Academic CentreViesturs Zanders
Dr. philol., LU profesors, Latvijas Nacionālās bibliotēkas vadošais pētnieks.
Kontakti: viesturs.zanders@lu.lv
Atslēgvārdi: latviešu trimdas izdevumi, kalendāri, izdevniecības, Jānis Ritums, Kazimirs Vilnis.
https://doi.org/10.22364/ilt.22.09 | 106–117 | PDF
New Insights in the Publishing of Calendars by Latvian Communities in Exile (Personalities and Trends)
The publishing of calendars in Latvian language began already in the middle of the 19th century. However, with some exceptions, this phenomenon has not gained sufficient attention of the specialists in the field. The same can be said concerning the calendars in Latvian published after the WWII by Latvian communities in exile. Due to objective reasons, the range of the calendars published in exile is not as wide and varied as in Latvia before occupation. Nowadays, the only value many of them still retain is that of a testimony of their specific time and cultural situation. Nevertheless, one can find calendars intended not just for some recreational reading and those have an enduring place in the history of calendars published in Latvian. Some of them bear the characteristics of one-man enterprise: e.g., Bitītes kalendārs (The Bee’s Calendar) (Eslingen, Germany, 1946–1958) composed by the Archbishop of the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church Teodors Grīnbergs (1870–1962) or Ārstniecības kalendārs (Calendar for Treatment) (Chicago, USA, 1954–1964) composed by Dāvids Bīskaps (1879–1972). In case of some others, we find a more extensive group of authors and the touch of an experienced editor, e.g., P. Mantinieka apgāda gada grāmata (The Annual of P. Mantinieks’ Publishing House) (Brussels, Belgium, 1950–1952) composed by Arturs Bērziņš (1882–1962) or Latviešu almanahs (Latvian Almanac) (London, Great Britain, 1952–1957), as well as Dzimtenes kalendārs (The Calendar of Motherland) (Vesterosa, Sweden, 1972–1988) compiled by Kazimirs Vilnis (1907–1988), a Catholic dean.
There is a special place in the history of calendars published in Latvian for Tāvu zemes kalendars (Fatherland’s Calendar), published by Vladislavs Locis (1912–1984). Its publication started already at the end of the 1930s still in Latvia, afterwards it was continued in Germany, and finally, in 1991, resumed in Latvia.