Latvian National Archives to Return Historical Documents to Ukraine

The Latvian National Archives (LNA) has announced its decision to transfer a collection of historical documents to Ukraine. The documents were discovered during an analysis of the Latvian State Historical Archive's holdings and date from 1860 to 1940. They pertain to Ukrainian regions, particularly the western and southern areas: Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, Odesa, and Volyn. The collection includes reports, certificates, parish registers, and prayer house designs related to Evangelical Lutheran congregations, schools, and German colonist communities. After evaluating their origin, LNA determined that these documents do not belong to Latvia's national documentary heritage and should be handed over to the Ukrainian State Archives Service, in line with international principles and bilateral cooperation agreements. The LNA director noted that such transfers are relatively rare and that the significance of these documents lies not only in their content but also as evidence of the fate of Latvian and Ukrainian archives during World War II.