Kemeri 2013 summer

In the depths of North-Eastern Europe, on the sandy shores where Viking ships lay with Byzantium loads, where wolves still hunt deer in the wilderness, exists a piece of Neverland. Once upon a time Ķemeri was a famous medical and SPA resort. One of the most popular resorts of the Russian Empire. Created in 1836 and surviving two world wars it became lost in history after the USSR fell apart. Now only mighty ruins of the former sanatoriums in the depths of Ķemeri National park, and some local villager's houses, remain of the former glory.

In spite of this, it is still a popular tourist target, and the abandoned park – is one of the most beautiful spring meeting places in Latvia.

Ķemeri was not only destroyed in a moment, it also rose in a moment, or that is what it seemed like.

Until the end of the 18th century there were deep borderland forests what divided the Russian Empire from Kingdom of Poland. Here was the famous Dutchy of Courland. Somewhere in those forests hid two households – Kemmer and Liepmeži. The original of name “Kemmer” is from the German name “Kemmerer”, which meant – “Chamberlain”. The origin of “Liepmezi” is Latvian and means  “lime tree forest”. The only traces we really found were archive documents that show that in the last years of the 18th century, the foresters' households Liepmeži and Kemeri existed in the neighbourhood. Kemeri now lays somewhere under town of Ķemeri, but we still can see Liepmeži. Approximately 2 miles away in the forest is placed a small lawn with some ruins and huge old lime trees. It is all that remains of the former 90 acre foresters' farm.

Nearby dense bush hides the oldest cemetery of both households. Even many locals don't know this place and its name: Liepmeži cemetery and Liepmeži forestry.

There is great reason to think that this place is the oldest in the pair. In long forgotten times only small and bad roads would carry you through the forests of Latvia. People were poor and Christianity existed only for Western European colonists. So the churches were few and almost every large household had their own cemetery. In Liepmeži cemetery not only the foresters of Liepmeži rest in peace, but family members of Kemmerer/Kemmer/Ķemers too. It means that this cemetery existed before the Kemmer household was built.

The last 2 centuries has been full of trouble for this place. Legions of the Great Army, regiments of the Russian Imperial Army, the German Imperial Army, the Soviet Army and the Nazi army marched through the yard. Front line trenches in 1WW and 2WW were dug through the fields. We can read in documents who burned down the house in 1WW. We even found the name of the forester before 1WW. But question: how old is this place, still remains. We found this place enigmatic enough for a real expedition.

We know some facts:

We know that soil covers a great amount of puzzling remains from previous times in every yard.

We desperately need additional information about Kemeri, Liepmezs and their history.

We know that we are able not only able to find answers, not only dig up artefacts, but even more so, we could show everybody that there is real history under their own lawn, and great stories of glory could be made from this. Stories really show our strength, pride, glory and uniqueness.

So, with the help of Grundtvig Lifelong Education Program and support of Kemeri National Park we launch an expedition at the former Liepmezi manor.