Register of the Latvian Oral History Project interviews
Finding aid prepared by David Jacobs
Hoover Institution Library and Archives
© 2016
434 Galvez Mall
Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-6003
hoover-library-archives@stanford.edu
Title: Latvian Oral History Project interviews
Date (inclusive): 1995-2016
Collection Number: 99028
Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives
Language of Material: In Latvian and English
Physical Description:
2 manuscript boxes, 20 digital sound files
(0.8 Linear Feet)
Abstract: Sound recordings of interviews of Latvian political leaders, governmental officials, and others relating to political, social,
and economic conditions in Latvia. Includes transcripts of questions and some related printed matter. Project sponsored by
the Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace. Interviews conducted by David Jacobs. Digital copies also available.
Creator:
Hoover Institution on War, Revolution, and Peace
Creator:
Jacobs, David
Physical Location: Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Access
The collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual
or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.
Use
For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Acquisition Information
Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 1999, with an increment acquired in 2016.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Latvian Oral History Project interviews, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library
& Archives.
Scope and Content of Collection
The initial set of interviews were conducted in 1999 and 2000 by David Jacobs of the Hoover Institution Library & Archives
in an attempt to document political and social conditions, as well as cultural trends, in Latvia at the time. Each interviewee
was asked a set of prepared questions designed to elicit information on leading issues of the day in a country that had become
independent again in 1991, following the break-up of the Soviet Union. Topics covered in the interviews include Latvia's relations
with the Russian Federation, its efforts to join the European Union (a goal that Latvia achieved in 2004), and the status
of the sizeable Russian minority in the country. The role of business interests in Latvian politics was also addressed in
a number of the interviews, as were questions of regional and social inequalities in the country. The interviews were recorded
on compact sound cassettes and have since been digitized so that researchers can listen to them.
The sizeable increment to the collection is comprised of interviews conducted in 2016 (again by David Jacobs) with Latvian
government officials, politicians, historians, and archivists. Each interviewee was asked a set of questions tailored to his
or her position, as well as a set of questions that was asked of each individual. The questions focus on the 25th anniversary
of renewed independence for Latvia: each interviewee was asked to give an account of the country's successes and failures
since 1991. Issues such as NATO and European Union membership are addressed in most of the interviews, as are relations between
Latvia and the Russian Federation. Other topics include the demographic situation in Latvia following the Great Recession,
when some 400,000 Latvians left the country in search of employment. It should be noted that some of the interviews consist
of informal discussions rather than structured question and answer sessions.
The increment also contains background information, as well as lists of the questions that each interviewee was asked. There
is also a considerable amount of printed matter, consisting largely of brochures and handouts provided by some of the interviewees.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Audiotapes
Latvia -- Social conditions
Latvia -- Politics and government -- 1991-
Latvia -- Economic conditions -- 1991-
Sound recordings of interviews
1999-2000
Physical Description: 21.0 sound_cassettes
box 1
Cimdars, Arnis
1999 March 3
Language of Material: Latvian.
Scope and Contents note
Elga Zalite interviews Cimdars, chairman of the Central Election Committee, in Riga, Latvia.
Access
Use copy reference number: 99028_a_0006427
box 1
Panelejevs, Andrejs
1999 March 15
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents note
Chairman of the party Latvijas Cels ("Latvia's Way").
Access
Use copy reference number: 99028_a_0006428
box 1
Elerte, Sarmite
1999 March 17
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents note
Editor of
Diena.
Access
Use copy reference number: 99028_a_0006429
box 1
Johnson, Steven C.
1999 March 31
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents note
Editor of
The Baltic Times.
Access
Use copy reference number: 99028_a_0006430
box 1
Felsbergs, Valdis
1999 April 12
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents note
Co-chairman of the Latvian Green Party.
Access
Use copy reference number: 99028_a_0006431
box 1
Bojars, Juris
1999 April 19
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents note
Chairman of the Latvian Social Democratic Association.
Access
Use copy reference number: 99028_a_0006432
box 1
Lase, Ieva
1999 April 28 - May 5
Language of Material: French.
Scope and Contents note
Member of "The French Group," an informal circle of Latvian intellectuals deported to the Gulag in the early 1950s for reading
and discussing banned literature, including the works of French existentialist philosophers.
Access
Use copy reference number: 99028_a_0006433
box 1
Skele, Andris
1999 May 20
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents note
Leader of the People's Party (Tautas Partija).
Access
Use copy reference number: 99028_a_0006434
box 1
Makarovs, Vladimirs
1999 May 21
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents note
Minister of social welfare.
Access
Use copy reference number: 99028_a_0006435
box 1
Krupenkovs, Imants
1999 May 26
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents note
Employee, Latvian Ministry of Economics.
Access
Use copy reference number: 99028_a_0006436
box 1
Jurkans, Janis
1999 June 2
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents note
Leader of the National Harmony Party and former foreign minister of Latvia.
Access
Use copy reference number: 99028_a_0006437
box 1
Kaupers, Renars
1999 June 8
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents note
Leader of Prata Vetra (Brainstorm), the most popular Latvian rock group.
Access
Use copy reference number: 99028_a_0006438
box 1
Muiznieks, Nils
1999 June 9
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents note
Employee, Soros Fund of Latvia.
Access
Use copy reference number: 99028_a_0006439
box 1
Kalnins, Imants
1999 June 11
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents note
Composer and member of Parliament.
Access
Use copy reference number: 99028_a_0006440
box 1
Tjarve, Rolands
1999 June 17
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents note
General director of Latvian Television, the state broadcasting company.
Access
Use copy reference number: 99028_a_0006441
box 1
Druviete, Ina
1999 June 30
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents note
Linguist.
Access
Use copy reference number: 99028_a_0006442
box 1
Straume, Janis
1999 July 1
Scope and Contents note
Speaker of the Saiema (Latvian Parliament). This interview was conducted through an interpreter; it is in Latvian and English.
Access
Use copy reference number: 99028_a_0006443
box 1
Petersone, Valda
1999 July 9
Scope and Contents note
Deputy director of the state archives of Latvia.
Access
Use copy reference number: 99028_a_0006444
box 1
Birkavs, Valdis
1999 July 22
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents note
Latvian foreign minister from 1994 to 1999.
Access
Use copy reference number: 99028_a_0006445
box 1
Ulmanis, Guntis and Nils Muiznieks
2000 October 25
Scope and Contents note
In separate sessions, Jacobs interviews Ulmanis, former state president, and Muiznieks. The Ulmanis interview was assisted
by a translator.
Access
Use copy reference number: 99028_a_0006446
box 1, folder 1
Interviewee questions
circa 1999
Scope and Contents note
Also includes article about Imants Kalnins.
box 1, folder 3
Brochures and pamphlets
1997-1998, undated
box 1, folder 4
Clippings (photocopies)
1999
Digital sound files of interviews
2016
Scope and Contents note
Twenty digital .mp3 sound files (1.71 GB).
onsite digital
Zālite, Elga
2016 September 4
Physical Description: 3.0 digital_files
Scope and Contents note
Latvian historian.
onsite digital
Zeltīts, Raivis
2016 September 20
Physical Description: 1.0 digital_file
Scope and Contents note
Latvian politician and general secretary of the National Alliance party.
onsite digital
Spolītis, Veiko
2016 September 20
Physical Description: 1.0 digital_file
Scope and Contents note
Member of the Saiema (Latvian Parliament).
onsite digital
Pildegovičs, Andrejs
2016 September 21
Physical Description: 1.0 digital_file
Scope and Contents note
State Secretary, Latvian Foreign Ministry.
onsite digital
Ušakovs, Nils
2016 September 21
Physical Description: 1.0 digital_file
Scope and Contents note
Mayor of Riga and head of the Concord Party.
onsite digital
Rozenberga, Aiva
2016 September 21
Physical Description: 1.0 digital_file
Scope and Contents note
Head of the Latvian Institute.
onsite digital
Kalniņa, Inese
2016 September 22
Physical Description: 1.0 digital_file
Scope and Contents note
Head of the Latvian State Archives.
onsite digital
Kalniņš, Ojārs
2016 September 23
Physical Description: 1.0 digital_file
Scope and Contents note
Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Saiema (Latvian Parliament).
onsite digital
Lehris, Ainars and Jonathan B. (Al-Jazeera reporter)
2016 September 23
Physical Description: 1.0 digital_file
Scope and Contents note
Latvian historian. Conversation recorded in a café with ambient noise.
onsite digital
Razāns, Andris
2016 September 26
Physical Description: 1.0 digital_file
Scope and Contents note
Former Latvian ambassador to the United States.
onsite digital
Slaidiņa, Inguna
2016 September 27
Physical Description: 1.0 digital_file
Scope and Contents note
Deputy Director of the Latvian Archives.
onsite digital
Jakovļeva, Mārīte; Margarita Barzdeviča; and Elga Zālite
2016 September 27
Physical Description: 1.0 digital_file
Scope and Contents note
Latvian historians.
onsite digital
Merivoo-Parro, Maarja
2016 September 27
Physical Description: 1.0 digital_file
Scope and Contents note
Estonian historian.
onsite digital
Lehris, Ainārs and Maarja Merivoo-Parro
2016 September 27
Physical Description: 1.0 digital_file
Scope and Contents note
Latvian and Estonian historians.
onsite digital
Ščerbinskis, Valters
2016 September 28
Physical Description: 2.0 digital_files
Scope and Contents note
Latvian historian.
onsite digital
Jēkabsons, Ēriks
2016 September 28
Physical Description: 1.0 digital_file
Scope and Contents note
Latvian historian.
onsite digital
Spirğe, Alda
2016 September
Physical Description: 1.0 digital_file
Scope and Contents note
Vice principal and English teacher at Jelgavas Gymnasium (part 1 of interview is missing due to technical failure).
Interviewee materials
2014-2016
Scope and Contents note
Contains background materials on those interviewed and lists of questions asked.
box 2, folder 3
Pildegovičs, Andrejs
2016
box 2, folder 12
Barzdeviča, Margarita
2016
box 2, folder 14
Merivoo-Parro, Maarja
2016
box 2, folder 15
Ščerbinskis, Valters
2016
Brochures and handouts
2013-2015
undated
box 2, folder 18
General, various Latvian museums
undated
box 2, folder 19-20
Latvijas Institūt
2013-2015
box 2, folder 21
Latvijas Nacionālā bibliotēka
undated
box 2, folder 23
Likteņdārzs memorial
undated
box 2, folder 24
Zelta ābele, 1993-2013
2014
box 2, folder 25
Zelta ābele, 2012, 2013, 2015,
2013-2016
box 2, folder 28
Trimdas arhīvi atgriežas. 4. daļa
2009
box 2, folder 29
Video disc,
Latvian Nationwide Song and Dance Celebration, Latvijas Institūt
2013