Hermanis Jukums Redins

Hermanis Jukums Redins was a well-respected Baptist Minister in Riga, Latvia. He was born in Ventspils, Latvia, the youngest of four childen of Jukums Redins and wife Billie (Zemesarajs) Redins. His family moved to Riga in 1872 and lived near a Baptist church where he first became interested in religion. As a young boy, Hermanis enjoyed memorizing and quoting Bible verses.

At age 13, Hermanis became an apprentice printer in Riga, but after several years he became ill from the dampness and smoke in the printing shop. His father worked in construction and Hermanis started working with him in the summers, building houses. The fresh air and outdoor work improved his health.

As a young man, Hermanis enjoyed spreading the word of God in the towns and villages of rural Latvia. He also worked with several Baptist ministers to help establish Sunday Schools for children. At that time in Latvia, in the 1880's and 1890's, Sunday Schools were an innovation.

In 1907 he traveled to the United States to visit his older sister and family in Philadelphia and to study theology at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. During his time in the United States (aproximately 1907-1913) he travelled to various Latvian Baptist churches and preached in Philadelphia, Boston, Cleveland, Chicago, and San Francisco. Upon his return to Riga in 1913 he was pastor of the Golgothas Baptist Church.

Baptist ministers were considered by Russia to be very dangerous because they had a loyal following. So during World War I Hermanis Redins and other Baptist ministers were sent to Siberia, and several of them died there. After the war was over, Hermanis lived in St. Petersburg, Russia, for about a year, then returned to Riga around 1921.

As a Baptist minister Hermanis Redins and his wife, Anna (Kalnins) Redins, travelled to several Baptist conventions in Sweden, where Hermanis was a popular preacher. Hermanis continued his Baptist missionary work throughout Latvia and Eastern Europe from his home church, Matejs Baptist Church in Riga, where he and his family lived. Hermanis Redins also wrote many religious articles and books, including a popular story book for children "Stasti Berniem."

He died in Riga in March 1942 at the age of 74 and was buried in the "Great Cemetery" (Lielie kapi). The part of the cemetery where he was buried was later demolished by the Communists, and his grave is no longer marked.