GalleryWork is a blessing
Every Latvian who has built up his life either by using his head or his hands, who, when he was still at home tried o make his country a beautiful and pleasant place to live in, is aware that it is a misfortune to be out of work. This belief has not been changed by exile, as work is essential n order to live, just as medicine is necessary for the sick.
Nearly one half of the Latvian population in Esslingen are small children, pupils, old or sick people who are unable to work. The other half is working either for the Army in he Military Government or in various enterprises and offices of UNRRA.
Approximatively one fifth of the Centre inhabitants have no permanent occupation. These participate in enterprises for the common benefit of the Community. As examples can be mentioned the cutting and delivering of firewood and cleaning the garbage dumps around the houses of the Centre. These garbage dumps have been transformed into a pleasing Sport Field which gives the youth the possibility of outdoor entertainment.
The Latvian Settlement in Esslingen can be proud of its imposing number of workshops and enterprises. The workshops have been established, not only to satisfy the various needs of the inhabitants, but also to offer a possibility of learning such handicrafts as may provide the best opportunities of earning one's living in countries abroad. The variety of workshops is really noteworthy. There are workshops for woodworking, tailoring, shoemaking, where masters and apprentices are as busy as bees from early morning till late at night.
If a year ago one Latvian asked another: "What is the time?" the most likely answer was: "I don't know, my watch has stopped."; Now times have changed and at the watchmaker's one can see on the shelves a number of watches and on the walls are hanging clocks each one testifying with its own tune that all of them are back to life again to serve their purpose, viz. to measure time. During a month ten men have succeeded in repairing about a 100 watches. This is a remarkable fact, considering that as no spare parts were available these had to be made by hand.
Not everybody can buy without difficulty a wash-basin, a pan, a tea pot, a grater or any other small household utensil. But, the Latvian tinsmiths conjure up miracles. They manufacture these utensils out of old tin cans.
At another place future gold and silversmiths are sawing, filing, soldering and welding much more precious materials. Engravers adorn and specialists in embossing work give the final touch to specimens of this fine art.
There is a place where you can also have your radio set repaired and where electrical kitchen utensils are manufactured.
Somewhere else people can learn how leather must be treated. A special workshop is established in the former "Fliegerschule" (Aviation School) where a number of women manufacture hats and house shoes from old clothes supplied by UNRRA.
Tailors for ladies and gentlemen are transforming and mending old clothes, but if new material is provided, they can make new clothes as well.
Vulcanizing of tires in the Centre workshop is done for UNRRA cars, as well as for the cars of other organisations.
