Latvian National Awakening and Russification Russians in Latvia

Рижский Вестник (riga herald) issue no. 22 of march 15, 1869

while russian community in latvia largely extension of russia s ethnic russians, nevertheless began develop sense of community separate russia itself, latvian russians beginning consider 1 of nationalities of latvia. russian social organizations began spring in 1860s, around same time of latvian national awakening. reforms of alexander ii, including abolition of serfdom in 1861 throughout rest of empire, further stimulated rise of national consciousness.

latvia had, in fact, taken lead in regard, serfdom had been abolished in 1819 except latgale, had been incorporated vitebsk guberniya in 1802. first russian newspaper in riga –rossiyskoe ezhenedelnoe izdanie v rige (Российское еженедельное издание в Риге, russian weekly in riga) – founded in 1816. russian daily newspaper rizhskij vestnik (Рижский Вестник, riga herald ), founded in 1869 evgraf vasilyevich cheshikhin (Евграф Васильевич Чешихин) , published until death in 1888, established notion of needs , wants of local russian population . cheshikhin formed russian literary circle (Русский литературный кружок) in riga in 1876. local russians participated in elections town councils , later state duma.

alexander iii s russification policy, implemented upon ascension throne in 1881, aimed @ reducing autonomy of baltic provinces through introduction of russian language in administration, court , education – replacing german or latvian in schooling – , through colonization of latvia russian peasants. colonization successful in latgale, further plans interrupted world war i.