INFORMATION CONCERNING THE PAGASTA (DISTRICT) OF NITAURE, LATVIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000600050391-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 10, 2011
• Sequence Number: 391
• Publication Date: April 5, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/08/10: CIA-RDP80-00809A000600050391-3
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Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/08/10: CIA-RDP80-00809A000600050391-3
CLASSIFICATION CONFjraWIAL
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
COUNTRY USSR (Latvia)
DATE DISTR.SAPIQ -9'4
SUBJECT
Information Concerning the Pagasta (District)
of Nitaure Latvia
NO. OF PAGES
3
PLACE JJ
ACQUIREq
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
DATE
ACQU IRE
DATE OF
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the administrative center. The pagasta vas about seven km widetand115 km long
[3ee?Enalosure (Ay Being an inland area of no importance, there were
few restrictions placed upon the Latvian people during the first Soviet
occupation (1940-1941); the inhabitants were permitted to travel freely.
There were no military installations nor sensitive industries in the
pagasta and therefore, there were no areas forbidden to the people. Neither
vere there any check points. In April or Mswy of 1941 the Soviets began
to issue special Istria..-Soviet passports to replace the old passports
of the republic. Hoverer, these wse only given to the residents of the
larger cities and cc?unities. They did not get around to issuing them
to the people in the rural areas; the passports of these rural people
were merely staved. In June of 1941 the Soviets began to issue a special
type of passport to certain in affect, standing people who vets to be deported. These people
were,
country. i ffect, of ing by for deportation when the Germans Invaded the
rapid Soviet retreat, they were unable to carry
out their deportation plans for these people. I do not know of the ez-
istence of any of these passports in the US. There vere no special doc-
uments or identification cards issued in the Nitaure area.
Data on the Surround1*g Area
2. The terrain of Nitaure is primarily rolling. To the north, north-vest
there are small hills aad valleys, the bills rising about 120 deters.
The administrative center, Nitaure, is built on a small knoll which rises
about 50 meters or so. Throughout the entire area ,;hers were m Brous
trees, primarily pine and whits birch. To the north, north-west there
vere fairly heavy, wooded areas, Them, too, each faze had a wooded
plot. There vets thickets scattered tbrnugbout the area. Being primarily
fazalaad, there were malty plots of high am@ that vould be cut in
the fall for hey. The pasture awes were usually of short grass with
Security Measures and Controls
1. The pagasta (district) of Nitaure, Latvia 57 ? 04 'North-25? 141 East
takes its name from the small settlement of Nitaure whi
h
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tall trees scattered throughout. Hazel nut bushes, blueberries, straw-
berries raspberries and thorn apples grew in abundance.
There was no industry in the pagasta; all of the land was taken up in
small farms. The.ground.has very few rocks and'is easily cultivated.
of apple, pears, cherries, plums -nd some
Each farm :L::.d fruit trees
other seinll fruits. Wheat, rye, potatoes, beets, turnips, and most
types of small garden, vegetables were the common crops. The growing
season is from about the end of April to the middle of September. Each
farm was fairly self-supporting, having cattle. sheep, pigs, chickens,
turkeys and horses. Most of the farmers made their own cloth from wool
from sheep grown on their farm. There being no railroad at Nitaure, farm
produce for market was taken by wagon to Ligatne for rail shipment to
the larger cities.
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connects with the Riga highway, the principal high..my in all Latvia;
(b) south and west to Malpils; (c) south to Zaui.c c..A Madliena and east
to Skujene. The road to Ligatne was paved with asphalt, the only hard-
top road out ^f Nitaure. The other main roads were of sand and travel
with all secondary roads of dirt. All were about 18 feet in width, round-
ed in the middle to provide drainrge?andrwith shoulders-of about two feet
sloping off into ditches on either side. The danger spots were marked
with meted sicns about two indicating the type of diinger wi th
a curve, cross road etc..; feet had~noeprntingron them; The roads were
nu,. identified b route numbers, however, ss roads there were
wooden-signs-showing the direction to the various towns. Then, too,
when leaving the pagasta there would be a wooden sign indicating the pa-
gesta into which ope was, entering. During the heavy winter snows, travel
was difficult and horses and sleighs were used almost exclusively, ex-
cept fora motor bus which traveled to Riga and in between points. In
the summertime there was a lot of yellow dust which rose from the yellow
sand used on the roods. In the spring and vet weather the eedondar dirt
roedi'were`very and except where they had been graveled. Thei'e was not
too much traffic on the roads in the' ?Nitaure area. There 'were 'ro more
than ten motor vehicles, including--passenger' cars end'trucks'. All other 50X1-HUM
travelwas.by horse and wagon. The'Nitaure-Ligatne road was the most
traveled route because of the railroad depot at Ligatne'. During harvest 50X1-HUM
time there was r. great deal of local wagon traffic on all roads. .
of sabh pa gusts were about seven to ton km apart. The boundaries of the pagastas
were not. officially marked with markers except by the farmers living
on . such. boundaries; they would-then place stone markers-on their farms
shoving the pagasta in which. they were located'. ' Then, too rmy i _I-i i IAA
ere were road signs shoving the boundaries'.' The admin- 50X1-HUM
s ra ve center of Nitaure was quite small. Here were located the
Russia .Orthodox Church; the Lutheran Church, the Post fffice ('and tele-
phone?.and telegraph..center) the school house, barber shops; apothecary,
dairy, flour mill, lumber mill, coop store and the secretary of the dis-
trict. Other than the people connected with these offices and organi-
zations where ware very Is,,: other residents.
6. About five km-to the vast, north vest of the Nitaure-psgaita there be- 50X1-HUM
gins is swampy area.vhoh is considered the best?biding place in all. Latvia.
It was formerly an old lake and stretches to the west for. about 60 km.
There are nrouj small, pine covered islets in the awai{py area as well
as high bushes which offer excellentconcealnsnt both on the ground and
from the air. Various . types of edible?berrier can be found in the area,
mostly cranberries. Then, too, there are fish?and adiall game'such as
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rabbits and some wild birds, During both the Soviet and later the German
occupations, many people hid successfully in this swampy area.
Located in the Post Office at Nitaure were the telephone and telegraph
centrals-. The wires were strung mainly along the roads leading to Ligatne
and to Malpils and Zaube. the first electricity was brought to Nitaure
about 1942 from Madliena which in turn got it from the main Latvian power
station atR16ums. Previously, ,a farmer named Ziemelshad a small wind-
mill driven power plant, on his farm which provided electricity for him-
self and two or three neighbors. This was the only electricity in the
area prior to 1942. There were no air fields in the pagasta. The only
airplane that ever landedin.the area was a sam l German observation
plane that mane a rorced landing near Ligatne. II it had a
great deal of difficulty in taking off because of insufficient space.
However, there were some cleared fields that were fairly level where=
small, airplanes could land and take off; these areas would. be in
the southern portion of the pagaluta and with earth moving machines, suit-
able landing strips for larger planes could be made.
was about 1500 people; the total number of families was about 400. At
that time there were about fifteen women to each man. There were one or
two Baltic German families but these left when repatriation. began in
1939. The balance of the people were Letts. During the German occupa-
tion Soviet prisoners of war were brought in and used.to'assist the
various' farmers.
9. The clothes worn by the majority of the people were of-homemade wool.
The winter dress was usually a knee-length leather coat (sometimes lined
with sheepskin); sheepskin hats (with the.smooth leather side out) and
hit-b?leather boots. Trousers were grey wool and shirts of either. wool
or,cottonw Bummer,:dress was usually a pair of lightweight wool or cotton
trouiers.and a white shirt. Instead of the usual necktie, everyone wore
a thin embroidered, string-type tie. The native, Latvian dress was worn
only'on national festive occasions. Kea who were iaofficial.positions
wore suits of the western style, the.material being purchased at the
local cooperative store and tailored by one of the three tailors who did
work in their home. Most :1't3e women wore woolen clothes in winter and
cotton or linen 41a auur, . 4ependipg; am.. .their po4&t$ozc. All mods their
own clothes zt home with the exception of a few-who had certain. type
suits and heavy?coats tailored. Many different types of cloth could be
purchased at-the cooperative store. There was no distinctive clothing for
the?pegesta. As was common throughout Latvia,. most men's suits were of
grey wool. ?
10. The living conditions of the people were excellent. There was plenty of
gu~0.::'ood and clothing, even though ach. of. the latter was. homemade..
Living in-rural are" they suffered from very few diseases. Some of the
common types of dice"e were measles, pneumonia, and isolated cases of
jaundice and diptheria.?, School children were examined every four months
by a doctor and treated for any afflictions they had. There were few
cripp s and Mltr,of, i a!,peT!vai s so by,?,#?4ARnte rin,.tb.e forests_.oa...
on the farm.
11. The pagasta. had two churches, a Russian orthodox with about five hundred
members and a..Lutheran with about one thousand members. Everyone got a-
long well together and thorc were few disagreements. All were deeply
religious.
ENCLOSURE (A): Sketch Shooing.Iyout of Pegaota of Nitaure, Latvia
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Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/08/10: CIA-RDP80-00809A000600050391-3
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/08/10: CIA-RDP80-00809A000600050391-3
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/08/10: CIA-RDP80-00809A000600050391-3