Diaries of the philosopher Milda Palevičs and reflection “Development of Aesthetic Thought in Latvia” have been published / Article

The diary entries of the philosopher Milda Palēviča, which covers the period from 1911 to 1972, and the reflection “Development of Aesthetic Thought in Latvia”, made in 1960, were published for the first time, the representatives of the publishing house “Neputns” inform.

The publication was compiled by Dr. phil. Igors Šuvajevs and Maija Garkeviča, granddaughter of Milda Paleviča. The editor is Irēna Auziņa, while the design was created by Anta Pence.

“Milda Palēviča is unavoidable in Latvian aesthetics.

“Development of aesthetic thought in Latvia. 19th century and the 20th century. The First Half ”is the first systematic work on aesthetic thought in Latvia and, in principle, still the only one, apart from Peter Zeile’s (1928‒2020) obsolete reflection at the time of publication. Palevich repeatedly tries to publish the work, but it sees the light of day more than half a century after writing, ”Igors Shuvayev, the compiler of the publication.

Milda Palēviča (1889‒1972) is the first promoted doctor of philosophy, a pioneer of aesthetics as an academic discipline in Latvia, a representative of liberal feminism. She defended her doctorate in philosophy at the Sorbonne University in Paris (1925), and taught at the Latvian Conservatory and the Academy of Arts. However, according to the publishing house, for various reasons her place in the history of ideas has not been marked, as well as there has been no understanding of the performance, Paleviča’s lifelong work is still unconscious.

Milda Palēviča’s diaries, written by her daughter, the famous educator Indriķis Palēvičs, all her life testify to the path of a determined, talented woman to the coveted knowledge, without avoiding the often dramatic challenges of her personal and professional life. These are 10 notebooks, the first of which could not be found. The publication of this edition begins with Book II (1911‒1917), it is richly supplemented with pictorial material, testifying to time, family, society and relationships in such a changing 20th century.

Granddaughter Maija Garkeviča dedicated the publication of the diary, while the original article “Development of Aesthetic Thought in Latvia. 19th century and the 20th century. 1st half ”is kept in the collection of the Rare Books and Manuscript Reading Room of the National Library of Latvia Aleksejs Apīņa.

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