Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic
Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic | |||||||||
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| 1940–1990 1941–1944/45: German occupation | |||||||||
Flag
(1953–1990) State emblem
(1940–1990) | |||||||||
| Motto: Visu zemju proletārieši, savienojieties! (Latvian) "Workers of the world, unite!" | |||||||||
| Anthem: Anthem of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic | |||||||||
Location of annexed Latvia (red) within the Soviet Union (red & light yellow) | |||||||||
| Status | Internationally unrecognized territory occupied by the Soviet Union (1940–1941, 1944–1990) | ||||||||
| Capital | Riga | ||||||||
| Common languages | Latvian · Russian | ||||||||
| Ethnic groups (1989) |
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| Religion | Secular state (de jure) State atheism (de facto) | ||||||||
| Demonyms | Latvian Soviet | ||||||||
| Government | Unitary communist state (1940–1989) Unitary parliamentary republic (1989–1990) | ||||||||
| 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 (first) | Vilis Lācis | ||||||||
• 1988–1990 (last) | 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 | ||||||||
| Area | |||||||||
| 1989 | 64,589 km2 (24,938 sq mi) | ||||||||
| Population | |||||||||
• 1989 | 2,666,567 | ||||||||
| Currency | Soviet rouble (Rbl) (SUR) | ||||||||
| Calling code | +7 013 | ||||||||
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| Today part of | Latvia | ||||||||
| History of Latvia |
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| Chronology |
| Latvia portal |
The Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic (Also known as the Latvian SSR, or Soviet Latvia) was a de facto constituent republic of the Soviet Union covering the occupied and annexed territory of Latvia from 1940 to 1941, and then from 1944 until 1990.
The Soviet occupation and annexation of Latvia began between June and August 1939, according to the agreed terms of the secret protocol of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact. In 1939, Latvia was forced to give 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 sides during World War II, with Nazi Germany occupying a large portion of Latvian territory from 1941 until the Red Army entered Latvia in 1944 with the final territory occupied by the Germans liberated in 1945. The Soviet occupation of the Baltic states from 1939 to 1940 and then from 1944 to 1991 was widely considered illegal by the international community and human rights organizations.
Soviet instability during the 1980s and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 provided an opportunity for Latvia to restore its independence.