officer Academy until the Bolshevik takeover in 1917, at which point he left the army and returned to Latvia, joining the Latvian Farmer’s Union. He participated in Latvia’s declaration of independence on November 18, 1918 and later on served in the Kalpaks battalion in the Latvian War of Independence. From 1922 to 1923, he served in the first Saeima, and the following year served as the Minister of Defense. He died of a stroke in 1925 at the age of 37. (Biography from Latvian Wikipedia, summarized and translated by me.)
Photo taken by me, October 2012. Click to enlarge.
Name: Defense Minister Jānis Ducens, born January 17, 1888, died October 7, 1925.
Right Inscription: “Mūžīgā mierā še dus Latvijas zemnieka dēls, kareivju aizstāvis drošs, karavīrs dižens un cēls” (“Resting here in eternal sleep is the son of the Latvian farmer, brave defender of soldiers, a soldier great and noble”)
Location: Meža kapi, Rīga
From the marks on the tombstone, it is evident that there used to be other decorations on it – probably related to the military in some way. These were likely destroyed during the Soviet era, as the Soviet government did not respect the graves of independent Latvia’s military or government personnel, and decorations or portraits that reminded people of independent Latvia were often removed. Some have since been restored, but unfortunately many graves are still in their damaged state.
I’ve run into a small problem here with the calendar giveaway…. five entries, but only four calendars.
So I’ve decided to resolve this situation by asking a series of questions… let’s see how much people have been paying attention!
- What is the URL for the Latvian historical newspaper website?
- What does “tautas skaitīšana” mean?
- What sort of documents might you consult to find a Rīga resident’s street address?
Leave your answers here! First four responses to get the correct answers win!
This is part of my series of interesting newspaper articles that I find in the old Latvian newspapers available through Periodika. Most of the articles I post are in some way related to migration, wars or other events that are of particular genealogical note.
Source: Latvijas Sargs (Latvian Guard), February 15, 1922
Looking for Heirs
The Latvian delegation from the United States has announced that a Francis Pipins, son of Donats, belonging to the Izabelinska parish [NB: later known as Skaista parish], Daugavpils county, has died and left an inheritance. As heirs they are looking for Antons Pipiņš and Rosols Pipiņš. More information is available from the Foreign Ministry’s Western section.
The Latvian delegation in the United States is also looking for the relatives of deceased sailor Jose Rozentāls, so that they can be paid a $1500 insurance settlement. Rozentāls was serving on the ship SS Florence. Relatives of J. Rozentāls can turn to the Foreign Ministry’s Western section.
The Latvian consular agent in Vancouver has announced that they are looking for the heirs of a Jānis Pasts (who died in Canada), and who are eligible to receive several hundred dollars by submitting notarized documents proving a relationship and a power of attorney to the Foreign Ministry, who will send the documents to the consular agent. The aforementioned Jānis Pasts was in Siberia in about 1910, from there travelled to San Francisco, and in about 1915 moved to Canada. He was injured in a mine and died in the Prince Rupert city hospital on October 14, 1918. The deceased belonged to Laicene parish in Valka county.
The Foreign Ministry’s Western section is asking for the parents or close relatives of G. Bērziņš to contact them to receive an inheritance. G. Bērziņš died serving in the Australian army.
Heir hunting can be a big business in the modern era, but it was also important in years past. Here we have four separate cases – two of Latvians in the United States, one of a Latvian in Canada, and one of a Latvian in Australia, with varying amounts of information about the deceased. The information on the last one – a “G. Bērziņš” – is particularly thin, especially when you consider that Bērziņš is one of the most popular Latvian surnames. However, the website Russian Anzacs by Elena Govor provides some more information on someone who is quite likely this individual. The website tells us that his first name is George (in Latvian would be Juris or Georgs), he was born on January 31, 1892 in Valmiera. He arrived in Australia in 1911 on the ship Socotra and was a labourer in Broken Hill. He was killed in action on August 4, 1916, presumably in France, based on his place of burial (Serre Road Cemetery No. 2). I wonder if George’s parents knew that he had made it all the way to Australia, only to return to Europe and be killed in the First World War?
In this series, I am providing pictures of tombstones from Latvian cemeteries, all with death dates prior to 1945. I do not have any further information on the people mentioned.
This stone is interesting for two reasons – one, the surname is clearly an ethnic Latvian surname, but the stone was chosen to be written in German, even in the 1930s, so what their ethnicity was is a bit unclear. The second interesting feature is that it lists birthdates in the Old Style (Julian calendar), but death dates in the New Style (Gregorian calendar), marking them both as such. Usually in such cases where someone was born under the old calendar but died during the new calendar, the birthdate would be transitioned to the new calendar.
Photo taken by me, October 2012. Click to enlarge.
Names: Jakob Heinrich Lejnieks, born July 10, 1875 [O.S.], died July 26, 1937 [N.S.]; Elisabeth Lejnieks (maiden name Narring), born February 3, 1876 [O.S.], died September 12, 1939 [N.S.]
Location:Meža kapi, Rīga
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