In July of this year, the book “Footprints of the Past: The Jewish Community of Varakļāni” by historian Kaspars Strods begins its journey to readers. The publication is an English translation of the book “Pagātnes nospiedumi: Varakļānu ebreju kopiena”, published in 2021, which was made possible thanks to the support of the Latvian Jewish Community Restitution Fund. The book’s primary focus is the life and fate of the Jewish community of a small Latvian town – Varakļāni – in the first half of the 20th century.
Research was conducted over several years and is based on the memories of the local residents about the life of the Jewish community in Varakļāni in the interwar period, the tragic fates suffered during the Holocaust, as well as a glimpse of life after the Second World War. The book’s author Kaspars Strods notes that the idea of translating the book arose from the fact that there was great interest from a large number of readers (including descendants of Varakļāni Jews) from abroad, in addition to consensus amongst like-minded people – this translation not only provides the opportunity for the story ot the Varakļāni Jews to be heard outside of Latgale and Latvian borders, but at the same time also makes the book available to a wider readership. This is especially important, because the researches of Latvian historians is so seldom accessible to foreign readers..
According to Inese Runce, author of the foreword of the publication, PhD in History, researcher at the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology at the University of Latvia: “Amateur historians write mostly about the local and regional histories in Latvia, because professional historians prefer to concentrate on global or “trendy” issues in history that can make them widely popular in academic circles. Kaspars Strods is taking a risk and going in the opposite direction, proving that local and regional history might be and must be valuated, important and fascinating. Regional and local histories are inclusive towards various communities, cultures and groups. National historiography cannot be written without regional or local narratives, otherwise it becomes official, impersonal, with many missing elements that cannot integrate space and time, different people and diverse communities.”
The book will be donated to the National Library of Latvia, to Latgale’s and other regional libraries, as well as other memory institutions, and in the second half of July it will also be available in Latvia’s largest bookstores. The English text for the book was prepared by translator Laura Adlers, while the visual design of the cover was created by the artist Raivis Nikolajevs. The book is published by the “Hronologeja” association.
The preparation and publication of the English translation of the book “Footprints of the Past: The Jewish Community of Varakļāni”, was made possible with the financial support of the Restitution Fund of the Jewish Community of Latvia in accordance with the law “for good will compensation to the Jewish community of Latvia”.
