Šmerlis

Article summary

Šmerlis (also Šmerļa mežs) is a forest in Riga, Latvia. It is mostly located in the neighborhood of Jugla, with a small area near the Biķernieku mežs forest is a part of Teika, with the southern edge of the forest bordering Mežciems. The Riga Film Studio is located on the outskirts of the forest. THe name of the forest originated from the Šmerlis Manor, once located near the Latvian Academy of Sport Education. Šmerlis can be accessed by Rīgas Satiksme trolleybus routes 4, 12, 16, 31 and 34 as well as tram route 1 and bus route 21. The northern section of Šmerlis (located on the northern side of the Riga–Lugaži Railway and Brīvības gatve, and sometimes viewed as separate) is also the site of the only active Jewish cemetery in Riga - the New Jewish Cemetery ( or Jaunā ebreju kapsēta), established in 1920. In May 1934, the monument to 37 Jewish soldiers and officers who died fighting for the independence of Latvia in 1918-1920 was opened at the central alley of the cemetery. Other monuments dedicated to Latvian victims of the Holocaust have been built there as well. Šmerlis is also considered to be the name of the sub-neighborhood around the forest.

Key claims

1. date of death: 1918 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
2. date of establishment: 1920 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
2. The record states that the date of death is "1918". What evidence would count against this claim?
3. The record states that the date of establishment is "1920". What evidence would count against this claim?
4. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
5. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1321914057