Students and staff

The Institute of Latvian History since the restoration of Latvia’s independence

On 5 December 1991 the Presidium of the Latvian Academy of Sciences passed a decision renaming the institute as the Institute of Latvian History at the Latvian Academy of Sciences.

On 1 January 1994 the Institute of Latvian History once again came under the wing of the University of Latvia, initially as a “derived public person” and from 1 January 2016 as a structural unit within the university, namely the Institute of Latvian History, University of Latvia.

Directors of the institute: up to 1996 – Indulis Ronis (1943–2016), 1996–2002 – Andris Caune, 2002–2006 – Jānis Bērziņš (1941–2017), 2006–2020 – Guntis Zemītis, since 2020 – Gvido Straube.

The institute is structured in accordance with the main research directions in history, archaeology, ethnography/ethnology, bioarchaeology and dendrochronology. The institute has three repositories: a Repository of Archaeological Material, a Repository of Bioarchaeological Material and a Repository of Ethnographic Material, as well as a Dendrochronological Laboratory. In spite of long-continued financial difficulties, the institute strives to implement the aims and tasks laid down in its statutes, undertaking research based on archaeological, anthropological, ethnological, dendrochronological and historical sources and current research findings and seeking to become an internationally recognised and competitive institution within the European research space, disseminating research results in academic publications, through the teaching process and through research communication.

Staff: Z. Apala, J. Apals, Muntis Auns, M. Atgāzis, Margarita Barzdeviča, V. Bebre, T. Berga, I. Bērziņa, V. Bērziņš (historian), Valdis Bērziņš (archaeologist), D. Bleiere, Renāte Blumberga, Guntars Catlaks, S. Cimermanis, L. Dumpe, Dzintars Ērglis, Guntis Gerhards, R. Grāvere, Mārīte Jakovļeva, A. Jansone, Ēriks Jēkabsons, Kārlis Kangeris, A. Karlsone, Uldis Krēsliņš, V. Kronis, Līga Lapa, Ainārs Lerhis, Inguna Liepiņa, Ineta Lipša, Ivars Ločmelis, I. B. Loze, Ilmārs Mežs, Ē. Mugurēvičs, Ieva Ose, Jānis Stradiņš (1933–2019), I. Šneidere, S. Tilko, L. Vanaga, A. Vasks, Vera Veilande, A. Vilcāne, R. Vīksne, I. Zagorska, A. Zariņa,  Gunita Zariņa, Māris Zunde, Arturs Žvinklis and others.

 and others.

Addresses of the institute: Meistaru iela 10/12, Rīga, and Akadēmijas laukums 1, Riga; since 2013: Kalpaka bulvāris 4, Rūpniecības iela 10 and Lielvārdes iela 24.

The institute had its own publishing house, the Institute of Latvian History Publishers (1994–2021). 

The institute’s most important publications: Latvijas Vēstures Institūta Žurnāls (Journal of the Institute of Latvian History, re-established in 1991), Arheoloģija un etnogrāfija (Archaeology and Ethnography, 31 volumes), Senā Rīga (Old Riga, 10 volumes), Viduslaiku pilis Latvijā (Medieval Castles of Latvia, nine volumes), Arheologu pētījumi Latvijā …. gadā (Archaeological Investigations in Latvia in the Year ...), Latvija 19. gadsimtā (Latvia in the 19th Century), 20. gadsimta Latvijas vēsture (The 20th Century History of Latvia, two volumes), Latvijas zemju robežas 1000 gados (The Borders of the Lands of Latvia During 1000 Years), Latvijas arheoloģijas rokasgrāmata (Handbook of the Archaeology of Latvia) etc.