Jānis Lapiņš and the sketch of the first Latvian red - white - red flag
The creation of the Latvian national flag took place during the First World War. In 1915, when creating the flags of the Latvian Rifle Battalion, some artists offered red-white-red colors for the flag cast. After the teacher and journalist Jānis Lapiņš threw the red-white-red flag in the second half of 1916, it was made by his student, Marianna Straumane, a teacher at the Valmiera Refugee Shelter. It is the first known and actually made Latvian national flag, which has also survived to this day.
One of the most ardent promoters of the idea of Latvia's independence was Jānis Lapiņš (1885-1941), a teacher and journalist born in Veselava, who had been working at the Valmiera Trade School since the autumn of 1915. In addition to the usual school work, refugees have to deal with refugees. The office of the refugee supply organization "Ziemeļpalīdzība" is located behind the castle ruins, in the Maršner House, one of the best in the city. : ""
Jānis Lapiņš fascinated many with the idea of the Latvian red-white-red flag. This flag was made (embroidered) for him in the second half of 1916 by Marianna Straumane (1896 -1985), a teacher at the Valmiera Refugee Children's Shelter, who would later become the wife of J. Lapiņš. In 1917, Lapiņš organized the People's University in Valmiera, participated in all the most important public events. Latvian cultural workers Jānis Akuraters, Kārlis and Lizete Skalbes, Pauls Dāle, Ernests Blanks, Linards Laicens, etc. live and visit the teacher in Aleksandra Street Krēsliņa House for a longer or shorter moment.
As a testimony to the growing self-confidence of Latvians, the red-white-red flag fluttered in March 1917 over the building of the Valmiera Latvian Society during the Vidzeme Land Meeting. One of the most ardent popularists of the red-white-red national flag - Jānis Lapiņš - also took part in the meeting dedicated to the proclamation of the new Latvian state in Valmiera (Vecpuišu Park). In his address to the students of Valmiera schools, he said in a picturesque language that "now all the dreams of the ancient Latvian people are approaching their fulfillment, but the sunken Castle of Light must also be raised." The youth of Valmiera schools did not even realize how prophetic Lapiņš's words would turn out, because the proclaimed freedom of Latvia would still have to be fought!
In the 1920s and 1930s, the valuable relic is kept in the Lapiņi family, then, during the Soviet era, carefully hidden. During the German occupation, Marianna and her daughter, along with the factory where they worked, evacuated to Germany, both of course with a flag. After the war, returning to Latvia, it had to be hidden for many years. In 1997, Lija Poga, the daughter of Marianna and Jānis Lapiņi, presented this flag to the Cēsis Museum for more than 80 years. It is significant that the first flag mentioned in the chronicle was made in Cēsis in 1279 as an ideological prototype of our Latvian flag, but the first national flag was sewn and made in Valmiera in 1916.
Informative and illustrative material from Pumpuriņš T. Red-white-red - Latvian flag colors. Cēsis, 2000 and Valmiera Museum collection.
https://www.valmiera.lv/lv/kultura/latvijai_100_/brivibas_stasti/janis_lapins/
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Memorial place of J. Lapiņš, the author of the first flag of Latvia
It is located in "Lejas Pintuli", Veselava parish, Priekuļi district.
A memorial to Jānis Lapiņas, the author of the pre-flag of Latvia, can be seen.
The Latvian national flag was created during the First World War. In 1915, when creating the flags of the Latvian rifle battalions, some artists offered red and white colors to the flag throwers. In the second half of 1916, the red-and-white flag thrown by the pedagogue and journalist Jānis Lapiņa was made by his student, Marianna Straumane, a teacher at the refugee shelter in Valmiera.
It is the first known and actually made Latvian national flag, which has survived to our days.
In 2014, a memorial to Jānis Lapiņas, the author of the pre-flag, was opened in "Lejas Pintuulis" of Veselava Parish, Priekuļi County.
The first known authentic Latvian national flag, which passed through the refugee corridors in Russia, was carefully hidden during the Soviet and German occupation, and is currently kept in the Cēsis Museum of History and Art . It was given as a gift in 1997 by their daughter Lija Poga.
Cēsis history and art museum in the New Castle of Cēsis
The Cēsis History and Art Museum is located in the very centre of the Old Town of Cēsis, in the New Castle. The museum holds a permanent exhibit of history and interiors named ‘Cēsis, a Symbol of Latvian History’, with two thematic sections: the exhibit ‘Red-White-Red Flag in the History of Cēsis and Latvia’ explains the history of the Latvian national flag from the 13th to 20th centuries, the approved national symbol, the flags of Latvian rifle battalions and the traditions of using national colours during the Latvian War of Independence. The exhibit ‘Cēsis and the Latvian War of Independence’ focuses on the founding of the Cēsis Company in December 1918, the joint battle efforts of Estonians and Latvians in the 1919 Battles of Cēsis, the time when, during the Bermondt Affair, Cēsis served as the temporary capital of Latvia for a short time, as well as the history of the Cēsis Victory Monument. In an escape room named ‘Legends of the Battles of Cēsis’, the participants have one hour to find their way out by solving puzzles, making connections and finding hidden objects. The Cēsis Company, one of the first units of the Latvian Armed Forces, was established on 8 December 1918 in Cēsis Castle by Senior Lieutenant Artūrs Jansons. The museum’s exhibit features a memorial plaque dedicated to the Cēsis Company, unveiled on 8 December 1933 at the Cēsis New Castle, which, at the time, served as the headquarters of the 8th Daugavpils Infantry Regiment and the garrison officers’ club.
Bachelor Park and Concert Hall "Valmiera"
The park is located in the center of Valmiera.
In 1914, eight enterprising residents of Valmiera decided to set up a park with a non-alcoholic buffet and a book table on the outskirts of the city at that time - that's how the history of the Bachelor Park began.
The construction of the park was interrupted by the First World War.
Already at the beginning of the war, a hospital for wounded soldiers was set up in the hall of the pavilion. On the second floor of the building was the Valmiera Red Cross Committee, its central gift reception point and warehouse.
The Valmiera committee was one of the busiest in Latvia. In October 1914, it had 33 infirmaries with 375 beds under its care. The committee collected funds for the maintenance of infirmaries and the treatment of wounded soldiers, for supplying the cured with warm clothes and travel money, for feeding wounded soldiers passing through, and also sent gifts directly to the front. One of the most active employees of the Red Cross Committee in collecting funds was the later first Prime Minister of independent Latvia, Kārlis Ulmanis (1877-1942).
The history of the founding of the legendary Latvian rifle battalions is also connected with the Vecpuišu Park. On August 4 and 5, 1915, the commission for accepting volunteers worked in the park premises, and on August 6, the young soldiers were taken out for training. Also later, the boys of Valmiera and the surrounding area were taken out of here many times in military marches. Various cultural and charity events were also held in the park during the war, however, all the funds obtained from them were used to help the victims of the war.
On November 18, 1918, the national flag was raised as the state flag for the first time in Valmiera and the anthem of the new country "God bless Latvia" was played for the first time.
During the Second World War, there was an infirmary in the pavilion building of the Bachelor Park and archers were taken to the battles. During the Soviet occupation, on August 12, 1940, by the decision of the Valmiera city board, the park was renamed Komjaunatnes park.
After the Second World War, the pavilion built by architect Freiberg was used both as a cultural center (until 1966) and as a sports school. At the end of the nineties (1998) the Vecpišu Park pavilion started to get busy again.
The founders of the park can be seen in the photos placed in the premises of the "Vecpuisis" restaurant.
