10.04.2012

Latvijas Pasts holds special cancellation event to mark the 175^th anniversary of Atis Kronvalds

On April 14, 2012, Latvijas Pasts will be holding a special cancellation event for the envelope released to mark the 175^th anniversary of the Latvian linguist and writer Atis Kronvalds (also known as Kronvaldu Atis). The cancellation event will take place in the post office Sakta, 32 Brīvības Boulevard, Riga, from 8 AM to 6 PM. The designer of the envelope and postmark is artist Ģirts Grīva. The commemorative envelopes will be available for purchase for LVL 0.35.

Atis Kronvalds was born on April 15, 1837, and is known to Latvians as a passionate member of the Young Latvians movement, author of textbooks and articles on linguistics and education.

Kronvalds continued the work initiated by the Young Latvians on purifying and enriching the language, opposed German loan words and created new words, which are still used in Latvian today.

In 1863,Kronvalds wrote the German textbook The First Step of the Little German, in the introduction noting the great role of the German language in education, and underlining that the book is intended for Latvians. Kronvalds believed that language and Latvian schools should be the foundation of the national culture, and considered their development as the main task.

In 1873, Kronvalds participated in the First Latvian Song and Dance Festival by delivering two brilliant speeches defending the national culture, folk songs and language.Atis Kronvalds is considered to be one of the founders of the oldest Latvian student corporation Lettonia.

Atis Kronvalds died in Vecpiebalga on February 17, 1875, and was buried in the Vecpiebalga cemetery, where a monument was erected in 1893.

See the commemorative cover dedicated to the175^th birthday of Atis Kronvalds.

The next new philatelic release is planned for April 25.

About SJSC Latvijas Pasts

Latvijas Pasts ensures the widest availability of postal services throughout Latvia by maintaining more than 600 post offices. The primary function of the company is provision of the universal postal service; Latvijas Pasts also provides commercial transport, express mail, payment, press subscription, retail and philatelic services. Latvijas Pasts is a fully state-owned company with more than 4,500 employees.

Additional information
Zane Plone
SJSC Latvijas Pasts
Public Relations Specialist
Phone: +371 67608504
E-mail: zane.plone@pasts.lv