Gotland and the boat refugees through life stories

Photo exhibition and meeting in Almedals Library in Visby

Tuesday, 28.06. 15.00

Margit Söderberg, head of Gotland-Baltikum Association Photo exhibition opening: The disembarkation of Baltic refugees on the shores of Gotland through the eyes of David Holmert and other Gotland photographers.

]Māra Zirnīte, head of Latvian Oral History Researchers Association “Life Story” (“Dzīvesstāsts”) Introduction.

Baiba Bela, docent at the University of Latvia Latvian life story research in Sweden and the book “Mēs nebraucām  uz Zviedriju, lai kļūtu par zviedriem” (“We Didn’t Go to Sweden to Become Swedes”).

Maija Runcis, docent at the Centre for Baltic and East European Studies, Södertörn  University Life story fieldwork in Gotland - 2010.

Maarja Holo, PhD student at Tartu University Estonian exile literature and life story research.

Juris Zalāns, specialist at the museum and research centre “Latvians Abroad” The photo archive in Gotland – a significant addition to Latvian life stories.

Wednesday, 29.06. 15.00

A public interview with Pēteris and Inga Jansons, participants of extreme events during WWII, and with Daiga Siliņa, the daughter of boat captain Ēriks Tomsons.

Video screening:

• Review of the life story fieldwork in Gotland during the summer of 2010
• Video interview with Pēteris Jansons, filmed by his granddaughter Marie Jansons  

Organizers:
Latvian Oral History Researchers Association “Life Story” (“Dzīvesstāsts”) in collaboration with the Gotland-Baltikum Association and Almedals Library in Visby. Supported by Nordplus Project.