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August Rei VR III/1 (22 March 1886 - Stockholm 29 March 1963) was an Estonian politician.
Education
Rei studied in the Tartu Emperor Alexander High School (the former State High School of the Livonian Province), but graduated from the Novgorod State High School. In 1904 - 1905 and 1907 - 1911, studied law in the St. Petersburg University.
Beginnings of political influence
In 1905 - 1907, Rei participated in the Russian revolution of 1905. In 1906, he edited the underground paper Sotsiaaldemokraat (Social Democrat) in Tallinn. Between 1912 and 1913, he was in compulsory army service. In 1913 - 1914 he worked as a lawyer in Viljandi. In 1914 - 1917 Rei was an artillery officer in World War I at the Fort of St. Petersburg. In 1917 and 1918 he was in the Estonian army units (formed after the Second Russian Revolution in March 1917 by the initiative of Estonian politicians, who achieved the permission to concentrate the Estonian soldiers). He was the Assistant Chairman of the Supreme Committee of the Estonian military. In 1917 and 1919, he was the Editor-in-Chief of the paper Sotsiaaldemokraat. Between 1927 and 1928 he was the editor of Rahva Sõna (Word of the People). Up to 1936 he also worked as a lawyer and defended Aadu Birk in 1927. He received an Honorary Doctorate in Law from Tartu University.
Career
- Member of the Estonian Province Assembly (Eesti Maanõukogu): 1917 - 1919
- Minister of Labour and Social Welfare of the Provisional Government; Deputy Prime Minister; Acting Minister of Education: 1918 - 1919
- Chairman of the Constitutent Assembly (Asutav Kogu): 1919 - 1920
- Head of the Estonian Delegation to the Estonian-Latvian Border Committee: 1923 - 1925
- Head of State (Elder of State: 4 December 1928 - 9 July 1929
- Chairman of the II Riigikogu: 1932 - 1933
- Minister of Foreign Affairs: 1932 - 1933
- Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs: 1936 - 1937
- Envoy to the Soviet Union: 1938 - 1940
- Minister of Foreign Affairs in exile: 1944 – 1945
- Prime Minister in capacity of the President of the Republic in exile: 9 January 1945 - 29 March 1963
Literary interests
Rei wrote and translated socialist works and published memoirs.
Bibliography
- Sotsialdemokraatia taktika põhimõtted Tallinnas : Tööliste kirjastusühisus, 1921 (Narva : Kärner) Template:Et icon
- Have the Baltic countries voluntarily renounced their freedom : [an exposé based on authentic documentary evidence by August Rei. New York : World Association of Estonians, 1944 Template:En icon
- Have the small nations a right to freedom and independence? by August Rei. London : Boreas, 1946 Template:En icon
- The drama of the Baltic peoples by August Rei; preface by Eugene Lyons. Stockholm: Vaba Eesti, 1972 (Åbo : Sydvästkusten) Template:En icon
| Preceded byMihkel Pung | Minister of Foreign Affairs 1932 - 1933 |
Succeeded byAnts Piip |
| Preceded byJüri Uluots | Prime Minister of Estonia in exile 1945 - 1963 |
Succeeded byAleksander Warma |
