Soviet republic that existed on the territory of the former Baltic governorates of the Russian Empire at the end of 1918–beginning of 1920.

 

At the end of July 1917, the Executive Committee (Iskolat) was established at a meeting of the Soviet of Workers’, Soldiers’ and Landless Deputies in Riga to head all Soviets on the territory of the Courland and Livonia governorates. The Bolsheviks as members of the Latvian Social Democracy played a key role in the creation and functioning of the Iskolat. Soviet power was proclaimed in the unoccupied part of Vidzeme in November and in December, the 2nd Congress of Latvian Soviets elected a new Iskolat headed by Fricis Roziņš, the Bolshevik. The Declaration on Latvia’s self-determination as part of Soviet Russia (including the Latvian districts of the Vitebsk governorate) was adopted; the Latvian language received the status of the state language. Iskolat ceased activities in February 1918 because of the German occupation of the entire Latvian territory.

 

In early December 1918, after the defeat of Germany in World War I, the Provisional Workers’ and Peasants’ Government of Latvia under the chairmanship of Pyotr Stuchka was created on the territory of the Russian SFSR. Latvian army group was created within the Western Army of the Red Army to occupy territories in the Baltic. On December 17, the Stuchka government issued a manifesto in Valka on the establishment of Soviet power throughout Latvia. On December 22, the Council of People’s Commissars of the Russian SFSR recognized the Soviet government of Latvia. Red Army units took control of most of the country and its capital by mid-January 1919. The Latvian SSR was established in Riga on January 13.

 

The Congress of Soviets of Workers’ Deputies and its permanent representative body, the Latvian Central Executive Committee (which formed the government) were declared the highest authorities of the country. The authorities of the Latvian SSR removed landlord ownership, carried out the nationalization of land and property and other measures in keeping with the policy of War Communism of the Russian SFSR.

 

In the second half of January 1919, units of the Republic of Latvia army managed to repel the attacks of the Reds and defeat the enemy in the battle for Skrunda (January 29). Beyond that, the army of the Republic of Estonia went on the offensive and threatened the Latvian SSR from the North. Units of the Latvian army with the support of German units managed to approach Riga in March. The Red Army’s command failed to remedy the situation and carry out a counter-offensive in the Estonian direction in February and May. In April, Polish troops defeated the Lithuanian units of the Red Army, so the military forces of Soviet Latvia were transferred to defense Dvinsk. Riga was occupied by detachments of the Latvian army on May 22–23, the government of the Latvian SSR was evacuated to Rezhitsa (Rezekne) on the territory of Latgale.

 

The lack of supplies and the need to transfer troops to the South of Russia to fight Anton Denikin prevented the Red Army from conducting offensive operations in Latvia in the second half of 1919. By the end of the year, the authorities of the Republic of Latvia agreed with Poland on a joint offensive against the Latvian SSR, which began in January 1920. Units of the Red Army were driven out of Latgale in early February. The government of Soviet Latvia moved to the territory of the Russian SFSR (Velikiye Luki) and presently dissolved itself.