Kurzeme, Association of Literature and Arts

Kurzeme Association of Literature and Arts was the first society in the Baltic Provinces established with the purpose of promoting social culture and history. It operated from 1817 to 1939, during which time it collected various documents from the territory of present-day Latvia. Among these documents are some of the oldest travel documents, primarily passports, issued to both men and women. These passports are predominantly handwritten and were issued to highborn women. The content of these passports typically includes: title and position of the issuer; Recipient’s name, social status, occupation, sometimes residence, and marital status; destination of the trip.