About General Karl Gopper
General K. Goppers (1876-1941) was an outstanding soldier and an outstanding man. He stood out as a successful commander who took over the command of the battalion and regiments, heroically leading his riflemen in battles for the freedom of Latvia during the First World War (1914-1919). He has participated in battles in Tīreļpurvs, Ložmetējkalns, and defended Riga.
Born on April 2, 1876 in "Muscat" of Plāņi Parish.
Studied at Trikāta parish school. After completing it, he prepared for the wildlife exam, which he passed, and continues his studies in the Pskov Cadet Corps.
In 1893 he started serving in the tsar's army. Repeatedly wounded and exalted during World War I. In August 1916, after the injury was healed at his request, he was appointed as a lieutenant colonel as the commander of the Latvian Rifle Reserve Battalion, in December - as the commander of the 7th Bauska Latvian Rifle Regiment. Commander of the 1st Latvian Rifle Brigade since 1917. From 1917 to June 1920, Russia went through all of Russia to fight the Bolsheviks. In August 1920, he was promoted to general from August 13, 1917, due to the delay in approving the promotion due to the October Revolution. After returning to his homeland, he was the head of the Latvian Scout Central Organization, the chairman of the Ministry of Defense and the Military Council, the head of the Old Latvian Riflemen's Association, and a member of the Colonel Deer Foundation. During his lifetime, he was awarded many Latvian, Russian and foreign military orders
On September 30, 1940, K. Gopper was arrested in Riga. On March 25, 1941, he was executed in Riga Central Prison and buried in a mass grave in Ulbroka Forest. In May 1944, K. Gopper was reburied in the Riga Brothers Cemetery, and on May 7, 1944, his heart was buried in the Trikāta Cemetery.
On February 11, 1992, Kārlis Goppers was rehabilitated in accordance with the Law of the Republic of Latvia of August 3, 1990 “On Illegally Repressed Rehabilitation”.
Awarded the 3rd class Lāčplēsis War Order for the fact that in 1916. on the night of December 23, in the attacking column of the 2nd Latvian Rifle Brigade, was the first to break the line of German fortifications with his regiment, broke into fierce backs in the fierce behind the opponent, where he also took command of the 8th Valmiera Latvian Rifle Regiment and lasted 2 days until the arrival of additional forces. On the night of December, then led his troops in the direction of Kalnciems, caused panic in the German ranks at Ložmetējkalns, greatly promoting its capture and trophy, which were so necessary for the riflemen to replenish the poor arsenal.
He was awarded the 2nd class Lāčplēsis War Order for the fact that in 1917. On August 21, in the Jugla positions, when the 1st Latvian Rifle Brigade alone had to withstand extremely fierce attacks without artillery support, it struck several frontal blows, maneuvering cautiously with reserves and, changing positions from the Little Jugla to the Big Jugla, prevented the siege and facilitated our endurance until to receive a departure order.
Gen. Karl Gopper's service ranks :
1893 - joins as a 2nd class savage (high school graduate) enlisted in the military service of the Kaunas Fortress Infantry Battalion.
1894 - Vilnius Infantry Junker School. Podporuchik (first rank of officer).
1896 - begins service in the 97th Infantry Regiment of Vidzeme in Daugavpils, in the 190th Infantry Regiment deployed in Warsaw (in parallel with the service he studied philosophy and natural sciences).
In 1900 - promoted to Poruchik (the newest rank of officers).
In 1904 - promoted to staff captain (senior rank of officers).
In 1905, he served in the 183rd Regiment in Pultuska and Kostroma.
In 1908, he was promoted to captain (in the army of the Russian Empire in the hierarchical rank between the captain of the staff and the lieutenant colonel).
1912 - Appointed Commander of the Company.
1914 - Fights on the Western Front in Galicia, Austro-Hungary (modern-day Ukraine), appointed battalion commander.
From 1914 to 1916, he was injured three times. After the third injury, he was evacuated to a hospital in Moscow.
In 1915 - promoted to lieutenant colonel.
1916 - promoted to colonel and appointed commander of the Latvian Rifle Reserve Battalion sent to Valmiermuiža, at the end of the year appointed commander of the 7th Bauska Latvian Rifle Battalion.
1917 - appointed commander of the 1st Latvian Rifle Brigade, and for the merits of the battle for the defense of Riga on 19-21. In August, Radko Dmitrijev recommends promotion to Major General. Confirms!
The Russian Civil War is over as a colonel!
During his military career, K. Goppers received the 2nd and 3rd class Latvian Lāčplēsis War Order, 2nd and 3rd class Three Star Order, the White Lily Scout Order, as well as several high-ranking Russian, French, Swedish, Finnish, Lithuanian, Serbian and Czechoslovak awards.
Awards and badges of honor :
Russian St. Class III of the Stanislav Order
Russian St. Class III of the Order of Anna
Russian St. Jura sword
Russian St. Class II of the Stanislav Order
Russian St. Class II of the Order of Anna
Russian St. Order IV of the Order of Jurassic
Russian St. IV class of the Order of Vladimir
Russian St. Order III of the Order of Vladimir
Russian St. III class of the Order of Jurassic
Class III of the Serbian Star of Kajordevich
III class of Lāčplēsis War Order
Cross of the Commander of the French Legion of Honor
Czechoslovak War Cross
Memorial to the Latvian War of Liberation
Order of the Commander of the Finnish White Rose Class I
II class of Lāčplēsis War Order
Class III of the Order of the Three Stars
Cross of the Commander of the Swedish Spear Order, 1st Class
Medal commemorating the 10th anniversary of Lithuania's independence
Class II of the Order of the Three Stars
Medal commemorating the 10th anniversary of the liberation struggle of the Republic of Latvia
2nd class of the Lithuanian Gediminas Order
Bronze medal of the Latvian Defense Society
Order of the Latvian Wolf Scout Gray Wolf
Order of the White Lily of the Latvian Scouts
Latvian Scouts' Thank You Sign "Swastika"
Latvian Scouts "Forest Sign"
Books, publications :
"Four Collapses", 1920
"Basics of Military Education", 1922
'' Godfather Oscar '', 1923
'' Be vigilant '', 1924
"Christmas of the Latvian Rifle Regiment" 1916, 1924
Between two revolutions
Memories of "Riflemen's Times" in 1931.
1924-1925 and 1934-1940. year - editor of the magazine "Latvian Riflemen".
After the Second World War, Latvian scouts in exile established refugee camps in the refugee camps in Germany on April 20, 1947 in Ansbach.
https://www.historia.lv/personas/goppers-karlis
http://skauti.lv/par-mums/vesture/karlis-goppers/
http://www.karamuzejs.lv/lv/Izstades/generali/generalis_GoppersKarlis.aspx
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.616149468468565.1073741850.568253149924864&type=3
https://enciklopedija.lv/skirklis/101930-K%C4%81rlis-Goppers
"General Goppers in the Memories of War and Contemporaries" publishing house Zelta Abele 1951. Sweden
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General Karl Gopper Memorial Room in the Muscat Hometown
Located in Plāņi Parish on the bank of the Vija River.
The memorial room of General Karl Gopper in his native house "Muscat" can be seen.
The Muscat farm was run by the general's brother, August Goppers, because the talented warlord was busy with major events and world wars. In 1920, the general returned to Latvia, to his native home. But many responsible duties connected him with Riga. August continued to operate in Muscat. In 1940, General Gopper was arrested and shot on March 25, 1941, in a check cellar. In 1944, the Gopper family went to Kurzeme as refugees with three horse-drawn carriages. The war divided the family, Alexander Gopper's daughters - Biruta, Elza and Anna - remained in Latvia. They were not allowed to return to Muscat. The houses were large and carefully maintained. Three four newcomer families were accommodated in separate rooms. A horse farm was set up in the big barn. A fire broke out in 1980 due to mutual scabies. The barn and the big barn burned down. Fortunately, the fire did not spread to the house, the flames were repelled by large trees planted by our ancestors.
In 1991, after the miraculous Awakening, the Latvian state was reborn for the second time. In 1992, the family of General Gopper's brother Augustus regained Muscat as an ancestral sanctity. For ten years, all the cheeses worked hard to save the houses from destruction, to restore and build the ruined buildings to make the entire Muscat farm beautiful. The houses have been restored to their old appearance, there is also a memorial room for General Karl Gopper. The memorial room can be visited in advance by calling +371 29396870, +371 29254285.
Memorial places for generals and knights of the Lāčplēsis War Order in Trikāta Parish
The memorial stele is located next to the Trikāta cemetery chapel.
Trikāta Cemetery preserves the memory of three outstanding Latvian generals - Roberts Dambītis, Kārlis Goppers and Jānis Balodis. Jēkabs Mūrnieks, a teacher of all these generals, is also buried in Trikāta cemetery.
The generals and the knights of the Lāčplēsis Military Order are commemorated every year with torchlight processions to the Trikāta cemetery, where there are two memorial statues, in which the names of 17 knights of the Lāčplēsis Military Order associated with Trikāta parish are engraved.
Stela was opened on November 11, 2018.
Video story about the Lāčplēsis War Order and the set of orders that belonged to General Jānis Balodis.
Brothers' Cemetery in Riga
Riga Brothers’ Cemetery is located in the northern district of Riga. The cemetery extends over an area of 9 ha and is the most outstanding and significant memorial ensemble in Latvia dedicated to the fallen Latvian soldiers. About 3,000 soldiers are buried here. The Brothers’ Cemetery was created during World War I after the first three Latvian Riflemen, who fell in Tīreļpurvs in the battle against the German Army, were buried here. Later Latvian soldiers who had died in other battles and wars would also be buried in the Brothers’ Cemetery. The memorial is based on the design of the sculptor Kārlis Zāle, and is the first memorial ensemble in Europe with such landscape, architecture and sculptural value. It uses elements typical to the Latvian landscape, traditional farmsteads, Latvian folklore and history that praise the characteristics of soldiers and tell the story of the way of the soldier. The memorial was unveiled in 1936 and it has three parts: ‘The Road of Though’ which is a 250 m long alley, ‘Terrace of Heroes’ with the Altar of the Sacred Flame and ensemble the Sacred Oak Grove, and the burial ground with the Latvian wall and a memorial of a mother with her fallen sons.
