Ideology, Censorship, and Translation Policy in the Materials of the Latvian State Archives: Liberating the Voices of the Oppressed

• In Event: Liberating Translation II: Liberating Cultural Mediators

Abstract

Based on the materials housed in the Latvian State Archives, explicitly focusing on the translation scene of the Soviet Latvia period, the present report considers how the authorities sought to propagate their ideology through literary channels. The presentation explores the attempts by local intellectuals (translators, editors) to navigate this complex landscape and seeks the answer if it was possible to preserve their distinct voices in the face of ideological imposition. By liberating the voices of the oppressed from the archives of the Latvian Soviet Writers’ Union and Latvian State Publishing House and discussing the findings from the archival documents of GLAVLIT, the Main Administration for Literary and Publishing Affairs, the research contributes to a deeper understanding of the power dynamics shaping literary discourse during the Soviet era in Latvia.

Author

• Evita Badina, Daugavpils U (Latvia)