Jorģis Zemitāns

Jorģis Zemitāns

Jorģis Zemitāns (born February 23, 1873 in the municipality of Skrīveri , Livonia Governorate , † January 16, 1928 in Riga ) was a Latvian military and politician .

Life

Zemitāns went to secondary school in Mitau until 1892 . After graduating from military school in Vilnius , he joined the 116th Rifle Regiment, where he was promoted to captain in April 1914. In the First World War he fought in the Association of XX. Corps and received the Order of St. Vladimir 4th class. At the beginning of 1915 the corps suffered a heavy defeat near Augustów and Zemitāns was taken prisoner by the Germans.

In November 1918 he was released and returned to Latvia. Here he made himself available to the newly established government and became head of the 2nd Riga Protection Company (2nd Rīgas apsardzības rotas). On January 7th he was sent to Estonia, where, together with Colonel Ozols, he organized the formation of Latvian troops under the control of the Estonian army. He was promoted to colonel by March 13 and commanded the newly formed Latvian North Corps. He was also the government representative in the North Latvian region. He condemned the coup of the Baltic Germans on April 16, 1919 in Libau and declared himself loyal to the deposed government of Kārlis Ulmanis . After the Battle of Cēsis , he moved into Riga with Ulmanis.

From July 15 he became the commander of the Vidzeme division and responsible for the defense of Riga. His career came to an abrupt end when he had the city of Riga evacuated early in the autumn when the Bermondt Army attacked . He was then used on secondary posts and released from the Latvian army in 1922.

Zemintāns died of a brain tumor in 1928. A square in Riga as well as the elementary school in Skrīveri and a bridge are named after him in his honor.

literature

• Inta Pētersone (ed.): Latvijas Brīvības cīņas 1918–1920. Enciklopēdja . Preses nams, Riga 1999, ISBN 9984-00-395-7 .
• Igors Vārpa: Latviešu karavīrs zem Krievijas impērijas, Padomju Krievijas and PSRS karogiem. Latviešu strēlnieki triju vēstures laikmetu griežos . Nordik, Riga 2006, ISBN 9984-792-11-0 .