Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic
A Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic (abbreviation LSSR or LatSSR ) existed in the history of independent Latvia twice - the first from 1918 to 1920, the second from 1940 to 1990 as a Union Republic of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
First Latvian Soviet Republic
Second Latvian Soviet Republic
In view of the Hitler -Stalin Pact and the German -Soviet partition of Poland and the following occupation by the two countries, Latvia was forced under Soviet pressure to conclude a mutual assistance pact with the Soviet Union in October 1939 and to allow the stationing of Soviet troops in the country. After the French defeat in 1940 marched on June 17, 1940, additional Soviet troops, while across the country erupted communist riots and strikes. The government had indeed agreed to the invasion on June 16, but was afterwards resigned, President Karlis Ulmanis imposed subsequently on June 18 the state of emergency. On June 20, 1940, Ulmanis appointed the social democratic Professor August Kirhenšteins prime minister and foreign minister, who formed a coalition with the Communists on 23 June and 14-15. Ansetzte July 1940 elections for the 1934 resolution Parliament ( Saeima ). As a result of non-classified by the Western powers as free elections, President Ulmanis resigned on 20 July 1940 and handed over all the official powers to Kirhenšteins. The new ( supposedly chosen by 97.8 % of participants at 94.8 % turnout ) Soviet government proclaimed ( against the protest of the Ambassador of the Western powers ) on 21 July, the establishment of the Soviet Republic and asked to join the USSR, on 5 August 1940,. On July 22, 1940, Ulmanis was arrested and deported to the USSR, where he died in prison in 1942. According to today's Latvian standpoint of this connection was illegal under international law as annexation. The same was the viewpoint of the majority of Western countries, for example, all subsequent NATO member states (except the Netherlands ), the annexation of the three Baltic states de jure not recognized.
During World War II, Latvia was occupied from 1941 to 1944 / 45 to the gradual reconquest by the Red Army by German troops and administratively assigned to the Reich Commissariat Ostland. The former General Oskars Dankers was formed in 1942 a collaborationist puppet government, while the Communist Arturs Sprogis led Latvian partisan units against Latvian SS units. Yet in February 1945 formed the trapped German Army Group North a puppet republic of Courland, which surrendered on 9 May 1945. Church stone returned from exile in Moscow and stood the LSSR until 1952/59 before the last anti-communist forest brothers were 1953/57 amnestied or destroyed. At the Tehran Conference, Roosevelt suggested a plebiscite in the Baltic states, a decision on it but was not caught. The membership of Latvia to the Soviet Union was no longer detected by the Allies in the arrangements for the post-war order (conferences of Teheran and Yalta, 1943 and 1945) and in the establishment of the UN in question.
On 4 May 1990 Latvia declared its independence restored, which was part of the Soviet Union on 21 August 1991 and by the end of the USSR recognized by Russia. Only then recognized the Federal Republic of Germany in August 1991, Latvia's independence and established diplomatic relations.
First Secretaries of the Central Committee of the Latvian Communist Party
- December 21, 1940 - November 1959: Jānis Kalnbērziņš
- November 1959-15. April 1966: Arvīds Pelse
- April 15th 1966-14. April 1984: Augusts Voss
- April 14th 1984-4. October 1988: Boris's Pugo
- October 4 1988-7. In April 1990 Jānis Vagris
- April 7 1990-24. August 1991: Alfrēds Rubiks