Ko bez tautasdziesmām glabā Dainu skapis

The article is focused on Krišjānis Barons' Dainu skapis (The Cabinet of Folksongs), where apart from the texts of folksongs - namely, the card index of Latvju dainas (Latvian Folksongs, 1894-1915) - one can also find other handwritten materials valuable for both the research of folksongs and Latvian cultural history in general. The aim of the article is to examine these handwritings from the perspective of cultural history. Attention has been drawn to Barons' drafts for the indexes of Latvju dainas, as well as to his personal and official correspondence, especially highlighting letters, where the history of the creation of Latvju dainas is revealed. The author has also examined the handwritten materials belonging to Dainu skapis, which Barons' granddaughter has had with her on exile and which were donated to the Archives of Latvian Folklore in late 2015 by Barons' great granddaughter Ilze Ērgle.