From Adolf Ers' book "Vidzeme in the Freedom Fights" about the life of refugees in Valka

The people save the living force

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During the gloomy period, when the German invaders stopped between Jelgava and Riga, and near the Daugava, when all of Vidzeme was a refugee camp, a group of leading intelligentsia formed to decide to stand on the northern border of Latvia and make sure the Latvian people do not drown in Russia's vast sea.
Northern Latvia, with Valka and Valmiera, became a rampart for refugee flood defenses.

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The largest Latvian economic organizations - the Latvian Central Association of Agriculture and “Konzums”, as the front strengthened near Riga, evacuated from Riga, but did not travel to Russia and settled in Valka.
The network of refugee committees spread throughout Vidzeme and Latgale, as well as in Russia, where many refugees had already managed to go. Refugee committees were like warm nests for a wandering nation to rest. Relatives and neighbors were contacted and met here, who were scattered in towns and villages by the hasty departure from their homeland. The liaison offices brought the newspapers apart. The Latvian language was heard in the refugee committees, which was the only one for many. They maintained Latvian schools, dressed and fed. There was also a wide range of public activities: bringing people together and forming political ideas. The dusty carts on Vidzeme highways, which were short of bread, stopped at the door of the committees. He who did not have a dwelling place also took care of it. The committees took care of all the needs of the refugees. In the course of its alienation, there was great moral and material support for asylum seekers expelled from home. Funding for this work was provided by the public in the form of donations and by the government.
During the time of Valka and Valmiera refugees, Latvian spiritual and economic centers became. The spiritual fortifiers of Latvians gathered in Vidzeme and dispersed in Russia were newspapers.

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The newspaper "Līdums", which moved from Riga to Valka together with the central society and "Konzuma", had the greatest significance during this time. "Līdums" expressed a certain national patriotic idea, which was cherished by the majority of the Latvian intelligentsia. At first, it mentioned Latvia as an autonomous part of Russia, but later spoke of an independent Latvia. The central association of the large farmers' organization and the Konzums were willing to make all possible sacrifices for the preservation of the material and spiritual culture of Latvia and also for the strengthening and fulfillment of national ideas. Their leaders understood the fate and needs of Latvians. Among them were such men as K. Ulmanis, V. Skubiņš, P. Siecenieks, E. Bauers, V. Siliņš, Ed. Laursons, J. Blumbergs and other managers and employees of these organizations. Almost all the national intelligentsia that left Riga gathered around “Līduma”, the list of his collaborators included the names of all Latvian writers, poets, artists, publicists, agronomists, scientists and politicians of that time; they were J. Akuraters, A. Austriņš, E. Bauers, J. Ezeriņš, E. Frievalds, V. Gulbis, J. Janševskis, Alfr. Kalniņš, A. Ķeniņš, K. Krūza, A. Kroders, J. Lapiņš, L. Laicens, Z. Meierovics, V. Plūdons, P. Rozītis, V. Siliņš, K. Skalbe, V. Skubiņš, K. Ulmanis, Ed. Virza, E. Vulfs udc The newspaper was edited by Oto Nonācs. As an experienced journalist, Latvian patriot and far-sighted politician, he was able to translate the thoughts of the leaders of Latvian material culture and find harmony between them and ideologues of spiritual culture.

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Therefore, there was always the best agreement between the publishers of Līduma, who were also the leaders of the central society and Konzuma, and the collaborators. "Līdums could safely talk about things closest to the heart of Latvians, and as the only newspaper widely distributed on Latvian soil at that time, it gained leading importance.

P.
The importance of Valka at this time will still have to be remembered when talking about the creation of Latvia. Not only intelligence from Riga, but also local people took part in the implementation of important national ideas. Northern Latvia was prepared for a patriotic struggle before the competition between Estonians and Latvians for national supremacy in the cultural and economic field took place on the border, especially in Valka. For thirty years, cultural work has been carried out in associations and the fight against willow Germanism has been fought here, as well as the economic balance between Latvians and Estonians has been maintained. Valka became especially active in public life around 1905, when the Relief Society was founded and the Valka newspaper Kāvi was published.
During the war, the population of Valka increased from 18,000 to 30,000 due to the influx of refugees.
At the beginning of the war, Valka was already a strong cultural fortress in the north of Latvia.

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The wave of refugees made it the main center of all of Latvia, from which the Latvian patriotic thought radiated in Vidzeme, Kurzeme and also in Latgale.
From the time of the refugees, Valka agreed to play a more important role than other cities in Vidzeme, because the politically active newspaper Līdums was located here, where Latvia's spiritual and political weapons were minted, and also because there was a crossroads where roads from three On the Latvian side: from Riga, Alūksne, Mozekile, and also from Estonia and Russia, Here were links with refugees in all parts - Tartu, Pliska, Moscow and St. Petersburg. There was a large refugee center here.
The Valka Refugee Committee fed around 600 people every day at its catering point, for the first time issued uninterrupted refugee ID cards, organized communication with refugees, provided apartments, took care of the sauna, set up a reading table, medical center, employment office, etc. The Refugee Committee was established by the Relief Society, it later submitted to the Central Committee.
However, the plight of the refugees was so great and wide that they could not be helped. Many refugee families lived in the woods in canvas tents and carriages in the first year until late autumn, without receiving any assistance. There were those who held the honor of asking for help.

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Large herds of cattle came with the refugees. The requisition commissions bought them for the needs of the army, but there were so many animals that the commissions could not take them either. The forests and roadside fields were filled with hungry groves, because neither the roadside fields could feed all the animals, nor the grass could grow when it was already plucked or minced.

Life in Valka

P.
_ cannons, echoing like distant thunder ditches, all the way to the forests of Seda near the Estonian border. The town knew the war only from these distant days and newspapers. The floods of refugees had already subsided, they were housed and employed by committees.
The pharmacist cooked the medicine as he had cooked for twenty years, the slender chimney of the linen factory smoked like a cozy cigar, and lunch was available in the society. The Relief Society organized a choir and orchestra from the refugees and set up oratorios in the Luggage Church, and the actors who came to Valka gave performances at the Guest Society.

P.
_ However, everyone still had bread. Every night on Kungu Street, two men were spinning a bookwagon, and a newspaper with a head "Līdums" was falling out of the car. In the editorial office, the work was usually related to the poor life of the town's sensation, but also to the intense attention paid to the war front, the refugee situation and the Latvian riflemen. The newspaper carried this attention and related hints about the fate of the Latvian people and land to refugee points in Latvia and Russia, homes, dugouts and records. Intuitions broke out in congresses and meetings to turn thoughts and wills.
These congresses were the first doubtful but heroic ambassadors of the Latvian state. "Līdums" took the decisions of the congresses to the people.
The editors of the newspaper all sat around a table in the corner house on Kalēju Street and were preparing manuscripts. With this, they also forged the state of Latvia: the majority of the people accepted the idea of ​​independence cherished here. The layer of conscientious nationalists grew.

P.
_ In the morning, he told other editorial staff what had been discussed at the publishers' meeting yesterday about refugee issues, the direction of the newspaper, and the shooters. The sub-editors should then start translating the telegrams and compiling the local news. Editor O. Nonācs writes an introduction to tomorrow. In the editorial, he is the main introducer, only K. Skalbe has tried in this field from time to time. Later, a young gifted journalist from St. Petersburg joined him. jur. Edm. Freivalds. When Anton Austriņš also sat in the editorial office, he said that the newspaper should provide some remarkable literary work, at least from classical literature; mentioned Cervantes Don - Quixote. The editor agreed. I became a translator of Don Quixote. I also had to read the proofreading and write an overview of the front by pinning flags on the map that marked the front being moved forward, broken, or pulled back. It was possible to judge by the flags what would happen to the front in the coming days: if a "bag" were placed somewhere, the wings would definitely retreat. The predictions also came true. Local correspondents and collaborators came to the editorial office with their articles. There weren't many of them. The secretary of the commission provided explanations on the issues of hearing the war, the teacher brought philosophical articles, the student, who has now become a lawyer, brought the latest decisions and market news to the city secretary, and Mednis wrote about the intolerable rural roads.

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One night a German zeppelin flew over Valka, throwing a railway ball, but no ball hit the target. One fell into the yard of a house and killed two women - a mother with a daughter. There was panic in the city all night and the next day. The city with all the houses would probably run away, but the impossibility left everyone in place, and life was going smoothly again, as if there was no back of the front. Readers knew what was in the lines of the newspaper's introductory articles. These were thoughts about Latvia.
Soon after, painters came from the front: Strunke, Uban and Tone; Suta from Russia. They were soldiers, then perhaps more soldiers than painters; Suta brought cubism from Moscow. It was new and unseen, the town talked about it when Suta had given a lecture at the Latvian Society.
Once a slender, generous officer from St. Petersburg came to the editorial office, bringing important news. Spoke rudely and prudently, seemed more aristocratic than peasant. There was a lack of Latvian sincerity and simplicity. There was no ordinary person. The editor brought him to his apartment. And it came to pass, that the officer put forth his hand, and departed.
"Meierovics," the editor explained, "from St. Petersburg, in refugee cases."
"Great equality, but also a difference with the peasant Ulman. A certain personality ", Austriņš added.
"One city, the other countryside," said an editorial.

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From time to time, agronomist Kārlis Ulmanis also came to the editorial office with articles related to rescuing the people from disappearance in Russia, about the maintenance of refugees, about political organization. But among the great articles he also brought short remarks about the purification of the Latvian language from Germanism and Russianism. From the new words he designed, the envelope has gained existence instead of "convert". Maybe others don't remember. He urged writers to write about contemporary events. The contemporary events of that time are only now included in writing, because at that time they seemed too close to form in the images of art.
When a newcomer got into the editorial office, it seemed that a warmer wind had turned. After that, everything went normally again.
People in Valka stayed together, wanted to meet, talk, hear something new. The editorial office and the people close to her left the city outside on Saturday evenings, near the owner of Ruķeļi Jānis Pavlovičs. He lived a few kilometers from the city between vast cabbage plantations and apple trees. Skalbe brought these evenings to life with political talks, Austriņš with songs through the wall.

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The current Prime Minister Kārlis Ulmanis once also arrived. At that time, there was no idea how Latvia would develop, whether it would have autonomy or independence, but there were already long discussions about Latvian money, the role of the railway in the Latvian budget, agrarian reform and the division of manors - with or without remuneration.
Two days later, the Valka community and neighbors rushed to the Valka savings bank. There Ulmanis gave a lecture on his experiences in America. The speech revealed unprecedented things in Latvia, American habits, types of work and great dedication to work, when work is an end in itself, a sanctity. The humor of the speaker changed with seriousness, he could not stand still and walked while talking.
Shortly after the revolution paved the way for free organization, an important meeting was held in the same room, attended by about 200 delegates from 17 locations. It was the founding meeting of the Latvian Farmers' Union. The meeting was chaired by Kārlis Ulmanis. It was the first such large-scale organization of Latvian farmers in the life of the Latvian people. The union could already have 1,500 members. The meeting was held on April 29, 1917. The new organization, led by K. Ulmanis, became the most important organizer of the Latvian state, and later it was the leader in important state issues.
New times were already in the air. And, indeed, new, important events soon came, but no one predicted the outcome.

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The roar of the revolution began in the war fields. Behind the front, also in Riga, congresses and assemblies spoke and wrote resolutions, others proclaimed peace until the final victory, others peace without annexations and contributions.
Valka wasn't worried about that yet. The work of the newspaper went normally. The city secretary brought a report on the council meeting to the editorial office. The owner of Rukeli brought an article with good political ideas. He met the agronomist Ulmanis, he received good news from Riga, and regulations on the termination of requisitions were issued there. But, then an archer from the Riga front entered the editorial office. However, it was convinced that something was no longer good on the front. Soldiers do not give honor to officers, discipline is eroded. The soldiers talk about the betrayal of the officers, but they brother themselves with the Germans. There were also agitators in the Latvian regiments, who said that the bourgeoisie should be wiped off the ground and that power should be given to workers and soldiers by electing councils.
"You have to prepare for serious things, something will happen," the archer said.
"Farmers will also have a say," the editor said quietly, looking through the glasses at the window where the February snow glistened on the roof.
Something important was going on. Another layer of the nation grew, next to the national one. It did not mention the name of the nation and knew only two words: the bourgeoisie and the proletariat.

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It preached a controversy, even a bloody struggle, between two strata: the national and the international.
Nothing was noticeable in it. The telegraph probably knew nothing about the two layers.
"Everything is in the best order," it reported from the front and from life.
But soon, like a zeppelin bomb, Valka was shaken by the news that the tsar had abdicated. Rallies erupted: Svaboooda, freedom! Bring, right! ”
When the editor tore a telegram about Nicholas' resignation, March snow seeped on the roof behind the window. Now the editor didn't have time to see it.
"That's right," he handed the telegram to the translator.
Joy shone in the faces of all the editors. There was no doubt that Russia would collapse without the tsar. But Germany? No one doubted that Germany would be defeated on the western front. Then the holy time for hundreds of years will come for Latvians to say "Well Latvia is free!"

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The second broad congress was held in Valka, the congress of public organizations. Here Miķelis Valters declared the principles of the Latvian state with such safe projects as the Latvian Saeima and money. At the time, it seemed too far away to many.
These congresses were the first doubtful, yet reliable Latvian state ambassadors. Their resolutions were well received by the people, although the great speakers of the rallies overthrew the pronouncers of the name of Latvia, and their whistles did not let them down.

In a state of revolution

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"A new era has come, so the first speaker started speaking in the hall of the Society:" We, Latvians, will now be able to build our municipality and culture according to our own mind and advice, without listening to the mind and advice of others ... "
The audience applauded, but one whistled. It was not a spring starling, but a young man with an ironic smile. He did not wait for the first speaker to finish, but climbed on the chair and said that the speaker was blowing a blue mist. Not to listen to the counter-revolutionaries, but to come to the big people's meeting that will take place in Lugaži Square tomorrow. There you will hear the truth about the goals of the revolution and the current moment.
The audience watched and wondered: who is he?
"School" whispered a strange, unheard word.
The town sewed red-white-red and blue-black-white flags, even the firefighters and the society rolled out their dusty flags and went to the hill market square, from where there was a walk through the town to Luggage Square in honor of the revolution. In front of the mountain market, red flags were already fluttering, with which soldiers had arrived. The forest of flags gathered, and each had its own followers: members of the associations for the flags of the societies, Latvians for the Latvian flag, Estonians for the Estonian flags, soldiers for the reds and workers of the linen factory. In front of the march, a fire orchestra marched out of the round cheeks.

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The red flags were followed by a private orchestra, blowing Marseille alternately with the Radeck march.
The tail of the procession grew at each intersection of the street: the curious joined, who wanted to see and hear something to be something, and those who felt the joy of overthrowing the tsar without calling. The river flowed into Lugaži Square, shaking the entire city. Speeches began.
Everyone wanted to say what was on their heart, but not everyone succeeded.
The first representative of the municipality to stand in the grandstand, which was built from empty boxes, spoke about the importance of this holiday. The perpetrator of the throne has once been overthrown and the freedom that both Latvians and Estonians have gained in their autonomous countries has been overthrown. The speaker spoke quite long, but did not say much more. That was the core of his speech.
The speaker of the day before, who promised to reveal the truth about the current moment and the goals of the revolution in the society, rose to the podium when the first one was applauded and shouted: "Right" Urra! "
The next speaker was so young, so it was time to speak:

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“Members! Already when I smelled in prison, "he began," the proletariat organized itself to fight for self-government. Members! So to speak, proletarians, you, as an example of smelling in basement apartments, so to speak, you are the masses of workers who are being sucked out of the capitalists and the bourgeoisie, cultivating your class consciousness and, so to speak, fighting the revolution so that the working class is the only class, standing, so to speak, above imperialism and on the revolutionary foundations of the class. The masses of workers to live! Down with the bourgeoisie. Long live the revolution! ” At the rally, "Praitilno" was referred to, "in the ura" as if walking in a dagger attack.
Then a local representative of the society climbed into the grandstand. He was not a great speaker either, but he had to speak at the ceremony.
"My gentlemen and ladies. A revolution has taken place. The car has been overthrown and the municipality is ending with Raski. The revolution is over too. Now you have to get creative ... ”
“ This is just the beginning! ” he was interrupted by a soldier standing next to the previous speaker.
"Yes, the fight for Latvia is beginning," the speaker continued, gradually warming up: "It's time for Latvians to break free from guardianship and stand on their own two feet. We have to stand as one man to get to the ideals that Kronvalds, Auseklis and Valdemārs have already fought for. We have to think about Latvia, which would belong to Latvians, but not to everyone ... ”

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There were sharp whistles, followed by shouts 'Enough!' The noisers were placed in different places. They did not remain silent until the speaker came down from the podium. Then the name of the representative of Iskolastrela was.
He spoke internationally, giving worldwide peace and bread to all. He also punished the capitalists and charged the counter-revolutionaries. His speech also ended with the cries of the Ural.
When the nationalist Rudainis got on the box, the air was already saturated with the sounds of the international, which the orchestra played after a speech by a representative of the Bolsheviks.
Rudainis began his speech with the words: “Free citizens and citizens! National goals ... ”, but did not go on, because someone shouted“ Bring the citizens to live, workers! ” and the people in the soldier's shins joined the mixer: “Right! Praviļno! ”
"Let's talk, let's talk!" called the supporters of the citizens.
Then a jumble of cries began that no one was left with the word. The cries turned into shouts and threats. Fists rose in the air. The audience was afraid of a fist fight and began to disperse. Then the firefighters were the first to roll up their flags and walk away. The same thing happened with the other flags, only the red remained, but then there was no more public, except for the soldiers' shins and some private shouters and whistles. The celebration ends with a smaller celebration than it started. A private orchestra marched in the house with Marseille.

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Folk thoughts were no longer one. Two-way speakers, a nationalist and an internationalist, each walked the streets of Valka with conviction. When they met, they looked into each other's eyes; wanting to read there the answer to the question: aren't you the enemy? Aren't you a traitor to the people?
They were all right. One dreamed of an impossible brotherhood of nations, the other of the brotherhood and existence of his people. One in Lugazi Square was supported by organized ooray denominators and whistles, the other mentioned the quiet thoughts of the people, whom the shy people of the peaceful town considered inappropriate to defend with shouts and whistles and left the house to wait for their time, which could not come.

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Everyone had their own accomplices.
After the tsar's resignation, a bustle called the revolution began. It disrupted the troops and the front.

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The war subsided and it was time to speak. A rally came after the rally. Rallies were held in the squares, society houses and churches.
National organizations, newspapers and municipalities were liquidated by the international "Iskolats" - the Bolshevik Executive Committee.
The Latvian regiments were not limited to the Bolsheviks. They founded the National Union of Soldiers, whose leadership also came to Valka with the revolution and settled in front of the post office with their newspaper Laika Vēstis, which fought safely with the Communist Fight and the Schoolfarers' Free Rifleman until it was closed in the same way as Līdums. The leaders of this newspaper were A. Plensner and A. Kroder.
Seeing that the army was crumbling, the nationalist soldier did not return to the front, but remained in Valka, joining the National Union of Latvian Soldiers, whose purpose was to hold Latvian soldiers together, deter them from going with the Russians and Russia, and use them as an armed force to establish the Latvian state. The National Union of Soldiers moved to Valka from Cēsis.

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The Time Message held on a certain national line. It was thistle in the eyes of the Bolsheviks. Laika Vēstis called for joining the National Union of Soldiers and defending Latvia, which is not related to Russia. The spirit of the newspaper was about "Līduma", only with a more warlike tone.
"Apartment crisis", said a resident of Valka.
The influx of soldiers made that word sound. The words - apartment requisition - were also uttered. The headquarters and councils requisitioned the premises. The population had to squeeze tighter.
The editor was pleased to have a room on Semināra Street with such a low ceiling that the poet Anton Austriņš had to bow his head and windows so low that he could see passers-by. The most notable crisis was the housing crisis. Writers, artists and their friends gathered to read new poetry and discuss political news on Friday. Austriņš, a lover of Old Latvian traditions, called the evenings Friday evenings. Here K. Skalbe, E. Virza, A. Austriņš, J. Akuraters, A. Plensners, A. Kroders, Pāvils Rozītis and others read their works, here they saw painters Strunki, Toni, Ubāni, Stenderi, who played the violin, but from Pēterpils Conservative H. Kozlovska sang an unheard song from Latgale. J. Grīna, A. Bārds and V. Dambergs and Jūlijs Rozis from Tēratat were also seen here.

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Rifleman Rudainis settled with an old acquaintance in the small house of the Seminar, where a dairy instructor who came from Kurzeme also lived, now earning money by filling and selling cigarettes at local newsstands, and at the other end of the house a mechanic of various fine iron products. When writers and artists came to the editorial office, Rudainis could also be present. He had to wonder and ask that there were no followers of the School among them. Here are all the defenders of Latvia's independence.
Rudainis gained certainty and clarity here for his conviction. He realized that now all Latvians should stay together, because the time has come when they could even gain their independence together.
One evening, walking past St. John's Church, he saw lights in the windows. What could be a service during the Bolsheviks? He thought and went to see what was going on in the church. The church was full of people. An internationalist stood in the chancel and, raising his hands, gave a campaign speech, just like Pastor Kupch. Soldiers and private people sat on the solos. There was also a path in the middle of the church for the audience. As he entered, Rudainis took off his hat, as in the church, but when he stopped in the middle of the church, he saw that everyone was wearing a hat, just like in the synagogue. Here a hand received the elbow of an entrant.

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“Members, put your hat on! Aren't you so bourgeois without a hat? ”
It sounded ridiculous to all the corners of the streets shouting, "Sbobo-oo-da"! Freedom! ”
The internationalist spoke of the united front of the bourgeoisie and the world proletariat, which has just been established: “They live, so to speak, in castles, but you live in basement apartments. They send you to die in the trenches, just as, so to speak, your brothers are sent by Vilius the second. Down with the war! Let's end it and give a hand over the trenches to our German brothers. Then they will lay down their arms too. We will be brothers! Long live the brotherhood! ”
"Pra-ra-avino!" sounded in the church.
Now, comrades, you will see that we will be joined by the French, English and American proletariat, by the black colonies that are shedding blood on the western front. The proletariat, so to speak, will conclude peace forever. It will be peace, after which the nation will no longer rise up against the people, brother against brother, member against member. There will be no people, there will be only the proletariat ... ”
Rudainis did not understand why there should be only the proletariat, why there would be no people to believe that the Germans could be so kind to the Russians.

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Soon after, Rudainis, walking along St. John's Church, saw another scene - there, accompanied by soldiers, a group entered the armpits of a countryman with buns and pillows. Residents said that a bourgeois concentration camp had been set up in the church. Did these villagers come from the castles that the bourgeois digger spoke of at the pulpit recently? There were no castles or basement apartments in Valka. The church is full of peasants, pharmacists, pastors ... A pastor and two Smiltene owners on the way to Valka were shot and left in a ditch.
A resident of Valka quietly turned his head: what we will not experience yet.
After coming home from St. John's Church, Rudainis met his friend and Anton Austriņš, correcting the messages and poems brought from the editorial office. After a moment, the poet E. Virza rushed, took off his archer's shinel and took out a messy piece of paper from his pocket.
"Listen to what I wrote," he said, "sliding the fallen nose closer to his eyes."
Holding the whip of the paper in his hand and lifting it over his head for a moment, but without looking at him, Virza recited her poem "Winter Night's Dream":

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I had a dream - it wasn't all a dream.
On the huge tower, which is ghostly old and old,
I have ascended and what the eyes see
So when they are closed they are asleep,

Introducing to the rhythmic music, the beauty of the rhythms and the splendor of the paintings, the poet went on to recite the school-destroying poem, concluding:

"Then the noise subsided and everything shook.
The beast was torn from great bloat.
There was such a smell around the ground that
I closed my eyes. I suddenly closed my eyes.
It ended its days shapeless and vast.
It will not swear by the terrible name of the school.

He pushed the papers into his chest pocket and looked at the audience.
"Hell's whistle," Austriņš said, "You'll read it tomorrow night."
I would like to push it to the school's door, the poet said mysteriously in a quiet voice.
"Then you have to rewrite it on the machine." I know where the typewriter is. ”
On Friday evening, the poem had already been rewritten and knocked on the door of "Iskolata" in the morning.
It would hardly be like the author of a poem if new, important and unexpected events did not come.

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The fraternal agitators' expectations were not fulfilled. The German army concluded the fraternity with a rapid march on the highways of Vidzeme through Cēsis, Valmiera and Valka to Pskov and Narva.
Wearing this surprise was marked by two huge explosions, from which the house on Semināra Street rose, contracted and sank deeper into the ground. On the side of the station, a white smoky oak rose like a huge cloud into the blue sunny sky. A warehouse of Russian ammunition ran into the air, throwing cannonballs and cartridges far away and digging a huge pit in the ground, scattered on the exploded shells that the Valencians were collecting in flower vases. The Germans confirmed their fraternal arrival in Valka with two hangers in the square of St. John's Church near the telegraph poles. The hangers hung barefoot for three days because their boots had been stolen the first night. They were not revolutionaries, not Bolsheviks, but the victims elected by the German conquerors to represent the revolution.
The revolution itself, with the Iskolat and the Iskolastrel, sank to the east and sank into Russia.
The house on Semināra Street shook for two days and nights from the wheels of the drivers who were passing by.
These were the wheels of the departing Russians and the arriving Germans.

The Germans enter Vidzeme

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The German-studded boots sounded so terrible in the streets that people crept into the rooms and did not even dare to look out the windows. The city was dead.
The old steel grinder on Semināra Street still cut its tecils because it has little to do with everyday life. Mechanics are needed in all facilities and countries. There will be something like a revolver, a sword or a dagger for the soldiers of each government, but for the people in saucepans and knives. The master was still working and living. The position does not become a trap.

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When the Russian army left and the smoke oak from the explosion spread over the station, an unusual silence ensued. The inhabitants were afraid that the robbery would not start so badly, because the Russians still strayed from their parts and remained in the city. The last orderly Russian parts left around breakfast time. However, nothing happened and in the afternoon the Germans marched in Valka, walking in one beat with the whistle that went ahead of them.
Announcements immediately appeared on the walls banning them from appearing in the streets and threatening the death penalty; the announcement was signed by the Commander-in-Chief, Count Kirchbach. A machine gun stretched his nose on the main street. On the corners of the street stood patrols with ready-made rifles on hand.
On the second day, Prince Leopold, the commander of the front, drove through the city. At home, the slumped city seemed extinct as after the plague epidemic. It was not until three days later that the movement began, but it was accompanied by the shadow of Kirchbach.
A small part of the German army remained in Valka, most of them following in the footsteps of the Russians. The Germans occupied the whole of Latvia, including Latgale, as well as Estonia and Lithuania.

Page 51
Life in Valka gradually calmed down and became normal. Unable to do anything public, people gave in to personal life, where more and more worries arose, there was a lack of food, it was forbidden to leave the city, no job could be found. Famous people, members of the National Council, actors, painters and writers could already be seen on the streets. This bohemian was like the heart of a nation that quietly transmitted life force throughout Latvia. Its activities were covered in newspapers. On Saturdays, the bohemian also went to the three-pronged Rukeļi house to wake up to the prudent owner, take a bath in his sauna and drink after-hours fashion coffee with cream and sugar. It was a pure wedding in Cana at that time.

Page 52
At work, the owner showed huge cabbage tubs, once prepared for the army's belly. They were like the towers of Jersik, higher than the wall, but now empty.
During this time, everyone was in a close family, feeling that only togetherness could save them, inspired each other's faith in the future of Latvia, and it remained above the level without collapsing into pessimism. The need for community brought the bohemian to the Rukels. Skalbe was still a living and faithful politician, but Antons Austriņš, a singer full of hope and carefree. The owner's own silver laughter and deep bass echoed through it all. The careful hostess ran quietly from room to room, from house to barn and barn, still full of hands like a lavish autumn. Her house was full of bright thoughts and living language even when the lights of Valka were starting to burn behind the fields.
During this time, the rifleman Rudain enjoyed sitting with the ironmaster on Semināra Street, who had been an honest working dwarf all his life, and enjoyed watching with his dexterity and listening to stories about the ancient times of Valka.

Page 53
The master had a lot to tell, as he read well his book of memories, in which all the people of Valka he had ever known lived.
The Master recounted the times when Relief Society was established. His main teachers are:

Page 54
Kārlis Gulbis, Matīss and parish employees Īverts, Kārkliņš, stud. J. Lapins, conductor Fr. Plič, brothers Pavlovici. The Relief Society has developed a very lively cultural work and has become widely popular. People attended her parties as thirsty for a fountain of water. In 1912, T. Zeifert's lectures on the history of Latvian literature were given. The lectures have been given for ten days and are attended by 200-250 listeners every day. Frič Bārda's lectures on art were also attended. In 1913 and 1914, a large cultural festival was held for three days. The progressively national spirit is rooted in Valka. The progressive spirit of Valka was not socialist, if it could be called left, then only left in the spirit of Rainis, not purely international.
It was winter. The Germans were still in power and were not going to leave. As the ice melted and streams flowed into the rivers, Valka Putra Hill reflected the pond of the mill, as it shone when the half-German mammoths came here to watch for a month. For half a month in the pond shone like an exhausted war ax. Something was wrong again on the war front at that time
Following the development of Latvia's idea, it is necessary to return to the events before the German occupation.
After the tsar's abduction in March 1917, the Latvian nationalists vigorously began preparing for the path of Latvia's independence, although the internationalists confused this work.

Page 55
Valka, bringing together Latvian organizations and the busiest employees, was the main initiator and propagandist of Latvia's ideas of self-determination and independence. The first preparations for Latvia's organization are taking place here. The first real step in this work was the invitation of the RL Central Association to send delegates to the Valmiera rural residents' meeting on March 12 and 13 to discuss the unification of Latvia into an administrative unit and the type of administration of this unit. Delegates from Kurzeme from refugees were also invited to the meeting. The meeting was called the Earth Meeting. 440 delegates attended. The resolution of the Land Meeting demanded: Recognition of Vidzeme, Kurzeme and Latgale as one administrative unit named Latvia. That would be an autonomous part of Russia. The Latvian language is used in schools and municipalities.
This decision was the first stone for a Latvian building. It made a mature demand: the laws of revolutionary Russia made it possible to talk about autonomy. It now seems moderate, but at the time the idea was quite progressive and acceptable to the general public as a minimum requirement.

German occupation

P.
As in the time of the Bolsheviks, the elected municipalities could not function, everything was determined and managed by the military administration with appointed trustees. German was urgently introduced into schools. Nothing could be done in public that was not in line with the intentions of the German staff. The Latvian National Council still had to remain inactive. Its only attempt to show signs of life was two memoranda submitted to the German Chancellor against the cunning policy of the occupying power in Latvia and the observance of the Latvian right to self-determination provided for in the Brest peace treaty. But the memoranda had no echo.
The second work of the National Council was the establishment of the National Theater in Valka, which at that sad time shared a certain cultural and political significance - to keep the Latvian intelligentsia and people left in Valka together, to gather the dispersed family and to do something in general.

Page 61
At that time, Andrieva Niedra's rusty beard also appeared on the streets of Valka. He talked, asked questions, informed something in the National Council, felt something, expected something and then disappeared like a dream. No one could remember what that dream meant at the time. The Central Association and Konzums could only operate in the supply of food.
The only breath for Latvians at that time was the same "Līdums", which, after being denied by the Bolsheviks, tried to be published as a newspaper of the Farmers' Union in Moscow (called "Gaisma") and St. Petersburg ("People"). The content of the newspaper was filtered by war censorship through a fine sieve, which did not even pass through the word Latvia. Editor Nazi had to use his great diplomatic skills to finally allow the word. With censorship, he was at war with every room. And yet, in Līduma, public opinion could somehow be expressed, it could be incorporated into information and fiction, where it was difficult for the censor to perceive it. The literary magazine Jaunā Latvija was also published, edited by Kārlis Skalbe and Artūrs Kroders. There were writers at the word, and it showed that the writing had not yet suffocated. There was also national thought.

Page 62
Old Southwestern participants were even allowed to hold writers' evenings in Valka, of course with censorship.

Proclamation of Latvia

P.
There were three strong political groupings whose individual views were not easy to reconcile. Farmers' Union with center in Valka, Democratic Bloc in Riga and Social Democrats. Then Kārlis Ulmanis, who was the founder and leader of the peasants' union, but also participated in the Democratic Bloc throughout the occupation, used his diplomatic and political skills to prevent disputes. After negotiations with the democratic bloc in Riga, he immediately traveled to Valka, where a full meeting of the farmers' union was convened, with the participation of the rural chapters.
The meeting met on November 15, 1918. It took place in the editorial office of Līduma. It was quite extensive, as the representatives also came from the countryside. Among the leaders of the farmers' union were Kārlis Ulmanis, Miķelis Valters, V. Gulbis, P. Siecinieks, V. Skubiņš, ed. O. Nonācs, etc. The meeting was opened by Kārlis Ulmanis, proving in a long speech that the last moment has come to proclaim the independence of the State of Latvia and for Latvians to have rule in their hands.

The unarmed people

P.
It was less than a month since Konzums, Līdums and the members of the People's Council left Valka, when the news of the Red Army's invasion of Estonia and their move to Valka had already arrived. There was no armed man in Valka, no revolver, who could take off against the invaders, because all the weapons had to be returned to the German commandant in time.
As soon as the Germans left, the local public workers gathered at the Valka credit union to discuss what to do for security and how to deal with the Bolsheviks. Dr. The Liv suggested negotiating with the Estonians on the matter.

Page 100
After the Germans left, the public servants met again in the district board to discuss the organization of the partisans. Again, the issue of weapons was unresolved.
All that was left for northern Latvia was to succumb to fate. And this fate was the power of the Bolsheviks. The Bolsheviks entered Valka on December 18.
Wearing the Bolsheviks immediately started organizing the administration. He put his people in the city board, appointed commissioners, set up tribunals, the basis of his power.

Page 101
The schools were also reorganized. Public life completely disappeared and the situation was the same as it was during the German occupation. The previous associations were closed to open communist propaganda clubs.
The Bolsheviks suffered a great deal of terror against the unarmed population. The horrors of the death penalty walked the streets. The number of shot shots per 130 people - in one month. Fifty people, well-known people from Valka and the surrounding area, were wiped by a machine gun at the Lugaži cemetery the same night. They also shot in gravel pits by the Zīle pub road and in the current cemetery of the brothers, shot at the decision of the tribunal and also without any trial people who, also from the point of view of the Bolsheviks, were not to blame. This was the strongest opposition to the new regime.

Page 103
The time of the Bolshevik government in Valka lasted 1 month, 13 days (from December 18, 1918 to February 1, 1919).

Page 104
On February 1, Estonian and Finnish troops entered Valka. In the same procession, the surrounding Latvian parishes of Valka were liberated.
Valka had just been conceived; On the second day, the Estonian commandant convened a meeting of the city council, which was chaired by the chairman of the council, teacher Bricmanis. The meeting discussed Latvian co-operation with Estonians, but there were no judgments to deeds. On the second day, Bricman had to come to the Finnish commander Kalma. This explained that according to the information gathered, he acknowledged the activities of the current composition of the council as impossible, because namely, the majority of Latvians in the council had been illegally obtained by participating in Kurzeme elections, the refugees were not permanent residents of Valka.

Page 105
The old Estonian-Latvian dispute over the dominance of Valka interrupted the activities of the City Council at a serious time. Only Estonian thinkers were allowed to work, who then divided the school buildings, a school commission was established, to which the principals Stipro, teacher Bricman and teacher Brock were invited from the Latvians.
This created confusion in Latvian society.
Then, in order to guide the Latvians, several meetings were held from Latvian public organizations, which were attended by representatives: Vidzeme Land Council, Valka City Board, Valka Public Association, Valka Relief Society, associations. The most active employees of the meeting were: Dr. J. Lībietis, Jānis Ķimens, teacher Kārlis Gulbis, teacher Bricmanis, teacher Matīss, dir. J. Stiprais, farmer Šmits, Birkerts, Ūdris and P. Indus.

Page 106
The leaders nominated at the meetings of the Valka organizations decided to turn to Kalma, the local commander of the Estonian-Finnish army, for permission to organize the Latvian army from the inhabitants of the liberated and future liberated Latvian districts. Delegates were sent to Kalma by Dr. Jānis Lībietis and Otto Hasmanis, a member of the Land Council.
In the first conversation, Kalms was reserved and cool. He said that according to his information, all Latvians were great. Kalms did not give a definite answer to the delegation, but was asked to come up with a specific proposal.
A meeting of civil servants was held again to discuss and adopt the proposal to be submitted, and it was decided that the number of men to be called up for military service in the liberated area should be determined first, so an order should be issued to register the conscripts. The order is to be issued on behalf of the Kerensky-elected Land Council, which has been renewed by City Commander Cornell on 13 February; its board members were: teacher Ernest Nagobad, the head of Lugazu parish Paul Indus and farmer Otto Hasmanis; Commandant Cornell provided premises to the Board of the Land Council in Valka County. In the Chancellery on Rīgas Street No. 9. and issued 2,000 Estonian marks for the organization of work. It was the first official Latvian institution to be relied on for public work.

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As regards who to sign the registration order, the consultation acknowledged that it should be signed by those with links to previous small-scale governments in order for the order to have the necessary public respect and legal basis. The order was signed by Otto Hasmanis, a member of the county board, who gained some legitimacy and trust.
The order was as follows:

Demand.

            The Board of the Valka County Land Council, by order of the Estonian Provisional Government in accordance with the Latvian Provisional Government, orders to visit Valka, Rīgas Street No. 9, February 18, 1919 at 10 am for all residents of Valka city, suburbs and Valka parish:
Latvian officials up to 50 years of age;
Latvian military doctors up to 60 years;
military officials up to 50 years of age;
Latvian paramedics up to 45 years;
Latvian sub-officers, as well as graduates of sub-officer training teams up to 35 years.
All five categories of soldiers living in Valka district, until the same age, must arrive at Valka, Rīgas Street 9, on February 19, 1919 at 10 am.
Everyone should be warm and, if possible, dressed in the form of war, as well as take food with them for about 5 days.
In the event of non-compliance with this order, the perpetrators will be prosecuted by a court-martial.

Wearing

Chairman of the Board
O. Hasmanis

Page 108
The second order was:

Demand.

The Board of the Valka County Land Council hereby orders the full attendance, for registration purposes, of all Latvian men living in the city and suburbs of Valka who were born between 1869 and 1902, inclusive.
Registration will take place in Valka, Rīgas Street No. 9, 21 and 22 February 1919 from 10 - 12 p.m. pusd. and from 2 to 4 after noon. Railway and postal officials are discharged from registration.
In the event of non-compliance with this order, the perpetrators will be prosecuted by the Rural War Court.

Wearing

Chairman of the Board
O. Hasmanis

With the proposal, the same delegates went to Colonel Kalma for the second time, which allowed registration. The registration order was placed on poles and sent to the parishes.
Further talks on full mobilization with Colonel Kalm were also conducted by Dr. Liv and Otto Hasmanis. A significant conversation took place with Dr. To Liv and Otto Hasman with Kalmu. When the Latvian delegates talked about getting weapons, Kalms invited a gentleman in his office, who was presented as a master.

Page 109
The colonel spoke to the scientists in Finnish and showed something on the map of Latvia and Estonia. It could be understood that we are talking about the Latvian-Estonian border. After a long consultation with the scientist, Kalms addressed the delegates with the question: "Where is the Latvian-Estonian border?"
Dr. The Liv responded that according to the 1917 vote, Latvia owned Valka, Valka parish, Liel - Lugažu, Pedele, Ērģeme, Kāģeri and Coru parishes.
After this explanation, Kalms talked to the scientist again. Then he told the Liv that this was not the case. The border is completely different, more to the south.
"Whoever touches that line will have to deal with it," Kalm said. Dr. The Liv pointed out that he did not have the authority to decide on the border, but that he only mentioned 1917. the result of the vote.
Kalms calmed down, but no answers were given regarding the supply of weapons and permission to mobilize.
On another occasion, the same Kalm has shown Hasman a map with the Estonian-Latvian border marked with a red stripe along the Salaca River, across the Seda to the Riga highway at the Vēži pubs, the Neda Bridge, from there along the Gauja to the old ethnographic border.
Thus, the issue of the border and the old Estonian-Latvian competition for cultural and economic superiority in Valka and its surroundings have already worried Estonians at that time.

Page 110
Kalma's behavior made Latvians worried about their situation not only in relation to the Bolsheviks, but also towards the Estonians.
Despite the lack of instructions and news from the Provisional Government and the lack of a response from the Estonians to give up arms, Latvian civil society organizations began to work vigorously to prepare for the mobilization so that Estonians would not receive the entire initiative. Seven Latvian parishes were free from the Bolsheviks: Valka, Kāģeri, Lugažu, Liel - Lugažu, Coru, and partly Ērģemes and Pedele. Something could already be done here.
The Latvians decided to stand independently on their small remaining territory and start fighting for the country.

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Northern Latvia, Valka, the cradle of national thought, a good place for that purpose. And on February 3, 1919, the head of government in Tallinn agreed with the head of the Estonian government on the organization of the Latvian army in northern Latvia. Already on February 3, the Provisional Government appointed Markas Gailīte, an engineer, as the Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Latvian Armed Forces, Jānis Zemitāns, the Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Latvian Armed Forces, and Lieutenant Lauri, the Commander-in-Chief of Valka.
On February 18, M. Gailītis, Lieutenant Lauris, Colonel Jansons, Robežnieks and other representatives of the army arrived in Valka.

P.
_ Residents donated clothes, bicycles, motorcycles and other items useful to the military. Confidence in the Latvian state and the army has grown.
In order to inform the population about the events and the actions of the government in Valka, the newspaper "Jaunā Dzīve" started to be published at the same time on February 20. The newspaper had 24 issues, it stopped on April 17, when the newspaper "People's Voice" was headed by the popular editor of "Līduma" in Valka. "Jaunā Dzīve" came out at the expense of Valka public employees. Its editor was teacher K. Gulbis and co-editor Jānis Porietis.

Public outburst

113 p.
Public work in Valka was called to all sides. Public organizations and their employees, as well as the incomplete Land Council, could not do all this successfully, which is why the Red Cross Society of Northern Latvia was established, which would take care of the Latvian army and the population physically and morally. Dr. was elected the chairman of the association. Jānis Lībietis, for his members Eleonors Jansons and Pauls Skrīveri, the secretary was Jānis Dzirkalis, the cashier Jānis Stiprais, his member Pēteris Pakalns, the foreman Jānis Ķimens, all of whom undertook to work without remuneration.
The Red Cross drew the first attention to the hungry and needy, supplying them with food and clothing. A lot had to be fed and dressed, but there was a lack of funds.
The first task of the association was to raise funds. The amount donated to each other was too small to carry out extensive work, so the board of the association held open fundraising days on March 16 and 17, which provided more funds.

Page 114
The association called on the peasants to donate their products, because nothing could be bought on the market, it was empty, and the townspeople had to give money. The food situation in Valka was very difficult. In the autumn of 1918, the grain was demolished by the troops from Valka County. During the occupation, it was seized by the Germans, and during the Bolsheviks, the remains were fished by the Red Army. Thus the city of Valka and its surroundings were emptied. The city's grocery store once sold 2 pounds of oatmeal and 2 pounds of marmalade to each person, that's all.
At first, the Red Cross's call to the peasants was of little success. Later, the Red Cross became a center around which everyone who cared about Latvia's independence united. The ladies of Valka especially took part in life, helping with their own handiwork.
In the middle of March, the association opened a people's kitchen, where it served 320-400 lunches with one quarter of the bread per person.

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If milk came into the donations, it was given to the children. The people in need and their children in the kitchen at that time were very supportive.
For the troops, the Red Cross was not only a sanitary institution, but also an intendant. A war hospital was established in Valka, Aleksandra Street, where at first two doctors J. Lībietis and Barts, later also Jaunzems and Daņiļevskis, 2 merciful sisters (Vīns and Purgale, later also Ede Rudzīte), several commoners, a pharmacy manager and a housekeeper. 130 beds were installed for soldiers. At the front, the association delivered medical and sanitary supplies, medicine, linen, clothing, boots, self-made paramedic and cartridge bags, stretchers, soap, etc. 70 bed bags, 191 sheets, 58 bedspreads, 46 pillows, 142 pillowcases, 283 towels, 25 pairs of gloves, 49 pairs of socks, various kitchen products, dishes and other things.
From February to August, the Red Cross Hospital was privately supplied with linen, food and medical supplies. It was not until August that the state provided first aid.

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Funds were also provided through equipment, cinemas and a cash lottery.
To Dr. The Liv council decided to organize the production of patronage bags for the army in the parishes. Two cartridge bags must be prepared for each farm.
The bags were made of canvas. Sanitary bags were also made.
The Red Cross took care of the construction of the hospital in time, while the Latvian parts were not yet at the front. When the Latvian fighting front began, an average of 70 sick and wounded soldiers slept in the hospital every day.