1944–1945
Elma Marija Vanags’s diary
A teenager’s account of leaving Riga as a refugee and living in Germany. Photographs and drawings accompany her diary.
Read on garamantas.lvArchives of Latvian FolkloreAutobiography
Collection
About the collection
Data from garamantas.lv ·
Explore the collections
Explore the original materials and their stories in the digital archive.
Materials are available in their original languages. Access restrictions apply to some collections.
A closer look at the collections
Different people, times and handwriting. From school days to journeys abroad and recollections of a lifetime.
Selected collections3
1941–1942
Irma Vīksniņa’s diary
A secondary school student’s everyday life and experiences during the Second World War. Personal writings, drawings and recollections of school days.
Read on garamantas.lv
1938–1939
Captain P. Zolts’s scout group diary
Hikes, training and shared adventures. A scout group’s diary filled with drawings, photographs and humour.
Read on garamantas.lvThe pandemic in an illustrated diary
2020 · LFK Ak 166, 77
Anna Meiere Logina
Riga, 18–30 March 2020. Everyday life recorded in words and drawings, from the Pandemic Diaries collection.
Read on garamantas.lvAll Pandemic Diaries
Routledge · 2026
Writing COVID-19 Lives
Edited by Irene Gammel and Jason Wang.
A drawing from Anna Meiere Logina’s diary appears on the cover of this research volume. The book explores how life writing helped people make sense of and document the pandemic. Poetry, memoirs, autofiction, photographs, diaries and digital stories reveal experiences of insecurity, uncertainty and loss.
The volume brings together research from Canada, the United States, China, Latvia, Peru, the United Kingdom and Spain.
About the book at Routledge
Emīls Pudelis writes… for decades
Emīls Pudelis, a farmer from Mazsalaca, kept a diary for decades. Since 2018, we have been publishing his entries on social media one hundred years after they were written. Daily work, weather and events reveal the rhythm of his life.
Original diaries on garamantas.lvAbout the collection
The ALF Autobiography Collection brings together personal writings about people’s lives and the times in which they lived. Diaries and memoirs are complemented by photographs, interviews and accounts from relatives.
The collection was established in 2018. It is currently jointly developed by the Archives of Latvian Folklore at the Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art, University of Latvia, and the Digital Humanities Centre at the University of Latvia Faculty of Humanities.
Our aim is to preserve and document the tradition of life writing in Latvia and encourage its continuation. The collection grows through collaboration with writers, their families and cultural heritage institutions.
More about the collection on garamantas.lv
A collection built through encounters
Conversations, leafing through diaries and work in the archive. A glimpse into how the collection grows.
Photographs of our work8
Using the collection for research
Life writing offers insights into everyday life, relationships, identity and personal experiences of historical events. The texts can be closely read or explored in corpora to compare language, themes and patterns of writing.
Garamantas.lv provides original documents and their context; the corpora contain selected machine-readable texts. Contact us for help finding materials for your research question.
Discuss your research with usWhen using a source, include its author, title and date, LFK Ak reference and archive link. Check access and reuse conditions in the relevant collection or dataset.
Publications5
2026
Crowdsourced: COVID-19, Life Writing, and Collective Memory in Latvia
Sanita Reinsone, Ilze Ļaksa-Timinska, Haralds Matulis, Elvīra Žvarte.
Writing COVID-19 Lives. Routledge.
2026
Beyond the Archive Shelves: Navigating Digital Archiving of Life Writing Legacy Through Public Involvement
Sanita Reinsone, Ilze Ļaksa-Timinska, Elvīra Žvarte.
a/b: Auto/Biography Studies, 41(1), 87–108. First published online in 2025.
2025
Archiving Uncertainty: Leveraging Crowdsourcing Methodology in Documenting Personal Experiences of COVID-19
Sanita Reinsone, Ilze Ļaksa-Timinska, Haralds Matulis, Elvīra Žvarte.
European Journal of Life Writing, 14, LD1–LD34.
2022
Automatic Detection of Dates in the Corpus of Diaries
Haralds Matulis, Sanita Reinsone, Ilze Ļaksa-Timinska.
DHNB 2022. CEUR Workshop Proceedings, 3232, 334–342.
2022
Metadatos balstīta dienasgrāmatu teksta korpusa analīze
Sanita Reinsone, Haralds Matulis, Ilze Ļaksa-Timinska.
Letonica, 47, 70–87.
Datasets and text corpora2
2021 · CC BY-SA 4.0
PanDi · Corpus of Latvian Pandemic Diaries
The CLARIN dataset contains 238 author text files in Latvian with entry dates, covering 2020–2021. The searchable version on Korpuss.lv covers 2020–2022.
Bibliographic reference
Reinsone, S., Ļaksa-Timinska, I., & Jaudzema, J. (2021). Corpus of Latvian Pandemic Diaries 2020–2021 [Data set]. Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art of the University of Latvia. https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12574/48
2025 · CC BY 4.0
Corpus of Latvian Autobiographies
74 Latvian autobiographies, life stories and memoirs written between 1900 and 2024. Metadata are available in CLARIN; the texts can be explored in NoSketch Engine.
Bibliographic reference
Reinsone, S., Matulis, H., Ļaksa-Timinska, I., & Žvarte, E. (2025). Corpus of Latvian Autobiographies [Data set]. Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art of the University of Latvia; Digital Humanities Center of the University of Latvia. https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12574/145
The CLARIN metadata do not list DOIs for these datasets. The references use the repository’s persistent Handle links.
Do you have a diary or written memories to share?
We welcome personal writings kept by you or your family: diaries, life stories, memoirs, letters and born-digital autobiographical materials.
You can keep the originals. We will agree on digitisation and on who can access the materials.
The collection team
Sanita Reinsone
Associate Professor at the University of Latvia Faculty of Humanities and Head of the Digital Humanities Centre.
Ilze Ļaksa-Timinska
Researcher at the Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art, University of Latvia.
Elvīra Žvarte
Research Assistant at the Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art, University of Latvia, and a doctoral student at the Latvian Academy of Culture.
Justīne Jaudzema, Una Smilgaine and others have also contributed to developing the collection.
Thank you for your support
The collection grows through everyone who shares personal and family writings, helps preserve them and makes them accessible to others.
Financial supporters
- Latvian Council of ScienceProject “Documenting the Self: Innovative Models for Interpreting and Understanding Autobiographical Narrative”, lzp-2018/1-0073
- Ministry of Education and Science of LatviaMinistry of Education and Science budget subprogramme “Krišjānis Barons’s Cabinet of Folksongs”, 05.04.00
- State Culture Capital FoundationState Culture Capital Foundation project “Documenting the Tradition of Life Writing”
- State Culture Capital Foundation · KultūrELPAKultūrELPA targeted programme project “Providing Diverse Traditional Culture Content in the Digital Environment”
- Latvian FoundationLatvian Foundation project “Developing the Autobiography Collection” (No. LF24L03)
Contributors and supporters 301
- Zane Akmeņkalne
- Dina Aļeiņikova
- Evelīna Andžāne
- Lāsma Antoneviča
- Adrija Apine
- Ingrīda Apine
- Elīna Apsīte
- Marianna Auliciema
- Kristīne Austere
- Raitis Auzenbahs
- Anna Auziņa
- Madara Auziņa
- Ilga Vālodze Ābele
- Linards Āboltiņš
- Ilva Āķe
- Rainers Badovskis
- Ina Balaņuka
- Jolanta Baldiņa (Bejas novadpētniecības centrs)
- Ingmāra Balode
- Egita Balode-Logina
- Dace Baltruma
- Herta Barkāne
- Silvija Barkāne
- Anna Bartuša (Krāslavas Novada Centrālā bibliotēka)
- Annija Belogrudova
- Jānis Bergs
- Ērika Bērziņa
- Elizabete Bitāne
- Lija Blūma
- Filips Bobinskis
- Ainars Brūvelis
- Jeļena Budanceva
- Raitis Bukovskis
- Emīlija Buša
- Anda Buševica
- Irēna Bužinska
- Inga Caunīte (Gulbenes novada bibliotēka)
- Anete Cīrule
- Laura Cukermane
- Ilze Dambekalna
- Jānis Daugavietis
- Viktors Dāboliņš
- Klāvs Dāvis
- Pauls A. Dāvis
- Jūlija Dibovska
- Sandra Dieziņa
- Uvis Dredžels
- Inese Dreimane
- Arnis Drille
- Nellija Dūne
- Kristaps Dūšelis
- Sabīne Dzalba
- Juris Emsiņš
- Edgars Engīzers
- Zane Eniņa
- Eva Eglāja-Kristsone
- Sanita Erharde
- Astra Filipsone
- Laura Fišere
- Meldra Gailāne
- Austris Galindoms
- Ieva Gaurilčikaite-Sants
- Jānis Gavars
- Sintija Germane
- Santa Glušina
- Zane Golvere
- Anna Granta
- Dāvids Grasmanis
- Agnese Graudiņa
- Nils Graustiņš
- Inga Greiškāne
- Dauģis Grēniņš
- Silvija Grēniņa-Priedniece
- Emija Grigorjeva
- Maima Grīnberga
- Džefrijs Grīnvalds
- Zane Grundiņa-Arāja
- Mairita Gurova
- Zanda Gūtmane
- Ilze Haka
- Herta He
- Vilnis Heinrihsons
- Rūta Holendere
- Megija Horste
- Agija Ieviņa
- Ilze Ieviņa
- Santa Jankovska
- Estere Jansone
- Anete Jaudzema
- Juta Jākobsone
- Renāte Jerčaka
- Enija Jermolajeva
- Laura Jeruma
- Ēriks Jēkabsons
- Dita Jonīte
- Kristīne Jurjāne
- Sanita Kacuba
- Agnese Kalēja
- Agrita Kalniņa
- Ieva Kalniņa
- Vilis Kasims
- Igors Kasjanovs
- Aiga Kaugare
- Aija Kaukule
- Simona Kaupuža
- Matīss Kaža
- Krista Kozure
- Katrīna Kelija Krapauska
- Laima Kraule
- Dita Krauze
- Edīte Kreicmane
- Estere Krišjāne
- Arturs Krūzkops
- Skaidrīte Kudiņa
- Lilija Kudirkiene
- Līva Kukle
- Ēriks Kuļikovskis
- Ilona Kunda
- Ilona Kurjanoviča
- Ruta Kurpniece
- Linda Kusiņa
- Sigita Kušnere
- Katrīna Kūkoja
- Elīna Kūliņa
- Uldis Ķirsis
- Evelīna Ķiršakmene
- Edgars Lapiņš
- Rolands Lappuķe
- Agita Lapsa (Valmieras integrētā bibliotēka)
- Estere Lasmane
- Miks Latvis
- Kārlis Lazdiņš
- Zane Lāce
- Ojārs Lāms
- Kristīne Lece
- Ance Leja
- Paulis Liepa
- Ineta Lipša
- Maija Liiv
- Elīna Līce
- Madara Līgotāja
- Agnese Logina
- Elizabete Lukšo-Ražinska
- Ieva Maisiņa
- Valdis Majevskis
- Velga Maslobojeva
- Zane Matesoviča
- Dzintars Medenis
- Anna Meiere Logina
- Una Meistere
- Guntars Meluškāns
- Marija Luīze Meļķe
- Aija Mežale
- Alise Mētra
- Andis Mitāns
- Marfa Mivrenika
- Aija Moeller
- Daniela Muižniece
- Lalita Muižniece
- Laura Muižniece
- Sarma Muižniece
- Ārija Murāne
- Uģis Nastevičs
- Līga A. Neilande
- Vita Neimane
- Tīna Nulle
- Inga Oliņa
- Nora Osīte
- Lolita Irisa Oto
- Elza Ozola
- Evelīna Ozola
- Līva Ozola
- Klinta Paegle
- Zigrīda Paegle
- Ieva Pauloviča
- Linda Pavlovska
- Līga Peisniece
- Ruta Penēze
- Tīna Pētersone
- Karīna Piņķe
- Inga Pizāne
- Dzintra Platacis
- Ilona Plaude
- Ilga Plezere
- Ieva Plūme
- Kristīne Pokratniece
- Elīna Pole
- Lauma Pretkalniņa
- Māra Pretkalniņa
- Linda Priedniece
- Baiba Prikule
- Juris Pudelis
- Anda Pukste
- Ligija Purinaša
- Ādama Purmaļa pēcteči
- Edīte Putniņa
- Aivars Puzulis
- Ainars Radovics
- Iveta Ratinīka
- Maija Razumovska
- Edgars Reinsons
- Jānis Reinsons
- Elīna Reitere
- Santa Remere
- Viesturs Rencis
- Inga Rieksta-Riekstiņa
- Linda Ritmane
- Ieva Rituma
- Tetjana Rjazanceva
- Ludmila Roziņa
- Viesturs Roziņš
- Līga Rudzāte
- Dace Rukšāne
- Ināra Rūce
- Liepa Rūce
- Sabīne Salma
- Ģirts Salmgriezis
- Alise Saltā
- Krišjānis Sants
- Sandis Sauka
- Edīte Saviča-Stola
- Izolde Sedleniece
- Ziedone Sērmūkša
- Iveta Sēruma
- Jurate Silakaktiņa
- Lita Silova
- Bārbala Simsone
- Violeta Siringa
- Dace Skeranska
- Astra Sleže
- Una Smilgaine
- Santa Socka
- Raivis Spalvēns
- Ilze Sperga
- Elīna Sproģe
- Elza Stalidzēna
- Paula Stašaite
- Aivis Stelpe
- Alberts Stepiņš
- Kaija Straumanis
- Madara Strauta
- Inese Strazdiņa
- Jānis Streičs
- Igors Šelegovskis
- Līga Šelkova
- Renāte Šidlovska
- Rūta Šmite
- Ivars Šteinbergs
- Laura Šterna
- Tatjana Tamane
- Jānis Tančers
- Coža Tao
- Estere Tauriņa
- Kristiāna Tinusa
- Kaspars Tobis
- Lolita Tomsone
- Baiba Tone
- Rita Treija
- Rūta Grīnvalde
- Inga Treimane
- Senda Treimane
- Sarmīte Trūpa
- Reinis Tukišs
- Egils Turss
- Elīza Ubaviča
- Ramona Ukrina (Sunākstes bibliotēka)
- Līga Ulberte
- Māra Ulme
- Genovefa Upeniece
- Aiga Upiniece
- Ralfs Valcis
- Ilze Valdovska
- Signe Valtiņa
- Maruta Vanaga
- Guntis Vāveris
- Emma Vernere
- Justīne Vernera
- Igors Vertinskis
- Arvis Viguls
- Ansis V. Viksnins
- Elīna Vilmane-Meženiece
- Anita Virbule
- Džeids Vils
- Paula Vībāne
- Aija Vīksna
- Uģis un Māra Vīksnes
- Ilze Vītola
- Velta Voicioneka
- Ivars Vucens
- Ilze Zariņa
- Juris Zariņš
- Irēna Zaščerinska
- Ivars Zābaks
- Guna Zelmene (antikvariāts "Gunas grāmatas")
- Jēkabs Ziedars
- Inguna Zirne
- Māra Zirnīte (Nacionālais mutvārdu vēstures projekts)
- Baiba Zīle
- Elīna Zīle
- Kristīne Želve
- Amanda Žuhovska
Media support
- Amatas Avīze
- Auseklis
- Brīvā Daugava
- Krimuldas Novada Vēstis
- Kursas Laiks
- Latvijas Radio 1
- Latvijas Sabiedriskie Mediji
- Lielvārdes Novada Ziņas
- Līgatnes Novada Ziņas
- Līvānu Novada Ziņas
- Pļaviņu Novada Ziņas
- Preiļu Novada Vēstis
- Literatūras un filozofijas žurnāls "Punctum"
- Tēvzemīte
- Ventspils Novadnieks
List from garamantas.lv · checked 14 October 2026.
