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Known originally as Livonia, the area that now constitutes Latvia was under the influence of the German Sword Brethren (Schwertbr?from the 13th century onward until the 16th century, when the institution of Livonia was terminated and sold by the local aristocracy to Poland. During several wars different regions of Latvia were occupied by Poland, Sweden and Russia. However, in the 18th century, during the Great Northern War, and later, following the Partitions of Poland, Russia gained control over Latvia and the neighbouring regions.
With Russia devastated by revolution and World War I, Latvia declared its independence on November 18, 1918. After independence was gained, there still were two years of battles against German militarists, communists and adventurers like Pavel Bermont-Avalov. These two years are called The Struggle for Independence. During the Russian Civil War (1917-1922), Latvians fought on both sides with a significant group supporting the bolsheviks (known as Latvian red riflemen).
During the 1920s and early 1930s, Latvia enjoyed an elected, republican government. Its constitution was adopted on February 15, 1922. It acknowledged that the people themselves were sovereign, and provided for the proportional election of their representatives by all Latvians of at least 21 years of age. As with most democratic governments, it was a multi-party system, with between 22 and 28 parties, at any given time, holding at least one seat in the parliament, called the Saeima. Governments were usually organized by coalitions of parties, forming a large enough percentage to control the whole.
This system was overthrown by Prime Minister KⲬis Ulmanis, in a military coup in 1934. Latvia became an authoritarian state. Its independence lasted only briefly, as the Soviet Union occupied and annexed the country on June 17, 1940 in accordance with the Soviet-German agreement (Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact) of 1939. Latvians - like most other Europeans - were involved in World War II; it began when the Red Army recruited troops in 1941. After the Soviet Union was pushed out by Nazi Germany a little later, locals were recruited for a "border patrol" and formed a legion in the Waffen-SS. Latvians therefore fought for both sides in large numbers.
Except for a brief period of German occupation during World War II (Latvia was a part of Nazi Germany's Reichskommissariat Ostland), Latvia was a full member of the Soviet Union as Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic until the country regained its independence on August 21, 1991. In 2004, the country became a member of both NATO and the European Union.
With Russia devastated by revolution and World War I, Latvia declared its independence on November 18, 1918. After independence was gained, there still were two years of battles against German militarists, communists and adventurers like Pavel Bermont-Avalov. These two years are called The Struggle for Independence. During the Russian Civil War (1917-1922), Latvians fought on both sides with a significant group supporting the bolsheviks (known as Latvian red riflemen).
During the 1920s and early 1930s, Latvia enjoyed an elected, republican government. Its constitution was adopted on February 15, 1922. It acknowledged that the people themselves were sovereign, and provided for the proportional election of their representatives by all Latvians of at least 21 years of age. As with most democratic governments, it was a multi-party system, with between 22 and 28 parties, at any given time, holding at least one seat in the parliament, called the Saeima. Governments were usually organized by coalitions of parties, forming a large enough percentage to control the whole.
This system was overthrown by Prime Minister KⲬis Ulmanis, in a military coup in 1934. Latvia became an authoritarian state. Its independence lasted only briefly, as the Soviet Union occupied and annexed the country on June 17, 1940 in accordance with the Soviet-German agreement (Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact) of 1939. Latvians - like most other Europeans - were involved in World War II; it began when the Red Army recruited troops in 1941. After the Soviet Union was pushed out by Nazi Germany a little later, locals were recruited for a "border patrol" and formed a legion in the Waffen-SS. Latvians therefore fought for both sides in large numbers.
Except for a brief period of German occupation during World War II (Latvia was a part of Nazi Germany's Reichskommissariat Ostland), Latvia was a full member of the Soviet Union as Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic until the country regained its independence on August 21, 1991. In 2004, the country became a member of both NATO and the European Union.