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Uldis Ģērmanis

{{Short description|Latvian historian, writer, and publicist}}

{{Use Oxford spelling|date=May 2022}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2014|cs1-dates=y}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Uldis Ģērmanis

| image =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1915|10|4|df=y}}

| birth_place = Novaya Ladoga, {{flagu|Russian Empire}}

| death_date = {{death date and age|1997|12|19|1915|10|4|df=y}}

| death_place = Stockholm, {{flagu|Sweden}}

| occupation = Writer, historian

| spouse =

| movement =

| alma mater = {{ubl|University of Latvia|Stockholm University}}

}}

Uldis Ģērmanis ({{date2|4|October|1915}}{{thinsp|–}}{{date2|19|December|1997}}) was a Latvian historian, writer and publicist born in Novaya Ladoga, Russian Empire. His father was Jānis Ģermanis, and his family returned to the newly independent Latvia in 1919.{{refn|{{Cite book |title=Latviešu rakstniecība biogrāfijās |date=2003 |publisher=Zinātne |isbn=978-9984-698-48-9 |editor-last=Rožkalne |editor-first=Anita |location=Riga |language=lv |trans-title=Latvia writing in biographies |lccn=2004359240 |oclc=54799673 |ol=31603938M}}}}

He taught history at the University of Latvia in Riga from 1943 and obtained his master's degree. During World War II, he was mobilized to the Latvian Legion and served in the 19th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (2nd Latvian) as a military reporter. A few days before the German capitulation, he emigrated to Sweden, where he settled in Solna. In 1974, he received his doctorate in history from the Stockholm University.

Ģērmanis was, since 1935, a lifelong member of the Latvian student fraternity Fraternitas Livonica. His speciality was modern Latvian history, especially of the Soviet Union and the Latvian Riflemen. His ground-breaking work on {{lang|lv|Jukums Vācietis|italic=no}} and the Latvian Riflemen's role in the Bolshevik Revolution paved the way for further research on this subject by other Latvian émigré historians, notably the early works of Andrew Ezergailis.

His book {{lang|lv|Zili stikli, zaļi ledi}} (Blue glass, green ice; 1968) describes his experience researching the story of Vācietis. Ģērmanis was one of the rare émigré Latvians allowed access to primary sources in the Latvian SSR at the time. In the book, he describes the suspicion he was met with by both the Soviet Latvian authorities, and by his fellow émigrés, who questioned his motives for researching the history of pro-Bolshevik Latvians.

In 1958, Ģērmanis living in exile completed "The Latvian Saga", which presents Latvian history, but reads like a novel. As the Latvian Embassy in the USA writes: {{quote|It describes the people, powers and events that made Latvia what it is today, and puts it all in a broader European context{{thinsp|…}}it inspired several generations of Latvians to dedicate their lives to the restoration of Latvia's independence in 1991.{{refn|{{Cite web |date=2014-12-02 |title="The Latvian Saga" by Uldis Germanis |url=https://www2.mfa.gov.lv/en/usa/usa/publications/quot-the-latvian-saga-quot-by-uldis-germanis |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220517200840/https://www2.mfa.gov.lv/en/usa/usa/publications/quot-the-latvian-saga-quot-by-uldis-germanis |archive-date=2022-05-17 |access-date=2022-05-17 |website=Latvian Embassy |language=en-US}}}}}} In 2007, the eleventh edition was issued in an English version and the works of Ģērmanis are becoming increasingly popular in his native country as well.

His lecture in Toronto, in 1988, about "current events" in the Soviet Union, is considered by many to be the best analysis of the situation at the time.{{cn|date=May 2022}}

Uldis Ģērmanis was elected a member of the Latvian Academy of Sciences in 1992 and awarded the Order of the Three Stars in 1995.{{refn|{{Cite web |title=Triju Zvaigžņu ordenis |trans-title=Order of the Three Stars |url=http://www.gramata21.lv/3zvg1.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110821054356/http://www.gramata21.lv/3zvg1.htm |archive-date=2011-08-21 |access-date=2022-05-17 |website=gramata21.lv |language=lv}}}}

Bibliography

{{refbegin|indent=y}}

  • {{Cite book |last=Ģērmanis |first=Uldis |title=Pa aizputinātām pēdām |date=1956 |publisher=Daugava |location=Stockholm |language=lv |trans-title=On dusty feet |author-mask=4}}
  • {{Cite book |last=Ģērmanis |first=Uldis |title=Latviešu tautas piedzīvojumi |date=1959 |publisher=Daugava |location=Stockholm |language=lv |trans-title=Adventures of the Latvian people |author-mask=4}}
  • {{Cite book |last=Ģērmanis |first=Uldis |title=Zili stikli, zaļi ledi: Rīgas piezīmes |date=1968 |publisher=Grāmatu Draugs |location=Brooklyn |language=lv |trans-title=Blue grass, green ice: Riga notes |oclc=186202213 |author-mask=4}}
  • {{Cite magazine |last=Ģērmanis |first=Uldis |author-mask=4 |date=1969–1972 |title=Zemgaliešu komandieris |trans-title=Zemgallian Commander |url=http://zagarins.net/JG/jg76/JG76-90_Germanis.htm |url-status=bot: unknown |magazine=Jaunā Gaita |language=lv |issue=76–90 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221014225925/http://zagarins.net/JG/jg76/JG76-90_Germanis.htm |archive-date=2022-10-14 |access-date=2022-05-17 }}
  • {{Cite book |last=Ģērmanis |first=Uldis |title=Tā lieta pati nekritīs |date=1971 |publisher=Grāmatu Draugs |location=New York City |language=lv |trans-title=That thing will not happen by itself |author-mask=4}}
  • {{Cite book |last=Ģērmanis |first=Uldis |url={{GBurl|id=Zt6eAAAAIAAJ}} |title=Oberst Vācietis und die lettischen Schützen im Weltkrieg und in der Oktoberrevolution] |date=1974 |publisher=Almqvist & Wiksell |location=Stockholm |language=de |trans-title=Colonel Vācietis and the Latvian Riflemen in the World War and the October Revolution |oclc=1171718 |author-mask=4}}
  • {{Cite book |last=Ģērmanis |first=Uldis |title=Tālu tālumā, lielā plašumā: austrālijas piezīmes |date=1977 |publisher=Grāmatu Draugs |location=Brooklyn |language=lv |trans-title=Far away, on a large scale: Australia notes |oclc=731511142 |author-mask=4}}
  • {{Cite book |last=Ģērmanis |first=Uldis |title=Zināšanai |date=1985 |publisher=Ziemelzvaigzne |location=Stockholm |language=lv |trans-title=For your information |author-mask=4}}
  • {{Cite book |last=Ģērmanis |first=Uldis |title=Divi portreti |date=1985 |publisher=Atvase |location=Stockholm |language=lv |trans-title=Two portraits |author-mask=4}}
  • {{Cite book |last=Ģērmanis |first=Uldis |title=Izvērtēšanai: par mūsu vēsturisko pieredzi |date=1987 |publisher=Memento |location=Stockholm |language=lv |trans-title=For your evaluation: about our historical experience |oclc=186768882 |author-mask=4}}
  • {{Cite book |last=Ģērmanis |first=Uldis |title=Laikmeta liecības |date=1988 |publisher=Memento |location=Stockholm |language=lv |trans-title=Evidence of the age |author-mask=4}}
  • {{Cite book |last=Ģērmanis |first=Uldis |title=Pakāpies tornī |date=1987 |publisher=Grāmatu Draugs |isbn=978-9-1871-1414-4 |location=Brooklyn |language=lv |trans-title=Climb the tower |oclc=247636466 |author-mask=4}}
  • {{Cite book |last=Ģērmanis |first=Uldis |title=Pakāpies tornī (2. daļa) |date=1991 |publisher=Memento |isbn=978-9-1871-1410-6 |location=Stockholm |language=lv |trans-title=Climb the tower (part 2) |oclc=185974043 |author-mask=4}}
  • {{Cite book |last=Ģērmanis |first=Uldis |title=Ceļā uz Latviju. Raksti par mūsu vēsturi |date=1990 |publisher=Memento |isbn=978-91-87114-06-9 |location=Vårby |language=lv |trans-title=On the way to Latvia: essays on our history |oclc=185974003 |author-mask=4}}
  • {{Cite book |last=Ģērmanis |first=Uldis |title=Jaunie laiki un pagātnes ēnas |date=1995 |publisher=Zinātne |isbn=978-91-87-11420-5 |location=Riga |language=lv |trans-title=New times and shadows of the past |lccn=97135976 |oclc=34050143 |ol=743398M |author-mask=4}}
  • {{Cite book |last=Ģērmanis |first=Uldis |title=Mosties, celies, strādā! 99 + 1 domu grauds |date=1998 |publisher=Memento |isbn=978-91-87114-31-1 |location=Stockholm |language=lv |trans-title=Wake up, get up, work!: 99 + 1 grains of thought |lccn=98224450 |ol=492540M |author-mask=4}}
  • {{Cite book |last=Ģērmanis |first=Uldis |url=http://www.atena.lv/index.php?zoomid=382 |title=The Latvian Saga |date=2007 |publisher=Atēna |isbn=978-9984-34-291-7 |location=Riga |language=en-US |author-mask=4 |access-date=2022-05-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722161119/http://www.atena.lv/index.php?zoomid=382 |archive-date=2011-07-22 |url-status=dead}}
  • {{Cite book |last=Ģērmanis |first=Uldis |title=Dialogi: vēstules un publikācijas, 1989–1997 |date=2007 |publisher=Valters un Rapa |isbn=978-9984-805-09-2 |location=Riga |language=lv |trans-title=Dialogues: writings and publications, 1989–1997 |author-mask=4}}

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References

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Germanis, Uldis}}

Category:1915 births

Category:1997 deaths

Category:20th-century Latvian historians

Category:Latvian emigrants to Sweden

Category:Latvian Waffen-SS personnel

Category:Latvian World War II refugees

Category:Latvian writers

Category:People from Novoladozhsky Uyezd

Category:People from Volkhovsky District

Category:Stockholm University alumni

Category:University of Latvia alumni

Category:Academic staff of the University of Latvia