The Culture of Societies and Latvian Books in Livland and Courland during the Early 19th Century

The Culture of Societies and Latvian Books in Livland and Courland during the Early 19th Century

Pauls Daija

The article explores the role of the Baltic German patriotic, economic, and literary societies in development of Latvian literary culture during the early 19th century when these groups were established. As the Baltic German intellectuals were the main producers of Latvian books before and during the abolishment of serfdom (1817 in Courland (Kurzeme), 1819 in Livland (Vidzeme)), their societies contributed significantly to the promotion of Enlightenment ideas and coordination of educational activities. In the article the activities of Livonian Benevolent and Economical Society and Riga Literary Practical Citizen Society in production of Latvian books are explored. Both groups supported the printing of books in order to promote agricultural improvements, medical education and temperance ideas. They also developed new channels of book distribution. While these two aforementioned societies had secular outlook, the Riga and Courland Departments of Russian Bible Society devoted their activities to printing and distributing the Bible and the New Testament. The article also describes how the Courland Society of Literature and Art developed the concept of the first Latvian newspaper and promoted discussions about the Germanisation of Latvians which led to the establishing of the Latvian Literary Society that was founded to study Latvian language, ethnography, history and folklore. It also contributed to the development of Latvian literature by publishing translations of Weimar Classics and other works of world literature. The article concludes that the role of the Baltic German societies, although they had different aims, was significant in promotion of Latvian education through books and by disseminating the ideas of Enlightenment among Latvians.