Today, on October 22, the Latvian freedom fighter Gunārs Astra would turn 90. G. Astra's contemporaries and family members, representatives of the Ministry of Justice and the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia, in honor of his memory, have formed an initiative group that will organize a set of events both this year and next year, declaring this period the year of Gunārs Astra.
In memory of G.Astra, Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister of Justice J.Bordāns states: “Gunārs Astra's personality is characterized by the unbreakable spirit of a fighter - he was not afraid to express his opinion and desire to live in an independent Latvian state and resist the Soviet occupation. More than thirty years after G. Astra's death, we will pay special tribute to his memory on December 15 of this year by unveiling a monument at the building at Brīvības iela 34, where in 1983 G. Astra was convicted by the Supreme Court of the Latvian SSR. The monument will be a symbol of Astra's values, intelligence and longing for independence.”
The monument “Do not be afraid” dedicated to Gunārs Astra was created by one of the most outstanding Latvian sculptors Gļebs Panteļejevs, the site of the monument was chosen as a symbol to remind of the mistakes that the judiciary had once made buckling in the face of force, and the hope that such a situation would never happen again.
On the day of commemoration of G. Astra, the director of the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia Solvita Vība emphasizes: “Adherence to truth and values in any situation was the basic condition for Gunārs Astra's life. True patriotism is the yardstick he has left for our thoughts, work and actions today. By learning about the personality of Gunārs Astra and evaluating ourselves, we can become better, grow in wisdom and spirit. And it is not something than can be done in a day, rather an honest, patient and joint work for the days to come.”
In honor of G. Astra's anniversary year, the initiative group plans to organize a conference dedicated to the national resistance movement at the Latvian National Library on December 15 this year. Also at the beginning of next year, a book with historians' comments and the full text of the last word of G. Astra's court hearing will be published in five languages, as well as a television film will be staged by directors Lauris Gundars and Armands Zvirbulis together with the young actors of Liepāja Theater. The film will be about justice, about us, about courage, about fear, about the almost impossible. As we know, G. Astra concluded his final statement at the court hearing as follows: “I believe this time will fade as bad dream. It gives me the strength to stand here and breath. Out people has suffered a lot and learned from it, and it will survive this darkness also.”
Inspired by G. Astra's historical activities, the initiative group, which is also represented by his brother Leons Astra, publicist Arnis Šablovskis, G. Astra Foundation director Mārcis Gobiņš, sculptor Gļebs Panteļejevs, plans to establish Gunārs Astra Support Fund, encouraging the nation, especially the younger generation, to identify themselves and be proud of the freedom fighters of the occupation period and their spirit of fearless patriotism. At the same time, in order to popularize G. Astra's values and contribution to the promotion of independence, a separate section on the website of the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia will be devoted to G.Astra. It is also planned to investigate the mysterious conditions of G.Astra’s death.
Additional information:
Gunārs Astra, a defender of Latvia's independence and a dissident of the Soviet occupation regime, was tried twice: in 1961 and in 1983. After the restoration of Latvia's independence, he was rehabilitated in both cases. On 18 November,1993, a memorial plaque dedicated to Astra was erected at the building of the then Ministry of Justice at Brīvības iela 34, Riga. At the Cabinet meeting of 14 July 2020, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister of Justice Jānis Bordāns proposed an initiative to build a monument to Gunārs Astra. Last December, the Young Conservative faction represented in the Parliament submitted a proposal to allocate the necessary funding for the construction of the monument to the state budget, and it was supported.