Jānis Čakste

Jānis Čakste (* September 14, 1859 Lielsesava in Jelgava, † March 14, 1927 in Riga) was a Latvian politician and the first president of the independent Republic of Latvia.

Life

Čakste studied law at the University of Moscow. After graduating, he worked as a lawyer in Mitawa (now Jelgava ) and worked as a political activist in Latvia. In 1888, he published the newspaper Tehwija (German " fatherland "). The Latvian- literärischen society he was a member since 1901. In 1906 he was elected to the Duma, where he joined the cadets and represented the movement for independence for Latvia.

As opponents of the October Revolution, he fought in the Latvian War of Independence (1918-1920), together with the Western Allies, the Soviet power in Latvia. In 1918 he became chairman of the transitional parliament Tautas Padome. On November 14, 1922 Čakste was elected President of Latvia in 1925 was the re-election. The official held Čakste until his death. He was succeeded by Gustav Zemgals.

Awards and honors

Čakste was winner of the Finnish Order of the White Rose, the Polish Order of Polonia Restituta, the Belgian Order of Leopold and the Estonian Freedom Cross.

The Latvian Post was in 1998 in honor Čakste issued a special stamp.