General Karlis Goppers

General Kārlis Goppers (2 April 1876 – 25 March 1941) was a prominent Latvian military leader, patriot, and founder of Scouting in Latvia. Born in Plāņu parish, he joined the Imperial Russian Army in 1893 and served with distinction in World War I, commanding Latvian units such as the 7th Bauska Latvian Riflemen Regiment. After returning to independent Latvia, he became a General in the Latvian Army, leading the Vidzeme division and holding senior leadership roles until his retirement in 1934.

Beyond his military career, Goppers played a central role in establishing the Latvian Scout and Guide Central Organisation and was honored with the Silver Wolf Award by Lord Baden‑Powell in 1939. He received multiple Latvian and international military honors, including the Order of Lāčplēsis and the Order of the Three Stars. Following the Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940, Goppers was arrested by the NKVD and executed in Riga in 1941, but he is remembered as a hero of Latvian independence and youth education.