Andres Larka
An Estonian war hero and statesman who helped forge his nation's independence, only to see it crushed by Soviet occupation.
1879–1943 (age 64)·Estonian politician·Birthday: March 5·The Gilded Age
Biography
Andres Larka's life was inextricably bound to the fight for Estonian sovereignty. A career military officer in the Russian Imperial Army, he pivoted decisively to command Estonian forces during the brutal War of Independence against both Bolshevik and Baltic German forces. His leadership was instrumental in securing the nation's freedom. In the new republic, Larka served as Minister of War, helping to build a professional Estonian defense force. His political path turned toward the right in the turbulent 1930s, and he was a presidential candidate when the Soviet Union invaded in 1940. Arrested and deported to a prison camp in Russia, he died there, his personal fate mirroring that of his occupied homeland for decades.
The Gilded Age
1860–1882
Born during or after the Civil War, they built industrial America — the railroads, the steel mills, the first skyscrapers. An era of massive wealth, massive inequality, and the belief that the future belonged to whoever could build it fastest.
Andres was born in 1879, placing them squarely in The Gilded Age. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Andres Was Born
The biggest hits of 1879
Andres's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1879Born
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1884Started school
President: Chester A. Arthur
1892Became a teenager
President: Benjamin Harrison
1895Could drive
First public film screening by the Lumiere brothers
President: Grover Cleveland
1897Could vote
President: William McKinley
1900Turned 21
Boxer Rebellion in China
President: William McKinley
1909Turned 30
Robert Peary claims to reach the North Pole
President: William Howard Taft
1919Turned 40
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1929Turned 50
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1939Turned 60
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1943Died at 64
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
Key Achievements
- Served as a principal military commander for Estonia during the Estonian War of Independence (1918-1920).
- Held the position of Estonian Minister of War from 1924 to 1925.
- Was awarded the Estonian Cross of Liberty, the nation's highest military honor, First Class.
- Was a candidate in the 1938 presidential election in Estonia.
Did You Know?
He began his military career as an officer in the army of the Russian Empire.
He was arrested by the Soviet NKVD in 1940 and died in a prison camp in Kirov, Russia.
The Estonian government posthumously restored his rank of General in 2004.
“Our land is not a gift from anyone; we paid for it with our blood.”
