Vaps Movement

Infobox_Political_Party
party_articletitle = Vaps Movement
party_name = Vaps Movement
name_native = Eesti Vabadussõjalaste Liit
colorcode = #50a7f7
party_
leader = Andres Larka
foundation = 1929
ideology = National conservatism
youth_wing =
headquarters =
europarl =
international =
members =
website =

Vaps Movement [http://www.britannica.com/eb/topic-623213/Vaps Vaps Movement] at Encyclopædia Britannica] , (Estonian: "Eesti Vabadussõjalaste Keskliit", later "Eesti Vabadussõjalaste Liit", "vabadussõjalased", or colloquially "vapsid", a single member of this movement was called "vaps") the Union of Participants in the Estonian War of Independence [ [http://www.historycommission.ee/temp/conclusions.htm Conclusions of Estonian International Commission for Investigation of Crimes Against Humanity ] ] was originally an Estonian association of veterans of the Estonian War of Independence (1918-1920), later also non-veterans were accepted as its members. The organisation was founded in 1929, emerged as a mass anti-socialist and antiparliamentary movement. It allegedly tried twice to overthrow the government of Konstantin Päts, once in 1934 and a second time in December 1935. The leaders of this association were Andres Larka (formal figurehead and presidency candidate) and Artur Sirk.

The Vaps Movement was a paramilitary organisation with most of its base being the lower middle class. They had no elaborate ideology or any connection with foreign fascist movements, their goal was simply a more authoritarian and nationalist government in Estonia [http://books.google.com/books?id=9wHNrF7nFecC&dq A History of Fascism, 1914-1945 By Stanley George Payne] ISBN 1857285956] [T. Parming, "The Collapse of Liberal Democracy and the Rise of Authoritarianism in Estonia", London, 1975] . The league rejected racial ideology and openly criticized the Nazi persecution of Jews, it also lacked the willingness to use violence, or the goal of territorial expansion. [Marandi, Rein "Must-valge lipu all : Vabadussõjalaste liikumine Eestis 1929-1937. 1. Legaalne periood (1929-1934)" Stockholm : Centre for Baltic Studies at the University of Stockholm, 1991] They were known for wearing a black beret as their uniform headgear. Moderate members of the movement (as Johan Pitka) left gradually from the organization and new members were allowed to join, who were not veterans. Organization's issued its own newspaper, Võitlus.

In October 1933 referendum on constitutional reform, what was unsuccessfully attempted since 1926, was approved by 72.7 percent. The organization was banned by Jaan Tõnisson's (who opposed the constitutional reform) government under state of emergency before the referendum, but after this event organization was re-established and became even more radical. The league spearheaded replacement of the parliamentary system with a presidential form of government and laid the groundwork for an April 1934 presidential election, which it expected to win. After the League won absolute majorities in local elections in the three largest cities at the beginning of 1934, but not in the most rural self-governments nor small towns and boroughs, the recently elected constitutional president Konstantin Päts declared state of emergency in the whole country (in certain parts this was already in effect immediately since 1918) on March 12, 1934, disbanding the Vaps movement and arresting its leading figures. Konstantin Päts established a moderate regime that the historian Georg von Rauch has called Authoritarian Democracy. In 1935 a National Association was formed to replace political parties and series of state corporative institutions were introduced.

The league was officially banned and finally disbanded in December 1935. On May 6, 1936, 150 members of the league went on trial; 143 of them were convicted and sentenced to lengthy terms of imprisonment. They were granted an amnesty and freed in 1938, by which time the league had lost most of its popular support. By 1 January 1938 a new constitution took effect and new parliament was elected in February 1938. [S. Payne, "A history of Fascism, 1914-1945", Routledge, 1995] [http://www.estonica.org/est/lugu.html?menyy_id=639&kateg=8&alam=79&leht=9 Eesti Vabariigi arengulugu aastatel 1918–1940] ] The new constitution reduced the powers of the presidency.

See also

* Estonian War of Independence
* History of Estonia
* Lapua Movement

References

* Andres Kasekamp. 2000. "The Radical Right in Interwar Estonia". London: Palgrave Macmillan, ISBN 0-312-22598-9