Ģermānisko ideju popularizēšana žurnālā Latvju Mēnešraksts (1942–1944)

The aim of the article is to analyse the alignment of three articles published in Latvju Mēnešraksts (1942–1944) with the ideology of Germanism and how they relate to the broader relevance of the topic in the press published in Latvia during the Nazi occupation. Among other things, the journal published texts that highlighted Germanic myths and culture. Additionally, by explaining the history and development of the Germanic peoples, connections were sought with the history and culture of the Baltic peoples, thereby emphasising the ancient ties between the two groups. The focus of the study is on the publications in Latvju Mēnešraksts that address Germanic themes, as well as the connection of these texts to Nazi Germany’s ideology. The article analyses and interprets three specific publications: 1) “Fragments no Nibelungu dziesmas. Zigfrīda nāve”; 2) “Gaišreģes vīzija. Edas fragments. Eduarda Zicāna tulkojums un paskaidrojumi”; 3) Eduards Zicāns “Ģermāņu reliģijas pamatlīnijas”. These articles are also considered in a broader context, examining how similar themes were reflected in other periodicals published in Latvia, both in Latvian and German. The methodology is based on qualitative content analysis, focusing on the three publications and paying particular attention to the ideological interpretation of these works. The study concludes that Latvju Mēnešraksts was used as a tool to disseminate Nazi Germanist ideas in Latvia, reinforcing theories of the historical and racial purity of the German people. These texts portrayed German heroes and mythological figures as ideals reflecting the political goals of Nazi Germany. The content of Latvju Mēnešraksts contributed to the strengthening of Nazi propaganda and the popularity of Germanic myths in Latvian society, using literary works and mythological references to reinforce the image of Germans as the protectors of European culture. The topic of the ideology of Germanism was not unique to Latvju Mēnešraksts, as it was also widely covered in other periodicals.