Jelgava (; german: Mitau, ; see also
other names
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), ...
) is a state city in central
Latvia
Latvia ( or ; lv, Latvija ; ltg, Latveja; liv, Leţmō), officially the Republic of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas Republika, links=no, ltg, Latvejas Republika, links=no, liv, Leţmō Vabāmō, links=no), is a country in the Baltic region of ...
about southwest of
Riga
Riga (; lv, Rīga , liv, Rīgõ) is the capital and largest city of Latvia and is home to 605,802 inhabitants which is a third of Latvia's population. The city lies on the Gulf of Riga at the mouth of the Daugava river where it meets the Ba ...
with 55,972 inhabitants (2019). It is the largest town in the region of
Zemgale (Semigalia). Jelgava was the capital of the united
Duchy of Courland and Semigallia
The Duchy of Courland and Semigallia ( la, Ducatus Curlandiæ et Semigalliæ; german: Herzogtum Kurland und Semgallen; lv, Kurzemes un Zemgales hercogiste; lt, Kuršo ir Žiemgalos kunigaikštystė; pl, Księstwo Kurlandii i Semigalii) was ...
(1578–1795) and the administrative center of the
Courland Governorate
The Courland Governorate, also known as the Province of Courland, Governorate of Kurland (german: Kurländisches Gouvernement; russian: Курля́ндская губерния, translit=Kurljándskaja gubernija; lv, Kurzemes guberņa; lt, K ...
(1795–1918).
Jelgava is situated on a fertile plain rising only
above mean sea level
Height above mean sea level is a measure of the vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) of a location in reference to a historic mean sea level taken as a vertical datum. In geodesy, it is formalized as ''orthometric heights''.
The comb ...
on the right bank of the river
Lielupe
The Lielupe ( in Latvian literally: ''Large River'', lt, Lielupė, german: Kurländische Aa) is a river in central Latvia. Its length is (the length would reach if the Mēmele River were counted as part of the Lielupe). The surface area of ...
. At high water the plain and sometimes the town as well can be flooded. It is a
railway center and is also host to
Jelgava Air Base
Jelgava Airfield is an airfield in Latvia located on the north border of Jelgava, a city in Latvia. During Soviet times, it was a military forward deployment attack base, but now is used by general aviation.
Latest update on airfield conditio ...
. Its importance as a railway centre can be seen by the fact that it lies at the junction of over 6 railway lines connecting Riga to Lithuania, eastern and western Latvia, and Lithuania to the Baltic sea.
Name
Until 1917, the city was officially referred to as Mitau. The name Jelgava is believed to be derived from the
Livonian word ''jālgab'', meaning "town on the river." The origin of the German name ''Mitau'' is unclear, although it is suggested that it came from the
Latvian words ''mīt'' or ''mainīt'', meaning "to exchange" or "to trade," thus making it "trading-place." An alternate explanation is that ''Mitau'' came from ''Mitte in der Aue'', German for "the middle of the Aa", referring to the Lielupe River, formerly known as the Courland Aa (''Kurländische Aa'' in German).
In Yiddish, the city was known as מיטאַווע (''Mitave'') or מיטאַו (''Mitar'').
In publications dating from the Soviet period, the city name was occasionally spelled in English as "Yelgava", a back-transliteration from Russian ''Елгава''.
History
![Biron_Rezidenz](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a9/Biron_Rezidenz.jpg)
The
Livonian settlement began developing in the Mitau locality between the rivers Lielupe and Driksa during the 10th century. Led by the Grand Master , the crusading
Livonian Order
The Livonian Order was an autonomous branch of the Teutonic Order,
formed in 1237. From 1435 to 1561 it was a member of the Livonian Confederation.
History
The order was formed from the remnants of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword after the ...
constructed the
castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...
in Mitau on a natural island fortification (''Pilssala'') in 1265–1266. Using Mitau as a southern fortress, the German knights subdued the surrounding Livonians and Semigallians by 1290. The town rose in importance as a defensive fixture against the
Lithuania
Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania ...
ns to the south, who succeeded in plundering Mitau in 1345.
As a result of the fall of the Livonian Order in the
Livonian War of 1558-1583, Mitau became a town of the
Duchy of Courland
The Duchy of Courland and Semigallia ( la, Ducatus Curlandiæ et Semigalliæ; german: Herzogtum Kurland und Semgallen; lv, Kurzemes un Zemgales hercogiste; lt, Kuršo ir Žiemgalos kunigaikštystė; pl, Księstwo Kurlandii i Semigalii) was ...
in 1561. Mitau received city rights in 1573, and became the capital of the united duchies of Courland and Semigallia in 1578. When the Duchy of Courland split in 1596, Mitau became the residence of Duke
Friedrich Kettler
Friedrich Kettler ( Latvian: Frīdrihs Ketlers, 25 November 1569 in Mitau (now Jelgava) – 17 August 1642) was Duke of Courland and Semigallia (Latvian: ''Kurzemes un Zemgales hercogiste'', now part of Latvia) from 1587 to 1642.
He was the son ...
of Semigallia. The city again became the capital of the united duchies in 1617. Because the duchy became a
vassal
A vassal or liege subject is a person regarded as having a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch, in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. While the subordinate party is called a vassal, the dominant party is called a suzerain. W ...
of the
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and, after 1791, as the Commonwealth of Poland, was a bi-confederal state, sometimes called a federation, of Crown of the Kingdom of ...
from 1561, Mitau was also referred to by the Polish name ''Mitawa''. The Commonwealth's repeated wars with
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
subjected Mitau to several sieges. Despite the wars, the city grew as a center for trade and industry. As Courland's neighbors increased in strength, however, the duchy and Mitau began to fall under Russia's
sphere of influence.
The
Tsar
Tsar ( or ), also spelled ''czar'', ''tzar'', or ''csar'', is a title used by East Slavs, East and South Slavs, South Slavic monarchs. The term is derived from the Latin word ''Caesar (title), caesar'', which was intended to mean "emperor" i ...
of Russia,
Peter the Great
Peter I ( – ), most commonly known as Peter the Great,) or Pyotr Alekséyevich ( rus, Пётр Алексе́евич, p=ˈpʲɵtr ɐlʲɪˈksʲejɪvʲɪtɕ, , group=pron was a Russian monarch who ruled the Tsardom of Russia from t ...
, received a promise from duke
Friedrich Wilhelm that he would marry one of the daughters of the tsar's late half-brother. In 1710, Friedrich Wilhelm married
Anna Ioannovna
Anna Ioannovna (russian: Анна Иоанновна; ), also russified as Anna Ivanovna and sometimes anglicized as Anne, served as regent of the duchy of Courland from 1711 until 1730 and then ruled as Empress of Russia from 1730 to 1740. Much ...
(later Empress of Russia), but on his way back from
St Petersburg
Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
, he took ill and died (1711). Anna ruled as the duchess of Courland from 1711 to 1730.
![Academia petrina](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/Academia_petrina.jpg)
The penultimate duke of Courland,
Ernst Johann von Biron
Ernst Johann von Biron (german: Ernst Johann von Biron; russian: link=no, Эрнст Иоганн Бирон; (german: link=no, Bühren); ) was a Duke of Courland and Semigallia (1737–1740 and 1763–1769) and briefly regent of the Russian E ...
, expanded the cultural aspects of Mitau. He constructed the ducal palace and opened the first public library in the city. In 1775 the last Duke of Courland,
Peter von Biron, founded the
Academia Petrina
Jelgava Gymnasium or Academia Petrina is the oldest higher educational establishment in Latvia. Based on an idea by , it was established in Mitau, capital of the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia, by Duke Peter von Biron in 1775. The duke wanted ...
, which became a cultural center for the country. The duke also encouraged theatrical performances at his court.
With the outbreak of the
French Revolution
The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...
in 1789, the citizens of Mitau clamored for more rights. Later,
Imperial Russia
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the List of Russian monarchs, Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended th ...
annexed
Annexation (Latin ''ad'', to, and ''nexus'', joining), in international law, is the forcible acquisition of one state's territory by another state, usually following military occupation of the territory. It is generally held to be an illegal act ...
the city as part of Courland in 1795 during the
Third Partition of Poland. As the seat of the
Count of Provence, the palace of Mitau was the residence (1798–1801 and 1804–1807) of
Louis XVIII
Louis XVIII (Louis Stanislas Xavier; 17 November 1755 – 16 September 1824), known as the Desired (), was King of France from 1814 to 1824, except for a brief interruption during the Hundred Days in 1815. He spent twenty-three years in ...
before he became the French king in 1814. Although the city was occupied by
Prussian troops during the
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...
, it was largely spared destruction.
![Latvian city Jelgava (Mitau) in 1935](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Latvian_city_Jelgava_%28Mitau%29_in_1935.jpg)
Mitau further expanded after the
construction of its railway in 1868. The development of its infrastructure encouraged rural Latvians to migrate to the city, as merchants, craftsmen, teachers, and officials. By 1914 Mitau had over 45,000 inhabitants. However, Mitau suffered considerably after the outbreak of
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
in 1914. The spirited defence of Mitau by two battalions of the Latvian Home Guard in 1915 helped inspire the formation of the
Latvian Rifles.
German troops occupied the city during the war, and British prisoners of war, sent there as forced labour, suffered atrocious conditions and treatment. After the war, in 1919, Mitau became a battleground between
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks (russian: Большевики́, from большинство́ ''bol'shinstvó'', 'majority'),; derived from ''bol'shinstvó'' (большинство́), "majority", literally meaning "one of the majority". also known in English ...
Red Guards, German
paramilitaries, and Latvian freedom-fighters. After the
victory of the latter group in November 1919, Mitau, renamed to Jelgava, became an important city in
independent Latvia. In 1925 a
sugar factory
A sugar refinery is a refinery which processes raw sugar from cane or beets into white refined sugar.
Many cane sugar mills produce raw sugar, which is sugar that still contains molasses, giving it more colour (and impurities) than the white ...
was built in Jelgava, the first such factory in Latvia. In 1939
Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies opened in the
Jelgava Palace
Jelgava Palace ( lv, Jelgavas pils) or historically Mitau Palace ( lv, Mītavas pils, german: Schloss Mitau) is the largest Baroque-style palace in the Baltic states. It was built in the 18th century based on the design of Bartolomeo Rastrelli as ...
.
As a result of the
Nazi-Soviet Pact of 1939, Jelgava was occupied and annexed with the rest of Latvia by the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
in 1940. Many of the city's remaining German population were resettled into the territory of German-occupied Poland during the
Nazi–Soviet population transfers
The Nazi–Soviet population transfers were population transfers of ethnic Germans, ethnic Poles, and some ethnic East Slavs that took place from 1939 to 1941. These transfers were part of the German '' Heim ins Reich'' policy in accordance with ...
. German forces from
Army Group North occupied Jelgava from 1941 to 1944 until the capture of the city by the
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, after ...
. During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, German police along with Latvian auxiliary police murdered the Jewish inhabitants of the city during a series of mass shootings (see
Jelgava massacres
The Jelgava massacres were the killing of the Jewish population of the city of Jelgava, Latvia that occurred in the second half of July or in early August 1941. The murders were carried out by German police units under the command of Alfred Becu, ...
). The main synagogue was burned to the ground.
![19440816 soviet soldiers attack jelgava](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/19440816_soviet_soldiers_attack_jelgava.jpg)
In late July 1944, the Soviet
Red army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, after ...
launched an attack from the south in the direction of Jelgava and
Tukums to encircle the German
Army Group North. Jelgava was declared a fortress (''Festung'') however, there were only a few scattered German and Latvian units in the city. From 30 July until 7 August, after heavy street fighting and several
air raids, the Red Army managed to occupy the left bank of the Lielupe river. In late August, the German army launched a counterattack on Jelgava from the north but it failed to drive back the Soviets. Jelgava remained on the frontline until 10 October when the German army retreated to
Courland
Courland (; lv, Kurzeme; liv, Kurāmō; German and Scandinavian languages: ''Kurland''; la, Curonia/; russian: Курляндия; Estonian: ''Kuramaa''; lt, Kuršas; pl, Kurlandia) is one of the Historical Latvian Lands in western Latvia. ...
.
The city's historic centre, industry, rail network, and public buildings were heavily damaged by the fighting, with almost 90% of the city destroyed. Among lost buildings was famous
Kurland Provincial Museum and Athenaeum
Kurland Provincial Museum and Athenaeum () was Kurzeme Society of Literature and Art museum with library. It was founded in 1818 in Mitau (since 1917 Jelgava), at that time the capital of Courland Governorate of Russian Empire.
History
The mu ...
.
Jelgava was rebuilt in typical Soviet style after
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
as part of the
Latvian SSR
The Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic (Latvian SSR), also known as Soviet Latvia or simply Latvia, was a federated republic within the Soviet Union, and formally one of its 16 (later 15) constituent republics. The Latvian Soviet Socialist Rep ...
. Jelgava became home to several big factories. Among them were the sugar factory, which was heavily expanded from 1975
assembly line, and administration buildings for the
Riga Autobus Factory
The Riga Autobus Factory (RAF; ) was a factory in Jelgava, Latvia, making vans and minibuses under the brand name Latvija.
History
Origins, Riga period
During the Soviet period, RAF and UAZ were the only producers of vans and minibuse ...
(RAF).
Following Latvian independence, Jelgava has slowly regained its original Germanic heritage and is now a popular tourist site. Owing to Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, many of Jelgava's inhabitants are students or people connected with education. For this reason Jelgava is sometimes called the ''Student capital of Latvia''.
Climate
Demographics
As of 1 January 2022, the city had a population of 54,694.
Sights
![Jelgavas katolu katedrale 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Jelgavas_katolu_katedrale_1.jpg)
Jelgava before the Second World War had regular, broad streets lined with the mansions of the
Baltic German nobility who resided at the former capital of Courland. The old castle (1266) of the dukes of Courland, situated on an island in the river, was destroyed by
Duke Biren, who had
a spacious palace erected (1738–1772) by
Bartolomeo Rastrelli
Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli (russian: Франче́ско Бартоломе́о (Варфоломе́й Варфоломе́евич) Растре́лли; 1700 in Paris, Kingdom of France – 29 April 1771 in Saint Petersburg, Russian Emp ...
at the bridge across the Lielupe. The palace contains the
sarcophagi of almost all of the Curonian dukes, except the last one. The future
Louis XVIII
Louis XVIII (Louis Stanislas Xavier; 17 November 1755 – 16 September 1824), known as the Desired (), was King of France from 1814 to 1824, except for a brief interruption during the Hundred Days in 1815. He spent twenty-three years in ...
sojourned in the palace between 1798 and 1800. It now functions as
Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies. Other landmarks include the
Baroque
The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
church of (Liela Street 22a), the tower of the destroyed Jelgava St. Trinity Church (Akadēmijas Street 1), and two handsome structures: the and the
Academia Petrina
Jelgava Gymnasium or Academia Petrina is the oldest higher educational establishment in Latvia. Based on an idea by , it was established in Mitau, capital of the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia, by Duke Peter von Biron in 1775. The duke wanted ...
.
In addition the following cultural and historical objects can be seen:
Jelgava Palace
Jelgava Palace ( lv, Jelgavas pils) or historically Mitau Palace ( lv, Mītavas pils, german: Schloss Mitau) is the largest Baroque-style palace in the Baltic states. It was built in the 18th century based on the design of Bartolomeo Rastrelli as ...
(Lielā Street 2), Jelgava Old Town,
Cathedral of the Immaculate Virgin Mary (Katoļu Street 11),
St Simeon and St Anne's Cathedral (Raina Street 5), (Jāņa Street 1), Jelgava Baptist Church (Matera Street 54), Love Alley (Dobele highway), (Rīgas Street 22),
Jelgava Station
Jelgava Station is a railway station
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road tr ...
(Stacijas Street 1).
Culture
![Jelgava,_Pasta_island_-_panoramio_(1)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/Jelgava%2C_Pasta_island_-_panoramio_%281%29.jpg)
Jelgava regularly hosts an international
Ice Sculpture
Ice sculpture is a form of sculpture that uses ice as the raw material. Sculptures from ice can be abstract or realistic and can be functional or purely decorative. Ice sculptures are generally associated with special or extravagant events because ...
festival, Student Folk Festival, Easter Walk, Latvian Plant Days, Business Days, Jelgava City Festival, Summer
solstice
A solstice is an event that occurs when the Sun appears to reach its most northerly or southerly excursion relative to the celestial equator on the celestial sphere. Two solstices occur annually, around June 21 and December 21. In many countr ...
in Jelgava, medicine market, International Cat Show "Jelgava Cat", Sports Day, International
Sand Sculpture
Sand art is the practice of modelling sand into an artistic form, such as sand brushing, sand sculpting, sand painting, or creating sand bottles. A sandcastle is a type of sand sculpture resembling a miniature building, often a castle. The dr ...
Festival, and Milk Packet Boat Regatta, Beginning of the School Year, Metal Festival,
Azemitologa Festival, Autumn fair "
Miķeļdienas waiting", Latvian Amateur Theater Festival "Jokes come from the actor", Student Days,
Proclamation Day of the Republic of Latvia
Proclamation Day of the Republic of Latvia is celebrated annually on 18 November. It marks the anniversary of the Proclamation of Independence of Latvia by the People's Council of Latvia in 1918.
Observances
Various public events take place ...
s celebrations, New Year's Eve.
The following museums operate in the city: Jelgava History and Art Museum, , historical expositions tower, , museum exposition in Jelgava Castle "Tombs of the Dukes of Kurzeme and Zemgale",
Latvian Railway Museum Jelgava exposition, psychiatric hospitals "" museum, exposition.
Libraries: (Akadēmijas Street 26), Pārlielupe Library (Loka highway 17), Miezīte Library (Dobele highway 100), children's library "Zinītis" (Lielā Street 15).
Parks
Green territories and parks: Jelgava Castle Park, Station Park, Rainis Park, Duke Jacob's Square, Square in Mātera Street, Alunāns Park, Svētbirze, Ozolpils Park, Valdeka Park, Ozolskers, Victory Park, Jelgava Psychoneurological Hospital Park, Lielupe floodplain meadows, Grēbner Park, forest near RAF residential area, forest near Jelgava bypass.
Sports
The city's main football team,
FK Jelgava, plays in the
Latvian Higher League and has won the
Latvian Football Cup
The Latvian Football Cup () is the main knockout cup competition in Latvian football. Since 2021, its full name is Responsible Game Latvian Football Cup (''Atbildīgas spēles Latvijas kauss'') due to the sponsorship by sports betting company Wil ...
four times.
Notable people
![Bus station in Jelgava, Latvia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/Bus_station_in_Jelgava%2C_Latvia.jpg)
*
Aleksejs Auziņš (1910–1997) – footballer, coach, ice hockey player
*
Johann Heinrich Baumann
Johann Heinrich Baumann ( lv, Johans Heinrihs Baumanis; 9 February 1753 – 29 July 1832) was a Baltic German artist who mainly lived and worked in what is today Latvia.
Early life and education
Johann Heinrich Baumann was born in Jelgava (germ ...
(1753-1832) - painter
*
August Johann Gottfried Bielenstein
August Johann Gottfried Bielenstein ( lv, Augusts Johans Gotfrīds Bīlenšteins; – ) was a Baltic German linguist, folklorist, ethnographer, and theologian.
Bielenstein was born in Mitau (Jelgava), where he also died. His father was a luth ...
(1826–1907) – linguist, folklorist, ethnographer
*
Peter von Biron (1724-1800), Duke of Courland
*
Vilnis Edvīns Bresis
Vilnis Edvīns Bresis (30 January 1938 in Jelgava – 25 October 2017) was a Latvian politician who was the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Latvian SSR from 6 October 1988 to 7 May 1990.
During the Soviet period, Bresis worked in va ...
(1938-2017), politician
*
Jan Krzysztof Damel
Jan Krzysztof Damel, also known as Jonas Damelis and Johann Damehl in other languages (1780 – 30 August 1840) was a Polish neoclassicist artist in the age of Partitions, associated with the School of Art at Vilnius University (modern-day L ...
(1780-1840), painter
*
Andrejs Dūda
Andrejs Dūda (born 30 October 1981) is a Latvian swimmer, is a two-time Olympian and nine-time NCAA DIII national individual champion in swimming. Duda represented Latvia at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, and has qualified to comp ...
(born 1981), swimmer
*
Karl Eichwald
Karl Eduard von Eichwald (russian: Эдуард Иванович Эйхвальд, ''Eduard Ivanovich Eykhvald''; 4 July 1795, in Mitau, Courland Governorate – 10 November 1876, in Saint Petersburg) was a Baltic German geologist, physician, and N ...
(1795–1876), geologist, paleontologist and physician
*
Johannes Engelmann Johannes Engelmann ( in Mitau, Courland (now Jelgava, Latvia) – in Dorpat, Livonia (now Tartu, Estonia)) was a Baltic German jurist
A jurist is a person with expert knowledge of law; someone who analyses and comments on law. This person is ...
(1832-1912), jurist
*
Ieva Gaile
Ieva Gaile (born 26 January 1997) and her twin sister Kristine Gaile are Latvian figure skaters. She was born in Jelgava, Latvia, where she started her skating career at the age of 4. After two years she changed her coaches and started trainin ...
(born 1997), figure skater
*
Kristīne Gaile
Kristīne Gaile (born 26 January 1997) with her twin sister Ieva Gaile are Latvia, Latvian figure skaters. She was born in Jelgava, Latvia, where she started her skating career at the age of four. After two years she switched her coaches and star ...
(born 1997), figure skater
*
Kaspars Gerhards
Kaspars Gerhards (born 7 February 1969 in Jelgava, Latvia) is a Latvian politician of the TB/LNNK (2008–11), respectively National Alliance (since 2011) party. He was the economy minister from 2007 to 2009, minister of transport
A minis ...
(born 1969), politician
*
Johannes von Guenther
Johannes von Guenther or Johannes von Günther (1886–1973) was a German writer.Weisstein p.316
The 1929 silent film ''Cagliostro
Count Alessandro di Cagliostro (, ; 2 June 1743 – 26 August 1795) was the alias of the Italian occultist ...
(1886–1973), writer
*
Joseph Hirshhorn
Joseph Herman Hirshhorn (August 11, 1899 – August 31, 1981) was an entrepreneur, financier, and art collector.
Biography
Born in Mitau, Latvia, the twelfth of thirteen children, Hirshhorn emigrated to the United States with his widowed mothe ...
(1899–1981), entrepreneur,
financier and
art collector
*
Olga Jakušina (born 1997), ice dancer
*
Elise von Jung-Stilling
Elise von Jung-Stilling (german: Elise von Jung-Stilling, lv, Elīze Junga-Štilinga, 9 September 1829 – 10 July 1904) was painter and founder of private painting school in Riga. Latvijas Enciklopēdija. Rīga. SIA «Valērija Belokoņa izde ...
(1829-1904), painter
*
Edijs Jurēvics (born 1989), rocksinger and guitarist
*
Renārs Kaupers
Renārs Kaupers (sometimes anglicised as Reynard Cowper; born 1 September 1974, in Jelgava) is a Latvian pop/rock singer, instrumentalist, and songwriter who is the vocalist of the band Prāta Vētra (known internationally as Brainstorm).
Bio ...
(1974), Latvian singer
*
Friedrich Kettler
Friedrich Kettler ( Latvian: Frīdrihs Ketlers, 25 November 1569 in Mitau (now Jelgava) – 17 August 1642) was Duke of Courland and Semigallia (Latvian: ''Kurzemes un Zemgales hercogiste'', now part of Latvia) from 1587 to 1642.
He was the son ...
(1569-1642), Duke of Courland
*
Frederick Casimir Kettler
Frederick Casimir Kettler (German: ''Friedrich Casimir Kettler''; 6 July 1650 – 22 January 1698) was Duke of Courland and Semigallia from 1682 to 1698. Frederick Casimir was the son of Jacob Kettler and Louise Charlotte of Brandenburg.
In his re ...
(1650-1698), Duke of Courland
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Ferdinand Kettler
Ferdinand Kettler (November 1, 1655 - May 4, 1737) was the Duke of Courland and Semigallia from 1730 to 1737. He was married to Johanna Magdalene of Saxe-Weissenfels in 1730.
Early life
Ferdinand Kettler was the son of Jacob Kettler and Louise ...
(1655-1737), Duke of Courland
*
Frederick William, Duke of Courland (1692-1711), Duke of Courland
*
Maria Amalia of Courland
Princess Maria Anna Amalia of Courland (12 June 1653 – 16 June 1711) was Landgravine of Hesse-Kassel through her marriage to Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel. She was the child of Jacob Kettler, Duke of Courland and Semigallia and Margr ...
(1653-1711), Landgravine of Hesse-Kassel
*
Wilhelm Kettler (1574-1640), Duke of Courland
*
Adolph Theodor Kupffer
Adolph Theodor Kupffer ForMemRS (17 January 1799 Jelgava – 4 June 1865) was a Baltic German (subject of Russian Empire) chemist, and physicist. He founded the Depot of Standard Weights and Measures, and the main physical Observatory in Russia. ...
(1799-1865), chemist, and physicist
*
Dzintars Lācis (1940-1992), cyclist
*
Natalia Laschenova (1973) Olympic team gold medalist (gymnastics)
*
Max Lazerson
Maksis "Max" Lazerson ( lv, Maksis Lazersons; 1 February 1887 in Jelgava, Russian Empire (present day Latvia) – 29 November 1951 in New York City, New York, USA) was a Latvian politician, jurist and philosopher. He was a member of Saeima fro ...
(1887-1951), politician
*
Friedrich Ludwig Lindner
Friedrich Ludwig Lindner (23 October 1772 - 11 May 1845) was a German writer, journalist and physician.
Life
Family provenance
Friedrich Ludwig Lindner was born in Mitau, a prosperous midsized town in Courland (modern day Latvia) which at that t ...
(1772-1845), German writer, journalist and physician
*
Jānis Lūsis (1939–2020), Latvian (and Soviet) athlete — javelin thrower
*
Paul von Medem (1800-1854), diplomat
*
Friedrich von der Pahlen
Friedrich Alexander Graf von der Pahlen (russian: Фёдор Петрович Пален, Fyodor Petrovich Palen; September 2, 1780 in Mitau – January 8, 1863 in Saint Petersburg) was a Baltic German diplomat and administrator.
Biography
F ...
(1780-1863), diplomat and administrator.
*
Elza Radziņa (1917–2005), Latvian actress
*
Johann Friedrich von Recke
Johann Friedrich von Recke (1 August 176413 September 1846) was a senior public official in the Baltic Germans Duchy of Courland. He is remembered now, primarily, for his activities as an antiquarian and collector.
Following his withdrawal fro ...
(1764-1846), senior public official in the Baltic Germans Duchy of Courland.
*
Einars Repše (1961), Latvian politician
*
Friedrich von Rüdiger (1783-1856), Baltic German military officer in service of the Russian Empire and a general of the Imperial Russian Army.
*
Princess Pauline, Duchess of Sagan
Luise ''Pauline'' Maria Biron, Princess of Courland, Duchess of Sagan (19 February 1782 – 8 January 1845) was the Duchess Regnant of Sagan between 1838 and 1845.Rudolf Žáček: Dějiny Slezska v datech. Praha 2004, ISBN 80-7277-172-8 She wa ...
(1782-1845), Duchess of Sagan
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Princess Wilhelmine, Duchess of Sagan (1781-1839), Duchess of Sagan
*
Vitālijs Samoļins (born 1990), chess player
*
Igors Šaplavskis
Igors Šaplavskis (born 21 January 1968) is a Latvian boxer. He competed in the men's light middleweight event at the 1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympics ( es, Juegos Olímpicos de Verano de 1992, ca, Jocs Olímpics d'estiu de ...
(born 1968), boxer
*
Carl Christian Joseph of Saxony
, image = Carl Christian Joseph of Saxony.jpeg
, caption = Portrait by Pietro Rotari
, succession = Duke of Courland and Semigallia
, reign = 1758–1763
, coronation =
, predecessor = Louis Ernest
, succe ...
,
Duke of Courland and Semigallia (1759–1763)
*
Paul Schiemann
Paul Schiemann ( lv, Pauls Šīmanis; 17 March 1876 – 23 June 1944) was a Baltic German journalist, editor and politician who was known for his commitment to minority rights.
Biography
Carl Christian Theodor Paul Schiemann was born in Mi ...
(1876–1944), journalist, editor and politician
*
Carl Schmidt (1822-1894), chemist
*
Artūrs Skrastiņš
Artūrs Skrastiņš (born 18 September 1974) is a Latvian actor. In the theater, since 1996 he has worked for Dailes teātris. He also has taken part in several films.
In 1998 he received the Latvian National Film Prize Lielais Kristaps for hi ...
(1974), stage and film actor
*
Gatis Sprukts (born 1996), ice hockey player
*
Mamert Stankiewicz
Mamert Stankiewicz (22 January 1889 – 26 November 1939) was a Polish naval officer of the merchant marine, the commander of ''Lwów'', and finally captain of the Polish ocean liner , which was incorporated into the UK Royal Navy and conv ...
(1889–1939), the
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
of the Polish merchant marine
*
Feodor Stepanovich Rojankovsky
Feodor Stepanovich "Rojan" Rojankovsky (russian: Фёдор Степанович Рожанковский) (December 24, 1891 – October 12, 1970), also known as Rojan, was a Russian émigré illustrator. He is well known both for children's boo ...
(1891–1970), illustrator
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Eduard Totleben
Franz Eduard Graf von Tottleben (russian: Эдуа́рд Ива́нович Тотле́бен, tr. ; – ), better known as Eduard Totleben in English, was a Baltic German military engineer and Imperial Russian Army general. He was in char ...
(1818–1884), Russian military engineer
*
Ernst Rudolf von Trautvetter (1809-1889), botanist
*
Gunars Upatnieks
Gunars Upatnieks (born 8 October 1983, in Jelgava) is a Latvian double-bass player and member of the Berlin Philharmonic.
He is prize winner at numerous competitions, including the ARD International Music Competition, the International ISB S ...
(born 1983), musician
*
Inese Vaidere
Inese Vaidere (born 3 September 1952) is a Latvian politician who currently serves as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP).
Political career
Role in national politics
Vaidere was Minister of State for the Environment in the Krištopans cab ...
(born 1952), politician
*
Johann Walter-Kurau
Johann Walter-Kurau, also known as Jānis Valters (Latvian) or Johann Walter, (3 February 1869 – 19 December 1932) was a Latvian painter.
Life
Walter was born in Jelgava, south of Riga, and had German citizenship through his Baltic German mo ...
(1869-1932), painter
*
Kaspars Znotiņš
Kaspars Znotiņš (born 7 October 1975) is a Latvian people, Latvian stage and film actor.
Born in Jelgava, Latvia, Znotiņš began his career working on the New Riga Theatre, and has performed in stage productions at the Latvian National Theatr ...
(1975), stage and film actor
Twin towns – sister cities
Jelgava is
twinned with:
*
Pärnu, Estonia (1957)
*
Šiauliai, Lithuania (1960)
*
Vejle
Vejle () is a city in Denmark, in the southeast of the Jutland Peninsula at the head of Vejle Fjord, where the Vejle River and Grejs River and their valleys converge. It is the site of the councils of Vejle Municipality ('' kommune'') and the R ...
, Denmark (1992)
*
Białystok
Białystok is the largest city in northeastern Poland and the capital of the Podlaskie Voivodeship. It is the tenth-largest city in Poland, second in terms of population density, and thirteenth in area.
Białystok is located in the Białystok Up ...
, Poland (1994)
*
Xinying (Tainan), Taiwan (2000)
*
Alcamo, Italy (2002)
*
Baranavichy
Baranavichy ( ; be, Бара́навічы, Belarusian Latin alphabet, Łacinka: , ; russian: Бара́новичи; yi, באַראַנאָוויטש; pl, Baranowicze) is a city in the Brest Region of western Belarus, with a population (as of ...
, Belarus (2003)
*
Hällefors
Hällefors () is a locality and the seat of Hällefors Municipality, Örebro County, Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Ki ...
, Sweden (2004)
*
Nacka
Nacka () is the municipal seat of Nacka Municipality and part of Stockholm urban area in Sweden. The municipality's name harks back to a 16th-century industrial operation established by the Crown at Nacka farmstead where conditions for water mil ...
, Sweden (2004)
*
Rueil-Malmaison
Rueil-Malmaison () is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, in the Hauts-de-Seine department, Île-de-France region. It is located from the centre of Paris. In 2017, it had a population of 78,152. It is one of the wealthiest suburbs of Par ...
, France (2006)
*
Magadan
Magadan ( rus, Магадан, p=məɡɐˈdan) is a port town and the administrative center of Magadan Oblast, Russia, located on the Sea of Okhotsk in Nagayev Bay (within Taui Bay) and serving as a gateway to the Kolyma region.
History
Maga ...
, Russia (2006)
*
Ivano-Frankivsk
Ivano-Frankivsk ( uk, Іва́но-Франкі́вськ, translit=Iváno-Frankívśk ), formerly Stanyslaviv ( pl, Stanisławów ; german: Stanislau), is a city located in Western Ukraine. It is the administrative centre of Ivano-Frankivsk O ...
, Ukraine (2007)
*
Nova Odessa
Nova Odessa (lit., New Odessa) is a Brazilian municipality in the state of São Paulo. It is part of the Metropolitan Region of Campinas. The population is 60,956 (2020 est.) in an area of 73.79 km². Nova Odessa was founded on May 24, 1905, ...
, Brazil (2007)
*
Como
Como (, ; lmo, Còmm, label=Comasco dialect, Comasco , or ; lat, Novum Comum; rm, Com; french: Côme) is a city and ''comune'' in Lombardy, Italy. It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como.
Its proximity to Lake Como and ...
, Italy (2016)
See also
*
Adolfa Alunāna Theatre
*
Jelgava massacres
The Jelgava massacres were the killing of the Jewish population of the city of Jelgava, Latvia that occurred in the second half of July or in early August 1941. The murders were carried out by German police units under the command of Alfred Becu, ...
References
External links
Map of JelgavaCity paper
{{Authority control
Capitals of former nations
Cities in Latvia
Republican cities of Latvia
Doblen County
Semigallia
Holocaust locations in Latvia
Populated places established in the 10th century