Latsis, Vilis - Idol of the crowd; People wearing masks; Late spring. Biography Vilis Lacis biography

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Biography

Youth and the beginning of a literary career

V. T. Latsis was born on April 29 (May 12), 1904 in the village. Rinuzhi (now within the city of Riga, Latvia) in the family of a port worker. In 1917, before the German occupation of Riga, he was evacuated with his family to the city of Barnaul, Altai province, where until 1918 he studied at the Barnaul Teachers' Seminary. In 1918-1921 he worked for hire in agriculture, then was secretary of the village council. In 1921 he returned to Latvia. In 1921-1923 he was a longshoreman, fisherman and fireman on a merchant ship. Latsis wrote articles and short stories in his free time, which were published in periodicals since 1921.

In 1931-1933, Latsis created his first major work - the trilogy “Wingless Birds” (“Five-Story City”, 1931; “Across the Seas”, 1932; “Wingless Birds”, 1933), in which he truthfully depicted the life of a worker.

The pinnacle of literary creativity

In 1933-1935, V. T. Latsis was a librarian at the Riga City Library. In 1935-1940 he collaborated with the newspaper Jaunakas Zinas. In 1933-1934, the writer created his most popular work - the novel “The Fisherman’s Son” (vols. 1-2), in which he introduced an original, strong-willed hero into Latvian literature - a restless seeker of truth, a bearer of the best qualities of the working people. The novel was extremely popular. After his success, Latsis decided to devote himself entirely to professional writing.

Being a bearer of left-wing workers' views, Latsis joined the banned Communist Party of Latvia in 1928. Latsis was under suspicion and the Latvian secret police were keeping an eye on him.

However, Latsis’s work, his novels written in the spirit of the works of Jack London (“The Idol of the Crowd” (1935), “The Old Sailor’s Nest” (1937), “The Lost Homeland” (1940) and others) enjoyed enormous popularity. Latsis’s work also impressed President K. Ulmanis, who turned a blind eye to the writer’s communist activities.

Latsis became the most published writer in the country. On January 22, 1940, the premiere of the film adaptation of the novel “The Fisherman’s Son” took place, which became an event in the cultural life of Latvia.

Head of the communist government of Latvia

After the communist coup in June 1940, supported by the Soviet Union, Latsis entered the People's Government of A. M. Kirchenstein as Minister of Internal Affairs (June 20 - August 25, 1940). At a meeting of the Seimas of Latvia on July 21, 1940, it was Latsis who made a proposal to join the USSR.

Since August 25, 1940 - Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the Latvian SSR. Latsis began to implement communist reforms in Latvia. From July 1941 to October 1944, during the German occupation, he was in Moscow, heading the government of the Latvian SSR in exile. Upon returning to Riga, he again actively engaged in the implementation of Soviet policy. In August 1946, the Council of People's Commissars was renamed the Council of Ministers of the Latvian SSR, and Latsis again became its chairman.

In 1949, Latsis signed a decree on the deportation of kulaks and other unreliable elements from Latvia. During its implementation, about 50 thousand people were deported to Siberia.

The writer's contradictory position was reflected in his work of the Soviet period. When publishing his pre-war works, Latsis was forced to make ideological corrections and add praise to the USSR. In 1945-1948, the multi-volume epic “The Tempest” was published, depicting the lives of the heroes against a historical background. In 1950-1951, Latsis wrote the novel “To a New Shore,” in which he tried to objectively show the fate of the Latvian peasantry in the difficult conditions of Soviet socio-economic experiments. The novel was met with hostility by Soviet orthodox critics, who accused Latsis of “sympathizing with the kulaks,” but in 1952, Pravda published a “Letter from a group of Soviet readers,” which took the writer under its protection.

In 1954, the writer’s last significant work was published - the novel “Village by the Sea”, in which the characters of “The Fisherman’s Son” act, transferred to the bright Soviet present.

Retirement and last years of life

Latsis held a number of public positions. From April 20, 1954 to March 27, 1958 - Chairman of the Council of Nationalities of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the IV convocation. At the XIX, XX and XXII Congresses of the CPSU he was elected as a candidate member of the CPSU Central Committee. Member of the USSR Supreme Council of the 2nd-5th convocations. Member of the Armed Forces of the Latvian SSR. Awarded 7 Orders of Lenin, Order of the Patriotic War 1st degree and medals.

On November 27, 1959, Latsis resigned from the post of Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Latvian SSR and retired from political activities. He did not create any more major literary works.

V. T. Latsis was deputy chairman and member of the Board of the Latvian joint venture.

A street was named in honor of Vilis Latsis in the Northwestern District of Moscow.

Awards and prizes
- Stalin Prize, second degree (1949) - for the epic “The Storm”
- Stalin Prize, first degree (1952) - for the novel “To the New Shore”
- seven orders of Lenin
- Order of the Patriotic War, 1st degree
Essays

Novels
- Five-story city (Atbr?votais zv?rs, 1930).
- Across the Seas (1931).
- Flightless birds (Putni bez sp?rniem, 1932).
- The fisherman's son (Zvejnieka d?ls, vol. 1-2, 1933-1934).
- Journey to a Mountain City (1933).
- Idol of the crowd (P??a elks, 1935).
- The Call of the Wild (Sen?u aicin?jums, 1935).
- Masked Men (1936).
- Land and Sea (1938).
- Rocky path (Akme?ainais ce??, 1937-1938).
- Old Sailors' Nest (Zitarov Family) (Vec? j?rnieku ligzda, 1936-1938).
- Lost Homeland (Pazudus? dzimtene, 1940, 1949-1950).
- Blacksmiths of the Future (N?kotnes kal?ji, 1942).
- Storm (V?tra, 1946-1948).
- To the new shore (Uz jauno krastu, 1952).
- Village by the sea (1954).
Novels
- Caroline Paw (1930).
- A Dog's Life (Sieviete, 1930).
- Into the Blizzard (1931).
- Chumish Gallows (1932).
- The Old Stoker (1933).
- Midnight Miracle (1933).
- Sokolik (Vanadzi??, 1937).
- Captain Silis (1937).
- Four trips (?etri braucieni, 1937).
- Return of the Father (1932-1940).
- Edik (Ed?i??, 1942).
- Incident at Sea (1942).
- Thanks to Tepis Urga (1942).
- Langsteen Goes Hunting (1945).
- Sense of Duty (1947).
- All people are kind (1949).
- The Most Valuable (1950).
Dramaturgy
- Daughter-in-law (Vedekla, 1943).
- Victory (Uzvara, 1945).
- Lighthouse on the island
Collected works
- Raksti, sej. 1-10, Riga, 1959-62.
- Kopoti raksti, sej. 26, sej. 1-8 - , Riga, 1970-1973.
- Collected Works, vol. 1-6, M., 1954-55 (in Russian translation).
- Collected works vol. 1-10, M., 1959-60 (in Russian translation).
Film adaptations of works
- The Fisherman's Son (Latvia, 1939, director Vilis Lapenieks).
- Return with Victory (USSR, 1947, director Alexander Ivanov).
- To a new shore (USSR, 1955, director Leonid Lukov).
- Son of a Fisherman (USSR, 1957, director Varis Krumins).
- On the threshold of a storm (USSR, 1960, director Varis Krumins).
- Rocky Path (USSR, 1983, director Roland Kalnins).
- The Zitarov family (USSR, 1990, director Alois Branch).

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definition - LATSIS VILIS TENISOVICH

Latsis, Vilis Tenisovich

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Vilis Tenisovich Latsis
Latvian. Vilis Lacis
File:Latsis01.JPG
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
Date of death:
A place of death:
Citizenship:
Occupation:
Awards:

August 25 - November 27 Predecessor:Position established Successor:Jan Voldemarovich Peive April 20 - March 27 Predecessor:Zhumbai Shayakhmetov Successor:Jan Voldemarovich Peive The consignment:CPSU Nationality:Latvian

Vilis Tenisovich Latsis(Latvian. Vilis Lācis; April 29 (May 12), village Rinuzhi, now Riga district - February 6, Riga) - Latvian Soviet writer and statesman, people's writer of the Latvian SSR (). Member of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) from the city. Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Council of People's Commissars) of the Latvian SSR from August 25, 1940 to November 27, 1959.

Biography

Youth and the beginning of a literary career

Born into the family of a port worker. In - gg. studied at the Barnaul Teachers' Seminary in the Altai Territory. In bourgeois Latvia he was a port worker, a fisherman and a fireman on a ship. Latsis wrote articles and short stories in his free time, which were published in periodicals from then on.

In 1931-1933 Latsis created the first major work - the trilogy " Flightless birds» (« Five-story city", 1931; " By sea", 1932; " Flightless birds", 1933), in which he truthfully depicted the life of a worker.

The pinnacle of literary creativity

In 1933-1934, the writer created his most popular work - the novel “ Fisherman's son"(vol. 1-2), in which he introduced into Latvian literature an original, strong-willed hero - a restless seeker of truth, a bearer of the best qualities of the working people. The novel was extremely popular. After his success, Latsis decided to devote himself entirely to professional writing.

Being a bearer of left-wing workers' views, Latsis joined the banned Communist Party of Latvia in 1928. Latsis was under suspicion and the Latvian secret police were keeping an eye on him.

However, Latsis’s work, his novels, written in the spirit of the works of Jack London (“ Crowd idol" (1935), " Old sailor's nest» (), « Lost Homeland"(1940) and others) enjoyed enormous popularity. Latsis’s work also impressed President Ulmanis, who turned a blind eye to the writer’s communist activities.

Latsis became the most published writer in the country. On January 22, 1940, the premiere of the film adaptation of the novel “ Fisherman's son", which became an event in the cultural life of Latvia.

Head of the communist government of Latvia

After the communist takeover in June 1940, supported by the Soviet Union, Latsis entered the first communist government of August Kirchenstein as Minister of the Interior (20 June–25 August 1940). At a meeting of the Seimas of Latvia on July 21, 1940, it was Latsis who made a proposal to join the USSR.

From August 25, 1940 - Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the Latvian SSR. Latsis began to implement communist reforms in Latvia. From July 1941 to October 1944, during the German occupation, he was in Moscow, heading the government of the Latvian SSR in exile. Upon returning to Riga, he again actively engaged in the implementation of Soviet policy. In August 1946, the Council of People's Commissars was renamed the Council of Ministers of the Latvian SSR, and Latsis again became its chairman.

Gradually, Latsis turns into a puppet in the hands of the Stalinist regime; he is forced to sign decisions that duplicate the corresponding decisions of the central government. In 1949, Latsis signed a decree on the deportation of kulaks and other unreliable elements from Latvia. During its implementation, about 40 thousand people were deported to Siberia.

The writer's contradictory position was reflected in his work of the Soviet period. When publishing his pre-war works, Latsis was forced to make ideological corrections and add praise to the USSR. In 1945-1948. a multi-volume epic was published Storm", depicting the lives of heroes against a historical background. This work was awarded the Stalin Prize of the second degree (1949).

In 1950-1951 Latsis wrote the novel " To a new shore", in which he tried to objectively show the fate of the Latvian peasantry in the difficult conditions of Soviet socio-economic experiments. The novel was met with hostility by Soviet orthodox critics, who accused Latsis of “sympathizing with the kulaks.” However, in 1952, Pravda published a “Letter from a group of Soviet readers,” inspired by Stalin and taking the writer under his protection. In the same year, the novel was awarded the Stalin Prize of the first degree.

In 1954, the writer’s last significant work, the novel “ Village by the sea", in which the heroes act " Fisherman's son", transferred to the bright Soviet present.

Retirement and last years of life

Latsis held a number of public positions. From April 20, 1954 to March 27, 1958 - Chairman of the Council of Nationalities of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the IV convocation. At the 19th, 20th and 22nd Congresses of the CPSU he was elected as a candidate member of the CPSU Central Committee. Deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the 2nd-5th convocations. Awarded 7 Orders of Lenin, Order of the Patriotic War 1st degree and medals.

On November 27, 1959, Latsis resigned from the post of Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Latvian SSR and retired from political activities. He did not create any more major literary works.

A street was named in honor of Vilis Latsis in the North-Western district of Moscow.

File:Flightless birds.JPG

Flightless birds. Publishing house "Zinatne". Riga, 1973

Essays

Novels

Five-story city (Atbrīvotais zvērs, 1930).
Across the Seas (1931).
Flightless birds (Putni bez spārniem, 1932).
The fisherman's son (Zvejnieka dēls, vol. 1-2, 1933-1934).
Journey to a Mountain City (1933).
Idol of the Crowd (Senču aicinājums, 1935).
The Call of the Wild (1935).
Masked Men (1936).
Land and Sea (1938).
Rocky path (Akmeņainais ceļš, 1937-1938).
Old Sailors' Nest (Zitarov Family) (Vecā jūrnieku ligzda, 1936-1938).
Lost Homeland (Pazudusī dzimtene, 1940, 1949-1950).
Blacksmiths of the Future (Nākotnes kalēji, 1942).
Storm (Vētra, 1946-1948).
To the new shore (Uz jauno krastu, 1952).
Village by the sea (1954).

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Vilis Tenisovich Latsis(Latvian Vilis Lācis) (1904-1966) - Latvian Soviet writer and statesman. People's Writer of the Latvian SSR (). Winner of two Stalin Prizes (,). Member of the KPL since 1928. Member of the CPSU(b) since 1940. Chairman of the Council of People's Council (SNK) of the Latvian SSR from August 25 to November 27, 1959.

Biography

Youth and the beginning of a literary career

V. T. Latsis was born on April 29 (May 12), 1904 in the village. Rinuzhi (now within the city of Riga, Latvia) in the family of a port worker. In 1917, before the German occupation of Riga, he was evacuated with his family to the city of Barnaul, Altai province, where until 1918 he studied at the Barnaul Teachers' Seminary. In 1918-1921 he worked for hire in agriculture, then was secretary of the village council. In 1921 he returned to Latvia. In 1921-1923 he was a longshoreman, fisherman and fireman on a merchant ship. Latsis wrote articles and short stories in his free time, which were published in periodicals since 1921.

Retirement and last years of life

Latsis held a number of public positions. From April 20, 1954 to March 27, 1958 - Chairman of the Council of Nationalities of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the IV convocation. Candidate member of the CPSU Central Committee (1952-1961). Member of the USSR Supreme Council of the 2nd-5th convocations. Member of the Supreme Council of the Latvian SSR.

Flightless birds. Publishing house "Zinatne". Riga, 1973

Awards and prizes

Stalin Prize, second degree (1949) - for the epic “The Storm”
Stalin Prize, first degree (1952) - for the novel “To the New Shore”

Essays

Novels

The Liberated Beast (Atbrīvotais zvērs (1930).
Five-story city (Piecstāvu pilsēta, 1931).
Across the Seas (1931).
Flightless birds (Putni bez spārniem, 1932).
The fisherman's son (Zvejnieka dēls, vol. 1-2, 1933-1934).
Journey to a mountain town (Ceļojums uz Norieta pilsētu, 1933).
Idol of the Crowd (Rūļa elks, 1935).
Call of the Ancestors (Senču aicinājums, 1935).
Masked Men (1936).
Land and Sea (1938).
Rocky path (Akmeņainais ceļš, 1937-1938).
Old sailors' nest (Zitarov Family) (Vecā jūrnieku ligzda (Zītaru dzimta), 1936-1938).
Lost Homeland (Pazudusī dzimtene, 1940, 1949-1950).
Blacksmiths of the Future (Nākotnes kalēji, 1942).
Storm (Vētra, 1946-1948).
To the new shore (Uz jauno krastu, 1952).
Village by the sea (Ciems pie jūras, 1954).
After bad weather (Pēc negaisa, 1962).

Novels

Caroline Paw (1930).
A Dog's Life (Sieviete, 1930).
Into the Blizzard (1931).
Chumish Gallows (1932).
The Old Stoker (1933).
Midnight Miracle (1933).
Sokolik (Vanadziņš, 1937).
Captain Silis (1937).
Four trips (Četri braucieni, 1937).
Return of the Father (1932-1940).
Edik (Edžiņš, 1942).
Incident at Sea (1942).
Thanks to Tepis Urga (1942).
Langsteen Goes Hunting (1945).
Sense of Duty (1947).
All people are kind (1949).
The Most Valuable (1950).

Dramaturgy

Daughter-in-law (Vedekla, 1943).
Victory (Uzvara, 1945).
Lighthouse on the island

Collected works

Raksti, sej. 1-10, Riga, 1959-62.
Kopoti raksti, sej. 26, sej. 1-8 - , Riga, 1970-1973.
Collected Works, vol. 1-6, M., 1954-55 ( in Russian translation).
Collected works vol. 1-10, M., 1959-60 ( in Russian translation).

Film adaptations of works

The Fisherman's Son (Latvia, 1939, director Vilis Lapenieks).
Return with Victory (USSR, 1947, director Alexander Ivanov).
To a new shore (USSR, 1955, director Leonid Lukov).
Son of a Fisherman (USSR, 1957, director Varis Krumins).
On the threshold of a storm (USSR, 1960, director Varis Krumins).
Sokolik (USSR, 1972, director Janis Dzenitis).
Sokolik (cartoon) (USSR, 1978, director Arnolds Burovs).
Rocky Path (USSR, 1983, director Roland Kalnins).
The Zitarov family (USSR, 1990, director Alois Branch).

Write a review of the article "Latsis, Vilis Tenisovich"

Literature

Kraulin K., Vilis Lacis. - M., 1958.
Sokolova I., Bocharov A., Vilis Lacis. - M., 1959.
Herd B., Vilis Lacis // History of Latvian literature. - Riga, 1971. - T. 2.

Notes

Links

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An excerpt characterizing Latsis, Vilis Tenisovich

“Couldn’t you just disappear?!” Or “fly away” for that matter?.. Why didn’t you use something?!!! – Unable to bear it any further, Stella exclaimed, upset by the story. – You must always fight to the end!.. That’s what my grandmother taught me.
I was very happy - Stella came to life. Her fighting spirit took over again as soon as there was an urgent need for it.
“If only everything were so simple!” Isidora answered sadly, shaking her head. – It wasn’t just me. I was completely unaware of Caraffa's plans for my family. And I was very frightened by the fact that no matter how much I tried, I could not see anything. This was the first time in my life when no “vision”, none of my “witch talents” helped... I could view any person or any event a thousand years in advance! I could even predict future incarnations with absolute accuracy, which no Vidun on Earth could do, but my Gift was silent when it came to Caraffa, and I could not understand it. Any of my attempts to look at him were easily “sprayed”, bumping into a very dense golden-red defense that constantly “curled” around his physical body, and I could not break through it. It was new and incomprehensible, something I had never encountered before...
Naturally, everyone (even my little Anna!) in my family knew how to create excellent protection for themselves, and everyone did it in their own way, so that it was individual, in case trouble happened. But no matter how complex the defense turned out to be, I knew perfectly well that at any moment I could “go through” the protection of any of the sorcerers I knew, if an urgent need for this suddenly arose, including the protection of my father, who knew and could do much more me. But it didn’t work with Caraffa... He possessed some kind of alien, very strong and very refined magic that I had never encountered... I knew all the Sorcerers of Europe - he was not one of them.
I, like everyone else, was well aware that he was a true “servant of the Lord” and a faithful “son of the church”, and, according to everyone’s understanding, could in no way use what he called “the devil’s manifestation” and what was used we, Witches and Sorcerers!.. What, in that case, was it?!.. Was the most faithful servant of the church and the Grand Inquisitor, in fact, a black Sorcerer?!. Even though it was completely and utterly unbelievable, it was the only explanation I could honestly give, hand on heart. But how, in this case, did he combine his “holy” duties with the “devilish” (as he called it) teaching?! Although what he did on Earth was truly Devilish and black...
Once again, mentally talking with my father, I asked him what he thought about this?
- It’s not him, honey... They’re just helping him. But I don't know who. There is nothing like this on Earth...
Hour by hour it didn’t get any easier!.. The world was really turning upside down... But I promised myself to still try to somehow find out what this strange “holy father” was using, while at the same time persecuting and burning his own kind ?..
Since, if this was true and he used the “teaching of the Devil” (as he called it), then he himself, the Great Caraffa, had to end his “righteous” life at the stake, along with all the Sorcerers and Witches he burned !..
But I'm late...
The next morning I was waiting for Caraffa, clearly determined to find out what this amazing “holy father” actually used. But Caraffa did not appear. He did not appear the next day, and the entire next week... I could not understand whether this was a simple respite, or whether he was planning something very terrible concerning someone from my family? But, to my great regret, as I later found out, it was neither one nor the other... It was much more dangerous than any of his tricks... Very soon, from the never-ending ringing of bells and sad singing in the streets, I understood – the Pope died... This perfectly explained the long absence of my jailer. And the next day, a dumb maid, almost dancing with happiness, brought me an exquisite piece of paper on which it was reported that Giovanni Pietro Caraffa, my most terrible and unpredictable enemy, had been declared the new Pope, Paul IV...
Now all that was left was to wait...
Two days later, I was transported, blindfolded, to some palace, stunning in its inner richness and defiant beauty. As I found out later, it was Caraffa’s personal palace. He appeared a week later, still just as smart and dangerous, in the “shine of his unlimited power,” and extended his well-groomed hand to me for a kiss, with a huge, sparkling Papal ring... I bowed before him lower than before, as decency demanded it , and also because I have not yet figured out for myself how I will continue to behave with him.
- How are you, Madonna Isidora? I hope you are satisfied with your quarters?
Caraffa was extremely secular and contented, knowing that I was in his complete power, and that now no one would be able to interfere with him in anything...
– Congratulations on your victory, Your Holiness! “I said calmly, deliberately emphasizing the word “holiness.” - I'm afraid that from now on I am too insignificant a figure to make the Pope worry... Will you transfer my case to someone else?
Caraffa froze. He hated my calmness. He wanted to make me afraid...
– You are right, Madonna Isidora, perhaps you will go to my best assistant... everything will depend only on you. Have you thought about my question?
– What books are you interested in, Your Holiness? Or do you want to find everything to destroy?
He was genuinely surprised.
– Who told you such nonsense?..
– But you threw thousands of books into fires only here in Venice? Not to mention other cities... Why else might you need them?
“My dear sorceress,” Karaffa smiled, “there are “books” and BOOKS... And what I burned always belonged to the first category... Come with me, I will show you something interesting.
Karaffa pushed the heavy gilded door, and we found ourselves in a narrow, very long, dark corridor. He took with him a silver candlestick, on which a single thick candle burned.
“Follow me,” the newly minted Pope ordered briefly.
We walked for a long time, passing many small doors behind which not a sound could be heard. But Caraffa walked on, and I had no choice but to follow him in silence. Finally we found ourselves at a strange “blind” door that had no door handles. He imperceptibly pressed something, and the heavy door easily moved from its place, revealing the entrance to a stunning hall... It was a library!.. The largest I have ever seen!!! A huge space from floor to ceiling was filled with books!.. They were everywhere - on soft sofas, on window sills, on solid shelves, and even on the floor... There were thousands of them here!.. It took my breath away - it was much larger than a library Medici.
- What is this?! – I forgot who I was here with, I exclaimed in amazement.
– These are BOOKS, Madonna Isidora. – Caraffa answered calmly. – And if you want, they will be yours... Everything depends only on you.
His burning gaze riveted me to the spot, which immediately made me remember where and with whom I was at that moment. Having played magnificently on my selfless and immense love for books, Caraffa made me forget for a moment the terrible reality, which, as it now turned out, was soon going to become even worse...
Karaffa was over seventy years old at that time, although he looked surprisingly youthful. Once upon a time, at the very beginning of our acquaintance, I even wondered if one of the sorcerers had helped him by revealing our secret of longevity?! But then he suddenly began to age sharply, and I completely forgot about all this. Now, I could not believe that this powerful and treacherous man, in whose hands there was unlimited power over kings and princes, had just made me a very “veiled” and vague offer... in which one could suspect some kind of inhuman... a strange drop of very dangerous love?!...
Inside me, everything literally froze with horror!.. Since, even if it were true, no earthly force could save me from his wounded pride, and from his vindictive, black soul!...
- Forgive my indiscretion, Your Holiness, but, in order to avoid a mistake on my part, would you deign to explain to me more precisely what you wanted to say? – I answered very carefully.
Caraffa smiled softly and, taking my trembling hand in his graceful, thin fingers, said very quietly:
– You are the first woman on earth, Madonna Isidora, who, in my opinion, is worthy of true love... And you are a very interesting conversationalist. Don't you think that your place is rather on the throne than in the prison of the Inquisition?.. Think about it, Isidora. I offer you my friendship, nothing more. But my friendship is worth a lot, believe me... And I would really like to prove it to you. But everything will depend on your decision, naturally... - and, to my greatest surprise, he added: - You can stay here until the evening if you want to read something; I think you will find a lot of interesting things for yourself here. Ring the bell when you're done and your maid will show you the way back.
Caraffa was calm and restrained, which spoke of his complete confidence in his victory... He did not even allow for a moment the thought that I could refuse such an “interesting” offer... And especially in my hopeless situation. But this was exactly what was most frightening... Since I, naturally, was going to refuse him. But I still didn’t have the slightest idea how to do this...
I looked around - the room was amazing!.. From hand-sewn bindings of the oldest books, to papyri and manuscripts on ox skin, and to later, already printed books, this library was a storehouse of world wisdom, a real triumph of brilliant human Thought!!! It was, apparently, the most valuable library that a person has ever seen!.. I stood, completely stunned, mesmerized by the thousands of volumes that “spoke” to me, and could not understand how this wealth could coexist here with those curses , which the Inquisition so vehemently and “sincerely” rained down on them like this?... After all, for real inquisitors, all these books should have been the purest HERESY, precisely for which people burned at the stake, and which was categorically prohibited as the most terrible crime against the church! .. How then were all these most valuable books preserved here, in the Pope’s cellars, which, supposedly, in the name of “redemption and purification of souls,” were burned in the squares down to the last leaf?!.. So, everything that the “fathers” said - inquisitors,” everything they did was just a terrible veiled LIE! And this merciless lie sat deeply and firmly in simple and open, naive and believing human hearts!.. Just think that I was once absolutely sure that the church was sincere in its faith!.. Since any faith, no matter what it didn’t seem strange, for me it always embodied the sincere spirit and faith of a person in something pure and high, to which, in the name of salvation, his soul strived. I have never been a “believer”, since I believed exclusively in Knowledge. But I always respected the beliefs of others, because, in my opinion, a person had the right to choose for himself where to direct his destiny, and someone else’s will should not forcefully dictate how he should live his life. Now I clearly saw that I was mistaken... The Church lied, killed and raped, not taking into account such a “trifle” as a wounded and distorted human soul...

Born into the family of a port worker. In 1917-1918 studied at the Barnaul Teachers' Seminary in the Altai Territory. In bourgeois Latvia he was a port worker, a fisherman and a fireman on a ship. Latsis wrote articles and short stories in his free time, which were published in periodicals since 1921.

In 1931-1933 Latsis created the first major work - the trilogy “Wingless Birds” (“Five-Story City”, 1931; “Across the Seas”, 1932; “Wingless Birds”, 1933), in which he truthfully depicted the life of a worker.

The pinnacle of literary creativity

In 1933-1934, the writer created his most popular work - the novel “The Fisherman’s Son” (vols. 1-2), in which he introduced an original, strong-willed hero into Latvian literature - a restless seeker of truth, a bearer of the best qualities of the working people. The novel was extremely popular. After his success, Latsis decided to devote himself entirely to professional writing.

Being a bearer of left-wing workers' views, Latsis joined the banned Communist Party of Latvia in 1928. Latsis was under suspicion and the Latvian secret police were keeping an eye on him.

However, Latsis’s work, his novels written in the spirit of the works of Jack London (“The Idol of the Crowd” (1935), “The Old Sailor’s Nest” (1937), “The Lost Homeland” (1940) and others) enjoyed enormous popularity. Latsis’s work also impressed President Ulmanis, who turned a blind eye to the writer’s communist activities.

Latsis became the most published writer in the country. On January 22, 1940, the premiere of the film adaptation of the novel “The Fisherman’s Son” took place, which became an event in the cultural life of Latvia.

Head of the communist government of Latvia

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The writer's contradictory position was reflected in his work of the Soviet period. When publishing his pre-war works, Latsis was forced to make ideological corrections and add praise to the USSR. In 1945-1948. The multi-volume epic “The Tempest” was published, depicting the lives of the heroes against a historical background. This work was awarded the Stalin Prize of the second degree (1949).

In 1950-1951 Latsis wrote the novel “To a New Shore,” in which he tried to objectively show the fate of the Latvian peasantry in the difficult conditions of Soviet socio-economic experiments. The novel was met with hostility by Soviet orthodox critics, who accused Latsis of “sympathizing with the kulaks.” However, in 1952, Pravda published a “Letter from a group of Soviet readers,” inspired by Stalin and taking the writer under his protection. In the same year, the novel was awarded the Stalin Prize of the first degree.

In 1954, the writer’s last significant work, the novel “Village by the Sea,” was published, in which the characters from “The Fisherman’s Son” were transferred to the bright Soviet present.

Retirement and last years of life

Latsis held a number of public positions. From April 20, 1954 to March 27, 1958 - Chairman of the Council of Nationalities of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the IV convocation. At the 19th, 20th and 22nd congresses of the CPSU he was elected as a candidate member of the CPSU Central Committee. Deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the 2nd-5th convocations. Awarded 7 Orders of Lenin, Order of the Patriotic War 1st degree and medals.

On November 27, 1959, Latsis resigned from the post of Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Latvian SSR and retired from political activities. He did not create any more major literary works.

A street was named in honor of Vilis Latsis in the North-Western district of Moscow.