Māris Liopa, Chairman of the Forest Certification Council of Latvia (LMSP), and Pauls Rēvelis, editor of zemeunvalsts.lv, speak with Roberts Sipenieks
A long time ago (some 30-40 years), when driving through the village of Zirņi on the Riga-Liepāja highway, those in the know would see the road sign "Airītes station 7 km" and remark that there would be a side road around the bend leading to the Oskars Kalpaks memorial. The side road was there, vanishing into the forest. Times have changed, and now, when travelling from Riga to Liepāja or from Saldus to Grobiņa, you can see a cluster of neat buildings and well-maintained forest on the right-hand side. What is happening and what has happened at the O. Kalpaks Museum?
In a place of such significance to Latvian history, we should start our conversation not with historical topics, but with current events. War is raging nearby once again, a very cruel war...
Since 1917 in Russia, and later in the Soviet Union, there has been a so-called negative selection process, which we saw and experienced ourselves during both the Second World War and later until 1949. That was a period when state power harshly and repressively turned against our intelligentsia, the strongest and most skilled farmers – it was a selection in which the most capable and forward-thinking individuals were consciously and purposefully "removed". The Nazi German regime tried to use genetics in this way, while the Soviet system used repressive human selection. Currently, the fifth generation is already living in Russia – there is a known saying about seven generations*. If the current (generation) does not "break" (come to their senses) – and all signs suggest that is unlikely to happen – we will have to wait another two generations for change. Of course, we do not know what will happen the moment Putin is forced to send people from Moscow or Saint Petersburg to war. At the moment, many involved in the war come from remote parts of Russia, creating a quite believable illusion for many that everything happening is just a short, swift military operation. (For example, what does a Muscovite care that a Buryat or Dagestani battalion is fighting in Ukraine – it is far away and it is not important.)
I have spoken with people who study war as a process, that is, they look at and analyse it scientifically and practically. Historians tend to have this kind of interest. I must say, Russian representatives have fared quite miserably in the war. The first reaction is to pity them because they do not understand. Stop! Why pity them? They have chosen this path and this war themselves.
Historically, since the days of Muscovy, it was clear that masses of people were being driven into war.
This was also observable during the years of the Second World War.
There are some incorrect songs that contain the words: "...they keep coming and coming, but..."
Unfortunately, this principle is used in Russia.
What do you think about the Russian intelligentsia and its reaction?
It is silent. The part that lives in Russia is still effectively silent. It should be added that various repressions have also been directed against them, which we have been noticing since the beginning of this millennium, when there were attempts to change things. Now there are none of those left either. They have fallen silent.
Part of the intelligentsia has left.
Of course! There are people who left in time, understanding what is happening in Russia. Many young people have left. I will add that while we talk less about it here, many people have also left Belarus – I know a number of IT specialists who now live and work in the USA.
Those who have stayed in Russia and speak out are brave.
Right now, you need great strength and courage in Russia for a public figure to say anything "against". This is the modern-day story of Gunārs Astra.
Ukrainians think a lot about the Belarusians and how they will act if Putin asks them to participate in military activities.
We can laugh at A. Lukashenko, but he is not a complete fool. Everything possible in Belarus has been delayed and dragged out, because A. Lukashenko understands or at least senses what scenario is expected if a decision is made to get involved in the fighting – 2020 will repeat itself, and people will head to the streets again. By the way, in the context of Ukraine, something else is forgotten – repressions in Belarus have not ended, they are continuing.
When the Corner House in Riga was opened for tours in 2014, tours in Russian were quite in demand. How is it at "Airītes"?
For eight years, I have had the honour of working in this place. Tours in Russian can be counted on the fingers of one hand, and to count individual visitors, we would need three hands. It seems the O. Kalpaks Museum has not touched upon the topic that would interest non-Latvians; we also see a certain distancing of this part of society from the events of that time (the War of Independence). When welcoming visitors from Riga, I tend to joke: "Greetings to Latvia to those who have arrived from Riga!" It sounds ironic, perhaps even derogatory, but there is a certain segment of society for whom Latvia ends at the Riga border.
Speaking of the non-Latvian part of society, I cannot say that we have tried to lure them into the museum or work "for them". I also do not have a concrete explanation as to which part of society we are working for – it would be most accurate to say: tourists. Of course, they are schoolchildren and definitely the New Guard (Jaunsardze). I am pleased that the management of the New Guard understands perfectly well that this is a place where young people must be brought. We actively involve the young guards not only in memorial events, but we put them to work.
The experience I gained while working at a school is bearing fruit. For example, a former student who now works at a school himself comes to see me and brings his own pupils. So there is continuity, my contribution is becoming visible. We try to pass this continuity on to the young guards through work. Another example: when I started working at "Airītes", I met a 9th-grade student here; after some time, he came back to me as a soldier of the National Armed Forces, showing his own: "Look, this is where we cleaned and planted!" Of course, the educator plays a huge role in these matters!
The Saldus municipality is quite large; what is the situation in the municipality's schools?
I am in my second term as a deputy of the Saldus Municipal Council; it is a responsibility and an honour, but if we talk about schools, I would call it a punishment. We have also started working on the optimisation of schools. On one hand, logic and reason say that if the taxpayers' money cannot support the education system, schools must be closed. At the same time, common sense says something else – a rural village must have a minimum amount of institutions that shape the environment, whether it be a kindergarten, a primary school, or a secondary school. These are people, this is life and activity, this is a certain culture. Schools are often places where the identity of the local parish or village is created and formed.
In this process, the biggest problems began as early as the first half of the 90s. Specifically – nowadays (similar to ancient times), "manors" have formed where one owner owns several thousand hectares of land or a large company, but the owner himself mostly works and resides in Zemgale or Vidzeme (he owns the land in our area). The owner does not need people on the spot in our municipality to manage the land – several or a few times a year, he brings tractors or other machinery to his properties, or rents them locally, gets the work done, and leaves. At present, in none of the municipality's parishes that were once collective farm centres is there, or will there be, a need for such a large number of people as there once was to cultivate the respective land area. The situation has settled logically. The municipality cannot support schools artificially, although, of course, various cases have been experienced.
In the border area with Lithuania, the Latvian environment is certainly safe and sound.
I am young enough; I come from a border parish – Ezere (or Leišmalīte, as it is often called). It is a 25 km drive from home to work. Many Lithuanian families live in our area, whose "Lithuanian-ness" you can only determine by looking at their passport and reading their first or last name. It is similar with Latvian families living on the other side of the border. On September 22, we mark Baltic Unity Day; municipalities on both sides of the border have close ties and good cooperation.
Since childhood, I have heard of the legendary bus that runs from Riga to Ezere.
It still runs – on dirt roads, on asphalt. Ezere has the honour and advantage of existing and developing because the village is located and has always been located at a crossroads and on the border. Ezere is holding on, compared, for example, to Vadakste, where there are few people in the parish. There is also a pessimistic outlook in Vaiņode.
Although it concerns the Dobele municipality more, the railway line to Mažeikiai has recently been restored.
Freight trains run there, but there are no passenger trains. There are stations (for example, Vadakste itself) where the train does not stop. I assume there is no serious prospect for a passenger train in the direction of Reņģe or Mažeikiai. Even through Saldus, the passenger train runs very rarely. During my university years, I used it often; I will not say that it was full at that time. At present, of course, I drive to Riga by car. I will add that the station in Saldus is partly outside the city, and it is often difficult to get there, but – undoubtedly – going to Riga by train is faster and more comfortable, but... it runs twice a week. Unfortunately.
What is the situation with employment in the municipality?
In the Saldus municipality, the most important sectors are metalworking, fibreglass, and forestry (PATA and smaller entrepreneurs). We know and work with representatives of the forest sector (both state and private) – both in the museum and in the municipal council.
Another form of cooperation with forest owners I have is related to the exhumation of soldiers who fell in both world wars – the First and the Second. Battlefields were once located on many land properties. The attitude is quite varied – there are owners who believe on principle that a former battlefield is now a forest and should not be touched, and there are owners who fight on principle against various types of nonsense, for example, micro-reserves and other types of restrictions. Many forest owners are very well educated and are perfectly oriented in the situation.
A Latvian citizen manages their property as they wish – that should become clear.
I will briefly tell you about a recent experience – proof and justification have come into my hands that human remains are located in a certain territory, and permission is required to find them. I have very good relations with the owner, but he does not let anyone on the property for such purposes. I was recently talking to him and found out that a micro-reserve has been set up on the area belonging to the neighbour of the property we are interested in. I saw this property, I saw the planted spruces that cannot be touched, the compensations are small, and the bird that is supposedly being protected does not live there. Listen, what is this? I regularly have to cooperate and work with various institutions... Very often I see that a person working in a responsible institution overdoes it, losing the human connection and attitude. It is palpable and difficult to accept.
Excessive zeal creates overzealousness ("Vella kalpi"). Returning to "Airītes", it has had a colourful life.
Work in the museum, of course, is not from 8 to 5. Coming to work here, it was clear to me what this place should be like, especially considering where it is located, knowing its historical significance, etc. Over 8 years, we have reached the opportunity to develop. Yes, this place carries the name and story of Oskars Kalpaks, which we must pass on to future generations! It is both the story of a specific personality and an explanation of what responsibility means in difficult moments. At the moment, a broader message about the Latvian army is being created in the museum, our facilities are expanding – three tenders have been concluded, and we know who will restore the farm building, who will deal with the granary foundations and the NATO combat outpost – about the participation of modern armed forces in missions, a transport area will be built, where the outdated vehicles at the disposal of the Ministry of Defence will be visible, as well as equipment from the War Museum's collections.
Sounds like a fairly capable expansion.
Both expansion and the realisation of those principles that the leadership of the Ministry of Defence wanted to see here. It is a true joy and satisfaction that our plans and thoughts coincided – "Airītes" needs a typical open-air military history museum.
In eight years, I have not asked for large funding for the museum; various solutions have been found – the national guards (Zemessargi) help us, we do a lot ourselves, we get some donations.
Was it a conscious step for a history teacher to go to work in a museum?
A tender was announced for the position of museum head, there were several candidates, and they chose me. At the moment when I decided that I could come to work at "Airītes", I had visited the museum two or three times. I had a very good and energetic history teacher who brought us here. I think a certain advantage was also my farming skills – now I am a farmer myself, for my own land, my own property that I have purchased. I have researched my family tree, which comes from the Zemgale side, where my great-grandfather was a farmer, served in the army and fell in the war, and my grandfather was a collective farm chairman. Speaking of this, I think that nowadays, former collective farm chairmen are few and not always correctly evaluated. I have seen those times, and I have experienced both my grandfather and Jānis Blūms from Nīgrande in office. In my childhood, I was taught to take care of my place of residence, and I gained the awareness that every place should be well-maintained.
Funds were raised during COVID-19 for the renovation of the nearby Airītes station warehouse**. Are you connected?
The owner of Airītes station is Pēteris Stumburs, who has been managing it for several years. There is an exhibition in the station's waiting room (by the way, I know that Pēteris works with Māris Olte, who manages the former Ērgļi station). We cooperate; it happens that we send tourist groups to each other. If two tourism objects are next to each other and our content is different, we do not compete.
The surroundings look very well-maintained.
We maintain it ourselves, organise cleaning bees (talkas), the forested territory is neat, the undergrowth has been cleared, about 400 pine trees have been planted, and in another part of the property – oaks. The condition for maintenance was simple – so that we could be seen from the Riga-Liepāja highway.
A few years ago in Skrunda, we talked with the municipal leadership about Rudbārži and the future cadet school.
That is an integral part of my work; we have been involved in the work from the very beginning when the school model was being created. We go to the young people, talk, go on hikes; the school is currently still in Kandava, it is planned to start its operations in Rudbārži within the next three years.
What does the municipal council deputy think about the regional reform that also affected Brocēni and Saldus?
The reform is still continuing; in the council meetings this year, we have addressed and are addressing the issues of this process as well, for example, the merger of various institutions and establishments, etc. What makes the residents anxious? The cities – Saldus and Brocēni – are side by side; will the identity of Brocēni, for example, disappear? Yes, they say everything will be preserved, but... If cultural institutions are merged, will we continue to call the Brocēni men's choir exactly the "Brocēni men's choir"? It is very important for the choir!
Everything else is logical; what is important is how the municipality is managed. Of course, there are Saldus residents who do not like Brocēni, and vice versa; for a Latvian, their own farmstead has always been important. I feel good in Nīgrande by the Venta, in Zvārde and Jaunlutriņi – this is my home, this is my municipality, my Kurzeme. Development in the municipality must be balanced, for which we are fighting on principle; in this regard, there is no unity of thought yet. I think Brocēni will be the winners. How the municipality and its parishes will develop will be the competence of the responsible party. The Green Party and the "Farmers" are in the position, they have enough votes and people; we did not want to align ourselves, relations in the council are good. The coalition sets specific conditions; if you are not in the coalition, you do not have to follow these rules and can be freer. Cooperation exists, the council opposition is not militant.
How did COVID-19 affect the museum's work?
Excursionists reach the museum in various ways; the museum is open from 10 to 17. There are about 6-7 thousand visitors a year. I have a comment about the COVID-19 period – as is known, people went to nature and I saw such cars that at other times one might perhaps notice near Riga Airport. In Latvia, many "discovered" nature trails for themselves. That is good! Currently, tourism entrepreneurs evaluate the situation quite positively (at least on the Kurzeme side) – people travel less abroad, one can forget about a free spot at a campsite, especially at the last minute; many spend time right here in Latvia. Remote work, for example, gives the opportunity to rent a house in Kurzeme to live or work in. On Friday evenings on the Riga-Liepāja highway, there is a lively flow of cars. Another question is how we use this in the municipality. A person driving from Riga must be "economically captured"; this is still something to think about.
How is the long-term development of the municipality and the country viewed in Saldus?
I have thought about that a lot and regularly. The last seven months have been full of reflection. Most of all, as I see it, there is a lack of clarity and people you can visually and substantially trust. Speaking of visual credibility, it has happened that I have seen Ukrainians in the front having a hard time, being beaten, pushed back, but their confidence does not disappear. That is visible. Confidence is very important!
We have a lot to learn or master, or we need to feel confident in what we do. Confidence that you are acting correctly and necessarily – whether you are digging a ditch or running a country. The lack of direction, which I have already mentioned, has been felt since the 90s, but... There is no real and clear direction for the European Union either.
In the municipality, the local producer must be increasingly supported. Moreover, it must be done wisely and with foresight. For example, you cannot invest significant funding to support an idea if it is already clear that seven café employees will not earn back what was invested there. Yes, you need a well-maintained place, but you must start with economic development and then we can get down to the rest!
* for great sins, the next seven generations will pay
** https://projektubanka.lv/projects/airites
Photographs taken by Roberts Sipenieks and zemeunvalsts.lv at the O. Kalpaks museum "Airītes" used