Politiskās cīņas par Raini un Aspaziju

Abstract

One of the key responsibilities of the state authority is to win and keep the public’s support for political choices, adherence to requests, etc. Propaganda is a powerful tool for winning over folks’ loyalty. Creative individuals in the world of art and culture frequently participate in the dissemination of an ideological statement. Rainis (1865–1929) and Aspazija (1865–1943) are popular and respected poets and public figures. People are listening to their opinion; therefore, it is in the interests of both independent Latvia and the Soviet occupation authorities to make them their “allies”. In the case of Rainis – even after the death of the poet. The case study of the interaction between poets and state authority in the context of Latvian literature history enables us to understand the tactics used by the state authority to enlist the aid of creative individuals and use them to carry out propaganda objectives. These tactics also included intimidation and subjugation, the spread of purposefully false information, and the concealment of the truth. The study examines the period from the 1920s to the 1970s, concentrating particularly on the first year of the Soviet occupation (1940), and examines the ways in which the names Rainis and Aspazija appear in the official rhetoric of the occupying power – in press materials and fiction. The study also examines how the poets’ works were used to further propaganda goals.