Arturs Sproģis
Encyclopedia
Arturs Sproģis was a Latvian colonel and commander of the Soviet partisans
during the occupation of Latvia by Nazi Germany
in World War II
.
in 1904. In 1919 he voluntarily joined the Latvian Red Riflemen in defence of the short-lived Latvian Socialist Soviet Republic
. At the same time he also joined the Komsomol
. In 1920, he was sent to Komosomol courses in Moscow
, after which he continued his military service in the Red Army
fighting against the White
forces of General Wrangel
. Subsequently, he attended military academy, finishing in 1922. Thereafter he served in the border guards
until 1928, when he was sent to the OGPU Border Guards School in Moscow for further training. Following these courses, he was assigned to the Special Section (Counterintelligence) of the Byelorussian SSR
NKVD
, where he served until 1936. He then was sent on a special mission in the Spanish Civil War
. After returning from Spain in 1937, he began courses at the Red Army's Frunze Military Academy, completing his studies in 1941.
, Sproģis was involved in organising anti-German partisan
resistance in Belarus and Latvia. From its formation in 1943 until 1944, Sproģis served as the commander of the Staff of the Latvian Partisan Movement.
, whose job it was to re-establish the functioning of the Latvian SSR
after the Germans had been driven out of the country.
From 1944, he resided in Riga.
Sproģis was awarded the Order of the Red Banner
four times, as well as the Order of Lenin
.
Soviet partisans
The Soviet partisans were members of a resistance movement which fought a guerrilla war against the Axis occupation of the Soviet Union during World War II....
during the occupation of Latvia by Nazi Germany
Occupation of Latvia by Nazi Germany
The occupation of Latvia by Nazi Germany was completed on July 10, 1941 by Germany's armed forces. Latvia became a part of Nazi Germany's Reichskommissariat Ostland — the Province General of Latvia...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Early life and career
Sproģis was born in RigaRiga
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,...
in 1904. In 1919 he voluntarily joined the Latvian Red Riflemen in defence of the short-lived Latvian Socialist Soviet Republic
Latvian Socialist Soviet Republic
The Latvian Socialist Soviet Republic was a short-lived socialist republic formed during the Latvian War of Independence. It was proclaimed on 17 December 1918 with the political, economic, and military backing of Vladimir Lenin and his Bolshevik government in the Russian SFSR...
. At the same time he also joined the Komsomol
Komsomol
The Communist Union of Youth , usually known as Komsomol , was the youth division of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The Komsomol in its earliest form was established in urban centers in 1918. During the early years, it was a Russian organization, known as the Russian Communist Union of...
. In 1920, he was sent to Komosomol courses in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, after which he continued his military service in the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
fighting against the White
White movement
The White movement and its military arm the White Army - known as the White Guard or the Whites - was a loose confederation of Anti-Communist forces.The movement comprised one of the politico-military Russian forces who fought...
forces of General Wrangel
Pyotr Nikolayevich Wrangel
Baron Pyotr Nikolayevich Wrangel or Vrangel was an officer in the Imperial Russian army and later commanding general of the anti-Bolshevik White Army in Southern Russia in the later stages of the Russian Civil War.-Life:Wrangel was born in Mukuliai, Kovno Governorate in the Russian Empire...
. Subsequently, he attended military academy, finishing in 1922. Thereafter he served in the border guards
USSR Border Troops
Soviet Border Troops, were the militarized border guard of the Soviet Union, subordinated to its subsequently reorganized state security agency: first to Cheka/OGPU, then to NKVD/MGB and, finally, to KGB...
until 1928, when he was sent to the OGPU Border Guards School in Moscow for further training. Following these courses, he was assigned to the Special Section (Counterintelligence) of the Byelorussian SSR
Byelorussian SSR
The Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic was one of fifteen constituent republics of the Soviet Union. It was one of the four original founding members of the Soviet Union in 1922, together with the Ukrainian SSR, the Transcaucasian SFSR and the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic...
NKVD
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
, where he served until 1936. He then was sent on a special mission in the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
. After returning from Spain in 1937, he began courses at the Red Army's Frunze Military Academy, completing his studies in 1941.
Soviet partisan
With the start of Operation BarbarossaOperation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
, Sproģis was involved in organising anti-German partisan
Partisan (military)
A partisan is a member of an irregular military force formed to oppose control of an area by a foreign power or by an army of occupation by some kind of insurgent activity...
resistance in Belarus and Latvia. From its formation in 1943 until 1944, Sproģis served as the commander of the Staff of the Latvian Partisan Movement.
Later career
Later, he was appointed to the special group of activists from the Communist Party of LatviaCommunist Party of Latvia
Communist Party of Latvia was a political party in Latvia.- Latvian Social-Democracy prior to 1919 :The party was founded at a congress in June 1904. Initially the party was known as the Latvian Social Democratic Workers' Party . During its second party congress in 1905 it adopted the programme of...
, whose job it was to re-establish the functioning of the Latvian SSR
Latvian SSR
The Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Latvian SSR for short, was one of the republics that made up the Soviet Union. Established on 21 July 1940 as a puppet state during World War II in the territory of the previously independent Republic of Latvia after it had been occupied by...
after the Germans had been driven out of the country.
From 1944, he resided in Riga.
Sproģis was awarded the Order of the Red Banner
Order of the Red Banner
The Soviet government of Russia established the Order of the Red Banner , a military decoration, on September 16, 1918 during the Russian Civil War...
four times, as well as the Order of Lenin
Order of Lenin
The Order of Lenin , named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution, was the highest decoration bestowed by the Soviet Union...
.
Sources
- All details from Sproģis's CV in 1944, published in H. Strods (see below), v. 2, pp. 76–7.
Literature
- Strods, Heinrihs (ed.), PSRS kaujinieki Latvijā, 2 vols (Riga, 2006–7); ISBN 9984643786 (v. 1), ISBN 9984643808 (v. 2)
- Боярский, В.И., Диверсанты Западного фронта: Артур Спрогис и другие. Страницы Памят (Moscow: Красная звезда, 2007); ISBN 9785887270357
See also
- Zoya KosmodemyanskayaZoya KosmodemyanskayaZoya Anatolyevna Kosmodemyanskaya, alternatively Romanised as Kosmodem'yanskaya was a Soviet partisan, and a Hero of the Soviet Union...
, famous Soviet female partisan who served under Sproģis in Special Unit 9903.http://dok-kino.nnm.ru/zoya_kosmodemyanskaya_pravda_o_podvige
External links
- http://pobeda.rambler.ru/scouts.html?id=234
- http://det.lib.ru/o/olbik/spartakgorchdoc.shtml
- http://www.world-war.ru/article_455.html
- http://www.mezhdunarodnik.ru/rubricisubject/5978.html