Linards Eduardovich Reizins Born: 14 Jan 1924 in Riga, Latvia
Died: 1991 in Latvia Show birthplace location Previous (Chronologically) Next Biographies Index Previous (Alphabetically) Next Main index
Version for printing Linards Reizins family, including his father Eduard Reizins, were teachers. He attended elementary school in Riga and from there he Second Gymnasium of Riga but World War II began before these were completed. Latvia had been dominated by Russia from the end of the 18 th century until World War I. During 1917 this domination ended and, after a brief period of German invasion, the country became independent in a proclamation made on 18 November 1918. It was into this independent Latvia that Reizins was born and brought up, but that independence ended while he was still at high school. The German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact was signed in August 1939 and Latvia's fate was out of its own hands. On 17 June 1940 the Red Army invaded Latvia and only three days later a new government of Soviet supporters was announced. They voted on 21 July for Latvia to become a part of the USSR and on 5 August this became official. The Soviet occupation saw around 35,000 Latvians deported to Russia within a year. During this extremely difficult period Reizins continued his studies at the Gymnasium in Riga. However, the German army invaded Latvia in July 1941. | |
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