100 for the Latvian national anthem! Publicēts: 8.06.2020
Record from www.periodika.lv Ministry of Education Monthly No.11:
"The government's order of June 7 makes Baumaņi Kārlis' poem" Deevs, Bless Latvia "an official national anthem, sung only on solemn occasions and with appropriate ceremonies. So the government has sanctioned only what the nation has long been trying to do. The pre-existing national anthem also becomes the national anthem. "
Latvian anthem "God bless Latvia!" words and music were written by Kārlis Baumaņu. The anthem was first sung in the second half of the 19th century, when Latvians began to openly reveal their national identity. Kārlis Baumaņu was the first Latvian composer to use the word "Latvia" in the lyrics. The meaning of the word "Latvia" was just beginning to take shape in the minds of writers and activists, and it was used to denote all the regions that have historically been inhabited by Latvians. Although most Latvians did not dare to dream of a country independent of tsarist Russia, the song "God bless Latvia!" was a powerful catalyst for the development of national self-confidence. The use of the word "Latvia" was an open challenge to the tsarist regime, which had no sympathy for national movements. / Latvian Institute /
God bless Latvia!
