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Latgalia People (Latvia)

Last modified: 2024-03-23 by zachary harden
Keywords: latgalia | latgola | latgale | latvia |
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image by Vanja Poposki posted in I Love Flags, 26 August 2012



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Overview

Latgalia - Latgola (in Latgalian) - Latgale (in Latvian) is one of four cultural regions of Latvia recognized in the constitution. It differs from the rest of Latvia in religion and dialect (some call it a separate language) More on the subject at <dau.lv> and at wikipedia.
The flag is dark blue with the silver griffin holding a sword. The griffin on the flag is facing to the left (hoist) while in the Coat of Arms it is in the opposite direction.
When it was in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Latgalia was a heaven for the persecuted in Russia Old-Believers and Jews. During last stages of the Polish-Bolshevik war of 1920, Polish troops occupied the southern portion of Latgalia, but as a gesture of friendship returned it to the newly independent Latvia despite the large Polish population of the area.
Chrystian Kretowicz, 24 April 2008

Mikhail Revnivtsev (Russo-Vex) found a website showing a new regional flag of Latgalia (Latvia) adopted in 2010. It features the variant of the CoA from the time it was a ward of the Kingdom of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania (Commonwealth of Both Nation) in 16th-17th centuries and based on the personal CoA of the Hetman (Field Marshall) Jan Karol Chodkiewicz (Voievode of the the Province of Inflanty). The website is showing also the flags of Livonia and Suiti, while the flag of Selonia is not shown yet there.
Chrystian Kretowicz, 14 April 2011

This flag is without any official status (as you can read in ltdkarogi.eu) - just a private initiative and flagmakers business. Another unofficial, but more often used is this flag.[Proper link fixed. Ed.]
Gvido Pētersons (not from Latgalia), 18 April 2011

My mistake not to mention the unofficial status of the flag. The older flag of Latgalia is already included on our pages and the Selonian one as well.
Chrystian Kretowicz, 18 April 2011

Flag of Latgalens in Latvia
Source: http://www.gumilev-center.ru/statisticheskoe-upravlenie-latvii-poschitalo-latgalov/
Vanja Poposki posted in I Love Flags, 26 August 2012


2023 flag

image by Tomislav Todorovic, 30 January 2024

April 19, 2023 Latvian president E. Levits adopted decree on the Latgale land flag The flag consists of three horizonthal stripes – dark-blue – white – dark-blue (2:1:2). Ratio 1:2. Pantone 295 C. The proportions match that of the national flag. The decree is based on the Council for the Development of Historic Lands of Latvia propositions from 3, April 2023 and Heraldic Commission conclusion from 17 April 2023. Similar to the Latgale unofficial flag (but with red coat of arms with crowned silver griffin holding a sword) existed since 2010. It was designed by local historian Maris Rumaks. State Heraldic Commission decided that flag with this COA is a bad idea. Approved by state Latgale coat of arms – silver griffin (without crown and sword) on the blue shield. Red shield too close to the provincial COA during the Polish rule. Presidential decree adopted the Rumkas flag without the COA.
Victor Lomanstov, 29 April 2023


Unofficial flag of the Latgalian people

image posted by Vanja Poposki, 12 March 2012

The flag was created by Maris Rumaks and was first used in July 2011. He designed this flag to represent the people of this region. Even from 2016 onwards, getting this flag registered with the State Heraldic Commission failed due to the use of the central coat of arms in the middle of the flag. (Source)
Zachary Harden, 8 July 2023