Russian Professors and Students of Latvia in 1919 - 1940

At the very beginning of the history of independent Latvia in 1919 the University of Latvia (UL) was set up on the basis of the former Polytechnic of Riga and has become the main centre for scientific and pedagogical specialists, amongst whom a relatively small but important group of Russian academic intelligentsia can be noted. During the period of the first independent Latvian state up to 20 Russian teaching staff worked at the main university of the country. Amongst these were those who became specialists in Riga before the First World War, as well as émigrés from Soviet Russia and the younger generation, who had received their education at the UL. In the 1920’s Russian professors were allowed to read lectures in Russian. However teaching gradually went over to Latvian.

In the 1936-37 year a university degree was conferred on 130 students of local Russian minority origin: 4 architects, 3 philologists, 3 philosophers, 1 historian, 11 engineers, 10 chemistry students, 3 pharmaceutical students, 6 agronomists, 4 mathematicians, 3 students of natural science, 13 mechanical engineers, 24 doctors, 3 dentists, 6 economists, 30 lawyers and 6 veterinary surgeons. The most prominent amongst the small number of Russian graduates of the university were doctors and lawyers. It was amongst the workers of these prestigious professions that the Russian intelligentsia in Latvia was most broadly represented. In the second half of the 1930’s, however, as a consequence of the growth of nationalism, it became apparent that not only were Russian employees of state institutions being squeezed out, but in general the Russian educated youth were finding it more and more difficult to find work and later careers.

Юрий Абызов. Латвийская ветвь российской эмиграции

Наталия Синайская. Круг жизни профессора Василия Ивановича Синайского

Наталия Синаййская. Наша alma mater - Латвийский университет

Татьяна Фейгмане. Русские в довоенной Латвии

Татьяна Фейгмане. Русские преподаватели в Латвийском университете (1919-1940 гг.)