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Latvian Pioneers, Socialists, and Refugees in Manitoba: An Illustrated Journey Through the History of Latvians in Manitoba (1895-2018)by Viesturs Zarins 2018 |
Overshadowed by the narratives of larger immigrant groups, the story of Latvians in Manitoba has never been told until now. The story begins in the late 19th century with pioneers leaving Latvia, then part of the Russian Empire, in search of land they could own and farm. A few years later, Manitoba saw the arrival of radicals fleeing for their lives after the brutal suppression of the Marxist-inspired 1905 Revolution. After arriving in Manitoba, many of the failed revolutionaries joined the Prairie socialist movement and attracted the attention of the RCMP. After World War II, Manitoba took in scores of fiercely anti-communist Latvian Displaced Persons who had fled the advance of Soviet troops and the occupation of their homeland. The refugees laboured as contract workers until they were allowed to pursue independent lives. They soon built a thriving community in Winnipeg that lasted into the 21st century. Although this is the story of three separate but intertwined groups of Latvian immigrant groups in the province of Manitoba, it is also an universal story that is still relevant today. At its core, it is a story of immigrants leaving their homeland under trying circumstances and coming to a new country to carve out an uncertain life for themselves and their children. A story of longing for what was left behind and hope for the future.
Copies of Latvian Pioneers, Socialists, and Refugees in Manitoba: An Illustrated Journey Through the History of Latvians in Manitoba (1895-2018) are available at:
McNally Robinson Booksellers (Winnipeg)
Posted: 19 December 2020
