The novel „The Green Land” was written twice, since a fire started in the house on 11 May, 1943, and the flames destroyed the ten completed print-sheets. While in the new lodging, Andrejs Upits restarted writing the novel with even greater spite.
The native region is mentioned in several literary works by Andrejs Upits, and the most recognised is the novel „The Green Land”. Over a hundred years have passed since the events depicted in the novel took place, but even today, in the 21st century, there are many witnesses of „The Green Land” episodes.
1.Salapkrogs, Salakkrogs (Tavern) in the novel
Jorgis Vanags, the farm holder of Brivins, opened the door widely of the Salakkrogs tavern. Tall and broad-shouldered, he protruded his dark beard, touched to feel if his yellow neckerchief had not slipped off the neck, and stared at Klidzina over the Daugava River.
- Hardeļa water mill, later Zaula mill, later weaving and spinning manufactory of Stucka Combine of Household Services
On the turning… The Road of Daugava curved down the Divaja Bridge, along the edge of the shed of watermill’s keeper Hardelis and straight upwards the steep mill hill, but the station and parish road took a sharp turn to the left…
3.Sprudu, Spruku Hill in the novel
The left scarp of the Spruku Hill is billowing green waves up to the thin belt of bog alongside the road.
- The first bridge over the Dīvaja River
The River, which had given the parish its name, made a sharp turn towards the Jaunzemju Hill, where it was greeted by the Brasla River from the other end of the parish.
- Erckalns Hill, Sirdskalns Hill in the novel
To the western side, behind the Divaja River, grown with hazels and firs, the Sirdkalns Hill stretches itself with three pines at the top.
- Raudas Inn, later milk reception unit, now „Skriveri Sweets”
Raudas Inn right opposite the end of Lejassmelteni road… Raudas Inn as a ridden horse with its bent, green moss- covered thatched roof. A crooked four-pane window and its shutters even more.
- The house of Doctor Sarlov, later school dormitory
On the riverside, building material has been brought and left among the few firs and maples. Preimanis rushes to announce that a German, an old Doctor from Riga is coming to build a two-storied brick house…
8.Tilta Street, the end of Lejassmelteni road
- Border pole
In the corner a round stone- the border pole- with an angular carved end. At the edge of the road, two noble characters dug into the ground-letters J and V. They stand for Janis Vanags- his father. He is Jorgis vanags himself, and the son of his- Jekabs Vanags.
- The barn of Brivini, later a living house at Veckrievini.
- The cattle shed of Brivini
Noble stood the new cattle shed, with new windows and the tilting bridge.
12.Mezvekteri, Mezavilki in the novel
- The fourth bridge
- The fifth bridge
The rumbling cart crossed the bridge – the fifth and last time across the Divaja River (in life the Maizite River)
- The house of the Lupatu (Rags’) brothers
Scraps of bricks, chunks of old planks, poles and stakes dumped in a pile. Two Palian incomers were just creeping out of the cellar, the Lupatu brothers (Rags’ brothers), dressed up in close relation to their last name.
16.Veckrievinii, Brivini in the novel
The farm holder of Brivini looked at his house on a steep bank behind the bushes and willow-grown dell of the river. Downside the rod-fence, the big, good meadow spread like a green woolen shawl up to the bushes of Glazskuni pastures and the wood by the pen of Osis. The yellow kingcup-edged river wove over it, through the underwood in the Aizlakste forest.
Who owned all this green-blossoming vastness of Brivini? And the rocky dell, Spilvas meadow with a pinfold for horses, and the whole isle of the farm ground of Osis up to the Aizlakste forest, which you could not even see from here? Was he not the farm holder and landlord, as he was being already addressed? Who could banish him out of this green land?…
- Parish Council
It was only called parish council by Ansonu Martins and some other who boasted refined accents, for all the other Divaja habitants it was the post office. Since long ago, there was the horse mail-station, and only when it was moved close to the railway, all the four buildings with the belonging to them garden were handed to the parish council by Max von Sivers. The parish board and the court were found in the principal mail-station building by the road.
- Railroad crossing
The turnpike of the crossing was open. But Kugenieks jumped up off the bench at the end of the hut, bluish red with anger, and shaking the twisted flag in his hand, cursed after them, as if they were damaging the rails with their sledge more than those with wheels.
- The church, Aizkraukle Lutheran Church
The church seemed so crowded, that nobody else could find a space there; especially full was the left- women side. The landlord of Brivini seldom came to church, but everyone knew he would not sit anywhere else but on the first bench.
Places of Skriveri in the 21st century depicted in other literary works by Andrejs Upits
- * „To walk those six versts from the school to our ‘Vilkaci’ was not a game anymore. The so-called church road to Jaunjelgava highway was madly snow-drifted. The dell of the Pulkstenupite was almost full of snow, strangely flat and bumpy. /Following the Trace of Laucis. KR,Volume 15, R., 1951,page 72/
- * ” From Robezu Hill over the Vegi meadows I could already see the Vilkaci knoll. The long cattle shed with white covered roof was cosily lying there in the snowy field. The chimney of the living house was quietly smoking.”
/ Following the Trace of Laucis.KR,Volume 15, R., 1951,page 75/
- * „Right after Oglenieki… Bundzis ended with its dark blue firs, purple black alder spots and resined birch trunks.”
/ Following the Trace of Laucis. KR,Volume 15, R., 1951,page 75./