The Dievturi Movement in the Reports of the Latvian Political Police (1939–1940)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/pome.v14i1.31Keywords:
Dievturi, Pērkonkrusts, Ernests Brastiņš, radicalism, neo-paganism in LatviaAbstract
The Dievturi movement, a revived Paganism formed in Latvia in the early twentieth century, would have seemed to to be in accordance with national politics of the Latvian Republic after the coup of May 15, 1934, but the authoritarian regime of K?rlis Ulmanis (1877-1942) showed a deep lack of trust towards Dievturi. The reports of the Latvian Political Police stored in the funds of Latvian State Historical Archives deal with the Dievturi movement shortly before the occupation of Latvia by Soviet troops in 1940. The paper examines how the Dievturi movement is reflected in the discourse of the authoritarian regime. The narratives of secret agents include information on the political views of Dievturi and on their connections to the P?rkonkrusts (Thunder cross) movement, as well as references on the structure of the movement, detailed description of its ritual celebrations etc.References
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Brasti?š, Ernests. Latviskas Latvijas labad: m?jieni un aicin?jumi 1925-1935. R?ga, 1935.
Brasti?š, Ernests. Latvju tikumu dziesmas. R?ga, 1929.
Brasti?š, Ernests. Tautas m?c?ba. R?ga, 1936.
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Latvian State Historical Archives, 3235. f.
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Brasti?š, Ernests. Latviskas Latvijas labad: m?jieni un aicin?jumi 1925-1935. R?ga, 1935.
Brasti?š, Ernests. Latvju tikumu dziesmas. R?ga, 1929.
Brasti?š, Ernests. Tautas m?c?ba. R?ga, 1936.
J?tniece, Amanda. “Dievturu iespaids latviet?bas uztur?šan? trimd?.” Trimda, kult?ra, nacion?l? identit?te, 345–53. R?ga: Nordik, 2004.
Latvian State Historical Archives, 3235. f.
Mis?ne, Agita. “Dievtur?ba Latvijas reli?isko un politisko ideju v?stur?.” Reli?iski filozofiski raksti, 10 (2005):101–17.
Mis?ne, Agita. “The Traditional Latvian Religion of Dievtur?ba in the discourse of Nationalism.” Humanities and Social Sciences: Latvia. Religious Minorities in Latvija, 4 (2000): 32–52.
Ozoli?š, Gatis.”Die aktuelle lettische Dievturi-Bewegung.” Der andere Galaube. Europäische Alternativreligionen zwischen heidnischer Spiritualität und christlicher Leitkultur, Bd. 8. (Würzburg: Ergon Verlag, 2009) 41–57.
Published
2013-07-18
Issue
Section
Articles
How to Cite
Stasulane, A. (2013). The Dievturi Movement in the Reports of the Latvian Political Police (1939–1940). Pomegranate, 14(1), 31-46. https://doi.org/10.1558/pome.v14i1.31
