Alberts Kviesis
Encyclopedia
Alberts Kviesis was a Latvia
n politician and the third President of Latvia.
Alberts Kviesis was born in Kalnamuiža (Tērvete) parish. Having received his primary education from his parents, he thereafter finished the Jelgava Gymnasium and from 1902 studied law at the Tartu University, from where he graduated in 1907. After his studies, he worked as a lawyer in Jelgava. He took an active part in the work of Latvian national societies, having served as an acting chair of the Jelgava Latvian Society and a member of the Latvian commission of the Jelgava Red Cross.
On April 25, 1917 in Tartu, he participated in the Kurzeme local assembly and was elected to the Provisional Land Council of Kurzeme. In May 1917, he was elected by the Congress of Latvian Lawyers to the Bureau of Latvian Lawyers of Tartu. On November 17, 1918 Kviesis was among the delegates of the Tautas padome
(People’s Council) of Latvia and, as a lawyer, was elected the vice-chair of the Council for juridical affairs. During the first years of Latvian independence, Kviesis actively participated in the development of the Latvian legal and court system. In July 1919 he was appointed a member of the Court Chamber, becoming its chairman from March 1923. Concurrently, from 1921 to 1923 he served as the Minister for the Interior in the cabinet of Zigfrīds Anna Meierovics
. He was one of the most active members of the Latvian Farmers' Union
, being elected to the Constitutional Assembly and first three Saeima
s. From 1926 he served as the Vice-Speaker of the Latvian parliament.
After his unsuccessful attempt during the Latvian presidential elections in 1927, Kviesis ran again in 1930 after Gustavs Zemgals
refused to be a candidate for a second term. He was elected after eleven rounds of voting on 9 April 1930, with a 55-vote majority of the Saeima members. During his term as President, he has not proposed a single law himself, never vetoed a single law passed by Saeima, and never exercised his right to call an extraordinary cabinet meeting. On April 11, 1933 he was reelected by Saeima for his second term.
On May 15, 1934, Prime Minister Kārlis Ulmanis
organized a coup d’etat, of which the President, his fellow party member, had no prior knowledge. As the coup was under way, President’s communications in the Riga Castle
were cut off, but he never made any attempt, as the army’s commander-in-chief, to prevent or resist the coup. After Ulmanis has informed the President at 1 a.m. on May 16 that the Saeima has been dissolved and the Constitution suspended, the latter made no protest and continued to exercise his duties until the expiration of his term, albeit without any real power. He dutifully signed all laws passed by Ulmanis’ authoritarian government, the only remarkable event of his second term being the solemn opening of the Freedom Monument
in Riga on November 18, 1935.
On March 19, 1936, Kviesis promulgated the law that upon the expiration of his term, the Prime Minister Kārlis Ulmanis shall accede to the presidency, thus unconstitutionally combining the two offices. The law took effect on April 11, 1936, after which Kviesis returned to his law practice.
As the Soviet army occupied Latvia in 1940
, Kviesis was prohibited to practice law and put under house arrest. He evaded mass deportations of June 1941, having hid with his family at some forest warden’s home. During the German occupation, he returned to the law practice and became a collaborationist, working for the legal consultant at the Law General Directorate of the Latvian Self-Government which was completely under the German control. From 1943 to 1944 he served as the director for the legal affairs of this self-government.
In August 1944, as he boarded the German ship to leave with the retreating Nazi army
, he died of a heart attack while the ship was still at the harbor. He was buried at the Forest Cemetery in Riga
.
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...
n politician and the third President of Latvia.
Alberts Kviesis was born in Kalnamuiža (Tērvete) parish. Having received his primary education from his parents, he thereafter finished the Jelgava Gymnasium and from 1902 studied law at the Tartu University, from where he graduated in 1907. After his studies, he worked as a lawyer in Jelgava. He took an active part in the work of Latvian national societies, having served as an acting chair of the Jelgava Latvian Society and a member of the Latvian commission of the Jelgava Red Cross.
On April 25, 1917 in Tartu, he participated in the Kurzeme local assembly and was elected to the Provisional Land Council of Kurzeme. In May 1917, he was elected by the Congress of Latvian Lawyers to the Bureau of Latvian Lawyers of Tartu. On November 17, 1918 Kviesis was among the delegates of the Tautas padome
Tautas Padome
Tautas padome or People's Council of Latvia was a temporary council which declared Latvia's independence in 1918 and then acted as a temporary parliament until a Constitutional Assembly was elected....
(People’s Council) of Latvia and, as a lawyer, was elected the vice-chair of the Council for juridical affairs. During the first years of Latvian independence, Kviesis actively participated in the development of the Latvian legal and court system. In July 1919 he was appointed a member of the Court Chamber, becoming its chairman from March 1923. Concurrently, from 1921 to 1923 he served as the Minister for the Interior in the cabinet of Zigfrīds Anna Meierovics
Zigfrids Anna Meierovics
Zigfrīds Anna Meierovics was a Latvian politician and diplomat who served as the first Foreign Minister of Latvia from its independence until 1924 and again from December of the same year until his death. He also served two terms as the Prime Minister of Latvia from June, 1921 to January, 1923 and...
. He was one of the most active members of the Latvian Farmers' Union
Latvian Farmers' Union
The Latvian Farmers' Union is a centrist agrarian political party in Latvia. Founded in 1917, it was the most influential right-wing political party between the two World Wars, during the period of Latvian independence from the Russian SFSR in 1918 until its annexation by the Soviet Union in 1940,...
, being elected to the Constitutional Assembly and first three Saeima
Saeima
Saeima is the parliament of the Republic of Latvia. It is a unicameral parliament consisting of 100 members who are elected by proportional representation, with seats allocated to political parties which gain at least 5% of the popular vote. Elections are scheduled to be held once every four years,...
s. From 1926 he served as the Vice-Speaker of the Latvian parliament.
After his unsuccessful attempt during the Latvian presidential elections in 1927, Kviesis ran again in 1930 after Gustavs Zemgals
Gustavs Zemgals
Gustavs Zemgals was a Latvian politician and the second President of Latvia....
refused to be a candidate for a second term. He was elected after eleven rounds of voting on 9 April 1930, with a 55-vote majority of the Saeima members. During his term as President, he has not proposed a single law himself, never vetoed a single law passed by Saeima, and never exercised his right to call an extraordinary cabinet meeting. On April 11, 1933 he was reelected by Saeima for his second term.
On May 15, 1934, Prime Minister Kārlis 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...
organized a coup d’etat, of which the President, his fellow party member, had no prior knowledge. As the coup was under way, President’s communications in the Riga Castle
Riga Castle
Riga Castle is a castle on the banks of River Daugava in Riga, the capital of Latvia. The castle was founded in 1330. This structure was thoroughly rebuilt between 1497 and 1515. Upon the castle's seizure by the Swedes, they constructed spacious annexes in 1641. The fortress was continually...
were cut off, but he never made any attempt, as the army’s commander-in-chief, to prevent or resist the coup. After Ulmanis has informed the President at 1 a.m. on May 16 that the Saeima has been dissolved and the Constitution suspended, the latter made no protest and continued to exercise his duties until the expiration of his term, albeit without any real power. He dutifully signed all laws passed by Ulmanis’ authoritarian government, the only remarkable event of his second term being the solemn opening of the Freedom Monument
Freedom Monument
The Freedom Monument is a memorial located in Riga, Latvia honoring soldiers killed during the Latvian War of Independence . It is considered an important symbol of the freedom, independence, and sovereignty of Latvia...
in Riga on November 18, 1935.
On March 19, 1936, Kviesis promulgated the law that upon the expiration of his term, the Prime Minister Kārlis Ulmanis shall accede to the presidency, thus unconstitutionally combining the two offices. The law took effect on April 11, 1936, after which Kviesis returned to his law practice.
As the Soviet army occupied Latvia in 1940
Soviet occupation of Latvia
Soviet occupation of Latvia can refer to:*Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940*Occupation of Latvia by Soviet Union 1944-1945...
, Kviesis was prohibited to practice law and put under house arrest. He evaded mass deportations of June 1941, having hid with his family at some forest warden’s home. During the German occupation, he returned to the law practice and became a collaborationist, working for the legal consultant at the Law General Directorate of the Latvian Self-Government which was completely under the German control. From 1943 to 1944 he served as the director for the legal affairs of this self-government.
In August 1944, as he boarded the German ship to leave with the retreating Nazi army
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
, he died of a heart attack while the ship was still at the harbor. He was buried at the Forest Cemetery in Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
.
External links
- Alberts Kviesis - biography in Latvian.