Ado Birk
. Aadu Birk (also Ado Birk, Aado Birk, Russian Orthodox baptismal name Awdei or Awdi ) (* 2 Novemberjul / November 14 1883greg in Tarvastu, Viljandi County, Estonia governorate; . † February 2nd 1942 in the prison camp Sos'va, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Soviet Union) was an Estonian politician. Birk was twice Secretary of State and in 1920 briefly heads of state and head of government of the Republic of Estonia.
Training
The father of Aadu Birk was tenant of a farm. The family belonged to the Orthodox parish of Suislepa in the rural community Tarvastu.
After completing the theological seminary in Riga Aadu Birk 1905-1907 studied at the Theological Academy in St. Petersburg. He then studied law at the universities of Tartu (1907 / 08), St. Petersburg ( 1908-1911 ) and Leipzig ( 1911). He settled as a lawyer in the Estonian capital Tallinn.
Politician
In 1911/12 Aadu Birk became head of the Tallinn Bureau of Statistics. He was from 1912 to 1917 attorney at the Tallinn Mayor Jaan Poska. 1913 Birk was a member of the City Council of Tallinn. At the same time he was active in numerous clubs. From 1917 to 1924 Birk was chairman of the volunteer fire department of Tallinn.
Birk was one of the founders of the Estonian Country People's Union ( Eesti Maarahva Liit ) and the Estonian Radical Democratic Party ( Eesti Radikaaldemokraatlik Erakond ). Both merged in 1918 with the conservative national liberal Estonian People's Party ( Eesti Rahvaerakond ).
1917 Birk became secretary of the provisional parliament of the government of Estonia ( Maanõukogu ) and was 1918/19, its chairman.
With the founding of the Republic of Estonia was Aadu Birk 1919/20, Vice Chairman of the Constituent Assembly ( Asutav Kogu ). He belonged to the Estonian Parliament ( Riigikogu ) in its first term of office.
From November 1919 to July 1920 was Birk Foreign Minister in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Jaan Tõnisson. In November 1920 Birk was Prime Minister of the shortest Estonian government. She stayed only three days in office. From July to October 1920 Birk was in the office of State Secretary of State elder Jaan Tõnisson again.
" Birkiade "
From 1922 was Aadu Birk Estonian ambassador in Moscow. He was 1926/1927 architect of a diplomatic scandals of Estonian history. It was popularly known as " Birkiade " (Estonian Birgiaad ).
The Treaties of 1925 Locarno were in Moscow, the fear of an anti- Soviet bloc grow, which also could belong to Germany. As a result, increased Soviet foreign policy their attempts to come up with Germany and France to an understanding. At the same time they increased the pressure on the Baltic states and Poland to complete warranty contracts with the Soviet Union.
The Estonian foreign minister Ants Piip ( ETE) rejected a neutrality treaty with the Soviet Union strictly. This would have made an alliance cooperation between the Baltic States, Poland and possibly the Nordic countries impossible. This is exactly what desired Piip but as a counterweight to the Soviet hegemony in the region - as well as military cooperation with Great Britain for the protection of the Estonian borders.
The Messenger Birk in Moscow was the Russian aspirations open to. In June 1926, the Estonian Government therefore submitted his dismissal. Birk refused to comply with the verdict. He ran to his foreign minister over foreign policy from his own hand. In July and August 1926, he wrote letters to the Soviet newspaper Izvestia, in which he accused the Estonian government, to be influenced too much by Piip, the Estonian General Staff and indirectly British interests in the Baltic Sea region. This Birk had broken the bridges to Estonia.
The Soviet leadership made Birk now believe he would be sentenced on his return to Estonia to death. Birk initially wanted to flee to Finland, but was then kidnapped by the Soviet secret police, the GPU. The Soviet authorities offered Birk on the release when he declared himself willing to commit espionage for the Soviet Union and in his memoirs discredits the Estonian- British security relations. Birk refused. In March 1927 he was released and returned to Tallinn.
In Estonia, Birk was arrested. He was accused of betrayal of secrets to the Soviet Union, but acquitted in November 1927. His defense lawyer was the lawyer and social democratic politician August Rei. Only through public trials came the " Birkiade " to light the Estonian public.
1930
Disavowed In politics Aadu Birk then worked as a businessman in Tallinn. 1939/40, he was ecumenical secretary of the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church ( Eesti Apostlik - Õigeusu Kirik ).
Arrest and death
Aadu Birk was arrested after the Soviet occupation of Estonia on 14 June 1941, the NKVD and sentenced to death. He died before the execution in the prison camp Sos'va.