Latgale

Latgale ( Latgalian: Latgola, Latvian: Latgale, Polish: Łatgalia ) is one of the four historic landscapes in Latvia, a region with pronounced multicultural character. It includes the inland, bordering Lithuania and Belarus southeast part of the country in which to live next to the Latgale traditional Jews, Poles, Lithuanians, White Russians and Russian Old Believers. By Lettgallen the Daugava flows ( German: Dvina ), also the scenery is rich in lakes.

History

Latgale is that part of Livonia, who did not come to Sweden by the Treaty of Altmark in 1629, but remained under Polish suzerainty. It was formerly therefore also called Polish Livonia. 1772 Latgale fell to the Russian Empire. Unlike in other parts of Latvia, the Germans only in the city of Dvinsk ( Daugavpils ) played a significant role. Therefore, the Reformation could only prevail in part, or has been under Polish rule pushed back again by the Counter-Reformation, so that the inhabitants of Latgale today are different than their compatriots in other Latvian parts of the country the majority of Catholics and speak their own regional language, the Latgale. In part, consider the Latgale as independent of the Latvian ethnic group.

The urban population was majority Jewish Latgale for centuries. According to the census of 1897 were, for example, 54 % of the population of Rezekne and Ludza Jews. In the largest city Latgale, Daugavpils, the Jewish population was 46 %. Once there were in Daugavpils about 40 synagogues and Jewish prayer houses. After the massive devastation of the Second World War and the almost complete annihilation of the Jewish population only one synagogue remained.

Today, the Russian population is relatively high ( regionally up to 80%), especially around the urban centers Daugavpils ( German: Dvinsk ) and Rezekne ( German: Rositten ). Also has Latgale as a result of the long Polish rule a not inconsiderable Polish-speaking minority.

Cities

  • Balvi ( German: Bolwen )
  • Dagda
  • Daugavpils ( German: Dvinsk )
  • Krāslava ( German: Kraslau )
  • Ludza ( German: Ludsen )
  • Rezekne ( German: Rositten )
  • Varakļāni ( German: Warkelen )
  • Viļaka ( German: Marienhausen )
  • Vilani ( German: Welonen )
  • Zilupe ( German: Rosenau )
Latgalians Protestant Reformation Courland Zemgale Vidzeme
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