Our collection honors Latvia's first period of independence and those who took on the mantle in exile of preserving Latvian identity for themselves, their families, and for future generations—most never to see their homeland again.

Arranged by timeline. Use the link tabs above for alternate views.

• The quintessential view of the Riga skyline, circa 1550, and still recognizeable today, from Sebastian Munster's "Cosmographia Universalis", and part of the Lord's Prayer in Latvian
• "Livlandische Schweiz" (The Livonian Switzerland), a scenic Latvian photo album (20 pictures) by C. Schulz, ca. 1880
• Album "Riga" ca. 1910, a large-format photo album (3 dozen pictures) of Riga at the start of the 20th century
• "In Memory of the First President of Latvia, Jānis Čakste", a memorial photo album dedicated to the first President of Latvia; pub. 1927
• "Pa Latvijas Celiem" (Along Latvia's Roads), inscribed Soviet-era postcard set, ca. 1960

• Munters, Vilhelms, Latvia's last foreign minister (first independence), from July 1936 to June 1940

• "Foreign Corn Ports-Riga", The Illustrated London News, news article with engraved illustrations, full reprint; pub. 1847
• "RIGA", The National Encyclopedia, the full entry for Riga, accompanied with engraved illustration; full reprint; pub. circa 1897
• "Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland", The New Human Interest Library, illustrated encyclopedia articles on the Baltic countries, published 1928
• "The Freedom Monument" (Brīvības Piemineklis), art critic Jānis Siliņš' discussion of the Freedom Monument (complete, partially translated), 1935
• "The Story of Latvia—A Historical Survey", Arved Švābe's concise history of Latvia, from the Balts inhabiting now western Russia through the Soviet occupation (complete book, also in PDF), 1949

• Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, full text of the secret protocol carving up Eastern Europe between Stalin and Hitler, 1939
• "Where now is the sovietisation?", Latvian Economic Review, Foreign Minister V. Munter's address at the Latvian University delivered February, 1940; as published April 1940
• "These Names Accuse—Nominal List of Latvians Deported to Soviet Russia", the circumstances leading up to and including the Soviet occupation and deportations of 1940-1941 during the "Year of Terror" ("Baigais Gads" in Latvian), and list of those deported; second edition, pub. Stockholm, 1982
• "Latvia Under German Occupation in 1943", published by the Latvian Legation, 1944, recounting a year of occupation under the Nazis
• "Latvia—Our Dream is Coming True", quintessential Soviet propaganda by Vilis Lacis—a lesson for today; complete book; published 1959
• "Attitudes of the Major Soviet Nationalities, Latvia and the Latvians", a project of M.I.T.'s Center for International Studies; complete book, also in PDF format; pub. 1973
• "Soviet Aggression Against the Baltic States", Supreme Court Senator August Rumpēters superbly detailed and annotated treatise examining the Soviet-Baltic relationship and its basis in treaties and international law, published 1974

• "Latviesu Trimdinieka Kalendars 1947" (The Latvian Exile's Calendar 1947), complete facsimile [Latvian] and poetry translations; published in the D.P. camps, 1947

• "Primary Sources in European Diplomacy, 1914-1945 A Bibliography of Published Memoirs and Diaries", by Frederic M. Messick, a compilation listing all published first-hand accounts of the major diplomatic events and personal experiences of the WWI to WWII period, reference excerpt