At the rear end of Raiņa kapi (Rainis Cemetery), across the street from Brāļu kapi
At the rear end of Raiņa kapi (Rainis Cemetery), across the street from Brāļu kapi
At the rear end of Raiņa kapi (Rainis Cemetery), across the street from Brāļu kapi
Lieutenant-Colonel МАЧАХИН, forever a Red Army occupant, greets me
Lieutenant-Colonel МАЧАХИН, forever a Red Army occupant, greets me
Lieutenant-Colonel МАЧАХИН, forever a Red Army occupant, greets me
A clearly Soviet era competing to be more grandiose memorial complex looms nearby, the "Field of Leadership", erected in the 1960's for burial of the Soviet government's and party leadership's finest. In subsequent years, qualifications for burial were expanded to include regime apparatchiks.
A clearly Soviet era competing to be more grandiose memorial complex looms nearby, the "Field of Leadership", erected in the 1960's for burial of the Soviet government's and party leadership's finest. In subsequent years, qualifications for burial were expanded to include regime apparatchiks.
A clearly Soviet era competing to be more grandiose memorial complex looms nearby, the "Field of Leadership", erected in the 1960's for burial of the Soviet government's and party leadership's finest. In subsequent years, qualifications for burial were expanded to include regime apparatchiks.
The flying avenging sword brandishing figure is reminiscent of "monuments to the soldiers-liberators" scattered across the former Soviet Union and puppet territories
The flying avenging sword brandishing figure is reminiscent of "monuments to the soldiers-liberators" scattered across the former Soviet Union and puppet territories
The flying avenging sword brandishing figure is reminiscent of "monuments to the soldiers-liberators" scattered across the former Soviet Union and puppet territories
Figures along the wall, part of the "Field of Leadership" complex
Figures along the wall, part of the "Field of Leadership" complex
Figures along the wall, part of the "Field of Leadership" complex
"Field of Leadership" headstone of apparatchik, head of the Administrative State-Legal Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Latvian SSR from 1960-63, Philip Philipovich Sokurenko
"Field of Leadership" headstone of apparatchik, head of the Administrative State-Legal Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Latvian SSR from 1960-63, Philip Philipovich Sokurenko
"Field of Leadership" headstone of apparatchik, head of the Administrative State-Legal Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Latvian SSR from 1960-63, Philip Philipovich Sokurenko
Russian ostentation even in death
Russian ostentation even in death
Russian ostentation even in death
Perhaps some kind soul will decipher Cyrillic script for me, curious
Perhaps some kind soul will decipher Cyrillic script for me, curious
Perhaps some kind soul will decipher Cyrillic script for me, curious
Monument commemorating hero warrior bombers-killers Imants Sudmalis and Džems Bankovičs et al.
Monument commemorating hero warrior bombers-killers Imants Sudmalis and Džems Bankovičs et al.
Monument commemorating hero warrior bombers-killers Imants Sudmalis and Džems Bankovičs et al.
My first view of the Rainis collonade
My first view of the Rainis collonade
My first view of the Rainis collonade
Dead and buried Red Army encircle Rainis' memorial
Dead and buried Red Army encircle Rainis' memorial
Dead and buried Red Army encircle Rainis' memorial
Even in death some rank above others, going by headstone height
Even in death some rank above others, going by headstone height
Even in death some rank above others, going by headstone height
Who ranks above the rest? Facing Rainis' monument from the left, SOVIET GUARDS MAJOR-GENERAL
EVGENII GRIGOREVICH USHAKOV (JANUARY 21, 1901 – OCTOBER 13, 1952)
ETERNAL MEMORY DEARLY BELOVED
FATHER, HUSBAND, BROTHER, FRIEND.
Who ranks above the rest? Facing Rainis' monument from the left, SOVIET GUARDS MAJOR-GENERAL
EVGENII GRIGOREVICH USHAKOV (JANUARY 21, 1901 – OCTOBER 13, 1952)
ETERNAL MEMORY DEARLY BELOVED
FATHER, HUSBAND, BROTHER, FRIEND.
Who ranks above the rest? Facing Rainis' monument from the left, SOVIET GUARDS MAJOR-GENERAL
EVGENII GRIGOREVICH USHAKOV (JANUARY 21, 1901 – OCTOBER 13, 1952)
ETERNAL MEMORY DEARLY BELOVED
FATHER, HUSBAND, BROTHER, FRIEND.
Little could I imagine that a mere 5 years later, in 2009, Nils Ušakovs, the grandson of this Red Army invader-occupier picked out only by the size of his headstone, would be elected mayor of Rīga, Latvia's capital city, to eventually serve as mayor for an entire decade — and who refused to condemn Russia's invasion and annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Little could I imagine that a mere 5 years later, in 2009, Nils Ušakovs, the grandson of this Red Army invader-occupier picked out only by the size of his headstone, would be elected mayor of Rīga, Latvia's capital city, to eventually serve as mayor for an entire decade — and who refused to condemn Russia's invasion and annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Little could I imagine that a mere 5 years later, in 2009, Nils Ušakovs, the grandson of this Red Army invader-occupier picked out only by the size of his headstone, would be elected mayor of Rīga, Latvia's capital city, to eventually serve as mayor for an entire decade — and who refused to condemn Russia's invasion and annexation of Crimea in 2014.
A view of Rainis' memorial
A view of Rainis' memorial
A view of Rainis' memorial
A view of Rainis' memorial
A view of Rainis' memorial
A view of Rainis' memorial
A view of Rainis' memorial, "Genius Awakening"
A view of Rainis' memorial, "Genius Awakening"
A view of Rainis' memorial, "Genius Awakening"
The lawn- and tree-lined promenade leading from the cemetery entrance to Rainis' memorial.
The lawn- and tree-lined promenade leading from the cemetery entrance to Rainis' memorial.
The lawn- and tree-lined promenade leading from the cemetery entrance to Rainis' memorial.
Latvians do not view/avoid cemeteries as some sort of morbid fields of the dead as in America. At the cemetery entrance, a guide and map to the final resting places of notables. RAKSTNIEKI UN DZEJNIEKI are authors and poets.
Latvians do not view/avoid cemeteries as some sort of morbid fields of the dead as in America. At the cemetery entrance, a guide and map to the final resting places of notables. RAKSTNIEKI UN DZEJNIEKI are authors and poets.
Latvians do not view/avoid cemeteries as some sort of morbid fields of the dead as in America. At the cemetery entrance, a guide and map to the final resting places of notables. RAKSTNIEKI UN DZEJNIEKI are authors and poets.
SKATUVES MĀKSLINIEKI are artists of the stage—actors
SKATUVES MĀKSLINIEKI are artists of the stage—actors
SKATUVES MĀKSLINIEKI are artists of the stage—actors
MĀKSLINIEKI UN ARHITEKTI are artists and architects
MĀKSLINIEKI UN ARHITEKTI are artists and architects
MĀKSLINIEKI UN ARHITEKTI are artists and architects
CITI IEVĒROJĀMI MĀKSLAS PIEMINEKĻI are other notable artistic monuments to families, individuals, and to practitioners of the ancient pagan religion, Dievturi, killed by the Soviets
CITI IEVĒROJĀMI MĀKSLAS PIEMINEKĻI are other notable artistic monuments to families, individuals, and to practitioners of the ancient pagan religion, Dievturi, killed by the Soviets
CITI IEVĒROJĀMI MĀKSLAS PIEMINEKĻI are other notable artistic monuments to families, individuals, and to practitioners of the ancient pagan religion, Dievturi, killed by the Soviets
SABIEDRISKIE UN KULTŪRAS DARBINIEKI are societal annd cultural activists ("workers in society and culture"), MUZĪĶI are musicians
SABIEDRISKIE UN KULTŪRAS DARBINIEKI are societal annd cultural activists ("workers in society and culture"), MUZĪĶI are musicians
SABIEDRISKIE UN KULTŪRAS DARBINIEKI are societal annd cultural activists ("workers in society and culture"), MUZĪĶI are musicians
ZINĀTNES DARBINIEKI are teachers and scholars ("workers in knowledge")
ZINĀTNES DARBINIEKI are teachers and scholars ("workers in knowledge")
ZINĀTNES DARBINIEKI are teachers and scholars ("workers in knowledge")
Closeup from the cemetery map
Closeup from the cemetery map
Closeup from the cemetery map
On a dank day, only the groundskeeper is to be seen as we look down the promenade to Rainis' memorial
On a dank day, only the groundskeeper is to be seen as we look down the promenade to Rainis' memorial
On a dank day, only the groundskeeper is to be seen as we look down the promenade to Rainis' memorial
My wandering done, I head out to the street, directly across from the Brethren Cemetery entrance
My wandering done, I head out to the street, directly across from the Brethren Cemetery entrance
My wandering done, I head out to the street, directly across from the Brethren Cemetery entrance
Raiņa kapi entrance facade
Raiņa kapi entrance facade
Raiņa kapi entrance facade
Ample opportunity for cemetery visitors to buy flowers as they come up the street from the tram stop
Ample opportunity for cemetery visitors to buy flowers as they come up the street from the tram stop
Ample opportunity for cemetery visitors to buy flowers as they come up the street from the tram stop
latviski
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