Latviešu periodiskā prese par kaujām Daugavpils apkārtnē 1919. gadā

ENFrom August, 1919 to January 3, 1920, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish and the Red armies were involved in battles for Daugavpils. The battles were fought in several phases - in August 1919 (the first phase), September, 1919 (the second phase), and January, 1920 (the third phase). By the end of 1919, Daugavpils suburbs on the left bank of the Daugava were under the control of Lithuanian and Polish armed forces, while the right bank of the Daugava and the city of Daugavpils were controlled by the Red Army. The periodical press of that time may prove useful to the investigation of these battles. In 1919, more than 65 different newspapers, newssheets, and journals were published in Latvian. The most important party newspapers at a national level at this time were "Sociāldemokrāts", "Brivā Zeme", "Baltijas Vēstnesis", "Tautas Balss", non-party newspapers "Jaunākās Zinas", "Latvijas Sargs", the official paper "Valdibas Vēstnesis", and the Bolshevik daily "Krievijas Cina" which was published in Moscow. The tradition of issuing regional newspapers was only at the stage of development yet. In 1919, just a few numbers of the Latgalian paper "Latgolas Vords" were issued. A new feature of the development of press was a foundation of Latvian Press Bureau (LPB) "Latopress" in 1919. The task of LPB was to inform world news agencies and local media about the events taking place on the territory of Latvia. Making use of information broadcast by the Moscow (Soviet Russia) and Neuen (Germany) radios, LPB prepared news reports and published them in Latvian newspapers. These reports included the information about military operations at Daugavpils as well. The information about the events at Daugavpils published in periodicals can be classified into several relative groups.First, newspapers published front reports by the General Headquarters of armies on the advancement of armed forces to Daugavpils, on battles at the settlements near Daugavpils. Second, the readers were informed about the rivalry between Lithuanian and Polish armies in fight for the influence in the region and also about the battles for Daugavpils. Third, as much as it was possible, readers were given information about the proportion of the forces of warring parties, armament, and also spirits. Fourth, newspaper columns also reflected an important battle episode ñ the use of French tanks by the Polish army. Maintaining lively interest about the events taking place in Daugavpils, newspapers, however, occasionally published unchecked and even false news, including the occupation of Daugavpils. Then this news was checked and called off. The newspaper information on the events on the front, given under the conditions of military operations, has to be evaluated quite critically. Though considering that Latvian press is a valuable source of history, a more extensive research on the events in Daugavpils suburbs in 1919 would be desirable nevertheless. The information about the events on the front, given by newspapers of different political orientation under the conditions of military operations, is to be evaluated critically, since the phenomena are reflected from the standpoint of warring parties. Key words: Latvian press, Daugavpils, Latvian army, Polish army, Lithuanian army, the Red Army, tanks, bridges across the Daugava river, bridgehead of the fortress. [From the publication]