Aizsargi
Encyclopedia
AizsargiAizsargi (literally: "Defenders", "Guards" was a paramilitary organization, or a militia
, in Latvia
during the interbellum period (1918–1939). The Aizsargi was created on March 30, 1919 by the Latvian provisional government as a self-defense force, a kind of national guard, during the period of unrest and civil warfare following the Russia
n October Revolution
, which enabled the independence of Latvia from Russia. In 1921 it was reorganized to follow the example of the Finnish Suojeluskunta (known as the "White Guard" in the English-speaking world).
Aizsargi issued a newspaper entitled Aizsargs ("Defender"/"Guard").
Aizsargi had women's ("Aizsardzes") and youth ("Jaunsargi") subsidiaries.
The organization was among those who militarily supported the 1934 military coup of Karlis Ulmanis
.
On January 1, 1940 the organization had 31,766 aizsargi, 14,810 aizsardzes and 14,000 jaunsargu.
On June 18, 1940 the organization was disbanded as a result of the Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940
.
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
, in Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
during the interbellum period (1918–1939). The Aizsargi was created on March 30, 1919 by the Latvian provisional government as a self-defense force, a kind of national guard, during the period of unrest and civil warfare following the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n October Revolution
October Revolution
The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
, which enabled the independence of Latvia from Russia. In 1921 it was reorganized to follow the example of the Finnish Suojeluskunta (known as the "White Guard" in the English-speaking world).
Aizsargi issued a newspaper entitled Aizsargs ("Defender"/"Guard").
Aizsargi had women's ("Aizsardzes") and youth ("Jaunsargi") subsidiaries.
The organization was among those who militarily supported the 1934 military coup of Karlis Ulmanis
Karlis Ulmanis
Kārlis Augusts Vilhelms Ulmanis was a prominent Latvian politician in pre-World War II Latvia during the Latvian period of independence from 1918 to 1940.- Education and early career :Ulmanis studied agriculture at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich and...
.
On January 1, 1940 the organization had 31,766 aizsargi, 14,810 aizsardzes and 14,000 jaunsargu.
On June 18, 1940 the organization was disbanded as a result of the Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940
Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940
The Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940 refers, according to the European Court of Human Rights, the Government of Latvia, the State Department of the United States of America, and the European Union, to the military occupation of the Republic of Latvia by the Soviet Union ostensibly under the...
.