Feils (1902 – 1942) was a conductor, music teacher, and composer. He was born on May 29 in Riga into a wealthy and intellectual family. In 1914 Feils together with his family ran to Russia, where they went through difficulties and misery caused by the war and revolution. In 1920 after return to Latvia Alfred … >>

Architect (1903-1982).  He was born on July 3, 1903 in Cesis district Lizums parish. In 1932 he graduated from the University of Latvia, the Faculty of Architecture the workshop of the Professor P. Kundzins.  During the study years he studied and surveyed Latvian architectural monuments. He worked in Latvia Ministry of War in the construction … >>

 Francis Trasuns is one of the most eminent participants of National Latgalian Awakening. He had written several textbooks as well as had published and edited several periodicals – newspaper “Auseklis” (1906-1907) and “Zemnīku Bolss” (1924-1926), magazine “Zemnīku Draugs” (1920). Trasuns took active participation in different public organizations (Association of Latvians in Riga, Musical Association of … >>

Artist, founder and director of History Museum of Daugavpils (1902-1993). He was born on April 24, 1902 in Rezekne district in Berzgale parish in Ilzene in the family of an official. He started his education in Rezekne State Gymnasium, during the years of the First World War he run away with family and got to … >>

Architect (1840-1911).  Paul Max Bertschy was born on January 1 (14), 1840 in the city of Strausberg near Berlin (Germany) as the second of nine children in the family. Paul Max came from a carpenter family – his father, grandfather and great-grandfather were skilful carpenters. During the teenage years, he left Strausberg to study in … >>

A scientist, road engineer, landlord of Riebini and Luznava (1810-1899). Born on 9th of March 1810 in Naudvare, province of Kovan near Panevezys (Lithuania). After his graduation from Kaunas Gymnasium in 1826, S. Kerbedzs studied at Vilnius University (1826-1828), and finished the St. Petersburg Institute of Civil Engineers (1828-1833). Later he continued his studies in England … >>

Painter (1906 – 1989). He was born in 1906 in Daugavpils. At the very beginning he studied at the Vitebsk Art School at Yuri Pena and Mark Shagal. In 1922 he moved to Petrograd, where he studied at the Institute of Arts under the guidance of Kazimir Malevich, and attended Pavel Filonov’s School of Analytical … >>

Pseudonym – Jacques Shapiro. Jacques Chapiro (1897-1972) was a painter. Yakov Chapiro was born on June 13, 1897 in Daugavpils, in the family of a woodcutter Abraham Chapiro. The boy got traditional Jewish religious education and began to learn the basics of art at the age of 10. In 1915, Yakov began his studies at … >>

Writer Leonid Dobychin was born on 5 (17) July 1894 in Lyutsin (nowadays Ludza) to the family of the district doctor, who soon was transferred to Dvinsk (Daugavpils). He studied in Dvinsk Modern School. In 1911 he entered Petrograd Polytechnical University and graduated it in 1916. In 1918 moved to Bryansk. He worked as a … >>