Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic
The Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic (Latvian SSR), also known as Soviet Latvia or simply Latvia, was de facto one of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union between 1940–1941 and 1944–1990.
Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940–1990/91 1941–1944: German occupation | |||||||||
Flag
(1953–1990) State emblem
(1940–1990) | |||||||||
| Motto: "Visu zemju proletārieši, savienojieties!" "Workers of the world, unite!" | |||||||||
| Anthem: Anthem of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic | |||||||||
Location of Latvia (red) within the Soviet Union (cream) | |||||||||
| Status | Internationally unrecognized territory occupied by the Soviet Union (1940–1941, 1944–1990) | ||||||||
| Capital | Riga | ||||||||
| Common languages | Latvian · Russian | ||||||||
| Ethnic groups (1989) | 52% Latvians 42% East Slavs 2% Poles 1% Lithuanians 1% Jews 2% Others | ||||||||
| Religion | Secular state (de jure) State atheism (de facto) | ||||||||
| Demonym(s) | Latvian Soviet | ||||||||
| Government | Unitary Marxist-Leninist one-party soviet socialist republic (1940–1989) Unitary multi-party parliamentary republic (1989–1991) | ||||||||
| First Secretary | |||||||||
• 1940–1959 | Jānis Kalnbērziņš | ||||||||
• 1959–1966 | Arvīds Pelše | ||||||||
• 1966–1984 | Augusts Voss | ||||||||
• 1984–1988 | Boriss Pugo | ||||||||
• 1988–1990 | Jānis Vagris | ||||||||
| Head of state | |||||||||
• 1940–1952 (first) | Augusts Kirhenšteins | ||||||||
• 1988–1990 (last) | Anatolijs Gorbunovs | ||||||||
| Head of government | |||||||||
• 1940–1959 | Vilis Lācis | ||||||||
• 1959–1962 | Jānis Peive | ||||||||
• 1962–1970 | Vitālijs Rubenis | ||||||||
• 1970–1988 | Jurijs Rubenis | ||||||||
• 1988–1990 | Vilnis Edvīns Bresis | ||||||||
| Legislature | Supreme Soviet | ||||||||
| Historical era | World War II · Cold War | ||||||||
| 17 June 1940 | |||||||||
• SSR established | 21 July 1940 | ||||||||
| 5 August 1940 | |||||||||
| 1941–1945 | |||||||||
• Soviet re-occupation SSR re-established | 1944/1945 | ||||||||
• Declaration of state sovereignty | 28 July 1989 | ||||||||
| 4 May 1990 | |||||||||
• Independence recognized by the State Council of the Soviet Union | 6 September 1991 | ||||||||
| Currency | Soviet rouble (Rbl) (SUR) | ||||||||
| Calling code | +7 013 | ||||||||
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| Today part of | Latvia | ||||||||
The Soviet occupation and annexation of Latvia took place in June and August of 1939, according to the agreed terms of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact's secret protocol. In 1939, Latvia was forced to grant military bases on its soil to the Soviet Union, and in 1940 the Red Army moved into Latvia, effectively annexing it into the Soviet Union.
The territory changed hands during World War II with Nazi Germany occupying a large portion of Latvian territory from 1941 to 1944/1945, before the Soviet Union re-occupied it in 1944 and 1945. The Soviet occupation of the Baltic states from 1939–40 and 1944–1991 is widely considered illegal by the international community and human rights organizations.
Soviet instability in the 1980s and the dissolution of the Soviet Union provided an opportunity for Latvia to restore its independence.