The most recent copy of newspaper “Laiks” has a blurb that in Daugavpils 42 marriages were held in jails “Baltais gulbis” and Grīvas”. Pēteri, could you please explain - I am cofused!

The Latvian text is as follows: Daugavpilī laulības ostā 2007. gadā devušies 770 pāri - par 40 vairāk nekā 2006. gadā. Abos cietumos - “Baltais gulbis” un “Grīvas” - noslēgtas 42 laulības.

Lauris

Peter can not answer for he still thinks he lives in DVINSK

Interesting statistic, Lauri! Well, the newspapers are always full of advertisements along the lines of “decent man, strong, hardworking, who took a wrong turn, searches for the light of his life to keep him on the straight and narrow—I would worship her… I will be released in seven months.”

Then there are the rolled up messages shot from the windows by pea-shooter when one walks past the White Swan. Perhaps some of them contain marriage proposals?

Vysu lobu,
/P, in דענענבורג

Dvinsk ? Daugpilis ? Väinänlinna ?

Ah, you mean Dunaburg, Hauptman Kurlander ?

Alles klar.

I have seen it.

Pēteri,
My understanding was that the jails rented out their spaces for weddings as a fundraiser, that’s why such a fancy name as “Baltais gulbis” (White swan).  Based on your response, apparently that is not so.
Lauris

No, no—these are not ballrooms!

Here is a photo I took of the White Swan in all its glory. Here is a detail—note the weather vane, which is recent.

The nickname (now officially acknowledged, at least by the weather vane) must actually be fairly recent, because the jail (and it’s a jail, not a prison—i.e., you wait for trial there [in Latvia that might be years, of course]) was not painted white before the war, and the bricks are red beneath the paint.

The prison is in Grīva, once Jeruzāleme. It was originally part of the Fortress. Here is a satellite view—the Fortress is on the right bank; the smaller part on the left bank is the prison.

As far as I know, no couple of which one partner is not incarcerated gets married in either of these landmarks. One usually uses the Palace of Weddings, where Lenin no longer smiles upon the ceremony.

There’s always the slaughterhouse, though, which used to have a large billboard in Stropi that said celebrate your wedding at our café!

Vysu lobu,
/P, Daugpiļī

Pēteri,
Thank you for providing the informative photos from Daugavpils houses of correction. Don’t think that I would like to attend a wedding or other social functions in that setting.
Lauris

According to AP ,here is an American couple that spent their wedding night in jail

Tues., April. 8, 2008

VALLEJO, Calif. (AP)- A weekend wedding turned into an unforgettable first night for these two newlyweds.

Police said a bride and groom spent their first night as a married couple in jail after their wedding party at a Vallejo home got out of hand.

When police had to return a second time to the home Saturday night, officers stunned both the groom and his cousin with a Taser when they both became aggressive toward the officers.

The groom and cousin were arrested for allegedly resisting arrest. The bride was taken into custody on suspicion of public intoxication.