Order of Lāčplēsis

The Bärentöter Order ( lett Lāčplēša Kara ordenis ) is named after the Latvian national epic Lāčplēsis ( Bärentöter ) by the poet Andrejs Pumpurs ( 1841-1902 ) named, and was the first military Order of Merit of independent Latvia. The first ceremony of the three- Order was held on November 11, 1920, the last on 11 November 1928. Among the eleven medals carriers of the highest class in the eight-year history of the coin were among other Polish Marshal Józef Piłsudski, the Italian king Victor Emmanuel III. , Benito Mussolini and the Belgian King Albert I.. 61 people received the Order of second class (18 Latvians, 43 foreigners) and 2072 persons the Order third Class (1600 soldiers of the national army, 202 Latvian veterans, 271 foreigners).