Karlis Goppers
Encyclopedia
General Kārlis Goppers (April 2, 1876 – March 25, 1941 at Ulbroka
) was a Latvia
n military
officer and the founder and President of Latvijas Skautu un Gaidu Centrālā Organizācija
. He was the commander of the 7th Bauska riflemen
regiment
during World War I
and commander of the Vidzeme
division of the Latvian army, from 1924 to April 1934, when he retired.
In 1940, after the Soviet occupation of Latvia, a special officer was appointed by the communists to abolish Scouting
. Scouting continued unofficially and underground, operating without uniforms and in the forest
s to avoid detection. In 1941, the communists killed General Goppers by executing him with gunfire in Ulbroka
forest.
Goppers is recipient of the Latvian military Order of Lāčplēsis
, 2nd class.
Ulbroka
Ulbroka is a village near Riga, the capital city of Latvia. It is the center of Stopiņi Municipality. The village is crossed by two first category roads Rīga-Ērgļi and Rīga-Ogre . In 2000 there were 2,701 inhabitants.- References :...
) was a 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...
n military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
officer and the founder and President of Latvijas Skautu un Gaidu Centrālā Organizācija
Latvijas Skautu un Gaidu Centrala Organizacija
Latvijas Skautu un Gaidu Centrālā Organizācija, , the primary national Scouting and Guiding organization of Latvia is a member of both the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts and the World Organization of the Scout Movement...
. He was the commander of the 7th Bauska riflemen
Latvian Riflemen
This article is about Latvian military formations in World War I and Russian Civil War. For Red Army military formations in World War II see Latvian Riflemen Soviet Divisions....
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and commander of the Vidzeme
Vidzeme
Vidzeme is one of the historical and cultural regions of Latvia. Literally meaning "the Middle Land" it is situated in north-central Latvia north of the Daugava River...
division of the Latvian army, from 1924 to April 1934, when he retired.
In 1940, after the Soviet occupation of Latvia, a special officer was appointed by the communists to abolish Scouting
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
. Scouting continued unofficially and underground, operating without uniforms and in the forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s to avoid detection. In 1941, the communists killed General Goppers by executing him with gunfire in Ulbroka
Ulbroka
Ulbroka is a village near Riga, the capital city of Latvia. It is the center of Stopiņi Municipality. The village is crossed by two first category roads Rīga-Ērgļi and Rīga-Ogre . In 2000 there were 2,701 inhabitants.- References :...
forest.
Goppers is recipient of the Latvian military Order of Lāčplēsis
Order of Lacplesis
The Order of Lāčplēsis, the first and the highest Latvian military award, was established in 1919 on the initiative of the Commander of Latvian Army, during the Latvian War of Independence, Jānis Balodis. The Lāčplēsis Order is awarded in the first, second and third class. Initially, a holder of...
, 2nd class.
External links
- Ēriks Jēkabsons, «100 Latvijas personības» — Konservatīvais ģenerālis, «Latvijas Avīze» (in Latvian)
- Scouting Round the World, John S. Wilson, first edition, Blandford Press 1959 p. 116
- http://forum.valka.cz/viewtopic.php/title/Goppers-Karlis/t/64752