From Dvinsk to Daugavpils

Introduction

When our driver picked us up at our Riga hotel he told us that he doesn't usually take anyone to Daugavpils, the second largest city in Latvia. That doesn't mean much since Riga has a population of about 635,000 while Daugavpils is 83,000. He wondered why we would choose to go to Daugavpils. We are here because our great grandmother, Rose Deutch, was from what was then known as Dvinsk. This small city has gone through a transformation from Daniburg during the German occupation (1275-1893), Dvinsk during the Russian Empire (1893-1920), and finally Daugavpils in 1920. The name remained during the Soviet occupation (1944 - 1991) and now, as an independent republic.

The story of the Jewish population is a somber one. When my Deutch family -- great grandmother Ann, great grandfather Avram, great uncle Morris (Moshe), great aunt Dora -- lived here there were about 32,000 Jews making up 46% of the population and 34 active synagogues. At the start of World War I, after the Deutch children all left for America, there were 11,106 (1935) Jews (14.6% of the population). After World War II there were about 2,200 Jews. Many successful Jews were deported to Siberia during the Soviet occupation including most of the shop owners. Today there is one synagogue and 70 Jewish people. 

The city is quite diverse, although Russian is the primary language here. When our great grandmother lived here (1886-1903) the family, like many other Jewish families, spoke Yiddish, a language with Germanic and Hebrew roots. Our tour guide's first language is Russian, and our guide at the synagogue (who is also its president) only speaks Russian with enough English to give a tour.

A Quick Look at Daugavpils Today

We took a two-hour walking tour of the city, known for its easy and slow lifestyle. A sculpture of a snail along their pedestrian street symbolizes life here.

Along Riga Street, the long pedestrian walkway

Close to the newly rebuilt Russian Orthodox Church that was demolished by the Soviets is a memorial to the victims of the Soviet Regime.

St. Alexander Nevsky Russian Orthodox Church

Original building (1864-1961) destroyed by the Soviets

Rebuilt and Consecrated on the same site in 2004.

Memorial to the Victims of the Red Regime

Daugavpils is a very green city. We visited several parks including Andrejas Pumpura, named for a writer of Latvian folklore. The two photos show the water fountain today and back at the time that our family lived here. Our guide at the synagogue told us that it was the favorite meeting place for Jewish families.

The original fountain in what was then Alexander Nevsky Gardens

Andrejas Pumpura Park

Statue of young girl with a lily

Dubrovin Park is named for the city's favorite mayor, Pavel Dubrovin (1839-1890), who created the park as part of his beautification plan in the late 19th century. A monument to him was erected in 2007, depicting him in a bowler's hat walking his  bulldog. The park is also the site of the only Soviet monument that was not destroyed after Latvia declared its independence. Since the memorial to seven Soviet officers who fought the Nazis in Daugavpils is also the burial site of the men, the monument was left standing. We came upon an enormous shield of Daugavpils created with flowers with a fleur de lys and a symbol of the now defunct castle for which Daugavpils ("castle on the Dauga River) is named. The aqua plants represent the Dauga River and the flowers, a city of parks. 

Pavel Dubrovin and his bulldog

Soviet War Memorial

Daugavpils Crest

Mark Rothko, a renowned American abstract artist, was born in Dvinsk, two years before my great grandmother emigrated from the city. His family (Rothkowitz) immigrated to the United States in 1913. His son and daughter created the Mark Rothko Museum in an old artillery building in the Daugavpils Fortress. Later, they also donated the funds to restore the only extant synagogue in the city -- Kadish Synagogue, usually referred to as the Daugavpils Synagogue. 

Mark Rothko Museum

Untitled, by Mark Rothko

Tomorrow's post will concentrate on the synagogue and Jewish life in Daugavpils (Dvinsk). It's time for Shabbat with services at the Vilnius Great Choral Synagogue and dinner at the Vilnius Chabad.