Roberts Dambitis
Encyclopedia
General Roberts Dambītis (May 2, 1881 - March 27, 1957 in Trikāta parish
near Strenči
, Latvia
) was a Latvian soldier and politician.
A founder of the National Soldiers' Union as a Latvian Rifleman
in World War I
, Dambītis formally became the first soldier in the Latvian Army by placing volunteer units under the command of the People's Council of Latvia
when it proclaimed Latvia's independence on November 18, 1918. After the Independence War he served in various high-ranking posts in military supply and administration until retiring in 1939. In 1940, during the first year of Soviet Rule
of Latvia, Dambītis joined the puppet government as Minister of War and oversaw the conversion of the Latvian Army to a Red Army
Corps. He remained in Latvia after the retreat of the Red Army
in 1941, was arrested by the Gestapo
and interned in the Sachsenhausen
concentration camp until 1945. After the war he returned to Trikāta, where he spent the remainder of his life.
Trikāta parish
Trikāta parish is a constituent part of Beverīna municipality ....
near Strenči
Strenci
-See also:*List of cities in Latvia...
, 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...
) was a Latvian soldier and politician.
A founder of the National Soldiers' Union as a Latvian Rifleman
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....
in 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...
, Dambītis formally became the first soldier in the Latvian Army by placing volunteer units under the command of the People's Council of Latvia
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....
when it proclaimed Latvia's independence on November 18, 1918. After the Independence War he served in various high-ranking posts in military supply and administration until retiring in 1939. In 1940, during the first year of Soviet Rule
Occupation of Latvia 1940-1945
The Baltic sovereign nation of Latvia has been occupied by military forces from other nations from time to time. Occupations of Latvia have included:* Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940* Occupation of Latvia by Nazi Germany...
of Latvia, Dambītis joined the puppet government as Minister of War and oversaw the conversion of the Latvian Army to a 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...
Corps. He remained in Latvia after the retreat of 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...
in 1941, was arrested by the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
and interned in the Sachsenhausen
Sachsenhausen (Oranienburg)
Sachsenhausen is a district of the town Oranienburg, which is on the outskirts of Berlin.It was notorious as the site of the Nazi concentration camp also called Sachsenhausen....
concentration camp until 1945. After the war he returned to Trikāta, where he spent the remainder of his life.