Abstract | Provenance/Processing
| Historical Sketch | Scope and Content
| Container List
As Daugavas Vanagi members left the displaced persons camps and resettled elsewhere, local and national branches were founded, responsible to a central organization. Local DV groups sent representatives to yearly meetings at which members were elected to national boards. Those elected to the national boards then participated in the global DV organization.
The Minnesota branch of the DV was founded on 13 September, 1952, and soon after, joined the American Latvian Association and secured tax-exempt status. The highest number of members reached about 310. The Minnesota DV over the years proved a valued participant in the local Latvian community, sponsoring many cultural and social events. Among their many activities, DV members played a significant role in establishing the still-existing Latvian House and supporting the Michigan Latvian Center Garezers (literally, "Long Lake"). Through a number of projects, the DV promoted Latvian nationalism by providing scholarships, gifts, and awards to youth whom DV members felt showed promise of growing up to espouse the DV ideals. To ensure that Latvian history and culture were maintained, the DV donated Latvian books to libraries and individuals. Internally, the Minnesota Daugavas Vanagi supported activities such as a marksmanship group, and the Latviesu Strelnieku Kopa (Latvian Rifleman's Group -- veterans of World War I).
DV activity extended beyond the local Latvian community in the struggle to promote awareness of conditions in their Soviet-occupied homeland. Members participated in anti-communist demonstrations in various capacities: writing letters, producing films, and making speeches. Over the years, the Daugavas Vanagi has established itself as self-proclaimed guardian of the future of Latvians in exile.
The Minnesota branch of Daugavas Vanagi is still active today in the Twin Cities with a membership of about 240.
The Daugavas Vanagi collection is organized into the following series and subseries:
SERIES I - DAUGAVAS VANAGI ORGANIZATIONS
Subseries:
1. DV Minnesota
2. DV in the United States
3. Latviesu Strelnieku Kopa
SERIES II - LATVIAN ORGANIZATIONS AND ACTIVITIES
Subseries:
1. Organizations
2. Foundations
3. Activities
SERIES III - MISCELLANY
I. Daugavas Vanagi Organizations
Subseries 1 are the records of the Daugavas Vanagi local Minnesota chapter, containing administrative documents, meeting minutes, and a chronological file of incoming and outgoing correspondence reaching back to 1956. The papers include letters from local Latvian youth requesting scholarships to attend Latvian educational camps and summer schools. Local chapter relations with the central U.S. Daugavas Vanagi organization are the subject of Subseries 2, which includes copies of meeting minutes, questionnaires sent out to local chapters regarding membership, and subject files for national DV events held in the Midwest.
Subseries 3 consists of documents that outline the activity of the Latviesu Strelnieku Kopa (Latvian Rifleman's Group), a branch of the Daugavas Vanagi that brought together veterans of World War I. This group of records is small, yet incredibly rich in information about Latvian soldiers in World War I. It includes meeting minutes, news clippings, photographs of members, and handwritten autobiographical reports of various members, describing their military experiences.
II. Latvian Organizations and Activities
Subseries 1 documents the relationship between the Minnesota chapter of Daugavas Vanagi and the American Latvian Association, as well as other Latvian organizations. The records consist primarily of correspondence and reports. Members of DV supported the Latvian Center Garezers in Michigan, and this involvement is documented here in financial reports and meeting minutes.
Subseries 2 comprises brochures and information about various Latvian foundations supporting a variety of cultural, political, and educational endeavors. Subseries 3 is arranged by subject and includes correspondence, news clippings, reports, and printed materials about activities in which Daugavas Vanagi members were involved, such as protesting the Soviet occupation and subsequent human rights violations in the Baltic States.
III. Miscellany
This series includes a collection of cards, invitations, and programs
relating to Latvian social, cultural, and religious events.
| Box | Folder | Folder Title | Year(s) |
| SERIES I - DAUGAVAS VANAGI ORGANIZATIONS | |||
| Subseries 1 - DV Minnesota | |||
| 1 | 1 | Protokoli | 1962-1975 |
| 1 | 2 | 15th Anniversary Program | 1967 |
| 1 | 3 | Financial Records | |
| 1 | 4 | Correspondence | 1956-1962 |
| 1 | 5 | Correspondence | 1963-1967 |
| 1 | 6 | Correspondence | 1968-1972 |
| 1 | 7 | Correspondence | 1973-1974 |
| 1 | 8 | Correspondence | 1975-1976 |
| 2 | 1 | Correspondence | 1977-1978 |
| 2 | 2 | Correspondence | 1979 |
| 3 | Scholarship Requests | ||
| 4 | Thank-You Cards and Letters | ||
| 5 | Daugavas Vanagi Miscellany | ||
| Subseries 2 - DV in the United States | |||
| 2 | 6 | Apkartraksti un Protokoli | 1962-1978 |
| 7 | ASV Valde | 1969-1979 | |
| 8 | Questionnaires | ||
| 9 | 23. Delegatu Sapulce Mineapole | 1973 | |
| 10 | Sausanas Sacikstes | ||
| 11 | DV Dienas Cikaga | 1966 | |
| Subseries 3 - Latviesu Strelnieku Kopa | |||
| 12 | Latviesu Strelnieku Kopa | 1956-1973 | |
| 3 | 1 | Biographical Notes | |
| 2 | News Clippings and Photographs | ||
| 3 | Protokoli | 1956-1968 | |
| SERIES II - LATVIAN ORGANIZATIONS AND ACTIVITIES | |||
| Subseries 1 - Organizations | |||
| 3 | 4 | Minnesota Latvian Community (Minesotas Latviesu Apvieniba) | 1970-1978 |
| 5 | Twin Cities' Latvian Community - Agendas and Minutes | 1962-1979 | |
| Latvian Center Garezers | |||
| 6 | Latvian Center Garezers | 1968-1980 | |
| 7 | Balance Sheet Audits | 1969-1979 | |
| 8 | Pilnsapulcu Protokoli | 1969-1977 | |
| American Latvian Association | |||
| 9 | American Latvian Association | 1962-1969 | |
| 10 | American Latvian Association | 1970-1972 | |
| 4 | 1 | American Latvian Association | 1973-1980 |
| 2 | Pasaules Brivo Latviesu Apvieniba | 1973-1979 | |
| Subseries 2 - Foundations | |||
| 3 | Latvian Foundation, Inc. | 1972-1979 | |
| 4 | Latvian Foundation, Inc. - Apkartraksti | 1974-1979 | |
| 5 | Latviska Mantojuma Fonds | 1978-1979 | |
| 6 | Patiesibas Fonds | 1976-1977 | |
| Subseries 3 - Activities | |||
| Human Rights Violations | |||
| 7 | Gunars Rode | ||
| 8 | Niedre/Skudra | ||
| 9 | Baltic Prisoners of Conscience | ||
| 10 | Baltic States Under Soviet Occupation | ||
| 11 | Occupied Latvia | ||
| SERIES III - MISCELLANY | |||
| 12 | Cards, Invitations, and Programs | ||
| 13 | Miscellaneous Latvian | ||
| 14 | Miscellaneous English |
The following titles have been removed and placed in the IHRC monographs and serials collection:
DV Apvienibas Minesota Apkartraksts
| 1963 | July-August |
| 1964 | July, December |
| 1965 | January |
| 1966 | February |
| 1967 | June, August |
| 1968 | August |
| 1969 | January, July |
| 1970 | November |
| 1971 | June, August, November |
| 1972 | November |
| 1973 | February 18 |
DV Apvienibas Minesota Biletens
| 1962 | No. 11 |
| 1963 | No. 12 |
| 1964 | No. 13 |
| 1965 | No. 14 |
| 1966 | No. 15 |
| 1967 | No. 16 |
| 1968 | No. 17 |
| 1969 | No. 18 |
| 1971 | No. 20 |
| 1972 | No. 21 |
| 1974 | No. 25 |
| 1977 | No. 31 |
| 1978 | Nos. 32-34 |
| 1979 | No. 35 |
| 1980 | Nos. 36-38 |
| 1981 | No. 39 |
Stavoklis Latvija
| 1965 | January - March, July - September |
| 1966 | January - December |
| 1971 | January - September |
| 1972 | January - September |
| 1973 | January - September |
| 1974 | January - December |
| 1975 | January - March, July - December |
| 1976 | January - March, July - September |
A Survey of Developments 1964 (ACEN)
DV ASV Valdes Filmu Nozares Apkartraksts (no date)
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