Rezekne (Latvian: Rēzekne) is a town (municipality) in eastern Latvia. It has a population of 37,200, primarily Latvians (45%) and Russians (44.3%). Rezekne also has a small Polish community of approximately 1,000 (2.7% of the population). It is a transportation hub and the economic and cultural center of central Latgale.
*Edward Antoni Manteuffel-Szoege (born June?/July 1908 in Rzeżyca, died 1940 in Kharkov), Polish painter and graphic artist, reserve second lieutenant of the Polish Army, victim of the Katyn massacre. He was born in June?/July 1908 in Rzeżyca, then a district town of the Vitebsk Governorate, to the family of Leon (1865–1951), a lawyer, and Aniela née Zielińska. He was the brother of Tadeusz (1902–1970) and Leon Edward (1904–1973), and the cousin of Jerzy (1900–1954), Ryszard (1903–1991), a reserve cavalry lieutenant, engineer, and professor at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW), Andrzej (1911–1965), a reserve cavalry second lieutenant, journalist, and Jolanta (1912–1986), a medical doctor. His uncle was Józef Manteuffel (1870–1940), a colonel and physician in the Polish Army, and from 1921 to 1927 commandant of the 4th District Hospital in Łódź. He graduated from St. Adalbert’s Gymnasium and then studied at the School of Fine Arts in Warsaw, and during his studies he met his future wife, Wanda, née Zawidzka. He studied graphic arts and painting at the introductory course in the studio of Prof. Karol Tichy, evening drawing lessons from Professor Stanisław Czajkowski, and solid and plane design from Professor Wojciech Jastrzębowski. Together with Antoni Wajwod, whom he met during his studies, he attended selected supplementary courses, including drafting and perspective, anatomy, and art history. He transferred to the studio of Professor Tadeusz Pruszkowski for a specialized course; his other teachers included Władysław Skoczylas and Edmund Bartłomiejczyk. In 1932, he graduated from the Reserve Cavalry Officer Cadet School in Grudziądz. Two years later, he participated in reserve exercises with the 4th Tank and Armored Car Battalion in Brest, and in 1936 and 1938 with the 5th Armored Battalion in Kraków. He was promoted to the rank of reserve second lieutenant on January 1, 1935, with seniority and 246th rank in the cavalry officer corps. In 1939, he was assigned to the reserve staff of the 9th Armored Battalion in Lublin. On October 5, 2007, Minister of National Defense Aleksander Szczygło, by decision no. 439/MON, posthumously promoted him to the rank of lieutenant. The promotion was announced on November 10, 2007, in Warsaw, during the “Katyń Remembered – Let’s Honor the Memory of the Heroes” ceremony.
(portrait, graphic, photo)
*The Polish State Gymnasium in Rēzekne (Latvian: Rēzeknes valsts poļu ģimnāzija), a bilingual secondary school in Rēzekne, Latvia, is the only Polish school in the city. Before World War II, Rēzekne had a gymnasium headed by Polish activist Olga Tallat-Kiełpsz. The school closed in 1941. After Latvia’s reincorporation into the Soviet Union in 1945, there was no Polish school in the city. Polishness in Rēzekne was revived in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The Polish primary school in Rēzekne opened on September 1, 1993, on Kaļķu Street. At that time, it had 22 students. In March 1997, the school was accredited as a primary school and moved to the rebuilt kindergarten premises at Lubānas ielā 49, where it remains to this day. In September 2002, the school was transformed into a secondary school, and in June 2010, its pre-war name, the Polish State Gymnasium in Rēzekne, was restored. The school actively participates in European Union projects and is considered one of the best schools in the country.
*The Green Synagogue of Rēzeknes (Latvian: Rēzeknes Zaļā sinagoga), a wooden synagogue dating from 1845, is located at 5 Krāslavas iela (Kraslawska Street), at the intersection with Izraēlas iela (Israeli Street) in Rēzekne (Latvian: Rēzekne), in eastern Latvia. The synagogue was built in 1845 as a wooden building. It continued to function after World War II. In 1990, it was closed due to its poor technical condition. In 2004, it was added to the list of Latvia’s most endangered historical monuments and subsequently underwent a thorough renovation between 2013 and 2015. During the renovation, historical elements were restored, the interior was renovated, liturgical furnishings were added, and a geniza containing Torah scrolls, the only one in the Baltic countries, was discovered. Currently operating as a museum and cultural heritage center, it retains its religious function. It is the oldest wooden building in the city.
*The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Rzeżyca, the principal church of the Rzeżyca-Aglona diocese in Latvia, was built between 1887 and 1902, designed by the Riga architect Florian Vyganovski. It is one of the most beautiful churches in Latvia. The church’s façade bears Neo-Romanesque features, while the interior is neo-Gothic. Since 1995, it has served as the cathedral of the new diocese.
*Latgales Māra The Leons Tomašický Monument is a symbol of the city and dedicated to the independence of Latvia.
*Interesting Facts. Rēzekne is a town in eastern Latvia nestled in a river valley, with buildings scattered across gently sloping hills. The town center contains shops, offices, and public spaces mixed with residential areas that stretch around. A fortress was founded here in 1285, marking the beginning of continuous settlement in the area. The site received official city status in 1773. The Latgale Museum of Culture and History displays regional pottery, traditional crafts, and artifacts representing the heritage of eastern Latvia. The main train station connects the town with other locations via regular train services. Public transportation is easy to reach and navigate. The impressive late 19th-century cathedral dominates the city center with its beautiful stained-glass windows. This religious building is one of the most noteworthy monuments in the area. Location, Latvia, Founded 1773.
*Raźno National Park (Latvian: Rāznas nacionālais parks), Latvia’s youngest national park, was established in 2007 and protects the country’s second-largest lake, Raźno (Latvian: Rāzna). Located in Latgale, in the municipalities of Rēžica, Lučyn, and Dagda, it covers an area of 532 km² and was established at the initiative of Daugavpils University. It primarily protects the lakes (surface waters constitute approximately 14% of their area), including many deciduous plants located on 26 islets in Lake Ežezers. Raźno is often called the Latgale Sea due to its sandy beaches and abundant fish (90% of all species found in Latvia). At its peak, catches from Lake Raźno alone accounted for 10% of the country’s total catch. Partially protected are the natural grasslands in the surrounding area. Within the park there is also Mākoņkalns hill (248 m above sea level), on the top of which stand the ruins of a Teutonic castle from 1252. Tourist attractions include: recreational fishing, water sports, sauna, kayaking, beaches, and 5 bicycle paths.
