Submitted by Amber Kirste on the 2024 Winter LLCU program in Latvia…
This past week, my first week in Riga, we learned about the politics and history of the beautiful country of Latvia.
My favorite part of the week was the day we visited the KGB museum. I am a double major and a triple minor, with majors in international relations and European studies and minors in history, Russian, and writing.
When we went to the KGB museum, I almost expected it to be similar to the Spy Museum in Washington DC, significantly watered down and never talking about the real issues related to spycraft. However, when I walked into building and it was not heated, and the insides of the museum were decaying, I realized that this would be a very different experience than I expected.
Latvia was occupied by the Soviet Union from 1940 to 1990, during this time, I had always considered that Latvia was a willing participant in the Soviet system. However, coming here, I have learned a very different story. The Latvian people were not willing participants in the Soviet Union. In fact, a majority of them resisted joining the Union. Had I never come here, I never would have known.
Because of this history of occupation of the Latvian people, the KGB museum reflected that. It was hauntingly quiet and we were able to go into the actual cells and interrogation rooms where people were held before being deported to labor camps in Siberia, or killed.
The last room in the tour was the execution room. I stood there staring at the bullet-hole-ridden wall and I could not breathe.
Hundreds of men and women died here for an ideological battle that never needed to be fought, but they paid the ultimate price for it.
It reminded of why I study history, to ensure that those same mistakes are never made again. (Submitted on January 13, 2024)
