- Kaarel Eenpalu
Kaarel Eenpalu (until 1935 named Karl August Einbund) (
May 28 ,1888 inTartu County ,Estonia -January 27 ,1942 ,Kirov Oblast ,Russia ) was an Estonian journalist, politician and head of state.Education
Eenpalu was educated at the
Hugo Treffner Gymnasium inTartu . Between 1909 and 1914 he studied law atTartu University and later graduated fromMoscow University .Journalism
From 1910 to 1912 and in 1915 he was member of the editorial board of the "Postimees Daily" in Tartu, in 1918 editor of "Postimees", in 1920 editor-in-chief of "Tallinna Teataja" (Tallinn Gazette) daily, and in 1924 editor-in-chief of the "Kaja" (Echo) newspaper.
War
Eenpalu was active in
World War I , serving as a battery commander in the First Estonian Artillery Regiment in 1917 and 1918. During theEstonian War of Independence in 1918-1919, he first commanded the Tartu High School students' battalion, and then a battery in the Second Estonian Artillery Regiment.Political career
Eenpalu was a member of the
Estonian Constituent Assembly ("Asutav Kogu", 1919-1920), member of National Assembly ("Riigikogu ", 1920-1937), member of the Chamber of Deputies ("Riigivolikogu", since 1938) and held a series of high government offices of the newly independent Estonian state. In 1919-1920 he wasState Controller . In 1920, 1921-1924, and 1924-1926 he held the position of the Minister of Internal Affairs, and can thus be considered a founder of the Estonian Police. Between 1926 and 1934 he was, for intermittent periods, Chairman of the III, IV and V Riigikogu. From 19 July to 1 November 1932 he was the head of state ("Riigivanem", literally "Elder of State"). In 1934-1938 he was again Minister of Internal Affairs, and in 1938-1939 he was the Prime Minister of Estonia.Capture
After the
Soviet Union occupied Estonia in June 1940, Eenpalu, along with a number of other leading Estonian politicians, was arrested and subsequently deported to Russia. He died in 1942 in a Soviet prison camp inVyatka ("Vyatlag"), Kirov (Vyatka) Oblast.External links
* [http://www.okupatsioon.ee/nimekirjad/raamat/kgbdok/97-27aa2.html Photo: Elder of State Eenpalu with his family, 10 August 1932]
* [http://www.okupatsioon.ee/nimekirjad/raamat/kgbdok/valitsus.html Photo of Prime Minister Kaarel Eenpalu, 1939]References
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