JEWS IN THE ECONOMIC LIFE OF LATVIA
JEWS IN THE ECONOMIC LIFE OF LATVIA

Author(s): Benjamin Sieff
Subject(s): Ethnohistory, Local History / Microhistory, History of Judaism, Socio-Economic Research
Published by: CEEOL Digital Reproductions / Collections
Summary/Abstract: Jews had occupied leading positions in industry, commerce and banking before the War, and were the representatives of Russian companies in Riga, Liepaja (Libau) and other cities. Among them were branch managers of important St. Petersburg banks, such as “The Azovsko-Donskoi Bank”, “The Russian Foreign Trade Bank”, etc. They headed outstanding industrial undertakings, e.g., “Phoenix” (railway wagons), “Provodnik” (goloshes) etc. In 1918 the Jews began to return from Inner Russia to Latvia, bringing with them precious metals, foreign currency and drafts on foreign banks. They actually laid the foundation of Latvian currency which, however, was stabilised only during the second half of 1921, after heavy upheavals.

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