Encouragement from the history of the LWF with Latvian refugees
Providing support and advocacy for refugees has been a central concern of the Lutheran World Federation since its founding, almost 70 years ago.
During the Second World War, as well as after the war, millions of Europeans were driven from their place of residence. By some estimates, the number of refugees from Europe can be reckoned at close to 60 million. Of these, about 10 million people were Lutheran by confessional affiliation. Immediately after the end of the war, Lutherans all around the world mobilized to provide support. This was the context for the founding of the Lutheran World Federation in 1947.
The first assembly of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), which took place in 1947 in the city of Lund, Sweden, called for attention to be paid to the situation of refugees and encouraged people to respond to this need in any way possible. Since that time, support for those who are on the path of refugee flight has been one of the fundamental principles of the LWF.
This includes caring for the basic needs of displaced people, assistance with housing, the defence of their rights, as well as supporting those congregations that serve people who are in exile. One such congregation has been the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran congregation in exile.
Pastors, hymnbooks and worship spaces
More than 200,000 Latvians left their homeland before the end of the war. They were thus housed elsewhere. 110 pastors took on the task of supporting the 125,000 congregation members from Latvia who relocated to the western part of Germany and to Austria. The LWF provided help both to the congregation and to others who were in a similar situation, helping pastors obtain secure travel permits, setting up worship spaces, providing Holy Communion sets, as well as paper — for printing hymnbooks.
Several letters and documents kept in the LWF archives give insight into the situation of refugees and congregational life in the post-war years, as well as attesting to why intervention by the LWF was important. LWF archivist Beatrice Bengtsson was moved when she read the LWF’s reply to a request from a Latvian pastor. The reply letter confirms that support will be provided for the printing of Bibles and hymnbooks, and that Holy Communion sets will also be ordered. Further, from the text of the letter:
“Pastor “X” has asked about clergy robes for approximately 20 pastors. We recognize that proper robes are desirable, but we are aware that millions of people who ask the Church for help have no clothing at all. We therefore felt that we had to defer this request to a later time.”
The priorities were clear: first, those who have no clothing must be clothed (Gospel of Matthew 25).
A “Latvian Cross” returns to the communion office
Later, in gratitude to the LWF for housing Latvian refugees, special crosses were given as gifts to the ordained leaders of the LWF. The so-called Latvian Cross, which was originally presented to the LWF General Secretary (1951–1960) Dr. Carl Lund-Quist, recently returned to Geneva. The Lutheran pastor Ron Swenson, who passed this cross on to the current General Secretary, Rev. Dr. Martin Junge, recounted that he had received the cross from Lund-Quist’s sister in the eighties.
Junge accepted the cross on behalf of the LWF and said:
„It was a wonderful encouragement to receive the “Latvian Cross.” With it we were reminded that serving those in distress is one of the fundamental concerns of the LWF. The “Latvian Cross” encourages us to continue this calling in today’s world, where we are faced with an unprecedented movement of refugees on a global scale. The most essential thing this cross reminds us of is that, both then and now, people continue to seek protection, fleeing from war and violence, and that congregations have much to offer in this situation.”
„The LWF, as a communion of churches, continues to observe the principle that we have a duty to protect refugees, regardless of nationality, religious affiliation or any other consideration. What we applied then, protecting and housing Latvians, is also applicable today, when we provide protection and housing to Syrians and to all others who flee from violence.”
Worship services took place regularly in the refugee camp congregations, often in congregations such as this one — the Valka camp in Nuremberg.
Latvian children at the Valka camp in Nuremberg attended the worship service dedicated to children every Sunday.
More than 100 pastors of the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church in exile [now — Abroad] met at the study centre in the city of Berchtesgaden in October 1948.
A large crowd of Lutheran Latvians in exile in the city of Esslingen follows in procession behind the newly consecrated, led by Archbishop Teodors Grīnbergs.
Hymn singing was an integral part of the congregation’s liturgy.
A women’s double quartet from the Augustdorf camp congregation takes part in the worship services.
Congregations in exile regularly elected deacons and officers, for example such as this group of leaders in Augustdorf in the British zone, in West Germany. In the centre — pastor Edgars Ķiploks, beside him (in the second row on the right) is deacon J. Ozols and the congregation’s organist.
The Latvian Cross, which was given as a gift to the LWF General Secretary (1951–1960) Dr. Carl Lund-Quist as a symbol of gratitude for the LWF’s efforts to house Latvian refugees. The cross, which returned to the LWF communion office, serves as a reminder of our duty to protect refugees, regardless of their national or religious affiliation, said the Rev. Dr. Martin Junge. Photo: LWF/S. Gallay