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| 11 - JAN 03 - JAN 31 - DEC 29 - DEC 25 - DEC 22 - DEC 21 - DEC 20 - DEC 19 - DEC 18 - DEC 17 - DEC |
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Day Eighteen: One Possible Story When Derek came back in June and showed me the bones he found on the beach of Karosta, I started to do research on the history of Latvia and Karosta in particular. How many possibilities would exist in order to explain the story of the origin of the bones and their connection to this particular place? Because we thought about exploring these possibilities, none of us wanted to get a straight scientific answer from an anatomist to check out if the bones if they were human. To leave this question open, we would have a wider appraoch to the stories we might find. Moreover, there wouldn't even be a story to tell except for the story that would fit the answer of the anatomist, which would only be one perspective out of the many others. For many years, Latvia has been ruled by German, Swedish and even Polish-Lithuanian power. After the Russians and later Germans occupiation, Latvia could enjoy its independance for twenty years -being recognized by the "League of Nations"- untill the well known Molotov-Ribbentrop pact disturbed this. The Red Army managed to take over Latvia for more or less then a year untill the Germans broke the pact in 1941. For a little while the Latvian people were confused and quite 'happy' by this German intervention untill they realized that it was just another emperor who was ruling their country. During this period, thousands of Jewish people were liquidated a little bit North from Karosta, close to the found-spot of the bones. The images I used in the video piece that we made before we came here, show nakedly one of the killings that took place in Libau, the Jewish name for Liepaja. This reveals just one of the possible stories behind the bones. Russification of Latvia started at the end of the Second World War, when Latvia became part of the Sovjet Union. Thousands and thousands of Russians were being located in Latvia [as in all of the Baltic States] to be employed there. In a short amount of time Latvian cities were dominated by the Russians. Karosta, as the most western part of the Union strategically located at the sea, was a closed military area. Nobody could enter this 'zone' unless they were employed there. When the Russian army left in the beginning of the nineties, a chaotically period started in Karosta as well as in the rest of Latvia. As most of the people that had lived there -the so called 'leftovers' from the military Russians who were located there before- were unemployed and started to take as much as they could. Buildings were destroyed and everything of value was taken away and sold. Although this area has gotten the label 'special economic zone', the situation is much better nowadays. Besides the typical concrete housingblocks, buildings where obviously the military staff was living, give a special ambiance to this part of time. In comparison to the grey and white concrete, these houses have many colors. On the outside I find them in orange, brown and pink. The teints have gotten more intense during the time it hasn't been painted. From the inside, the most wild materials functioned as indoors decoration. Layers of heavily printed wallpaper show the taste of different owners. Especially flowers seemed to be the trend, for a long time, although each owner added his or her taste and chose a slightly different color and pattern. During this time of year when the sun is low it leaves its strength behind in a special color, adding its recent value to the different stories that those buildings express already. I made my own story by capturing these different characters, expressed by the materials, colors and light while I was exploring one of the buildings. With my eyes I imagine stories that might have exist, but I miss the inside information which the people who've grown up here, have.. As we move on to the beginning period of the independance, Latvia stressed the importance of the Latvian language and the introduction of an own currency: the Lat. I'm still not used to this LAT which is explained by its strong value: 1 Lat equals 1,67 EUR. The transition to a free economically market didn't go too smooth but got progress after 1995 when Latvia agreed a free-trade-agreement inside the European Union. A referendum next year will have to show if the Latvian people will support the EU membership of their country, a decision that apperently is made by officals and politicans already. Most of the people I've met for so far, aren't sharing the political enthusiasm and I can imagine that joining another Union doensn't sound so pleasant. ---sara [IMAGE] Pier of Karosta [image made during WWII] and one of the fortresses that is left from the period of Imperial Russia |
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