Jānis Buivids (Janis Buivydas) (8 September 1864 – 2 April 1937) was a

general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

in the Latvian Army. He participated in

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

and the

Russian Civil War The Russian Civil War () was a multi-party civil war in the former Russian Empire sparked by the 1917 overthrowing of the Russian Provisional Government in the October Revolution, as many factions vied to determine Russia's political future. I ...

Biography

Buivids was born in Alkiškiai, in the

Kovno Governorate Kovno Governorate was an administrative-territorial unit (''guberniya'') of the Russian Empire, with its capital in Kovno (Kaunas). It was formed on 18 December 1842 by Tsar Nicholas I of Russia, Nicholas I from the western part of Vilna Govern ...

of the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...

(present-day

Lithuania Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...

). In 1885, he joined the

Russian Imperial Army The Imperial Russian Army () was the army of the Russian Empire, active from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was organized into a standing army and a state militia. The standing army consisted of Regular army, regular troops and ...

. From 1887 to 1889, he studied at the Vilnius Military Academy. Afterwards, Buivids served in the Second Kaunas Fortress Battalion. From 1896 to 1900, he studied at the Nicholas General Staff Academy, graduating with distinctions. From 1900, he lectured at the

Kiev Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...

Military Academy. From 1907 to 1914, he served in the 166th Infantry Regiment. In 1910, he was promoted to the rank of

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

. In 1914, he was promoted commander of the 13th Reserve Battalion, but in December he became the commander of the 17th Infantry Regiment. For merit on the battlefield, he received the Cross of St. George (IV class) and Sword of St. George. From 1916, he commanded a brigade in the 15th Siberian Division. In 1917, he was promoted to the rank of general; later that year, he was appointed to the post of commander of the 15th Riflemen Division. After the

October Revolution The October Revolution, also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution (in Historiography in the Soviet Union, Soviet historiography), October coup, Bolshevik coup, or Bolshevik revolution, was the second of Russian Revolution, two r ...

, he was arrested, but was released after a month. In October 1918 he joined the army of the Hetman of Ukraine,

Pavlo Skoropadskyi Pavlo Petrovych Skoropadskyi (; – 26 April 1945) was a Ukrainian aristocrat, military and state leader, who served as the Hetman of all Ukraine, hetman of the Ukrainian State throughout 1918 following a 1918 Ukrainian coup d'état, coup d'éta ...

, and fought in Denikin's army. After the

, he returned to Latvia. From 1923, Buivids lectured in senior officer courses. On 29 February 1924, Buivids was promoted to

Chief of staff The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supportin ...

of the Latvian Army by Minister of War Fricis Birkenšteins, a promotion that was confirmed 26 March 1924 by Latvian President

Jānis Čakste Jānis Kristaps Čakste (; 14 September 1859 – 14 March 1927) was a Latvian politician and lawyer who served as the first head of an independent Latvian state as the Chairman of the Tautas Padome, People's Council (1918–1920), the Speaker o ...

. From 1925 to 1928, he led academic officer courses. In 1928, he attained maximum age for military service and was retired. He is the author of several books and military publications. Buivids died in

Jūrmala Jūrmala (; "seaside") is a state city in the Vidzeme region of Latvia, about west of Riga. Jūrmala is a resort town stretching and is sandwiched between the Gulf of Riga and the Lielupe River. It has a stretch of white-sand beach and is the ...

, and was buried in

Riga Riga ( ) is the capital, Primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Latvia, largest city of Latvia. Home to 591,882 inhabitants (as of 2025), the city accounts for a third of Latvia's total population. The population of Riga Planni ...

, at the Forest Cemetery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Buivids, Janis 1864 births 1937 deaths People from Akmenė District Municipality People from Shavelsky Uyezd Latvian generals Russian military personnel of World War I People of the Russian Civil War Burials at Forest Cemetery, Riga Latvian military personnel in the Imperial Russian Army of World War I Latvian military personnel of the Latvian War of Independence

Biography

See also

References