Baltic Trip Cancelled

Two weeks ago, on Friday afternoon, I was cleared to go back to work on Monday morning.  I must have overdone it because two days later the doctor put me back on sick leave.  Lots of coughing and all of my flu symptoms came back hard.

On Wednesday, they took x-rays and fortunately there's no infection.  Both my blood pressure and my oxygen level were both a little low.  The doctor was concerned that I might get phenomena and kept saying "at your age."  Oh, how I love the direct Czech approach.  Great health care but not the best bedside manner.  Ugh!

Perhaps they will release me to on Monday which means that Covid will have knocked me out for just over three weeks.  Technically, I'm supposed to work four days next week and then I have holiday.  I had a trip booked to the Baltics for 10 days but I've cancelled it.

I'm disappointed about not going back to Balticland.  I was supposed to start off in Riga, Latvia, where I planned to visit Jūrmala, which is a nearby beach resort.  Then up to Estonia to visit Narva which is right on the Russian border.  I didn't make it to Narva during my 2014 trip so this is the second time I'll miss it.  Then it was on to Klaipėda, Lithuania, before going back to Riga to catch my airBaltic flight home.

There are basically two reasons why I cancelled my trip.

1. I am just too tired.  The thought of running around three countries right now doesn't sound anywhere as good as sleeping.
2. If I tell my mother that I'm going to the Baltics, much less right on the Estonian-Russian border, then she will just worry.  Also, Klaipėda isn't very far from the Russian exclave Kaliningrad.    

I know that, unlike Ukraine, all three of the Baltic countries are members of the EU and NATO.  Putin would have to be crazy to attack the Baltic countries.  But, each were former Soviet republics so who knows if he is crazy enough to attack.  Who thought that he would actually invade Ukraine?

Instead of travelling, I'm go to have a Brno staycation.  I just plan to sleep and will try to watch something other than coverage of the war.

Я за Україну. Я за Україною. Слава Україні  Stojím za Ukrajinou!  I stand with Ukraine. 

Commonwealth of Independent States

The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was formed in 1991 following the dissolution of the Soviet Union.  It's not the successor to the Soviet Union but it kind of is even though it's not. 

Today the CIS consists of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.  In 2005, Turkmenistan became an observer member.  In 2008, Afghanistan and Mongolia became observer members.

Georgia withdrew its membership in 2008 following the five-day war when Russia invaded and took control of South Ossetia.

Ukraine withdrew in 2018 following the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014 and Russian support of two separatist regions in Eastern Ukraine.

The three Baltic states, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, chose not to participate because they viewed their being in the Soviet Union was an illegal occupation.

Headquarters for the CIS are in Minsk, Belarus.

The goal of the CIS is to coordinate policies regarding its members' economies, foreign relations, defence, immigration policies, environmental protection, and law enforcement.

The CIS spawned three organisations.  

The Collective Security Treaty Organization is a military alliance.  Kind of like the new Warsaw Pact but made up of former Soviet republics.  

The Eurasian Economic Union is basically the Eurasian version of the EU but only consisting of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia.

The Union State is the union of Belarus and Russia with the goal of common government, flag, currency, etc.

Following the breakup of the USSR, athletes competed at the 1992 Winter and Summer Olympics in team events as part of the CIS "Unified Team".  Athletes competed under the Olympic flag.  Since 1992, athletes no longer compete as a unified team and compete for their home countries. 

Former Soviet Republics

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), the Soviet Union, was established in 1922 and lasted until its dissolution in 1991.  It was the world's largest country and it spanned eleven time zones from Europe to Asia.  It was a federal union, consisting of 15 republics, all ruled by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.  The capital was Moscow.

Everything started with the October Revolution in 1917 when the Bolsheviks overthrew the provisional government following the fall of the Russian Empire.  The Russian Soviet Republic became the world's first communist state.  Following a civil war, the Soviet Union eventually came in to being.  Its republics had previously belonged to the Russian Empire.  Prior to WWII, under Josef Stalin, the Soviet Union annexed the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania and made them all new Soviet Republics.

The dissolution of the Soviet Union singled the end of the Cold War.  I grew up during the Cold War so it's incredible to think about how different the world looks.  

The Berlin Wall fell and East Germany became part of a unified Germany.  Czechoslovakia split in to the Czech Republic and Slovakia.  Except for Russia, every member of the Warsaw Pact joined the EU and is now a member of NATO.  Even three former Soviet republics are even NATO members.  

In 1990, Lithuania was the first Soviet Republic to declare independence.  Kazakhstan was the last republic to leave in December 1991.  Many of the former Soviet republics joined new unions and alliances with Russia such as the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the Eurasian Economic Community, the Eurasian Customs Union, the Eurasian Economic Union, and the Union State.  Some, without Russia, joined GUAM and the Baltics joined the EU. 

Here's a bit about the former Soviet republics.

The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, in the Caucasus, became independent in on 21 September 1991.  It was the second smallest republic and was home to about 3,3 million people.  Armenia was the world's first Christian state.  I always thought it was kind of ironic that religion was banned during Soviet times.  Following independence, Armenia and Azerbaijan have been at war over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

The Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic declared independence on 30 August 1991.  It is the largest country in the Caucasus and is rich in oil and natural gas.  Since the fall of the USSR, Azerbaijan has been ruled by a single family.  It is still at odds with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.  

The Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, with just over 10 million people, was the 5th largest republic.  Belarus declared independence on 10 December 1991.  President Lukashenko has ruled since 1994 and Belarus is considered the last dictatorship in Europe.    

The Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic declared independence on 20 August 1991.  It joined the EU and NATO in 2004 and in 2011 it replaced its currency with the Euro.  Today, Estonia is a parliamentary republic and it was the first country in the world to allow citizens to vote online.  When Estonia gained independence, citizenship was only granted to those who could prove family ties prior to 1940 when the Soviet Union annexed the country.  Russians who came to Estonia between 1941 - 1991 were allowed citizenship only if they could pass an Estonian language test.  About 25% of the population are ethnic Russians and Estonia does not permit dual citizenship.

The Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic declared independence on 9 April 1991.  Most of the 1990s was filled with civil unrest and economic hardship with the Rose Revolution in 2003.  Georgia has two breakaway republics - Abkhazia and South Ossetia.  

Georgia considers there regions to be under Russian military occupation.  The country is working hard to join NATO which makes Russia uneasy.  That's also one of the reasons that Russian troops are stationed in the breakaway republics.

The Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic became part of the USSR in 1936 and on 16 December 1991 it was the very last republic to leave the union.  Kazakhstan is huge, more than four times the size of Texas, and today it is the largest country in Central Asia and with 18 million people it is the world's 9th largest country.  During the  1950-60's, many Russians and people deported from other republics were sent to Kazakhstan to work he fields.  Today, ethnic Russians make up about a quarter of the population.

The Kyrghiz Soviet Socialist Republic became part of the USSR in 1936.  Kyrgyzstan became independent on 31 August 1991.  It is a poor country that is heavily dependent on agriculture and minerals extraction. Due to high unemployment Kyrgyzstan is a source of migrant labourers especially in Russia.

After WWI Latvia broke away from the Russian Empire but in 1940 it was forcibly incorporated into the USSR as the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic.  Latvia gained independence on 4 May 1990.  It joined the EU and NATO in 2004 and the Eurozone in 2014.  Citizenship was granted only those who could prove Latvian citizenship prior to 1940.  About 13% of the population still doesn't have Latvian citizenship and the country doesn't allow dual citizenship.

Lithuania became an independent country in 1918, after WWI, when it broke away from the Russian Empire.  In 1940, it was annexed by the USSR and became the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic.  On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the first of the 15 Soviet republics to declare independence. A full year before the Soviet Union actually broke up.  Lithuania joined the EU and NATO in 2004 and joined the Eurozone in 2015.  Like the other two Baltic countries it is also part of the Schengen area.  Also like Estonia and Latvia, Lithuania doesn't allow for dual citizenship.  

After WWI, Moldova was part of Romania.  In 1940, the area was annexed by the USSR and it became the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic.  After WWII, the Soviets began migrating  Russians, Belorussians, and Ukrainians in to the area. 

In 1990, an independent Pridnestrovian Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic was declared.  This small area was afraid that Moldova would leave the USSR and try to become part of Romania. 

Moldova declared independence from the USSR on 27 August 1991.  Fighting broke out between Moldovan forces and separatists in March 1992.  Transnistria considers itself an independent country but only Russia recognises it.  The Russian 14th Army has 1200 troops in Transnistria that Moldova wants recalled.  As part of the ceasefire agreement that has been in place since July 1992 states that if Moldova tries to merge with Romania then Transnistria will be allowed to go its own way.     

Moldova is one of the poorest countries in Europe.  Many Moldovans have left the country as migrant workers.  Money from abroad accounts for almost 38% of the country's GDP.  In 2013, Moldova entered an agreement with the EU, placing it on a path to future membership.  This is not something that Russia is happy about.

The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic was the largest of the 15 Soviet Republics.  It contained over half the entire USSR's population and dominated the country.  On 12 December 1991, it declared independence.

Russia, officially the Russian Federation, is the largest country in the world, stretching from Northern Europe to the Caucasus and from Eastern Europe to Asia.  It covers 1/8th of the world's inhabited land area. It spans nine time zones and it's larger than Pluto.

The Russian Federation is made up of 46 provinces, 22 republics, 9 territories, 4 autonomous district, 1 autonomous province and 3 federal cities.

Russia inherited the USSR's seat on the UN Security Council.  

Russia claims to have a right to intervene in former Soviet republics to protect all Russian speakers.  This was used to invade Georgia in 2008 in the five-day war in South Ossetia as wells as to annex Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

The Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic became a republic in 1929.  Tajikistan declared independence on 9 September 1991.  Almost immediately a civil war broke out that lasted from 1992 to 1997. Tajikistan is the poorest of all the former Soviet republics.

Turkmenistan was annexed by the Russian Empire in 1881. In 1925, it became the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic.  Turkmenistan declared independence on 27 October 1991. Turkmenistan is home to the world's 4th largest reserves of natural gas.

It is a very closed off country.  A visa is required to visit and tourists are only allowed in as part of a group tour.

Over the centuries Ukraine has been ruled by Lithuania, Poland, the Ottoman Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the Russian Empire.  It was an independent country for a few years following WWI but then in 1922 it became the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic and a founding member of the USSR.

Under Stalin, Ukrainian nationalism was put down.  Forced collectivisation and unrealistic quotas for farmers caused Holodomor, The Great Famine, where millions of Ukrainians were starved to death.  Another 7-8 million more people died during WWII.

Ukraine declared independence on 24 August 1991.  In 1994, it became the first former Soviet republic to experience a peaceful transfer of power via the ballot box.

Ukraine is the second-largest county in Europe.  When the USSR broke up, Ukraine was a nuclear power.  In 1996, Ukraine surrendered all of its Soviet-era nuclear weapons to Russia.  This was under the condition that Ukrainian territory would be respected.  That hasn't worked out so well.

Ukraine wants to eventually join the EU and NATO.  Obviously this doesn't sit well with Russia.  In 2014, Russia illegally annexed Crimea.  Russia has also supported separatists in the Donbas region of Eastern Ukraine.  The Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic border Russia and both unilaterally declared independence on 7 April 2014.  Ukraine regards both as terrorist organisations.  After seven years of fighting the Ukrainian government has made progress but there are both separatist controlled areas with constant fighting.

Uzbekistan was conquered and incorporated in to the Russian Empire during the 19th century.  In 1924 it became the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic.  Uzbekistan declared independence on 31 August 1991.

Uzbekistan is one of only two double-landlocked countries in the world and it is the only country that borders all of the "Stans".

I've managed to visit 13 of the 15 former republics.  I had originally planned on visiting Turkmenistan this year but Covid put that on hold.  Here's a short video I found out on YouTube about the breakup of the USSR.

©Seeker

Update 2025:  Here are a couple of short videos about Lithuania being the first, and Kazakhstan being the last, republics to leave the Soviet Union.

©History Matters

©History Matters

Update 2025:  Here's another short video about the last ditch attempt to save the Soviet Union.

©History Matters

No More Mandatory -ová

I've written before that Czech names can be a complex thing.  One of the key differences is that surnames don't always match up.  Due to some patriarchal rules for names, and the lovely Czech grammar that treats surnames like adjectives, a husband will have a different last name than the wife.  A mother will not have the same last name as her son while a father and daughter will also have different names.  

Mr. Novotný and his sons will be called Novotný while his wife and daughters will be called Novotná.  That's because Novotný is the grammatically masculine version and Novotná is the grammatically feminine version. 

Most of the time, the feminine suffix is -ová.  So Mr. Novák and Mrs. Nováková.  The -ová is so common that the Czech press adds -ová to women's names automatically.  For example, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is written as Angela Merkelová.

Personally, I still see it as odd that a parent and child don't have the same last name.  Czechs aren't the only ones to do this.  It's the same in all of the Slavic countries, and I believe the Baltic countries, too.

Until 2004, every woman in Czechland was required to adopt the feminine version of her husband's last name.  There were few exceptions allowed in order to avoid the whole -ová thing.  Foreign women marrying foreign men in Czechland were exempt.  Czech women who married a foreigner whose name ended in a vowel were also off the hook.  Czech citizens with permanent residence abroad or women who had plans to live abroad could also request not to get the -ová.  I don't know how much but there was a fee for this.

A proposed amendment to the Registry Act made it past the Chamber of Deputies, 91-to-33, that would give women the right to utilise the masculine version of her husband's name.  The Senate had 30 days to debate the topic and if passed it would go to the President to be signed in to law.  Well, it passed.  So most likely in January 2022, women can choose to take her husband's masculine-form surname.  So both spouses will have the same last name.

Grammatically the -ová indicates ownership.  So a woman either belongs to her husband or a daughter belongs to her father.  Some view this as kind of sexist and archaic.  Others just view it is tradition and important for Czech grammar.

In Czech every noun is either masculine, feminine or neutral.  So a last name needs to be either masculine or feminine.  The argument is that if you can't decline a last name correctly then this could lead to miscommunication.  

I have a Czech colleague who took her Czech husband's (masculine) last name a couple of years ago.  I need to ask her how she did it.  I do believe that their daughter has the -ová form.  She's said that it really hasn't been a problem other than a few times on the telephone when people stumble a bit thinking the last name is an -ová when it isn't.

A few things that I found out...

• The mandatory -ová thing is relatively new.  It only became mandatory in 1945.
• Slovakia allowed women to decide on the -ová suffix several years ago.  The vast majority of women still go with the feminine form.
• Poland also gave women the right to decide on the -ová suffix a few years.  It wasn't that disruptive.
• Men can take their wive's name but they only get the masculine version.  There's no -ová for men.
• If someone wants to change a surname then there is a 1000 Kč (~$47) fee.  The fee is waived following a divorce or a sex change.
• A person can change their first name if the name is "derogatory, eccentric, ridiculous, distorted, or foreign".  The fee is 100 Kč (~$5).

I get how this all applies to women when they marry.  I don't know if the -ová thing will still apply when a child is born.  Can the parents now decide if their newborn daughter will take the -ová form or not?

Radio Free Europe

Radio Free Europe (RFE) was established in 1949 and Radio Liberty (RL) was established in 1951.  In 1976 the two organisations merged together.  These radio stations were run by the United States and they broadcast American propaganda in Eastern Europe during the Cold War.  The goal was to inspire independence movements within the Warsaw Pact countries and to counter Soviet propaganda within these countries.

During the Cold War, Radio Liberty targeted the Soviet Union while Radio Free Europe broadcast to Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, and the three Soviet Baltic states.  The communist governments weren't keen on American propaganda and they routinely tried to jam the transmissions.  In 1959, an StB agent attempted, but failed, to poison the salt shakers in RFE's cafeteria.  

RFE was headquartered in Munich, West Germany until 1995.  In 1995, the headquarters were moved to Prague.

Here's an old 1960's or 1970's public service announcement about RFE broadcasting to Hungary that I found out on YouTube.

Following the end of the Cold War, operations in Europe were decreased.  RFE stopped broadcasting to Czechoslovakia in 1992 but Czech programming lasted until 2002 and Slovak programming ended in 2004.

Broadcasts to Hungary ended in 1993 while broadcasts to Poland ended in 1997.  Broadcasts began in 1994 in Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian to the former countries of Yugoslavia.  In 1999, Albanian broadcasts began in Kosovo.  In 2000 broadcasts began in Montenegrin and Macedonian broadcasts began in 2001.  In 2004, broadcasts ended in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Croatia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, and Romania.  In 2019, programming resumed in Bulgaria and Romania.  In 2020, programming resumed in Hungary.

Today, RFE/RL broadcast to 23 countries in 27 languages.  Its headquarters remain in Prague even though no content is produced in Czech.  Here's where they currently produce material for.

The Warsaw Pact

The Warsaw Pact was the communist version of NATO.
Officially it was the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance.

In 1955, West Germany joined NATO so a military alliance was established to counter it.


Like NATO, one of the main principles was that an attack on one country was an attack on all members of the alliance.  The Warsaw Pact countries were the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, and Czechoslovakia.

When I grew up the Cold War was NATO vs the Warsaw Pact.

Ironically, its largest military engagement wasn't against NATO but "Operation Danube" which was the invasion of Czechoslovakia that put down the Prague Spring.
Romania and Albania didn't participate in the invasion.  Shortly afterwards, Albania left the alliance.

At the last minute it was decided that East Germany would not invade because it was the 30th anniversary of Germany annexing the Sudetenland.  

Here's a video I found out on YouTube called "March of the Warsaw Pact".  The lyrics are in Russian but there are English subtitles.  It's basically the alliance's anthem but I find it interesting that the East Germans aren't mentioned.

©YugoslavianHeros 1943

The Warsaw Pact became less relevant following the fall of communism in 1989 and the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991.  Except that there were still Soviet troops stationed across Eastern Europe.  East Germany left the pact in 1990 following the reunification of Germany.

It's fitting that the Warsaw Pact was formally ended, in Prague, on 1 July 1991 by Czechoslovak President Václav Havel. 

Over the next 20+ years former Warsaw Pact countries ended up joining NATO.  Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland joined in 1999.  Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Romania joined in 2004, along with the former Soviet Baltic states Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.  Albania joined in 2009.  

NATO just celebrated its 70th anniversary and continues to expand.

Update 2025: Here's a short video I found that explains, prior to the Warsaw Pact, the USSR actually tried to join NATO.  Who know?

©History Matters

Back in Riga, Latvia

Yeah for Czech public holidays and a four day weekend.  My Baltic Easter trip was a nice getaway.

After my day trips to Šiauliai and the Hill of Crosses in Lithuania, and to Tartu in Estonia, yesterday I spent the day walking around Riga.

Not bad for three days and, since I got home Sunday night, I still had today off to relax.



I do enjoy visiting the Baltic countries.  I should try to get there a bit more often.


airBaltic is Latvia's national carrier.  Riga is the hub and they have direct flights from Vienna with connections to Tallinn, Vilnius, and lots of other places.

Tartu, Estonia

Tartu is located in the southeast of Estonia on the Emajōgi River.  It is 176 km (109 miles) from Pärnu, 186 km (116 miles) from Tallinn and 245 (152 miles) from Riga.  It dates back to 1030 making ti the oldest city in the Baltics.  Tartu is a university town and with about 94,000 people it is the country's second largest city.

Over the centuries it has been ruled by the Germans, Russians, Poles, Swedes, Soviets, and Nazis.  After the war, while it was part of the Soviet Union, the city was closed to foreigners because just north of the city was one of the biggest air bases in Eastern Europe with aircraft carrying nuclear bombs.  Today the city is about 80% Estonian, 15% Russian, and 5% other.

The Tartu Statue of Liberty was unveiled in 1933 to honour those who died in the War of Independence (1918-1920).  It was destroyed in 1950 by the Soviets but restored and unveiled again in 2003.

The town hall was completed in 1789.




In 1998 the Kissing Students fountain was unveiled in front of the town hall.

The Old Anatomical Theatre was completed in 1805.  It was used as an anatomical theatre until 1999.  It is part of the University of Tartu which is the country's oldest university.  It is ranked amongst the top 400 of the world's most prestigious universities.

The Tähetorn Observatory was completed in 1810.  In 1825 it was rebuilt to hold, what was then, the biggest refractor in the world.

The more modern observatory is across from it at Toome Hill Park.

There was a cathedral built in the 13th century.  It was destroyed during the Livonian War and the ruins are near the university.

St. Peter's Church is a Lutheran church built in the 12th century.

St. John's Church was built in the 12th century.  It began as a Catholic Church but now it is part of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church.

The Tartu Toy Museum has over 5000 toys and is the biggest toy museum in the Baltics.  It opened in 1994 and in 2004 it moved to one of the city's oldest wooden buildings, dating back to the 1770s.

The 19th Century Tartu Citizen's Home Museum is located in a wooden house dating back to the 1740s.

The Tartu Art Museum was founded in 1940.

The Song Festival Museum opened in 2007.

The Estonian Sports and Olympic Museum was founded in 1963.  It was renovated in 2001 and it is the Baltic's largest sports museum.

Tartu is a charming little city.  Lots of parks to walk through and more museums than you can fit in a single day.