Riga Polytechnic Institute Research Articles

Pedagogical Activities of Graduate (1916) of Riga Polytechnic Institute Jānis Rupais (1889–1974) in Latvia

The research on Jānis Rupais (1889–1974), engineer, pedagogue, and graduate of the Department of Chemistry (1916) of Riga Polytechnic Institute (RPI), was conducted using the documents of the National Archives of Latvia, the Latvian State Historical Archive and the Latvian State Archives, as well as Gulbene Municipality Museum of History and Art. The article about the well-known pedagogue in Latvia in the 20th century – the long-term and only Principal of Gulbene State Commercial School and Vocational School (1926– 1944) J. Rupais also reflects on his activities after World War II at Riga Industrial Polytechnicum. It describes both the educational institutions, the principal and pedagogue J. Rupais and his work methods, and the contribution he made to Gulbene and Latvia.

Pedagogical and Scientific Heritage of Professor of Riga Polytechnic Institute Mikhail Berlov (1867–1935)

The pedagogical and scientific activity of a mechanical engineer, a faculty member (1897–1918) of Riga Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Professor (1904) Mikhail Berlov (Михаил Берлов; 1867–1935) at the end of the 19th century and in the first half of the 20th century was related to Riga, as well as the Russian city of Ivanovo-Voznesensk (at present – Ivanovo). M. Berlov was the first Rector of the Ivanovo-Voznesensk Polytechnic Institute (IVPI; 1918–1921), who returned to Riga in 1921, obtained Latvian citizenship, and worked at the Russian Technical School of Nikolai Okolo-Kulak. The research also revealed the contribution of the pedagogue and scientist to the compilation of textbooks that were used in the Russian Empire, including in the territory of present-day Latvia in the first half of the 20th century and in the first years of the Republic of Latvia.

The Life of Marine Engineer Officer Edgars Oto Pinka (1895–1941)

Based on the documents, the study provides a wide and comprehensive evaluation of the life of an engineer and citizen from Vidzeme Edgars Otto Pinka (1895–1941). His life was related to ships, military service in Latvia, Russia, and France, and the Latvian Society of Paris. Researching E. O. Pinka’s studies and work, the author has studied the engineer’s life from birth to the end of his life, reflecting on his progress as one of the best specialists in the Latvian Navy in his capacity of an engineer mechanic, shipping engineer, officer, and pedagogue. The contribution of E. O. Pinka to raising awareness about Latvia and Latvian music in France in the early 1930s is also significant. His daughter, a graduate (1964) of Riga Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Māra Pinka, inherited his interest in music. The article was developed by studying the collections of Latvian libraries, archives, and museums and communicating with the successors of E. O. Pinka’s family.

Early Engineers and Architects Born on the Territory of Present North Macedonia

This article presents the initial results of the ongoing research into the early engineers and architects born in the past on the territory of present North Macedonia, who graduated before the establishment of the country on 2 August 1944, prior to the founding of the first Technical Faculty in Skopje in 1949. The majority of the identified engineers and architects were men who graduated within the interwar period from the Technical Faculty at the University of Belgrade (Serbia), founded in 1846. Women started entering engineering and architecture in the 1930s. Some of the early graduates pursued their professional careers elsewhere. Three graduates of Riga Polytechnic Institute (Latvia) were identified, who had their degrees recognized by the Technical Faculty in Belgrade, as well as one Serbian woman, an engineer, and an architect who briefly lived in Riga within the researched period. This study contributes to the history of engineering and architecture in North Macedonia.

Life and Contribution of Electrical Engineering Specialist Nikolai Ozmidoff (1850–1938) to the Field of Engineering

The research covers the multi-faceted activities of Nikolai Ozmidoff (Николай Озмидов; 1850–1938), a specialist in electrical engineering, member of academic staff (1884–1918) of Riga Polytechnicum (RP) / Riga Polytechnic Institute (RPI), professor (1906), in various positions – working on the railway in Switzerland and Germany, in geodesy, surveying, electrical engineering in Riga, as well as his pedagogical and scientific activities at RP / RPI and Ivanovo- Voznesensk Polytechnic Institute in Russia. Developing the article, the author used archival documents, scientific literature, and publications in the press.

Eugen Habermann (1884–1944) and Herbert Johanson (1884–1964) – from Studies at Riga Polytechnic Institute to the Top of Estonian Architecture

Graduates of Riga Polytechnic Institute Eugen Habermann (1884–1944) and Herbert Johanson (1884–1964) became the most active architects in Estonia in the 1920s and 1930s. E. Habermann was the City Planning Architect of Tallinn (1914–1923), at the same time, he headed the Construction Board of the Ministry of the Interior (1919–1923). H. Johanson led the project bureau of the City Architect of Tallinn (1924–1944). From 1935, he also ran the Tallinn Municipal Architecture Office. Both architects were the founders of the Estonian Association of Architects (1921) and its chairmen, E. Habermann – from 1921 to 1936 and H. Johanson – in the 1930s. The extensive list of projects of E. Habermann and H. Johanson consists of around 200 projects, including buildings of nearly all types. The article aims to characterize E. Habermann and H. Johanson as personalities based on the memories of their fellows, it also reflects on the main features and stylistic development of their architecture.

Life of a Graduate of Riga Polytechnic Institute Rodrigo Slaviņš, an Engineer and Orienteer, and his Contribution to the Orienteering Sport

The article reflects on the achievements of Rodrigo Slaviņš, a graduate of the Faculty of Chemistry (1963) of Riga Polytechnic Institute (RPI), an engineer, the Officer of the Order of the Three Stars, three-time champion of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), Master of Sports in orienteering, in the development of orienteering sports traditions, his work at the Latvian Olympic Committee (LOC), as well as his activities as the Head of the Latvian Orienteering Federation (LOF). Special attention is paid to his merit in popularizing orienteering sports and his achievements in competitions of various scales. Developing this article, the authors interviewed R. Slaviņš. They used his personal archive, the documents of the Latvian National Archives of Latvian State Historical Archive and RTU Archive, the collection of the Latvian National Library, scientific literature, and publications in the press.

Pedagogical and Political Activity of Pēteris Sauleskalns (1876–1975), a Graduate (1908) of Riga Polytechnic Institute

In the study dedicated to Pēteris Sauleskalns (1876–1975), a graduate of Riga Polytechnic Institute (RPI), an agronomist, pedagogue, and teacher, the author used archival and library materials describing the family of Sauleskalns and the childhood of his son Pēteris, his study and work life, and pedagogical activities at Priekuļi (1912–1918) and Latgale (1921–1936) / Malnava (1936– 1940) Agricultural Secondary Schools, evaluating his contribution to the establishment and management of the Malnava Agricultural Secondary School. The teacher with a long-term experience, P. Sauleskalns also participated in political life – he represented the Latvian Farmers’ Union at the Latvian Constitutional Assembly (1920–1922). For his successful work in the area of agricultural education, he was twice awarded the highest Latvian state award – the Order of the Three Stars. After World War II, he lived in exile in the United States.

Elektrotehnikas speciālista Nikolaja Ozmidova (1850–1938) dzīvesdarbība un devums inženierzinātnēs

The research covers the multi-faceted activities of Nikolai Ozmidoff (Николай Озмидов; 1850–1938), a specialist in electrical engineering, member of academic staff (1884–1918) of Riga Polytechnicum (RP) / Riga Polytechnic Institute (RPI), professor (1906), in various positions – working on the railway in Switzerland and Germany, in geodesy, surveying, electrical engineering in Riga, as well as his pedagogical and scientific activities at RP / RPI and Ivanovo-Voznesensk Polytechnic Institute in Russia. Developing the article, the author used archival documents, scientific literature, and publications in the press.

Rīgas Politehniskā institūta absolventa (1908) Pētera Sauleskalna (1876–1975) pedagoģiskā un politiskā darbība

In the study dedicated to Pēteris Sauleskalns (1876–1975), a graduate of Riga Polytechnic Institute (RPI), an agronomist, pedagogue, and teacher, the author used archival and library materials describing the family of Sauleskalns and the childhood of his son Pēteris, his study and work life, and pedagogical activities at Priekuļi (1912–19) and Latgale (1921–1936) / Malnava (1936–1940) Agricultural Secondary Schools, evaluating his contribution to the establishment and management of the Malnava Agricultural Secondary School. The teacher with a long-term experience, P. Sauleskalns also participated in political life – he represented the Latvian Farmers’ Union at the Latvian Constitutional Assembly (1920–1922). For his successful work in the area of agricultural education, he was twice awarded the highest Latvian state award – the Order of the Three Stars. After World War II, he lived in exile in the United States.

Eižens Habermanis (1884–1944) un Herberts Johansons (1884–1964) – no studijām Rīgas Politehniskajā institūtā līdz Igaunijas arhitektūras virsotnēm

Graduates from Riga Polytechnic Institute Eugen Habermann (1884–1944) and Herbert Johanson (1884–1964) became the most active architects in Estonia of the 1920s and 1930s. E. Habermann was the city planning architect of Tallinn (1914–1923), the same time he headed the Construction Board of the Ministry of the Interior (1919–1923). H. Johanson lead the Tallinn city architect’s project bureau (1924–1944). From 1935, he also run the Tallinn municipal architecture office. Both architects were the founders of the Estonian Association of Archi­tects (1921) and its chairmen, E. Habermann from 1921 to 1936, H. Johanson in the 1930s. The extensive list of E. Habermann’s and H. Johanson’s works consists around 200 projects, covering nearly all typologies of buildings. The article, using quo­tes from their fellows’ memories, characterises E. Habermann and H. Johanson as persons, and brings out the main features and stylistic development of their architecture.

Rīgas Politehniskā institūta absolventa, inženiera un orientierista Rodrigo Slaviņa dzīvesdarbība un ieguldījums orientēšanās sportā

The authors of the article have gathered information on the achievements and characterized the work of a former student of Riga Polytechnic Institute – Rodrigo Slaviņš. In response to the forthcoming 85th anniversary of the famous Latvian persona – Rodrigo Slaviņš – an engineer, an athlete ( the Master of Sports of the USSR in orienteering), one of the coordinators and organizers of the Latvian sports life, one of the founders of the mass sports event «Magnēts» (which has been organised already for 50 years), as well as a grandfather and husband, the authors of the article aim to contribute to and celebrate the history of Riga Technical University.

Contribution of Estonian Architect Karl Tarvas (1885–1975), a Graduate of Riga Polytechnic Institute, to Estonian Housing During the Interwar Period

Riga Polytechnicum (RP) / Riga Polytechnic Institute (RPI) was the only higher education institution in the territory of the present Baltic States where it was possible to obtain higher technical education in the 19th century and early 20th century. Well-known Estonian architects, engineers and industrialists also studied there. Karl Tarvas (1885–1975), a famous Estonian architect, studied at RPI from 1906 to 1915. His creative heritage significantly influenced and shaped the architecture of Tallinn and its suburbs in the 1920s and 1940s. During the Interwar period in the Republic of Estonia, K. Tarvas deliberately chose to improve the living conditions of the less affluent population by designing standard wooden buildings, which we now know as the Tallinn House (Estonian: Tallinna maja). This research provides an insight into the study years of K. Tarvas and critically evaluates his professional activity. K. Tarvas was one of the founders of Riga Estonian Students’ Society (Estonian: Riia Eesti Üliõpilaste Selts; REÜS) established in 1909, which united Estonian students at RPI. He also was among the creators of the Estonian Association of Architects (Estonian: Eesti Arhitektide Ühing) in 1921. His three sons Paul, Peeter and Pärtel also chose the profession of an architect, Peeter Tarvas (1916–1987) was the most prominent of the three.

Professional and Social Activities of Engineer Jānis Jagars (1894–1970)

The research reveals facts about the family of engineer Jānis Jagars (1894–1970) and the versatility of his work in the 20th century. He studied at Riga Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and stayed in Russia during World War I. After returning to Latvia in the beginning of 1919, he graduated from the Baltic Technical University (BTU; Baltische Technische Hochschule, also Baltic Higher Technical School), which was established on the basis of RPI. J. Jagars participated in the activities of the Latvian Social Democratic Workers’ Party (LSDWP), which supported his becoming the Head of the Riga City Construction Board. After the coup organized by Kārlis Ulmanis (1877–1942) he was arrested, then – released, after which he headed an engineering office. In June 1940, he joined the government headed by Augusts Kirhenšteins (1872–1963), where he held the position of Minister of Transport. He evacuated to the Soviet Russia during World War II. After the war, J. Jagars was an Assistant Professor at the State University of Latvia (SUL) and worked in various construction design institutes.

Versatile Pedagogical and Social Activities of a Graduate of Riga Polytechnic Institute Jānis Stiprais (1870–1946)

The research discusses continuous effort of a pedagogue, economist and journalist Jānis Stiprais (1870–1946) in his pursuit to obtain education and his versatile pedagogical activities in Tomsk (Russia), Tukums, Valka and Riga, as well as the contribution he made in such areas as journalism, folklore and social work. J. Stiprais shared his knowledge of economics gained at Riga Polytechnic Institute (RPI) with the students at the University of Latvia (UL), Latvia People’s University and Vilis Olavs Commercial School; in the first half of the 20th century he was the principal of educational institutions in Tukums, Valka and Riga, he also was one of the signatories of the Memorandum of the Central Council of Latvia on 17 March 1944. In the recognition of J. Stiprais merit for Latvia, he was honoured with the highest award of the Republic of Latvia – the Order of the Three Stars.

Valerijs Bitenieks – From a Student of Riga Polytechnic Institute to a Construction Contractor in the Independent Latvia

A paper on Valerijs Bitenieks, a graduate (1986) of the Faculty of Architecture and Civil Engineering of Riga Polytechnic Institute (RPI), reflects on the daily life of the Soviet students in the 1980s, the work of a young engineer while he was trying various opportunities in the labour market and the engineer’s growth as a successful contractor in the independent Latvia in the 21st century. It traces the life of V. Bitenieks from his childhood to the present day, paying attention to his professional activities. The research provides an insight into students’ internships and extracurricular activities during the Soviet era. Unpublished photographic material unknown to the general public has been obtained.

Disco Culture and the Ritual Journey in the Soviet 1980s

This article traces a largely forgotten history of the 1980s Soviet disco craze by following the work of one of its pioneering figures, the Latvian DJ, musician, and performance artist Hardijs Lediņš (1955–2004). It documents how the movement coalesced amidst creative responses to the gradual opening of the USSR to Western popular culture on the one hand, and to the unique affordances of local political, social, and technological structures on the other. In Lediņš’s case, the response was also shaped by commitments to an ideal of Soviet socialism that persisted despite the grim realities of Brezhnev-era society. Drawing on archival research and oral history, I begin in the loosely monitored space of the Student Club at the Riga Polytechnic Institute, where Lediņš’s talents and ties to elites enabled him to found a wildly popular discotheque in the 1974–75 academic year, one of the first of its kind in the USSR. I follow his increasing investment in a distinctly Soviet form of experimentalist performance art in the early 1980s, in which—inspired in part by local readings of John Cage—the ritualized trek into the countryside became a vehicle for attaining spiritual enlightenment in communion with others. Finally, I consider ways in which his ritual journeys inflected his disco operation in subsequent years, when he reframed his events as experiments in communality—specifically, as means of experiencing, at least for an evening, the enlightening promise of Soviet socialism undelivered by the state itself.

Riga Technical University Conference and Sports Centre «Ronīši»

In 1958, when the Riga Polytechnic Institute (RPI) was renovated, the idea arose to create a sports and recreation camps, as well as a health camps for students, where after sessions they could relax and compete in various sports. RPI was one of the first Latvian higher education institutions to establish such bases. For the first time, the article summarizes and describes the development of the Riga Technical University (RTU) Conference and Sports centre «Ronīši» from the 1960s to the present day.

Foreword

The fourth issue of the scientific journal prepared by the RTU Research Centre for Engineering History (RCEH) comprises seven studies on Riga Polytechnicum (RP) / Riga Polytechnic Institute (RPI) students, graduates, lecturers and issues related to engineering sciences. The authors of the scientific publications are Latvian scientists, historians of science, museologists, and pedagogues. The articles are mainly based on the presentations made at the RTU 60th International Scientific Conference on 10 October 2019. The research topics are the activities of RP / RPI students, graduates and lecturers, the history of engineering sciences and associations

Development of Inventors’ Activities in Latvia: Inventors’ Societies, Exhibitions, Patents and the Rationalizers’ Movement

The article introduces inventors’ activities and inventors’ societies in Latvia in the 18th century, when it was part of tsarist Russia, until 2019. There is only one study on inventors’ activities, which includes the interwar period. There are many engineers among inventors, and this study reflects the participation of students, graduates and lecturers of Riga Polytechnicum (RP), Riga Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and Riga Technical University (RTU) in inventors’ activities. The research provides an insight into the history of protection of inventions, inventors’ activities, international exhibitions of inventions and innovations, activities of inventors’ societies.