“I’m surprised that it still stands”, or the Case of the Formerly “Red” Latvian Riflemen

(Károly TÓTH, 2YMA Comparative History, 2nd year)

Albergs–Driba: Latviešu strēlnieku piemineklis (1970–1971)
(own work)

Valdis Albergs’ 13-meters-high statue made of red granite – supported by a purist pedestral designed by Dzintars Driba –, originally entitled as Latviešu strēlnieku piemineklis (“Monument to the Latvian Red Riflemen”) stands in the central district of Riga, called Vecrīga (“Old Riga”) since 1971; in the year following its erection both of them received the prestigious State Prize of the USSR for this monument.

The “red” is dropped from the name, but the stars remained on the hats – Historical idiosincrasy or national reconciliation?
(own work)

Some Latvians think that the monumental statue on the Latviešu strēlnieku laukums (“Square of the Latvian Riflemen”) is a symbol of the Soviet past, while others claim that it is a necessary tribute to their own compatriots, who fought in the early period of the First World War. While checking the reviews of the monument on Google Maps, I found a comment of a Russian traveler as probably the most representative one: “Udivlyon chto on yeshcho stoit.” (“I’m surprised that it still stands.”)

To the Latvian R̶e̶d̶ ̶Riflemen?
(own work)

The Latvian rifleman regiments were originally formed in 1915 to defend Riga from the German Imperial Army. Later the total of about 40 000 troops were became a core of the future Red Army, and some of them became Lenin’s personal bodyguards. 

In 2000 the original inscription of the monument was altered from “Latviešu sarkanajiem strēlniekiem 1915-1920” ([Dedicated] to the Latvian Red Riflemen 1915-1920) by deleting the word red.