When I was in Latvia in August 2022, I did a tour to Sigulda. The tour guide told us a lot about the history of Latvia. She was also very proud of the fact that Latvia was part of the EU - they joined in 2004. And she stated that they would be the last country to leave!
She also told us how Latvia had passed between Russia and Germany over the years. From BBC :
1918 November - Latvian National Council proclaims independence.
1918-20 - Civil war ends in peace treaty with Soviet Russia.
1934 - Prime minister Karlis Ulmanis seizes power following succession of unstable governments.
1940 - Soviet Union annexes Latvia, along with neighbouring Estonia and Latvia. Mass deportations to Siberia and Central Asia.
1941 - Nazi Germany invades. Some 70,000 Latvian Jews are killed by Nazi death squads and Latvian paramilitary units.
1944 - Soviet Army returns, heralding further waves of deportations and repression of resistance to Soviet rule.
1986 - First major anti-Soviet demonstrations held by nationalist and environmental activists.
1991 March - Referendum produces large majority in favour of independence.
1991 August - During the attempted anti-Gorbachev coup in Moscow, Omon forces again strike in Riga, causing another six deaths. Parliament declares the full restoration of independence.
1991 November - Citizenship law passed, giving citizenship to those who held it before Soviet occupation of 1940 and their descendants.
1993 July - Guntis Ulmanis elected president.
1994 August - Last Russian troops leave.
1999 - Vaira Vike-Freiberga is elected president - the first woman president in eastern Europe.
2004 March - Latvia admitted to Nato.
2004 1 May - Latvia is one of 10 new states to join the European Union.
One of the longest and most important roads in Riga is Freedom Street. However it has had many names over the last century. During the Nazi occupation in the Second World War, the road was known as Adolf Hitler Street. Once the Soviets occupied Latvia, they also eliminated the name of Freedom, and called it Lenin Street. Upon the restoration of independence, Freedom Street regained its name, and maintains it to this day.
There are still Russian built buildings in Riga. And across the river from the city is Uzvaras Parks. In this park stood a large monument to the Liberators of Soviet Latvia and Riga from the German Fascist Invaders. On 26 Aug 2022 this monument was demolished. A video on BBC - "Latvia's parliament has voted to remove all remaining Soviet statues and plaques. The country has joined Estonia in bringing down World War Two memorials in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Demolition machinery was used to remove the 79-metre (259-foot) monument."
A report on Sky news. The obelisk was built in 1985 when Latvia was still part of the USSR to mark the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany which occupied the Baltic states in World War Two.
In the main city is The Freedom Monument, a 42 m statue dedicated to Latvians who lost their lives fighting for independence between 1918 & 1920.
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022. See my blog on naval vessels I saw in the Baltic in August 2022.
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