On September 13, 2025, as part of the European Heritage Days and the event series “500 Years of Latvian Books,” Turaida Museum Reserve invites visitors to explore the culturally and historically highly valuable museum book collection featuring rare books from the 16th to 18th centuries with symbolic significance in Latvian cultural history. This time, the focus will be on the contribution of the pastor and theologian Paul Einhorn (?–1655) to Latvian cultural history, as well as valuable and unique ancient prints.
The Turaida Museum Reserve collection preserves two very rare works by Paul Einhorn printed in Riga in 1627 and 1636, titled “Wiederlegunge Der Abgötterey vnd nichtigen…” and “Reformatio Gentis Letticae in Ducatu Curlandiae..”. Until now, these works have not been translated into Latvian, although their content has been partially included in our cultural history, folklore studies, and the history of the Reformation and church development.
Paul Einhorn (?–1655) received a good theological education and was proficient in classical languages. From 1611 to 1615, he studied in Germany and was matriculated at the University of Rostock. He was a pastor and from 1636 served as the superintendent of Courland. The book on idolatry (Wiederlegunge Der Abgötterey..) is dedicated to all Christians as a popular work in which the author briefly describes superstitions — about lucky days, prophetic birds, incubus, werewolves, spirits, devils, the moon-sick, and extensively criticizes these from a Lutheran perspective. The theologically academic style work “Reformatio gentis..” is a manual for young German pastors and includes observations and negatively evaluated practices by the author — offerings during the plague, offerings to wolves, logs evenings, dragon cults, spirit banquets or “zemlika”. The books conclude with instructions on how to best conduct interrogations in their congregations and describe the more complex cases in a pastor’s practice. The content of the published works is related to Einhorn’s work as a pastor and superintendent, during which time he acquired a good knowledge of the Latvian language and became familiar with folk customs. When reading and analyzing Einhorn’s works, one must take into account his strict Lutheran conviction and complete intolerance towards other religions, including historical ones — Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Persian — with which he compares Latvian beliefs. The author was not familiar with historical works and chronicles about Livonia, so his judgments and contemporary conclusions in this area are curious but of little value.
Within the framework of European Heritage Days, an exhibition “Pearls of Printing in the Turaida Museum Reserve Collection” will open in Turaida, showcasing the most outstanding and oldest rare books from the museum reserve collection, published between 1593 and 1821. Special attention will be given to the works of Paul Einhorn, and the exhibition will be enriched by unique rarities from heritage institutions in Latvia that ensure the preservation of very rare Einhorn publications — the National Library of Latvia and the Library of the National Archives of Latvia.
Einhorn Readings
The museum reserve organizes the Einhorn readings together with Professor Roberts Feldmanis Foundation and the Luther Academy, which is currently preparing a Latvian translation of Paul Einhorn’s work “Historica Lettica” (Tartu, 1649) for publication.
Event location and time: Turaida, September 13, 2025, 10:00–15:00
Program
Opening remarks Jolanta Borīte, Director of Turaida Museum Reserve
Dagnija Baltiņa, the National Library of Latvia
Reports 10:15–12:30
- Dr. theol. Guntis Kalme, Luther Academy / Roberts Feldmanis Foundation — Paul Einhorn’s Cultural Mission from a Theological-Anthropological Perspective
- Dr. theol. Uģis Sildegs, Luther Academy — Paul Einhorn’s Historia Lettica and the History of Paganism Interpretations
- Mag. philol. Aldis Pūtelis, Jūrmala Museum / Independent Folklore Researcher — Paul Einhorn and Sources of Latvian Folklore
- Dr. hist. Mārīte Jakovļeva, Latvian National Museum of History — Paul Einhorn’s Time in the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia
- Dr. hist. Vija Stikāne, Turaida Museum Reserve — Unique Ancient Prints in the Turaida Museum Reserve Collection
12:30 — Opening of the Einhorn Book Exhibition; Musical Greetings from the Luther Academy
12:30–13:00 — Coffee Break
Reports 13:00–14:15
- Mag. philol. Renāte Berga, National Archives of Latvia / University of Latvia — The Works of Paul and Aleksandrs Einhorn Among Other Rarities from the Former Vidzeme Nobility Library
- Dr. hist. Ieva Ose, Turaida Museum Reserve / University of Latvia — “Vade mecum”: A 17th-Century Ancient Print Preserved in the Turaida Museum Reserve and the Origin of Its Illustrations
- Mag. theol. Anete Jenča, Turaida Museum Reserve — Spiritual and Liturgical Publications in the Turaida Museum Reserve’s Book and Calendar Collection
14:15–15:00 — Opportunity to learn about the preservation conditions of a unique collection item: ancient prints preserved in the Turaida Museum Reserve collection. Educational tour of the Turaida Museum Reserve Collection Department, led by Aija Dzene, Chief Curator of the collection
