10 Facts About Alberts Kviesis

Alberts Kviesis was a Latvian politician who served as third President of Latvia from 1930 to 1936.

Alberts Kviesis was born in Kalnamuiza parish in the Courland Governorate.

Alberts Kviesis took an active part in the work of Latvian national societies, having served as an acting chair of the Jelgava Latvian Society and a member of the Latvian commission of the Jelgava Red Cross.

On 17 November 1918 Kviesis was among the delegates of the Tautas padome of Latvia and, as a lawyer, was elected the vice-chair of the Council for juridical affairs.

Alberts Kviesis was one of the most active members of the Latvian Farmers' Union, being elected to the Constitutional Assembly and first three Saeimas.

Alberts Kviesis was elected after eleven rounds of voting on 9 April 1930, with a 55-vote majority of the Saeima members.

Alberts Kviesis dutifully signed all laws passed by Ulmanis' authoritarian government, the only remarkable event of his second term being the solemn opening of the Freedom Monument in Riga on 18 November 1935.

On 19 March 1936, Alberts Kviesis promulgated a law which stipulated that Ulmanis would become president upon the expiration of Kvesis' term, thus unconstitutionally combining the two offices.

Alberts Kviesis evaded mass deportations of June 1941, having hid with his family at some forest warden's home.

Alberts Kviesis is buried at the Forest Cemetery in Riga.