“Each self-respecting nation should know names of those people, thanks to which we live in democratic and independent state recognised by the whole world”, Gvido Zemribo, the first Chief Justice of the restored Supreme Court of the Republic of Latvia, opening public lecture about Voldemars Zamuels, the Prime-Minister of the independent State of Latvia, on the 22nd of May.  

Gvido Zemribo was invited to open lecture arranged by the State Chancery, as Voldemars Zamuels had been was not only the Head of the eighth Cabinet of Ministers in 1924, the Chair of Latvian Provisional National Council, the Minister of Agriculture and the Minister of Justice, but also an outstanding lawyer – one of the first six senators of Latvian Senate, the first Chief Prosecutor of the Senate, as well as the advocate.

The ex-Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Gvido Zemribo stressed lawyers’ role and contribution to development and strengthening of the independent state of Latvia in 1918, and that’s why lawyers of that time enjoyed trust of the State and nation duly.  “Lawyers performed their work unselfishly, honestly and fairly, and words written in the historical court room of the Senate – “One law, one justice for all” was their daily routine”, G.Zemribo indicated. He drew parallels with era of restoration of independence of the Republic of Latvia in the beginning of 90ties of the XX century, when lawyers’ role in development of the State was also important, and their work was as much as unselfish and brave as in era of birth of the first Republic of Latvia.  

At the event, it was also possible to look at interesting and valuable exhibit from the collection of the museum of the Supreme Court – Zamuels’ family tree, design of which was initiated by the ex-senator himself and which was kept by the great-grandson of the senator  in the United States of America.  It was brought to Latvia and presented to the Supreme Court by Mara Celle, representative of the family of the daughter-in-law of V.Zamuels.

In 1944, Mara Celle went to exile with her sister and mother – poetess Ruta Skujina, first years of exile she was together with her mother’s sister – Herta, the daughter-in-law of Voldemars Zamuels and his granddaughters Dagne and Laila. Mara Celle was also present at the lecture and she told about her life in refugee camps and exile.   

The senator Voldemars Zamuels also spent the end of his life in exile together with his daughter Nora. There he started to develop his family tree, having examined family roots since the 17th century.

Copy from family tree drawn in neat handwriting, which is now kept in the museum of the Supreme Court, was given as a keepsake to Santa Kristiana Zamuele and Talivaldis Zamuels, representatives of another branch of Zamuels’ family tree.

More broaden report on politician and lawyer Voldemars Zamuels was read by the associated professor of the University of Latvia, Dr. hist. Eriks Jekabsons, stressing strong personality, fairness, unyielding trust to ideals and honesty of the outstanding statesman and lawyer.

In her turn, writer, translator and Ambassador Anna Zigure, who wrote books “They. On the way” and “They. In foreign yards”, expressed her thoughts about strength of spirit and unselfishness to idea of Latvian State of political refugees of post-war years.

Last autumn, the State Chancery commenced cycle of lectures about Prime-Ministers of the independent Republic of Latvia, and lecture dedicated to Voldemars Zamuels was the fourth of those.

 

Rasma Zvejniece,

The Head of the Division of Communication of the Supreme Court

E-mail: rasma.zvejniece@at.gov.lv, telephone: 67020396, 28652211