TEACH THE YOUNG

There is no age limit for participating in demonstrations; children can also participate with their parents. Along with their parents, children learn to express their opinions and indirectly learn the skills of organising events.

PROTEST WITH THE ENTIRE FAMILY!

Demonstrations are a good way for active young people to be together, to prove themselves and their ability to plan and run events.

PROTESTORS ARE RAISED IN LATVIAN SCHOOLS AND CAMPS

Latvian schools and summer camps were instrumental in the patriotic upbringing of young people and played an important role in exile society. For the generation born and raised in exile, public expression of their opinions, as well as non-recognition of the occupation of Latvia, was a matter of course. Unlike their counterparts in the Soviet Union, young people in the West could protest without the threat of repression and serious consequences in later life.

We lived in a typical middle-class district on the outskirts of Bonn. My son Dainis and later, my son Jānis often drove their toy cars down the street, shouting: "Nyet, Nyet, Soviet!" as well as other slogans they had heard during demonstrations. We, the parents, were now and then chastised by our "politically correct" German neighbours, Gorbachev fans, for having "indoctrinated" our children at such a young age.
Ģirts Zēgners

Demonstrations certainly motivated us, held us together as a society, as young people. Because protesting is fun! It was sanctioned misbehaviour.
Juris Bļodnieks

Ilmārs Lejiņš protests at the Soviet embassy in London after the 5th Latvian World Youth Congress, 18 August 1981

Donated to Latvians Abroad Museum and Research Centre by Atis Lejiņš

Dāvis Bolšteins sits on Andris Freivalds shoulders at a demonstration in Philadelphia, c. 1988 Photo: Kaspars Krēsliņš

Donated to Latvians Abroad Museum and Research Centre by Kaspars Krēsliņš

Ilga Millers and Andris Aukmanis protesting in London in the 1970s Photo: Kārlis Būdiņš

Donated to Latvians Abroad Museum and Research Centre by Sarma Muižnieks-Liepiņš

Ilmārs Lejiņš marches with Swedish Latvian Social Democrats at a May Day demonstration in Stockholm, 1970s Photographer unknown

Donated to Latvians Abroad Museum and Research Centre by Atis Lejiņš

Youth protest in Washington, D.C., 1980s Photo: Kaspars Krēsliņš

Donated to Latvians Abroad Museum and Research Centre by Kaspars Krēsliņš

Katrīna Veidiņš with her father at a demonstration in Boston, USA, 1990 Photo: Austra Veidiņš

Donated to Latvians Abroad Museum and Research Centre by Austra Veidiņš

Students from Anna Ziedare Summer Secondary School travel to a local German festival in Australia, 1990 Photo: Marianna Auliciems

Donated to Latvians Abroad Museum and Research Centre by Marianna Auliciems

Ģirts Zēgners and son Dainis and Guntis Siliņš and son Krišjānis protest at the Canadian Parliament Buildings during the 7th Latvian World Youth Congress, 10 July 1986 Photographer unknown

Donated to Latvians Abroad Museum and Research Centre by Ģirts Zēgners

Protesters at the Canadian Parliament Buildings during the 7th Latvian World Youth Congress, 10 July 1986 Photo: Ģirts Zēgners

Donated to Latvians Abroad Museum and Research Centre by Ģirts Zēgners

Mežotne summer camp children and leaders participate in a demonstration in Olympia, Washington and pose with Governor Dan Evans, 30 July 1975 Photo: Biruta Zommers

Donated to Latvians Abroad Museum and Research Centre by Biruta Zommers

We were prepared for public action – protests and demonstrations. Pēteris Graube came to Kursa Summer Secondary School and prepared us. He sat us down and told us that we needed to be sure of flag proportions because we were going to burn the Soviet flag. Not to use synthetic materials, not to use materials that would either melt or not ignite. He told us how to approach people who might be aggressive while we demonstrate. He explained all these demonstration tactics in an adult way. And, of course, we grew up. We prepared and we were growing up. We were no longer children who were forced to go because our parents wanted us to go.
Sarma Muižnieks-Liepiņš

MEETING PLACE – THE BERLIN WALL

The Berlin Wall separated West Berlin from East Germany from 1961 to 1989. The wall symbolised the Iron Curtain and was a popular and emotional meeting place for people from the West, including politically active Baltic youth. Many took the opportunity to paint the Berlin Wall with political slogans.

Pēteris Elferts at the Berlin Wall, 1988 Photographer unknown

Donated to Latvians Abroad Museum and Research Centre by Pēteris Elferts

1988 – “Latvian SSR Days” were being organised in Berlin. I simply told the students at Münster Latvian Gymnasium that we had to go to Berlin – they had to be raised as national patriots. The young people were 16-18 years old, they really enjoyed it. Young people are young people – they want to do something radical. During the day we went to listen to "Līvi" and "Ave Sol"; at night, we painted the Wall.
Pēteris Elferts

The Berlin Wall in 1989. Photo: Astrīde Sīlis.

Donated to Latvians Abroad Museum and Research Centre by Astrīde Sīlis.

School students at the Latvian Gymnasium in Münster Zinta Gulēns and Daina Lazda with their painted slogans on the Berlin Wall 1989. Photo: Astrīde Sīlis.

Donated to Latvians Abroad Museum and Research Centre by Astrīde Sīlis.

Anita Zakatistova un Sarmīte Vētra at the Berlin Wall, 1991 Photo: Nīls Ebdens

Donated to Latvians Abroad Museum and Research Centre by Nīls Ebdens

Pieces of the Berlin Wall in a jar and Anita Zakatistova’s earring, made from a piece of the Wall

Donated to Latvians Abroad Museum and Research Centre by Anita Zakatistova

Everyone always gathered at the Brandenburg Gates, usually at night. The next day [after the fall of the Wall], we decided that we had to go with a Latvian flag. But we didn’t have a pole! But I had a broom! So, we attached the Latvian flag to the broomstick, and we had a flag! Then we stood by the Wall, and someone came up to us and asked: “Why are Austrians here?” We answered: “We aren’t Austrians! We are Latvians!”
Anita Zakatistova