We're visiting Vilnius, Riga, and Tallin next month. Each city has a museum presenting the history of these occupations. Going to all three is too much. Does anyone have a recommendation for the one museum to visit?
Posted by
near San Francisco
6422 posts
I went to all 3 in 2023. Three years later, the thing that stands out in my memory was a video near the entry of one of the museums that did a side by side comparison of the occupations of the Nazi regimes vs the Communists.
Let me figure out which of the three it was at.
Posted by
near San Francisco
6422 posts
The Latvia Museum of Occupations had a short video (15 minutes?) near the entrance that compared/contrasted the occupations of Nazi Germany and Communist Soviet Union that, for me, was the most memorable thing from all 3 museums, 3 years later. The displays, including English versions for the main "story line" tell how the occupations "dismantled the Latvian state" and "brought the nation to the brink of extinction."
More than the other 2 occupation museums, the Latvian Museum of Occupation presented a narrative throughout its displays that helped me understand the Nazi and Communist occupations in the Baltic States. It also helped me to understand the Lativan view of communism, especially in light of the Ukraine war. I personally think about that war differently, as a result of what I learned at the Latvian Museum.
The Latvia Museum has a lot of very visual displays, some of which you will see in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gjkxsJqnd0
It may also have helped that I took the guided tour at the Latvia Museum of Occupations. There were only 2 of us on the tour - the other, a man from Sweden - and we had some pretty interesting discussions.
Posted by
Freedonia
18971 posts
The museum in Vilnius was excellent. It was very well preserved in its original form so you get an idea of what it was like.
Good luck trying to choose.
Posted by
OP
Maine, USA
8 posts
Thank you both for the thoughtful responses. Riga it is!
wsh9171