Oskars Dankers
Encyclopedia
Oskars Dankers was a Latvian general. He participated in World War I
and in the Latvian War of Independence. He was a recipient of the Order of Lāčplēsis
, 2nd and 3rd class. During the occupation of Latvia by Nazi Germany
, Dankers cooperated with the Nazis.
, Russian Empire
. The first education he received was in Jelgava
, where he studied at the Alexander School. He continued his education in Jelgavas Realschule
and graduated in 1902. Dankers joined the 180th infantry regiment of the Russian Imperial Army, which was deployed in Jelgava. He graduated from the Vilnius
Military Academy in 1906 and continued service in the 197th infantry regiment of the Russian Army, deployed near Helsinki
. In 1913 Dankers received the rank of stabskapitän
.
Dankers participated in World War I with the 197th infantry regiment. He initially commanded a company, and later a battalion. On February 4, 1916, he was promoted to the rank of podpolkovnik
(Lt. colonel
). During his service, Dankers was shell-shocked and was wounded several times. Dankers was repeatedly awarded decorations. He was captured by the enemy in July 1916 and was released in 1918. He returned to Helsinki and remained there until May 1919.
On May 31, 1919, he joined the Latvian Army in Tallinn
, Estonia
. He started as an officer of special tasks at the headquarters of Jorģis Zemitāns
and participated in the formation of new Latvian troops. In June, he became a commander of the 3rd Jelgava Infantry Regiment (soon afterwards, the regiment was recalled to the 7th Sigulda Infantry Regiment). He and his troops were transported via the Baltic Sea
to Liepāja
in Latvia
, where in August, he was appointed commander to the highest Latvian troop in Liepāja. In battles of November 1919, he defended Liepāja against the Bermontian Army
. Later that month, he was promoted to colonel
. At the end of 1919 Dankers became commander of the 4th Zemgale Infantry Division. Serving as a commander in the Zemgale Division, he participated in several battles at the Latgale
front. On June 22, 1926, he was promoted to general. After the Latvian War of Independence, he continued his military education. He was commander of the Zemgale Division until 1933. Afterwards, he commanded the 1st Kurzeme Infantry Division.
In January 1940, he left the post as commander of Kurzeme Division and in June (two days after the Soviet occupation
), he went to Germany with his family. When Germany initiated war with the USSR
in 1941, he returned to (Reichskommissariat Ostland
), Latvia, where he held several high posts in the German-made Latvian Self-Administration.
In September 1944 he and his family left Latvia for Germany, where he was interned
in 1945 by the United States forces. He was the subject of suspicions because of his posts in German occupation institutions, but no one could prove anything. Afterwards, he lived in an UNRRA DP refugee camp in Germany. In the 1950s, Dankers lost his eyesight. In 1957, he moved again – this time to United States – where he published two books about his life. He died in Grand Rapids, Michigan
on April 11, 1965.
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and in the Latvian War of Independence. He was a recipient of the Order of Lāčplēsis
Order of Lacplesis
The Order of Lāčplēsis, the first and the highest Latvian military award, was established in 1919 on the initiative of the Commander of Latvian Army, during the Latvian War of Independence, Jānis Balodis. The Lāčplēsis Order is awarded in the first, second and third class. Initially, a holder of...
, 2nd and 3rd class. During the occupation of Latvia by Nazi Germany
Occupation of Latvia by Nazi Germany
The occupation of Latvia by Nazi Germany was completed on July 10, 1941 by Germany's armed forces. Latvia became a part of Nazi Germany's Reichskommissariat Ostland — the Province General of Latvia...
, Dankers cooperated with the Nazis.
Biography
He was born in Lielauce parishLielauce parish
- Towns, villages and settlements of Lielauce parish :*...
, Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. The first education he received was in Jelgava
Jelgava
-Sports:The city's main football team, FK Jelgava, plays in the Latvian Higher League and won the 2009/2010 Latvian Football Cup.- Notable people :*August Johann Gottfried Bielenstein - linguist, folklorist, ethnographer...
, where he studied at the Alexander School. He continued his education in Jelgavas Realschule
Realschule
The Realschule is a type of secondary school in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. It has also existed in Croatia , Denmark , Sweden , Hungary and in the Russian Empire .-History:The Realschule was an outgrowth of the rationalism and empiricism of the seventeenth and...
and graduated in 1902. Dankers joined the 180th infantry regiment of the Russian Imperial Army, which was deployed in Jelgava. He graduated from the Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
Military Academy in 1906 and continued service in the 197th infantry regiment of the Russian Army, deployed near Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
. In 1913 Dankers received the rank of stabskapitän
Stabskapitän
Stabskapitän is a historic military rank, used in the Prussian and Russian armies. It ranked between the Premierleutnant and Hauptmann/Rittmeister in the Prussian army, and between lieutenant and captain in the Russian army...
.
Dankers participated in World War I with the 197th infantry regiment. He initially commanded a company, and later a battalion. On February 4, 1916, he was promoted to the rank of podpolkovnik
Podpolkovnik
Podpolkovnik is a military rank in Slavic countries which corresponds to a lieutenant colonel in English-speaking states. Usually this word is translated as lieutenant colonel, however the transliteration is also in common usage, for the sake of the historical context.The exact name of this rank...
(Lt. colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
). During his service, Dankers was shell-shocked and was wounded several times. Dankers was repeatedly awarded decorations. He was captured by the enemy in July 1916 and was released in 1918. He returned to Helsinki and remained there until May 1919.
On May 31, 1919, he joined the Latvian Army in Tallinn
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
, Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
. He started as an officer of special tasks at the headquarters of Jorģis Zemitāns
Jorgis Zemitans
Jorģis Zemitāns was an army officer and commander of the Latvian Northern Brigade during the Latvian War of Independence....
and participated in the formation of new Latvian troops. In June, he became a commander of the 3rd Jelgava Infantry Regiment (soon afterwards, the regiment was recalled to the 7th Sigulda Infantry Regiment). He and his troops were transported via the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
to Liepāja
Liepaja
Liepāja ; ), is a republican city in western Latvia, located on the Baltic Sea directly at 21°E. It is the largest city in the Kurzeme Region of Latvia, the third largest city in Latvia after Riga and Daugavpils and an important ice-free port...
in Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
, where in August, he was appointed commander to the highest Latvian troop in Liepāja. In battles of November 1919, he defended Liepāja against the Bermontian Army
West Russian Volunteer Army
The West Russian Volunteer Army or Bermontians was an army in the Baltic provinces of the former Russian Empire during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1920....
. Later that month, he was promoted to colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
. At the end of 1919 Dankers became commander of the 4th Zemgale Infantry Division. Serving as a commander in the Zemgale Division, he participated in several battles at the Latgale
Latgale
Latgale is one of the four historical and cultural regions of Latvia recognised in the Constitution of the Latvian Republic. It is the easternmost region north of the Daugava River...
front. On June 22, 1926, he was promoted to general. After the Latvian War of Independence, he continued his military education. He was commander of the Zemgale Division until 1933. Afterwards, he commanded the 1st Kurzeme Infantry Division.
In January 1940, he left the post as commander of Kurzeme Division and in June (two days after the Soviet occupation
Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940
The Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940 refers, according to the European Court of Human Rights, the Government of Latvia, the State Department of the United States of America, and the European Union, to the military occupation of the Republic of Latvia by the Soviet Union ostensibly under the...
), he went to Germany with his family. When Germany initiated war with the USSR
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
in 1941, he returned to (Reichskommissariat Ostland
Reichskommissariat Ostland
Reichskommissariat Ostland, literally "Reich Commissariat Eastland", was the civilian occupation regime established by Nazi Germany in the Baltic states and much of Belarus during World War II. It was also known as Reichskommissariat Baltenland initially...
), Latvia, where he held several high posts in the German-made Latvian Self-Administration.
In September 1944 he and his family left Latvia for Germany, where he was interned
Internment
Internment is the imprisonment or confinement of people, commonly in large groups, without trial. The Oxford English Dictionary gives the meaning as: "The action of 'interning'; confinement within the limits of a country or place." Most modern usage is about individuals, and there is a distinction...
in 1945 by the United States forces. He was the subject of suspicions because of his posts in German occupation institutions, but no one could prove anything. Afterwards, he lived in an UNRRA DP refugee camp in Germany. In the 1950s, Dankers lost his eyesight. In 1957, he moved again – this time to United States – where he published two books about his life. He died in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
on April 11, 1965.