About a decade after Minsteres latviešu ģimnazija (MLĢ) closed its doors, Alberts Spoģis has complied a history of the alma mater of exiled Latvians from around the globe. Minsteres latviešu ģimnāzija izdzīvoja, published in October 2009, tells the story of a one-of-a-kind institution and the only full-time Latvian-language secondary school outside of Latvia.

MLĢ was, in fact, a relic of the Displaced Persons camps in Germany during and after World War II. For a few years almost every camp had a school of its own. One by one they closed down as the Latvian refugees began emigrating to other countries in the late 1940s. The remaining resources were consolidated into one school in Detmold-Augustdorf, and in 1957 that school moved to Münster, or Minstere in Latvian. MLĢ suffered from a lack of facilities, a lack of supplies, a lack of money, and sometimes also a lack of students. But, as the title of the book says, it survived—often on determination and idealism alone.

In 1964 the first student from another continent began attending MLĢ, and by the end of that decade the growing number of students from the United States, Canada, England, Sweden and Australia seeking a super-Latvian education had transformed MLĢ from a school designed primarily for Latvians living in Germany to a school belonging to the whole global community of Latvian exiles. Some say MLĢ provided only a mediocre education, but no one disagrees that what it ended up doing best was to cultivate national pride and keep alive the hopes of an exile community. If MLĢ was often “just school” for the students from Germany, for the community abroad it became the pinnacle of Latvian exile education. Many illustrious individuals and future leaders of Latvian exile society, not to mention just plain colorful characters, graduated from MLĢ, and a disproportionately large number of its former students and employees now live in Latvia.

So much for a summary of the school’s history and mission. Readers who wish to know all the ups and downs and ins and outs will have plenty of reading material in this book written and compiled by Spoģis, a long-time teacher and board member at MLĢ, as well as a poet and the father of several graduates.

Spoģis’ writing style is modest and matter-of-fact. After a very detailed first section (which includes comments about curriculum, tuition rates and even teachers’ salaries during the school’s first years), it seems as if he steps completely into the background and hands the narration of the school’s story over to the press of the day. The bulk of the book consists of articles from newspapers and newsletters, summaries of meetings, and pieces by teachers, students, and the school administration. However, readers may instinctively begin looking at the lists at the end of the book of graduates, teachers, administration, dorm counselors and even kitchen help —and, of course, the pictures. The pictures show all possible graduating classes and school boards, as well as sports teams, concerts, theaters productions, and other activities. They are all black-and-white and some are much too grainy, but an author works with what’s available.

Minsteres latviešu ģimnāzija izdzīvoja is laid out chronologically, with accounts of programs, seminars, concerts, theaters, festivals, graduates, scholarships, speeches, meetings, sports events (even chess tournaments), finances, changes in the school and staff, its relationship to and support from the German government, and other significant events. It seems as if every article that ever appeared in the Latvian press about MLĢ has been reprinted in this book. That said, the book does not pretend to be a complete history but rather a wide-ranging testimony. Most readers, however, will probably not read the book cover to cover. Instead, they’ll jump around and read those articles that pertain to them in whatever way. Here and there they’ll find a gem of an article. The memorials to deceased students and teachers are particularly touching, but so are the quirky reminders that, for example, in November 1980 a group of MLĢ students traveled to Mainz to see and meet Pope John Paul II, in 1989 four students wrote and performed the darkly philosophical play “Jezidija,” and much thought went into deciding on a style for the furnishings in the bar (yes, a bar that served alcohol) on the lower level of the school building.

Beyond the accounts of staff and organizational meetings, the retrospects written by former directors of the school, such as Eduards Silkalns and Ilga Grava, give a more personal glimpse into the school. Grava also dares to touch on the complications, negative attitudes and internal politics that are inevitable in tight-knit communities, as well as the difficulty in mixing and merging students from different countries and backgrounds.

This miracle of a school—it’s a miracle it survived, both financially and ideologically—graduated 53 groups of students and finally closed its doors for good on June 20, 1998. By that time it was no longer catering to the exile community, but rather to teenagers straight from Latvia. Ironically (and very appropriately), it was the fulfillment of MLĢ‘s ideological goal—Latvia regaining its independence—that ultimately forced it to close. Despite the 527-page length and sometimes tedious reading, Minsteres latviešu ģimnāzija izdzīvoja provides good documentation of a legend. I’m happy Spoģis wrote it and I’m glad I have a copy.

Rūdolfa mantojums ir jaunākais Latvijas pilnmetrāžas kino ražojums plašākai publikai. Atzīšos, ka es uz to aizgāju lielākoties aiz pienākuma sajūtas, ka vietējā prece jāatbalsta (un jo draudzene aicināja), nevis aiz īstas sajūsmas par filmas ideju vai sižetu. Bet laikam jau nu biju arī ziņkārīga…

Filmā, protams, var atrast par ko piekasīties, bet es biju pārsteigta cik man – skeptiķei – viņa tomēr patika. Īsumā, Rūdolfa mantojums ir režisora Jāņa Streiča veltījums latviešu rakstniekam Rūdolfam Blaumanim un viņa brīvā interpretācija par notikumiem pirms Blaumaņa pazīstamās lugas “Skroderdienas Silmačos”. Tāpēc filmas nosaukums. Bet arī tāpēc, ka viens no galvenajiem tēliem saucas Rūdolfs. Nav tomēr vajadzīgi pazīt Skroderdienu stāstu, lai izbaudītu un saprastu filmu.

Režisors ir devis Skorderdienu tēliem citus vārdus un arī pārnesis darbību uz vēlāku laiku nekā Blaumaņa darbā. Tātad, Streiča Rūdolfs ir turīgs zemnieks 20. gadsimteņa pašos pirmajos gados. Viņš ir vecāks kungs, kas saimnieko skaistā lauku sētā. Pēc dabas Rūdolfs ir labs cilvēks, bet viņš ir lepns – pat iedomīgs – un sacenšas ar vietējo muižkungu. Pie Rūdolfa ciemos atbrauc krustdēls Kārlis ar draudzeni – kalponi Emīliju, un tālāk veidojas filmas galvenais sižets: mīlestības trīsstūris, kurā Rūdolfs ir viens no dalībniekiem. Filma ir viegla un ar labu humoru, bet ir arī nopietnas ainas. Lai arī filmā ir daudz joku, tie laimīgā kārtā nav veidoti tikai uz laucinieku rēķina. Tas ir, filmā attēlotie zemnieki lielākoties nav “Johnny Appleseed” tipa karikatūras, kas prot tikai ākstīties un dumji uzvesties un kādi pārāk bieži redzēti Latvijas filmās, teātros un pat tautas dejās.

Rūdolfa mantojums ir filmēts retro stilā, šur tur lietots sēpijas tonis un iestarpinājumi, kas atgādina vecās kinolentes. Šis stils filmai ir piemērots un tas manuprāt ir arī labi izdarīts. Bet filma ir arī mūsdienīgā tajā ziņā, ka tā notiek ātri – ātri mainās ainas, aktieri ātri runā, reizēm pat notiek divas sarunas vienā laikā. Skatītājam ir ko turēties līdzi! Var gadīties, ka tas aizsapņojas un palaiž garām kādu sižeta blakuslīnijas detaļu. Lai nu kā, galvenais stāsts paliek viegli saprotams.

Komponists, mūziķis un dziedātājs Uģis Prauliņš sarakstīja tautisku mūziku filmai. To spēlē riktīga lauku kapela, un nezinātājs varētu domāt, ka filmā izmantota tikai autentiska tautas mūzika. Bet filmā dzird arī pazīstamas ziņģes un folkloras ansambļu gabalus, un svinību ainās atpazīstami Rīgas Danču kluba dejotāji, kas liek ticēt, ka dejas ir autentiskas 20. gadsimta sākumam. Tāpat kā ar augšminētiem “Johnny Appleseed” lauciniekiem, tik dominējoša tautas mūzikas izmantošana šādam masu publikas projektam varēja potenciāli izdoties ļoti slikti. Bet Streičs un Rūdolfa mantojums to ir izdarījuši patiesi veiksmīgi. Īpaši aizkustinošas ir bēres- to dēļ vien ir vērts redzēt filmu.

Rūdolfu tēlo aktieris Romualds Ancāns. Rēzija Kalniņa spēlē galveno sieviešu lomu – Emīliju – un Artūrs Skrastiņš krustdēlu Kārli. Lai arī abi pēdējie savām lomām īstajā dzīvē ir par vecu, viņu tēli labi izdodas un ir ticami. Pazīstamie aktieri Uldis Dumpis un Jānis Paukštello arī tēlo filmā.

Protams, ka būs skatītāji, kam Rūdolfa mantojuma stils neies pie sirds. Galu galā, tā ir Blaumaņa garā veidota filma un skatītājs nevar no tās Skroderdienu gaisotnes izsprukt. Uz filmu var vest bērnus līdzi – tajā ir tikai pāris neuzbāzīgi kailumi un nav vardarbības, lai gan aina ar tramvaju ir satraucoša – bet ļoti iespējams, ka saturs viņiem būs garlaicīgs. Savukārt pieaugušajiem tas patiks.