The death of a legend

For Latvia, Vija Artmane was more than an actress. She was a role model, a cultural icon, and a prodigy of the silver screen. Atmane, who passed away on Oct. 11 after a prolonged battle with illness, was a symbol of Latvian culture worldwide. Within days of her death, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev sent his condolences to Artmane’s family and fans. The gesture revealed just how much Artmane contributed to culture in the 20th century. Thousands came out to pay their final respects to the actress at the public funeral on Oct. 15. Police arrived at the ...