The summer of 1920, the Latvian War of Independence, is coming to an end. Bermont’s troops have long been expelled from our country, a secret peace agreement has been concluded with Soviet Russia on the Latgale front, only small clashes and reconnaissance take place there. Latvian soldiers are tired after the battles both in World War I and later, defending Latvia’s independence, and discipline is slowly beginning to disappear. At this moment, the soldiers of the 2nd Ventspils Infantry Regiment in Riga, in the “red lights” district of Pardaugava, are fighting their last battle, which could also be called the “Agenskalns War”.
Around World War I, daughters’ houses or brothels were concentrated in Pārdaugava, around Grāvju Street. In 1924, this street was renamed Valguma Street, however, long after that, going to prostitutes was called “going to Grāvju Street”. In February 1920, 150 registered prostitutes worked in Riga, and a year later – 450, historian Ineta Lipša writes in the book “Riga under Bohemian Power”. Around that time, six open houses were legally operating in Riga, all of them located on Grāvju Street. These brothels mostly served Pārdaugava factory and port workers, fishermen, sailors and traders, as well as townspeople and soldiers.
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