In 1944, the Nazi influence waned, allowing the Soviet tide to come crashing back down on the Baltic shores. The Corner House once again became a bastion of quiet influence for the KGB officials, who quickly reinstated their presence and iron-fist rule. This time, however, Latvians were concretely aware of the fate that awaited them should they receive a summons to the ominous house at the end of the block.
The KGB wielded their secret power through five dark decades until the end of the Cold War in 1991. When Latvia regained its independence, access to the lower levels of the Corner House was promptly shut off; the country chose to focus on its promising future rather than its painful past.
But after more than 20 years of freedom, the discourse began to change and talk of transforming the Soviet time capsule into a museum gained momentum. This year, the shuttered doors of the derelict structure are finally opening, turning the collective desire for truth-telling into reality.