LATVIJA
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Latvia was created in WW I and comprises the main,
southern part of the former mediaeval Terra
Mariana, itself consisting of the territories of the Livonian Order, the
bishoprics of Riga, Dorpat and Oesel-Wiek. together with the Duchy of
Estonia. The territory
was for a long time a part of the Russian Empire when it was divided into the
Governorates of Courland and Livonia. In the 19th century, the first Latvian National Awakening began among ethnic Latvian intellectuals, a
movement that partly reflected similar nationalist trends elsewhere in
Europe. This revival was led by the "Young
Latvians" (in Latvian: jaunlatvieši) from the 1850s to
the 1880s. During WWI the Germans captured
most of the country between 7 May and 3 September 1917. A Latvian National
Council was proclaimed on 16 November 1917. On 30 November
1917, the Council declared an autonomous Latvian province within ethnographic
boundaries, and a formal independent Latvian republic was declared on 15
January 1918. On 12 April 1918, a Provincial
Assembly composed of 35 Baltic
Germans, 13 Estonians, and 11 Latvians passed a resolution calling upon the
German Emperor to recognize the Baltic provinces as a monarchy and make them
a German protectorate. On 8 March and 12 April 1918, the
local Baltic German-dominated Kurländische Landesrat and the Vereinigter Landesrat of Livland, Estland, Riga, and Ösel had declared themselves independent
states, known as the Duchy of Courland (Herzogtum Kurland) and the
Baltic State (Baltischer Staat), respectively. Both states proclaimed
themselves to be in personal union with the Kingdom of Prussia, although the
German government never responded to acknowledge that claim. The Baltic lands were nominally recognized as a sovereign
state by emperor Wilhelm II only on
22 September 1918, half a year after Soviet Russia had formally relinquished all authority
over its former Imperial Baltic
provinces to Germany in the Treaty
of Brest-Litovsk. On 5 November 1918, a temporary
Regency Council (Regentschaftsrat) for the new state led by Baron Adolf Pilar von
Pilchau was formed on a
joint basis from the two local Land Councils. The capital of the new state was to be Riga. It was to be a
confederation of seven cantons: Kurland
(Courland), Riga, Lettgallen (Latgale), Südlivland (South Livonia), Nordlivland (North Livonia), Ösel
(Saaremaa), and Estland (Estonia),
the four first cantons thus covering the territory corresponding to today's
Latvia and the latter three corresponding to today's Estonia. At the German capitulation on 11 November
1918 Latvia was recognized de facto by
Great Britain, confirming a prior verbal communication of 23 October
to Meierowitz by the British Minister for Foreign Affairs, A. J. Balfour. On 18 November
1918 Latvia proclaimed its independence. In December 1918 Soviet Russia invaded the new republic
and rapidly conquered almost all the territory of Latvia. The Latvian Socialist Soviet Republic
was proclaimed on 17 December 1918 with the political, economic, and military
backing of the Bolshevik government of Soviet Russia. Riga itself was
captured by the Soviet Army on 4 April 1919 On January 3, 1920 united Latvian and Polish forces
launched an attack on the Soviet army in Latgalia and took Daugavpils. By the
end of January they reached the etnographic border of Latvia. On August 11,
1920 according to the Latvian–Soviet Peace Treaty (“Treaty
of Riga”) Soviet Russia relinquished authority over the Latvian nation and
claims to Latvian territory “once and for all times”. As a result of the the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany on August 23,
1939 however, Latvia was incorporated into the Soviet Union on August 5,
1940. Nazi troops occupied Riga on July 1, 1941 and occupied
Latvia until 13 October 1944 when the Republic of 1940 was restored. On May 4, 1990. the Latvian SSR Supreme Council,
adopted a declaration restoring independence which resulted in complete independence
on 21 August 1991. At that date the name of the country was changed into
Latvijas Republika |
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18.11.1918-11.08.1920 |
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In July-August 1915, to serve against the German invaders, the Russian General Headquarters organized eight regular and one reserve Latviešu Strēlnieki (Latvian Riflemen) battalions which were named after Latvian towns. Its badge consisted of an eight-pointed sun inscribed with the initials of the battallion in cyrillic and latin script, charged with a sword per bend sinister, crested with the Russian eagle and surrounded by a garland of oak and laurel. [1]
On the banners of the several battalions the sun was depicted differently and so served as the model on which the first national emblem was based. This showed also a sun but charged with three ears of grain encircled by a ring, symbolizing the union of the three parts of the new Republic: Vidzeme, Latgale and combined Kurzeme-Zemgale.
The emblem was printed on stamps issued 1918-1921 A new national emblem was printed on paper money issued 1919-’20. This consisted of a disc charged with an “L” and three five-pointed stars surrounded by 17 flames and rising from a national flag.
10 ruble note, 1919 In this emblem the “L” symbolizes Latvija, the three stars represent the three parts Courland, Livonia and Letgalle and the seventeen flames the 17 districts of the republic. The colors of the flag were adopted together with the proclamation of the republic on 18 November 1918 A similar emblem was at the heart of an achievement displayed behind the chairman of the Constituent Assembly of 1 May 1920, with two human beings standing in a field for supporters.
Constituent National
Assembly, 1 May 1920 |
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17.12.1918-13.01.1920 |
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The emblem of the LSPR
was derived from the emblem of the Rigas Workers Deputies Council. This consisted at first of
a five-pointed star charged with a hammer and scythe in saltire and flames in
base, surrounded by the motto VISU ZEMJU PROLETAREEŠI
SAVEENOJATEES! (Workers of all Nations Unite!)
1 Rublis note, 1919 (slightly enlarged) A second emblem shows
the star on a cogwheel, the scythe and hammer on a disc.
After the capital of Riga was recaptured
on 22 May 1919 by the Entente-backed Ulmanis government
with the backing of German Freikorps, the
legend Rigas Stradneeki Deputatu Padomju was omitted and replaced by
the name of the Republic:
Seal: A cogwheel with five spokes
charged with a five-pointed star charged with a scythe and hammer in saltire encircles
by a ring. Legend: VISU
ZEMJU PROLETARIEŠI SAVIENOJATIES!– LATVIJAS
SOC. PADOMJU REPUBLIKA –. The
legend means: Proletarians of all Nations Unite /
Latvian Socialist Soviet Republic. [2] Afterwards
the territory
of the LSPR was reduced to a part of Latgale in eastern
Latvia, until finally being reconquered by combined
Latvian and Polish forces in early
1920. |
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05./11.08.1920 -06.1940 |
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After
the Treaty of Riga and the restoration of the Republic of November
1918, a new national emblem was adopted on 15 June 1921. It is of three
categories: The achievement, the medial arms and the smaller arms. The achievement is: Arms: Per fess, the base per pale:
1. Azure, a sun with 11 wide and 10 narrow rays Or; 2. Argent a lion Gules. 3. Gules
a griffin armed with a sword Argent. Crest: Three five-pointed stars Or. Supporters: Dexter: A lion Gules.
Sinister: A griffin Argent. Garland: Of branches of oak, tied
with a ribbon of the national colors being red, white and red
(2:1:2) Ć See illustration in the head
of this essay. The
medial arms consist of the arms and crest, surrounded by the garland only:
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The
smaller arms consist of the arms and crest:
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The design of the new national emblems is of Willi
Kruminsch, a student of the academy of fine arts. His teacher, Prof. Richard Zarrinsch, made
the ultimate version. In
the shield the chief symbolizes the Latvian state, the sun being derived from
the emblem of the Latvijan Riflemen. The two quarters in base each represent
a part of the country: Courland and Semigallia (Kurzeme and Zemgale) making Western Latvia, are
symbolised by a red lion. Livonia and Lettgallia (Vidzeme
and Latgale) making Eastern Latvia, are symbolized by a griffin. These
symbols are repeated by the supporters. The three stars
of the crest represent the three historical parts of the country: Courland,
Livonia and Lettgallia. The garland of
oak symbolizes power and endurance and refers to the holy oak-tree of the
ancient lettonians. [3] |
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05.08.1940-20.08.1991 |
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For the Latvian Soviet Republic of 1940 a soviet-style national emblem was adopted. It is:
Emblem: A
sun radiant Or, rising from waves of the sea engrailed Azure, in chief a
hammer and sickle in saltire Or. Crest: A
five-pointed star Or. Garland:
Ears of wheat Or, tied with a ribbon Gules, inscribed with the Legend: In
the middle: LATVIJAS PSR; on the dexter winding:
VISU ZEMJU PROLETARIEŠI SAVIENIJAITIES! and
on the sinister winding: ПPOЛИETAPИИ BCEX CTPAH
COEДЙHЯTECЬ! The emblem is described in Art. 116 of the
constitution of 25 August 1940. It reads (in Russian): Государственный
герб
Латвийской Советской
Социалистической
Республики изображает
окруженные
колосьями
золотые
серп и молот
в лучах
поднимающегося
с моря
солнца; в
верхней
части герба
пятиконечная
золотая
звезда;
внизу на
ленте, обвивающей
колосья,
надписи на
латышском языке
- в
центре «Latvijas PSR» и
по бокам «Visu zemju proletarieši savienojieties!» и на
русском
языке: «Пpoлиetapии bcex ctpah
coeдйhяtecь!». |
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Reichskommissariat Ostland |
1941-1945 |
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Nazi Germany established the Reichskommissariat Ostland (RKO)
in 1941 as the civilian occupation regime in the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia,
and Lithuania), the northeastern part of Poland and the west
part of the Belarusian SSR during World War II. It was also
known initially as Reichskommissariat
Baltenland ("Baltic Land"). The German administrative center for the entire region, as
well as the seat of the Reichskommissar,
was in Riga,
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20.08.1991-present |
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The
national emblem of 1921 was readopted unchanged on 17 February 1990 and
introduced on the next 27 February. The proper use of
the Latvian coat of arms is strictly regulated: ·
The
Achievement is used by the
President of Latvia, the Parliament, the Prime Minister, the Cabinet of
Ministers, the Ministries, the Supreme Court and Procurator General, as well
as by Latvian diplomatic and consular missions. ·
The
Medial Arms are used by the
Parliament agencies, the Cabinet of Ministers and other institutions under
direct or indirect supervision of the ministries. ·
The
Smaller Arms are used by other government
institutions, municipal authorities and educational institutions on official
documents. The achievement is also on the presidential flag being Argent, a cross Argent per cross Gules and the achievement on a white patch in the center. |
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Presidential
Flag |
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The flag of the Prime Minister has the same
cross, the achievement in dexter chief.
The Colours have to be in the modern Pantone
colour system:
·
Red - PANTONE 186C ·
Green - PANTONE 340C ·
Blue - PANTONE 286C ·
Yellow - PANTONE 124C ·
Golden - PANTONE 873C ·
Silver - PANTONE 877C ·
Grey
- PANTONE 4C ·
Black
- PANTONE Black The hatched
and black and white versions of the national emblem are depicted in the
enclosures of the law. [4] The coloured version is in
the 1st enclosure. The
two others are in the 2nd and 3rd enclosure. They are: 2nd
enclosure: Hatched version:
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3rd enclosure: Black and White version:
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The last (annotated) version of the law about the arms of state reads (in Latvijan):
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The Latvian Armed Forces (Nacionālie Bruņotie Spēki (NAF)) have their origin in the Latviešu Strēlnieki (Latvijan Riflemen) which were formed in 1915 by the Russian Government. In the Latvian Soviet Republic of 1918-’19 they were a part of the Red Army but after 1919 a part of the Latvian National Army. In the time of the Soviet vassalage of 1940-1990 they were a part of the Soviet Army. [5] The present badge of the Armed Forces was designed 1919 when it was a crest on the badge of the Latvijan Riflemen. Two swords in saltire and a garland of branches of oak are added |
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Latviešu Strēlnieki badge 1916 Crested by the Russian Eagle |
Latviešu Strēlnieki badge 1919 Crested by the star of the Red Army |
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Latviešu Strēlnieki badge 1920 Crested by a rising sun charged with ‘L’ and
three stars |
Badge 50 years Latviešu Strēlnieki On the red banner: For the Soviet Fatherland. |
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Security
Service & Military Police |
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Security
Service of the Parliament and State President of the Republic of Latvia (Saeimas un Valsts prezidenta drošības
dienests (LRDD)) was a
separate unit of the National Armed Forces. January 1, 2009, the Security
Service was merged into the Latvian Military Police which now carries out the
duties of the Security Service |
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Army |
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The emblem of the Latvijan
Army A marshals’ baton on a red field. |
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Navy |
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Navy Achievement Arms: Argent, a cross Argent per cross Gules Crest: Three five-pointed stars Or Supporters: D.: A lion Gules; S. A griffin Argent standing on a garland of branches of oak proper. [6] |
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Flag of the Latvijan Navy
Command |
Jack |
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Air Force |
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Roundel 1918-1940 |
Roundel, 1990- present |
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Wings, 1918-1940 |
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National Guard |
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Emblem
of the National Guard. The
initials are for Latvijas Zemessardze (Latvian National Guard) |
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Police |
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State Police Arms |
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Municipal Police Cap Badge
Arms |
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© Hubert de Vries 2012-12-05
Heraldry of the World