Par kādu plašāk nepazīstamu vēstures avotu: Andreasa Meijera "Jaunā Vidzemes, Kurzemes un Vācijas apceļotāja vēstules" (1777). (Latvian)

The pastor and publicist of Baltic German origin, Andreas Meyer (1742­1807) was born in Riga in a wealthy merchant's family. After graduating from the Riga Dome-school he started studies in Konigsberg University and attended also the lectures of the famous philosopher Immanuel Kant. After receiving the grade of theologian-candidate, he worked for a short time as a pastor in Livonia (Vidzeme), then (1770) took his long journey through Germany. He visited many cultural, scientific, and literature centres, got acquainted with many famous German writers, poets, philosophers, and theologians. After then he settled in the small town of Culmbach, near Bayreuth, and never returned to Livonia. He died in a small village Judenbach in Sonneberg district of Thuringia. In his travel notes "Letters form a Young Traveller" the author hides his identity under another German traveller. The main subjects of his report are three: 1) the description of the largest towns in Livonia and Courland - Riga, Mitau (now Jelgava), and Libau (now Liepāja), their total view and most remarkable buildings, including the non-completed palace of Duke of Courland in Mitau; 2) the traditions of citizens of Riga and episodes of its cultural history; 3) the situation of Livonian peasants (Latvians and Livs), their way of life and traditions. The author emphasizes the great importance of merchant estate in the economy and political life of Riga. He gives high appreciation to Riga's social institutions and public schools. Meyer attributes special attention to the hard labour and living conditions of Livonian peasants in comparison to the situa­tion in Germany; as a pastor and representative of Enlightenment, he criticizes serfdom in Livonia and is considered to be one of the first to censure it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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