 | You can helpexpand this article with text translated fromthe corresponding article in Estonian. (March 2022)Click [show] for important translation instructions.
|
 | This article includes a list ofgeneral references, butit lacks sufficient correspondinginline citations. Please help toimprove this article byintroducing more precise citations.(January 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Union of Participants in the Estonian War of Independence Eesti Vabadussõjalaste Liit | |
|---|---|
 Vapsid logo | |
| Leader | Andres Larka andArtur Sirk |
| Founded | 1929 |
| Banned | December 1935 |
| Paramilitary wing | Korrapidajate Üksused[1] |
| Ideology | Anti-communism Fascism[2][3] Estonian nationalism[4] Right-wing populism |
| Political position | Far-right |
| Seats in cities (1934)[5] | +40% |
TheVaps Movement is the popular name for theUnion of Participants in the Estonian War of Independence[6] (Estonian:Eesti Vabadussõjalaste Keskliit, laterEesti Vabadussõjalaste Liit), anEstonian political organization, whose members were commonly calledVaps (vabadussõjalased, or colloquiallyvapsid; singular:vaps). Founded in 1929, born out of associations of veterans of theEstonian War of Independence, emerging as a radical right-wing popular movement.[6] The leaders of this association wereAndres Larka (formal figurehead and presidential candidate) andArtur Sirk.
The Vaps Movement was an anti-communist organisation led by former military officers,[7] and most of its base were veterans of the 1918–1920Estonian War of Independence.[8] Early support for the movement came from campaigns to financially uplift Estonian veterans, and redistribute land previously held by theBaltic German nobility. The organisation advocated a more authoritarian and nationalist government in Estonia.[8][9] The organisation welcomedHitler's rise to power, even though they later tried to distance themselves fromNazism.[10] The league rejectedracial ideology and openly criticized the Nazipersecution of Jews[7] and did not adopt a goal of territorial expansion.[11] However, Sirk also made antisemitic statements and the movement rejected potential support of the Jews because they are "dirty".[10]Võitlus did occasionally attack Jews as conspirators against the movement.[12] Vaps also had a paramilitary wing calledKorrapidajate Üksused created after Socialists disrupted a Vaps meeting. The paramilitary wing was commanded by Captain Heinrich-Balduin Dunkel and members were expected to fight to the death.[1]
They wore a blackberet as their uniform headgear, and used theRoman salute. Moderate members such asJohan Pitka gradually left the organisation. The organisation issued its own newspaper,Võitlus ('The Struggle').
The movement strongly supported constitutional reform that would enable a strong president to address national problems. Estonian patriots began advocating such a change in the mid 1920s. In October 1933 the government was forced to allow the Vaps movement to put forward its ownreferendum on constitutional reform, after watered down centre-right proposals failed to win support.[13] This was approved by 72.7 percent of the voters.[6] The organization was banned by the government ofJaan Tõnisson (who opposed the constitutional reform) under a state of emergency imposed before the referendum, but after this the organization was re-established and became more patriotic. The league spearheaded replacement of theparliamentary system with apresidential 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 "State Elder" (head of government and head of state)Konstantin Päts declared a state of emergency in the whole country on 12 March 1934 (in certain parts, this had been in effect since 1918). The Vaps Movement was disbanded and its leading figures were arrested in December 1935.
On 6 May 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.[14][15] The new constitution combined a strong President with a partly elected and partly appointed, officially non-partisan, Parliament.[8]
The movement maintained good relations withFinnish fascist movements such as theLapua Movement,Patriotic People's Movement andAcademic Karelia Society.[7]
As of 2019, the Vaps movement had no known active members. In 2009,Jüri Liim reportedly submitted a formal application to restore the original Vaps Movement.[16] The application was not successful, and the Vaps Movement has not been legalised in Estonia.[17]