Lithuanian legation in Latvia and Lithuanian community in Latvia, 1926s-1940s

The article focuses on the relationship between the Lithuanian Legation in the interwar period, 1926s–1940s, in Latvia and the local Lithuanian community. The aim of the article is to clear up the role of the Lithuanian Legation in the 20th century interwar period in the life of the Lithuanian community in Latvia. The Lithuanian government took care of the Lithuanian community from the beginning of the independence. Lithuanian government’s attention concerning the Lithuanian community living abroad noticeably increased, when after the coup of 17 December 1926 the authoritarian regime of Antanas Smetona was entrenched. This political regime adhered to the nationalism ideology and declared commitment for “the historical motherland”, paying attention to conditions in which the ethnolinguistic citizens live. The Lithuanian diplomatic service devoted more attention to the Lithuanian community abroad. The first Republic of Latvia population census in the 1920s showed that in Latvia there lived 25 538 Lithuanians. It is thought that during the whole interwar period in the 20th century around 25 thousands of Lithuanians were living in Latvia. In interwar Latvia the three biggest sites of concentration of Lithuanians were in Riga, Liepāja, and in the Zemgale (Semigallia) region, at the Lithuania frontiers, where the localisation of Lithuanians was not so definitely marked as that of their countryman living in the abovementioned big cities of Latvia. Historically in Latvia a considerable number of Lithuanians lived in Zemgale villages, while emigrants flew to Riga and Liepāja. Situation adjustments in the abovementioned sites of large concentration of Lithuanians were different, and specific regional problems in various Latvia’s cities and regions necessarily affected also the Lithuanian community who lived here. The Lithuanian Legation in Latvia saw protection of the Lithuanian community members’ ethnic identity as the main task. There was sensitive response to any sign of assimilation of the Lithuanian community, or social changes (as perceived by the Lithuanian Legation) which affected the ethnic identity of the Lithuanian community in Latvia. Lithuanian ethnic identity protection was a matter of priority care by the Lithuanian Legation in Latvia. This care was not only directed for support of the Lithuanian society or establishing a Lithuanian school, but also aimed at the consolidation of the Lithuanian community. The Lithuanian Legation noticed that Lithuanians living in Latvia did not have an official national minority agency that would be authorized to address all Lithuanians living in Latvia and protect their interests. The Lithuanian Legation in Riga considered diaspora consolidation as the main prerequisite for ethnic identity protection. The Lithuanian Legation in Riga made every effort for consolidation of the Lithuanian community – in 1928 and 1931, the Lithuanian diplomats even strove to win Latvian parliament member mandats making a community consolidation campaign. Sensing of the firm support of the Lithuanian Legation encouraged Lithuanian community members to political emancipation from the patronage of the political Latvian Catholics party. Having a view at the Lithuanian press in Latvia in the 1920s–1930s one may see that the support of the Lithuanian Legation was felt by Lithuanians of Latvia, the Legation performed the catalyst role for the Lithuanian community living in Latvia, strengthening and hastening process that could help in the protection of Lithuanian ethnic identity