Aizpute

During 1917-1918 I remember playing war with snowballs at school; reds (communists) versus whites. During this time there was no knowledge of the terrors of the communists, they were considered as saviours from the German oppression. The school was 4-5 kilometers from our place. Three of us from the family went to school: myself, Alvine, and Arturs. In good weather we would walk home. In bad weather and in winter we would stay the night. There was sleeping accommodation upstairs on straw mattresses so close together that they touched. One end of the building was for boys and the other for girls. In the middle there was a dining room, also divided for boys and girls. The main food was rye bread with butter or smoked bacon. For breakfast we would get hot water for coffee or tea. For dinner, potatoes were boiled in a large pot. Each person’s lot was tied in a net with a named string hanging out of the pot. The school’s helper checked the parcels to see if they were cooked, and those that were ready he would put on a shelf. Usually we got them when they were already cold. There was no communal food. In the evenings after dinner for two hours, those that stayed at school went to one large class and did their homework under a teacher’s supervision and with the light from a petrol lamp. There were four teachers, each with a class. It was a Catholic school because the surrounding district was Catholic. There were only 6-7 students who were not Catholic. The Catholic Church was also nearby. A priest taught religion, and I usually stayed in class so that I could learn all the Catholic teachings. The priest would check the students for their knowledge of the texts. Because I was the only non-Catholic in the class I was not asked anything, but I often would whisper the answers when other students did not know. After the First World War there was a great shortage of teachers and country schools only went to fourth year. If you wanted to finish all six years you had to go to the district school in Aizpute.

Jan 19, 2010

To get into the school you had to do a test in mathematics and the Latvian language. I passed this test and started fifth grade. I lived with my other uncle, Gusta, who had come from Russia. In Russia he had been the manager of an estate for a Russian boss. He was very nervous. In Aizpute he had opened a shop dealing leather for clog uppers or moccasins. In his free time he also made moccasins and clogs, which he sold in the shop. There was a large room with a stove, in which I cooked my own food. I remember cooking milk soup with dumplings, or a meat soup. Most of the time I boiled water to make herb tea, without sugar of course. The usual food was fried pork and rye bread. The food was brought from Digaini every two weeks. There was no electricity in my room. I would use a small petrol lamp with paper around it to reduce the glare. I did not even have a friend; I was very lonely.

Jan 19, 2010

The next summer I was 16, no longer a shepherd. Next position – a farmhand. On the farm there was one farmhand on wages and one woman. My oldest brother Adams had taken over running the farm, even though mother owned it – she was sick a lot and was not a good manager. Adams also had control over the money. The farm work was very hard with long hours. Starting at sunrise at 4 AM, then a short break for breakfast that was carried out to the fields. From 12-2 PM we could rest, then 2-9 PM it was back to work until sunset. There was no pay for this. Summer dances were held in the open. Arturs and I waited until it was dark to sneak in without paying as we had no money. I felt very bad about this, insulted, that after a week of really hard work my brother would not give us the little money we needed for this. As autumn came I expected to go to the technical college. When I raised the subject with my brother he refused to send me to school anymore as it was too expensive. When winter came I refused to go to the forest to cut logs as my brother was spending all the money received for the summer crops on building materials which he had already collected and stored in every possible place. He though only about himself. Under the inheritance law the buildings belonged to the oldest son and the land to the other children. All along he behaved as if he owned the lot.

Jan 21, 2010

At the onset of winter I had made a gun of ½ centimetre metal pipe (using Russian cartridges.) I straightened the then end and made it a hunting gun. Powder and other things could be bought. Arturs had a real hunting rifle. That year there were a lot of squirrels; they were everywhere that firs grew, eating the seeds from the cones. The skins could be sold for 3 lati, which was a days’ pay for a labourer. By walking around the different areas I could shoot 2-4 every day, which was very good money. It was illegal to shoot them, but when it is necessary you can do anything. With my illegal earnings I saved 30-40 lati. My dream was to go to Riga and work during the day and study at night at the technical college. After Christmas I decided to do it. Until this time I did not even have an overcoat, so I had one made from a rough, home made material. I packed my belongings in a home made box like a suitcase with a lock. My belongings consisted of what mother gave me: a small cushion, a thin blanket, and one sheet. My oldest brother, after all my summer work, refused to give me anything saying, “You are just going in the world to become a thief.” I decided that I would never come home to the farm again because it could not be worse than anywhere else. At least I could always work for food.

Jan 22, 2010

I was now familiar with Riga and went back to the kind, old landlady for accommodation. She was very pleased to see me and my friend from Aizpute was still there.

Jan 25, 2010

It was spring – May – I gave notice and went to Riga to register at the milk factory authority. The manager there was Kersela, who had been a manager himself for many years. He was like a father to me – very friendly and helpful. He suggested that I take a few weeks holiday until a good job comes along as a manager’s assistant. I went home to Digaini, my oldest brother now respected me as an equal. I caught up on sleep and helped with some jobs.

Jan 27, 2010

About two weeks before the wedding, Milda was working at a neighbour’s at milling when she got a cold. She had a fever but we went to Riga to buy the wedding rings, wedding dress, a coat, and an evening suit for me. Milda was taking all sorts of powders. Her temperature would go down immediately but later would be even higher. When we got home she went to bed and the doctor advised that the wedding had to be postponed for a month, which we did. (A: She had rheumatic fever, which damaged a heart valve and caused problems for the rest of her life). We had to notify all of our friends and relatives. Even a month later she was not very fit, so I hired a car-taxi as I was afraid she would catch a cold again. The car drove very slowly so that the horse carriages could follow, there were about 10. Along the route there was a number of honour arches, which was a custom in the country (a house high arch was constructed and covered with foliage and flowers). We had to stop at these arches and leave a bottle of drink.

Feb 3, 2010