LKOK, General Pēteris Radziņš (1880-1930)
I World War I, I Wars of Independence
Pēteris Voldemārs Radziņš was born on May 2, 1880 in Lugaži parish. He studied at Lugaži parish school, Valka city school, and Valka Nelsons secondary school.
In 1898, Radziņš entered the Russian army as a volunteer. In 1899, he was ordered to the Vilnius Junker School, which he graduated in 1901. He participated in the Russo-Japanese War. From 1907 to 1910, Radziņš studied at the General Staff Academy, obtaining the rank of captain. In 1912, he was transferred to the General Staff of the Russian Empire. Radziņš entered the First World War as the senior staff adjutant of the 38th Infantry Division. In 1914, he fought near Warsaw, Łódź, etc., but in the spring of 1915 near Šiauliai and later in the Jelgava district. In May 1917, he was promoted to colonel. During his service in the Russian Empire, Pēteris Radziņš was awarded the Order of St. Order of St. George, II and III classes of the Order of St. Stanislav, II, III and IV classes of the Order of St. Anna. In March 1918, he joined the army of the Ukrainian State Hetman Skoropadsky, where he was the Chief of the Organizational and Training Department of the General Staff, and from December he was the Assistant Chief of the General Staff of the Army of the Ukrainian People's Republic. Here he served until September 1919, but in October he returned to Latvia.
From October 27, 1919, Radziņš was appointed Chief of Staff of the Supreme Commander of the Army in the Latvian Army service with the rank of colonel. In this position, he led all the battles for the liberation of Riga, Zemgale and Latgale. On February 5, 1920, he was promoted to general.
On August 13, 1920, Radziņš was among the seven senior officers who were the first to be awarded the Lāčplēsis War Order. He was the first to be awarded the Lāčplēsis War Order of the 3rd class with No. 1. At the same time as the award, he was appointed a member of the Council of the Lāčplēsis War Order. In October 1920, he retired from service at his own request. He wrote works on military history and military theory. He participated in the preparation and training of officers as a lecturer at the Military School, Aviation School and Officers' Courses.
In February 1924, he was appointed commander of the Latvian Army. In 1927, he was awarded the 2nd class Lāčplēsis War Order and elected secretary of the Council of the Lāčplēsis War Order. In 1928, at his own request, he was relieved of his duties as army commander and appointed head of the Military Academic Courses. During his service in the Latvian Army, in addition to the aforementioned Lāčplēsis War Orders, he was also awarded the 1st class Three Star Order, the 1st class, 2nd class Estonian Cross of Liberty, the 3rd class French Legion of Honor, the Polish "Virtuti Militari" Order, the 1st class Finnish Order of the White Rose and the 1st class Swedish Order of the Spear. Radziņš was an honorary philistine of the student corporation Tervetia.
General Pēteris Radziņš died on October 8, 1930 in Riga and was buried in the Riga Brothers' Cemetery.
The General Pēteris Radziņš Society, founded in 2015, is responsible for preserving the memory of General Radziņš. Following the initiative of the Society, the Riga City Council decided to rename the beginning of Krasta Street as General Radziņš Embankment. On June 12, 2018, the Staicele Sports Vocational Secondary School was named after General Pēteris Radziņš.
More information sources
Cavaliers of the Order of the Lāčplēsis War: Biographical Dictionary. Riga: Jāņa Sēta, 1995. ….p.
Senior officers of the Latvian Army (1918-1940), biographical dictionary (comp. Ēriks Jēkabsons, Valters Ščerbinskis); Latvian State Historical Archives
Collection of writings of Pēteris Voldemaras Radzīns; comp. A.Purviņš. – Valmiera: Society of General Pēteris Radzīns, 2016.: https://www.historia.lv/biblioteka/petera-voldemara-radzina-rakstu-krajums-sast-apurvins-valmiera-generala-petera-radzina
Related objects
Memorial site of General Pēteris Radziņš
Located in Valka parish, driving along the Valka – Rūjiena (P22) road at kilometer 4, turn right, following the signs.
Pēteris Radziņš was born on May 2, 1880 in “Jaunvīndedzēs” of Lugaži parish. He studied at Lugaži parish school, Valka city school and Valka Nelsons real school. He joined the Russian army as a volunteer. In the autumn of 1919, he returned to Latvia and on October 27, he was appointed Chief of Staff of the Supreme Commander of the Army, assuming this position at the moment when the Bermontites threatened Riga. As Chief of Staff, he led all the battles in Riga, Zemgale and Latgale. On February 5, 1920, he was promoted to general.
Nowadays, a memorial stone dedicated to General Pēteris Radziņš (1880 - 1930) can be seen near the family home.
On November 11, 2017, a memorial plaque to Pēteris Radziņš was unveiled in Riga, at the corner of Daugava Gate.
Video: General P. Radziņš memorial event at the Riga Brothers' Cemetery in 2019
Video: On May 2, 2019, on the 139th birthday of General Pēteris Radziņš, a commemorative event was held on the 11th November embankment, near the Presidential Palace, with an honor guard and interested parties surrounding the memorial plaque.
The Valka Museum of Local Lore's exposition "Valka - the Cradle of Latvian Independence" also reflects the life and activities of General Pēteris Radziņš.
In addition to traditional methods of displaying the collection, the exhibition uses interactive multimedia solutions. Information and annotations are translated into Estonian and English.
Exhibition “Valka - the Cradle of Latvia’s Independence”
The Valka Local History Museum is located in Valka, on the right side of Rīgas street, in the historical building of the Vidzeme Parish School Teacher Training Seminary. From 1853 to 1890, the building was home to the Vidzeme Parish School Teacher Training Seminary. Until 1881, it was led by Jānis Cimze, a teacher and founder of Latvian choir culture. After the School Teacher Training Seminary was closed, the building served various educational, cultural and household needs for 80 years. The building has been home to the Valka Local History Museum since 1970. The museum’s permanent exhibit – ‘Valka, the Cradle of Latvia’s Independence’ – has been set up as a story about social and political events in Valka from 1914 to 1920 when Latvia became an independent state. The exhibit reflects the preparation leading up to the establishment of the Latvian state and the formation of the North Latvian Brigade in Valka. Through four senses, namely, the Road, the Council, the Headquarters and the Home, the exhibit focuses on topics related to the city of Valka, refugees, the founding of the Latvian Farmers’ Union (1917), the
Latvian Provisional National Council (1917), the Latvian Provisional National Theatre (1918), the Provisional Government of Soviet Latvia known as the Iskolat, the North Latvian Brigade (1919) and General Pēteris Radziņš. In addition to the traditional ways of showcasing collections, the exhibit makes use of interactive multimedia solutions.
Related stories
In memory of Pēteris Radziņš, general of the Latvian Army, two-time Cavalier of the Lāčplēsis War Order
General Pēteris Radziņš was born in Lugaži parish, Valka district, into a simple farmer's family, where he learned to do field work. He was a very smart young man, after graduating from school he decided in favor of war and thus began his army career, saving Latvia from Bermont's troops. P. Radziņš was one of the most outstanding officers of the Latvian army and was awarded numerous Latvian and foreign orders and commemorative signs.