On the Boundary of Two Worlds: Identity, Freedom, and Moral Imagination in the Baltics Helsinki, Finland<br> Bernard Marchadier, Institut d'études slaves, Paris, France<BR> Silviu Miloiu, Valahia University, Targoviste, Romania<BR> Valdis Muktupavels, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia<br> Hannu Niemi, University of Helsinki, Finland<br> Irina Novikova, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia<BR> Yves Plasseraud; Paris, France<br> Rein Raud, Tallinn University, Estonia<br> Alfred Erich Senn, University of Wisconsin–Madison, USA, and Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania<br> André Skogström-Filler, University Paris VIII-Saint-Denis, France<br> David Smith, University of Glasgow, UK<br> Saulius Suziedelis, Millersville University, USA<br> Joachim Tauber, Nordost-Institut, Lüneburg, Germany<br> Tomas Venclova, Yale University, USA<BR> Tonu Viik, Tallinn University, Estonia. On the Boundary of Two Worlds: Identity, Freedom, and Moral Imagination
Latvia states of Northern and Eastern Europe were divided into German and Soviet "spheres of influence". In the north, Latvia, Finland and Estonia were assigned to the Soviet sphere. A week later, on 1 September 1939, Germany and on 17 September, the Soviet Union invaded Poland. After the conclusion of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, most of the Baltic Germans left Latvia by agreement between Ulmanis' government and Nazi Germany under the Heim ins Reich programme. In total 50,000 Baltic Germans left by the deadline of December 1939, with 1,600 remaining to conclude business and 13,000 choosing to remain in Latvia. Most of