Jorģis Zemitāns

Jorģis Zemitāns (23 February 1873, Skrīveri parish - 16 January 1928, Riga cite book
last = Pētersone
first = Inta
authorlink = Inta Pētersone
title = Latvijas Brīvības cīņas 1918-1920 : enciklopēdija.
language = Latvian
publisher = Preses nams
location = Riga
series =
year = 1999
isbn = 9984003957
oclc = 43426410] ) was an army officer and commander of the Northern Latvian Army during the Latvian War of Independence.

Zemitāns joined the army of the Russian Empire in 1892 and completed his military education at the Vilnius Military Academy in 1897. During World War I he was taken as Prisoner of War at a battle in Eastern Prussia in February 1915 and was released from captivity December 1918. 7 December 1918 he joined the Latvian Army and was involved in organising the armed forces. Beginning 10 January 1919 he was promoted to Latvian military charge d'affaires in Estonia and began organising the formation of Latvian defence units in Tallinn, Pärnu and Tartu. 2 February he was promoted to organiser and commander in chief of the Northern Latvian Army. He lead the fight for liberation in Northern Vidzeme during the Battle of Wenden. 15 July he became commander of the Vidzeme division and the eastern front. 17 July he failed to organise the defence of Riga and Daugava and was dismissed from duty and replaced by Mārtiņš Peniķis. 12 October his official title became officer of the reserve. From January 1920 Zemitāns worked at the Latvian Military Court until 1 April 1922 when he retired.

Jorģis Zemitāns was awarded with the Latvian Military Order of Lāčplēsis, Estonian Cross of Liberty and the Russian Order of St. Vladimir.

See also

*Latvian War of Independence
*Freikorps in the Baltic
*West Russian Volunteer Army

References