Battle of Cēsis (1919)

Coordinates: 57°18′47″N 25°16′29″E / 57.3131°N 25.2747°E / 57.3131; 25.2747
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
This article is about the 1919 battle. For other uses, see
Battle of Wenden (disambiguation)
.
Battle of Cēsis
Part of Estonian War of Independence,
Latvian War of Independence
Map
Battle of Cēsis (1919) is located in Latvia
Cēsis
Cēsis
Battle of Cēsis (1919) (Latvia)
Date19–23 June 1919
Location
Cēsis, Latvia
57°18′47″N 25°16′29″E / 57.3131°N 25.2747°E / 57.3131; 25.2747
Result Estonian-Latvian victory
Belligerents
 Estonia
 Latvia

Baltische Landeswehr

Freikorps
Commanders and leaders

Estonia Ernst Põdder
Estonia Nikolai Reek
Latvia Jorģis Zemitāns

Latvia Krišjānis Berķis
 Rüdiger von der Goltz
Alfred Fletcher
Units involved

Estonia 3rd Division

Including

Baltische Landeswehr

Iron Division
Strength

6,509 infantry
65 cavalry
106 heavy machine guns
126 light machine guns
23 artillery pieces
3 armoured vehicles
3 armoured trains[1] including

2nd Latvian Cēsis Regiment:
750 infantry
8 heavy machine guns
20 light machine guns[1]		 5,500–6,300 infantry
500–600 cavalry
50 heavy machine guns
90 light machine guns
42–48 artillery pieces[1]
Casualties and losses
 Estonia:
110 killed
295 wounded[2]
 Latvia:
13 killed
30 wounded[2]		 274 killed[3]

The Battle of Cēsis (Latvian: Cēsu kaujas; Estonian: Võnnu lahing, Battle of Võnnu; German: Schlacht von Wenden, Battle of Wenden), fought near Cēsis (or Võnnu, Wenden) in June 1919, was a decisive battle in the Estonian War of Independence and the Latvian War of Independence. After heavy fighting an Estonian force moving from the north, supplemented by Latvian units, repelled Baltic German attacks and went on full counter-attack.

Background

Latvia had declared independence in 1918, but was unable to stop the advance of the

German VI Reserve Corps.[1] The Reserve Corps under general Rüdiger von der Goltz consisted of the Baltische Landeswehr, the Freikorps Iron Division, and the Guard Reserve Division.[4] The Latvian volunteers loyal to the Provisional Government were also placed under the command of the Baltische Landeswehr.[1] On 16 April 1919, the Latvian government of Kārlis Ulmanis was toppled by the Germans, who installed a puppet German Provisional Government of Latvia headed by Andrievs Niedra. However, the Latvian Brigade led by Jānis Balodis remained passively under the German command.[1]

After recapturing Riga from the Red Army, the VI Reserve Corps continued its advance north. At the same time, the 3rd Estonian Division, having pushed the Soviets out of south Estonia, was advancing into Latvia from the north. Estonia continued to recognise the Ulmanis government, and neither side was ready to back down. On 5 June, fighting started, with the Landeswehr capturing Cēsis the following day.[5] On 10 June with the mediation of the Allies a ceasefire was declared, but talks failed, and on 19 June fighting recommenced.

Battle

Military control in Latvia on 22 June 1919
  pro-German forces
  Russian Red Army (Bolsheviks)
  Latvian army
  Estonian army

On 19 June, fighting resumed with an Iron Division attack on the Estonian positions near

Kuperjanov Partisan Battalion.[7]

The Landeswehr continued attacking at several parts of the front, and more Estonian forces joined the battle.[8] After stopping the last German attacks, the Estonian forces started a full counter-attack on 23 June resulting in the recapture of Cēsis.[9] The German units started a general retreat toward Riga.

Aftermath

The Battle of Cēsis was a decisive victory for Estonia against the pro-German forces. The 3rd Estonian Division continued their advance towards Riga. On 3 July, the Estonian forces were at the outskirts of the city. Estonia, Latvia and the pro-German Provisional Government of Latvia signed the Ceasefire of Strazdumuiža on the demand of the Entente. The armistice restored the Ulmanis government in Riga. German forces were ordered to leave Latvia, the Baltic-German Landeswehr was put under command of the Latvian government and sent to fight against the Red Army. However, to circumvent Entente's orders, many German soldiers instead of leaving, were incorporated into the West Russian Volunteer Army. Fighting in Latvia and Lithuania restarted in October and continued until December 1919.

Estonia celebrates the anniversary of the battle as Victory Day, a national holiday. Common annual commemoration events of the battle are held on 22 June (Latvia's Victory Day, Latvian: Latvijas Uzvaras diena) at the Freedom Monument in Cēsis, Latvia.[10][11][12]

See also

Citations and references

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Colonel Jaan Maide. Ülevaade Eesti Vabadussõjast (1918–1920) (Overview on Estonian War of Independence) (in Estonian). Archived from the original on 2010-08-22.
  2. ^
    OCLC 43426410
    .
  3. Estonian National Defence College museum. Archived from the original
    on 2010-08-22.
  4. ISBN 9781851094202
    .
  5. ^ Traksmaa, August: Lühike vabadussõja ajalugu, pages 150-151. Olion, 1992
  6. ^ Traksmaa, August: Lühike vabadussõja ajalugu, page 156. Olion, 1992
  7. ^ Traksmaa, August: Lühike vabadussõja ajalugu, page 157. Olion, 1992
  8. ^ Traksmaa, August: Lühike vabadussõja ajalugu, page 158. Olion, 1992
  9. ^ Kaevats, Ülo: Eesti Entsüklopeedia 10, page 519. Eesti Entsüklopeediakirjastus, 1998
  10. ^ "Celebration of the Latvia's Victory Day in Cēsis » EnterGauja". Enter Gauja. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  11. ^ "The centenary of the Battle of Cēsis, Latvia's Victory Day, to be celebrated in Cēsis on 22 June | Visit Cēsis". Cēsis Tourism Information Center. 2019-06-10. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  12. ERR
    . 2019-06-22. Retrieved 2021-04-16.

Cited sources

External links
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Cēsis_(1919)&oldid=1217754972"