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TopHistorical Background
In 1939 a pact between Germany and Soviet Union was signed which contained the secret protocol, dividing Eastern Europe into German and Soviet spheres of influence. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were consigned to the Soviet Union in 1940. The change of ruling powers had an influence in almost all public sectors, including the media. Some important signs of the censorship were already noticeable during the authoritarian regime of the Independent Republic of Latvia. “After the elimination of the democratic system in 1934 in Latvia, the censorship got more of a political tinge and became similar to the one that was in totalitarian regimes, where it was a powerful tool for public subjection.” (Urtāns, 2008, p. 50) In 1940 according to the Soviet rules, the previous national censorship was substituted with the Soviet one. As the Government Paper, dated 10th of August, 1940, states: “The censorship was determined by the Latvian Communistic Party of the Central Committee Propaganda and agitation department instructions and orders. It included the control of a domestic press, visual arts, foreign press and movies, as well as music.” (Cited in Urtāns, 2008, p. 52)
In 1941 situation changed, as the implementation of the Soviet censorship was temporary stopped because of the German-Soviet war. It was followed by the Nazi German occupation. It created an absurd situation when one ideology was displaced by another one using drastic measures. “The part of the books that Soviets have not been destroyed yet was placed back to libraries, whereas communist literature was removed from library collections.” (Urtāns, 2008, p. 54)
The “German times”, as well as their ideological actions in Latvia didn’t last for too long. “(Latvia was under German rule from 1941 to 1944, when the return of the Red Army led to the reimposition of Soviet control. War brought not merely the extinction of Baltic independence but also death and deportation for hundreds of thousands of citizens who failed the tests set by the two dictators: for Hitler that of racial acceptability; for Stalin that of political reliability. Neither Hitler nor Stalin, however was able to erase the national identities of the Baltic people. “ (Vizulis, 1994, p. 109-110). After the defeat of Germany in 1944, the secondary Soviet occupation happened in Latvia. “That brought the creation of the Soviet civilian administration, in which an integral part was ideological institutions as well as the censorship. No material intended for public use could see the “daylight” without a permission of the Censor.” (Urtāns, 2008, p. 56)