Museum Jews in Latvia
The museum "Jews in Latvia" (Lat .: Muzejs "Ebreji Latvijā" ) is located in Riga . The main tasks of the museum are to research and popularize the history of the Jews in Latvia . Collecting and keeping all possible finds and documents about the community of Latvian Jews from the beginning to the present day is also part of the task. The museum opened in 1989. It is one of the constituent parts of the Latvian Jewish community and one of the few state-recognized private museums in Latvia.
history
The museum was founded in 1989 by Holocaust survivors under the direction of the historian Margers Vestermanis . In the beginning, the museum functioned as a documentation center. In 1996 a first small permanent exhibition was opened, which met with great interest. The current museum has three exhibition halls and presents the history of the Latvian Jews from the 16th century to 1945. The museum also hosts educational programs, lectures and other cultural events.
exhibition
The exhibition consists of three parts: the beginnings of Judaism in Latvia up to 1918, the Jews in Latvia from 1918 to 1941 and the Jews during the Nazi occupation. It gives an impression of the social, economic, political, spiritual and religious life, the legal status of Judaism and participation in various historical events in Latvia. The third room is dedicated to the tragic events of the Holocaust in Latvia. A special chapter is devoted to the deeds of Latvian citizens who prevented the complete annihilation of Judaism in Latvia.
building
The museum is located in the historic building of the Jewish community in Riga at 6 Skolas Street . It was built in 1913/14 according to plans by the architects Edmund von Trompowsky and Paul Mandelstam . The Jewish Club and the theater were located here. In 1926 the Jewish theater group began rehearsing and performing, and the building was converted for this purpose. The building also housed the offices of various public organizations and the Jewish library. Jewish celebrations were often organized here, including weddings, lectures, exhibitions, and meetings. During the years of the occupation of Latvia by the Nazis, 1941–1944, there was an officers' mess for German officers here.
During the time of the Soviet Union , the building was converted into a house for political education. Various ideological events and congresses of the Communist Party were held here. This historically important building was returned to the Jewish community in the early 1990s. It is a listed building.
Museum collection
The museum's collection is the foundation upon which exhibitions and scientific research are based. The museum currently has around 14,000 individual objects: documents, photos, books and other objects. Of these, around 5000 form the main collection, which is included in the National Collection of Museums of Latvia. Exhibits from the 19th and 20th centuries, such as family photos and materials from various Jewish organizations, pay special attention to the war. Lenders who keep important cultural and historical materials in private archives are of great importance in expanding the exhibition. With the help of the museum, these materials are made available to researchers and other interested parties.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Latvian Jewish Community: History, Tragedy, Revival
- ^ Latvian Museum Catalog
- ↑ Jewish Community in Riga ( Memento of the original from October 5, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
Web links
Coordinates: 56 ° 57 '23.8 " N , 24 ° 7' 1.6" E