Konstantin Päts VR I/1 and III/1 (February 23 1874 – January 18 1956) was a politician and the first President of Estonia.

In 1898, he graduated from the faculty of Law of Tartu University. Served in the Russian Army. Worked as an editor of the "Teataja" newspaper in Tallinn, then worked in Tallinn municipality. Participated in the 1905 Revolution, was convicted in absence having fled to Switzerland. Returned to the Russian Empire in 1909 and served his sentence in a St. Petersburg prison.

On 24 February 1918 he became Chairman Council of Ministers and Minister of Interior of the newly proclaimed Republic of Estonia. Under following German occupation he was arrested by German authorities and spent from July to November in a prison camp in Poland. After getting back to Estonia he became the Prime Minister and the Minister of War of the Provisionary Government.

Päts served several times as State Elder of Estonia (January 1921 - November 1922, August 1923 - March 1924, February 1931 - February 1932, November 1932 - May 1933 and October 1933 - September 1937).

In 1934 he established an authoritarian rule, declaring a state of national emergency, during which he became Riigihoidja (President-Regent) of Estonia. In 1938 he was elected president. His Constitution is based on the contemporary Polish and Belgian constitutions. He was also admirer of British two-chamber Parliament.

During his whole political career he was champion and founder of autonomous local and professional self-government bodies.

Päts lost power in 1940 when Estonia was occupied by the Soviet Union, but his successors in exile (Jüri Uluots and August Rei considered him being still the legal Estonian Head of State and themselves as his substitutes until his death. He was arrested and deported by the Soviets and died in a psychiatric hospital in Kalinin (current Tver) in 1956.

See also

• Johan Laidoner

External links

• Konstantin Päts on official site of the President of Estonia
• Official site of the President of Estonia

1874 births | 1956 deaths | Prime Ministers of Estonia | Presidents of Estonia | Estonian people

Konstantin Päts | Konstantin Päts | Konstantin Päts | Konstantin Päts | Пятс, Константин | Konstantin Päts | Konstantin Päts | Костянтин Пятс | Konstantin Päts