Early Life & Education
Leonards Latkovskis was born on September 14, 1905, in the village of Lesņīki, Varakļāni Parish, to a humble farming family. From an early age, he demonstrated an extraordinary gift for languages—by the age of five, he was already fluent in Latvian, Polish, and Russian.
This remarkable aptitude for languages would define his life's work. He pursued higher education at the University of Latvia (1926–1935), where he studied simultaneously in the Classical Philology, Baltic Philology, and History departments, ultimately earning a degree in philology. During his university years, he became a member of "Dzimtene" (also "Dzimtine"), an academic organisation for Latgalian students.
Academic Career in Latvia
Latkovskis began his scholarly career while still a student. In 1927, he published his first article, "Latgaliešu literatūra un jos nākotne" (Latgalian Literature and Its Future), in the journal "Zīdūns." This marked the beginning of decades of research into Latgalian ethnography, linguistics, and culture.
His groundbreaking 1931 publication on the dialect peculiarities of the Varakļāni district, featured in the 11th volume of the Philological Society's Proceedings, remains an invaluable resource for linguists studying Latgalian dialects to this day.
Between 1938 and 1940, he worked for the Archives of Latvian Folklore, collecting place names throughout Latgale. He also served as a lecturer in Russian at the University of Latvia (1940–1941) and later as director of Kārsava Town Gymnasium (1941–1944), where he taught Latvian and Latin.
Exile & Life in America
In the autumn of 1944, as Soviet forces advanced into Latvia, Latkovskis fled with his wife Albina (née Putāns) and their growing family to Germany. They lived in displaced persons camps until 1950, when they emigrated to the United States and settled in Louisville, Kentucky. The couple would eventually have nine children.
In America, Latkovskis continued his academic work, joining Bellarmine College in Louisville in 1951. For 25 years, he taught classics, history, comparative linguistics, and literature, inspiring generations of students while never abandoning his research into Latgalian heritage.
In recognition of his contributions to scholarship and education, Bellarmine College awarded him an honorary doctorate (Dr. h.c.) in 1976.
Preserving Latgalian Heritage
Even in exile, Latkovskis remained devoted to his homeland. In 1960, he was instrumental in founding the Latgale Research Institute (Latgaļu Pētnīceibas instituts) and served as its president. This organisation became a vital centre for the study and preservation of Latgalian language, history, and culture among the diaspora.
Throughout his life, he maintained international scientific contacts and was a member of several academic societies. His work ensured that Latgalian culture would continue to be studied and celebrated, even as Soviet occupation suppressed regional identities in Latvia itself.
