Edvarts Virza was a Latvian writer, poet and translator. In 1935 and 1936 he was a nominee for the Nobel Prize in Literature. His works were banned in Latvian SSR until 1985.
Biography
Edvarts Virza was born as Jēkabs Eduards Liekna in Rāceņi homestead, Salgale parish, Courland Governorate on December 27, 1883. He was oldest of nine children and his father Juris Liekna was a relatively wealthy farmer. Edvarts attended local parish school and later studied in Bauskatown school from witch he graduated in 1901. In 1902 he started studies in technical school of post and telegraph in Riga. However he soon left his studies and in 1904 traveled to Moscow where he attended law lectures in Moscow University. During Russian revolution of 1905 he returned to Latvia and lived in his family home where he studied french language and poetry of Russian symbolists. In 1906 his first poem was printed in newspaper and in 1907 his first collection of poetry Biķeris was published. During First world war in summer of 1915 German army with little resistance occupied Kurzeme and invaded into Zemgale forcing thousands of Latvians to leave their homes and travel as refugees to Vidzeme or further east to inner Russia. Also family of Edvarts Virza left Zemgale but Edvarts enlisted in 5th. Zemgale Latvian Rifleman regiment under command of Jukums Vācietis in 1916. In 1917 he together with majority of Latvian rifleman went to Russia and settled in Saint Petersburg. While in Petersburg he was addressed by members of Latvian Provisional National Council and wrote extensive and analytical article Izpostītā Latvija about German - Russian war in Baltic area and senseless heroism of latvian soldiers while fighting in foreign army. Article was intended for Entente countries to inform them about situation in Baltic area. Virza also translated this article into french. In 1918 Virza was demobilised from army and returned to Latvia. During Latvian War of Independence Virza worked for several newspapers and his articles and patriotic poems were published regularly. In January 1919, under bolshevik pressure, Virza together with the Provisional government left Riga and evacuated to Liepāja. After pro German coup in April 1919 Virza traveled from Liepāja by sea to Tallinn and from there to Valka where latvian military units still loyal to provisional government was located. While in Valka he together with Oto Nonācs and Jēkabs Janševskis published newspaper Tautas Balss. Despite its short life this newspaper with clear pro latvian position became one of the symbols of free Latvia. In autumn of 1919 when the attack of the West Russian volunteer army began Virza lived in Riga and worked in the editorial staff of the military newspaper Latvijas Kareivis together with his friend poet Viktors Eglītis and fellow writer Aleksandrs Grīns. During this period he met poetess Elza Stērste and the couple married after a year in autumn 1920. From 1921-1922 Virza worked as a director of Latvian press office in Paris. In 1922 their daughter Amarillis was born. In 1923 Virza became member of Latvian Farmers union and from 1923 until his death in 1940 led literature section of party newspaper Brīvā Zeme He also worked as a director of Daile theatre for several years. Edvarts Virza died on March 1, 1940 in Riga only two months prior Soviet occupation of Latvia and was buried in Riga Forest Cemetery. During period of soviet occupation works of Edvarts Virza were banned and there was no mention of him in literature books.
Literature
Edvarts Virza is considered as first latvian symbolist in poetry. His first collection Biķeris in 1907 is not only bright example of latvian symbolism but also first example of erotic poetry in latvian literature. His later works are mostly neo classical however they have many aspects of romanticism as well. During period of Republic of Latvia main themes of Virzas poetry was patriotism and beauty of nature. In 1933 he finished poem Straumēni which is today included in Latvian cultural canon. This work describes idealised peasant life in Zemgale during 1880ties. It combines Virzas own childhood memories with tales of his grandparents. After K. Ulmanis coup in May 1934 Virza became one of the K. Ulmanis favorite poets, he actively took part in regime propaganda and wrote many poems and articles which promote country life, peasant work and patriotism. In 1935 he also published a book about Kārlis Ulmanis.
