Paul-Adolf Lill (25 January 1882 – 13 March 1942) was an
Estonian military officer and
Minister of War. He served in the
Imperial Russian Army, participating in the
Russo-Japanese War and
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. Lill joined the
Estonian Army during the 1918–1920
Estonian War of Independence, and held important staff positions. After the war he continued military service, holding posts of
Chief of Staff of the Estonian Defence Forces, Undersecretary of the Minister of War, and from 1933 to 1939 Minister of War, reaching the rank of
lieutenant general. With the onset of
Soviet occupation, he was arrested by
NKVD in 1941, and died in imprisonment the following year.
Biography
Paul Lill was born on 25 January 1882 to a family of a miller in Veski farm in
Roobe Parish (now part of
Tõrva Parish), Estonia, then part of the
Governorate of Livonia of the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...
. He studied 1891–1892 in
Jõgeveste and 1892–1894 in Helme parish schools, and 1894–1899 in
Valga town school.
In 1900, Lill voluntarily joined the
Imperial Russian Army, and studied from 1901 to 1904 in
Vilnius Military School where he met
Johan Laidoner, the future
Commander‑in‑Chief of the Estonian Armed Forces. In 1905, Lill participated in
Russo-Japanese War as a
junior officer in the 6th Rifle Regiment. In 1907 he was promoted to the rank of
lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...
. From 1908 to 1911 Lill studied in
Imperial Nicholas Military Academy in
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...
. After graduation he was promoted to
staff captain and served in the staff of
Odesa Military District. Having reached rank of
captain in 1914, Lill participated in the
First World War
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
as a commander of 11th company of 95th Infantry Regiment, and was awarded the
Order of Saint Anna and
Order of Saint Stanislaus. In October 1914 he was
captured in East-Prussia by the
Imperial German Army, and was held as a prisoner of war until his release in December 1918.
After release, Lill joined the
Estonian Army engaged in the
Estonian War of Independence, and became Chief of Operations Section of
Operations Staff on 18 December 1918. In February 1919 he became temporary, and in May a permanent, Chief of Administrative Agency. In April Lill was promoted to rank of
lieutenant-colonel, and in October to rank of
colonel
Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
, becoming also a member of the War Council and commander of the Reserve Forces. For his service during the War of Independence, Paul Lill was awarded Estonia's
Cross of Liberty and
Latvia
Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. It borders Russia to the east and Belarus to t ...
's
Order of Lāčplēsis, as well as a farm and 300,000
marks.
After the war Lill continued military service, becoming initially acting, and from October 1920 permanent Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces. In December 1921 he was promoted to rank of
major general and became a member of the War Council. In January 1925 Lill became Undersecretary of the Minister of War, position which he held for the next 9 years. In 1933 he became Minister of Defence (from 1937 titled again Minister of War). In January 1938 Lill became member of the National Defense Council, and in February was promoted to rank of
lieutenant general, becoming the third Estonian officer to reach the rank. During his service as a Minister of War, Lill also had to repeatedly temporarily fulfill duties of
Minister of Interior and Minister of Roads. On 12 October 1939 Paul Lill resigned as Minister of War, citing unacceptable conditions of the
Bases Treaty with
Soviet Union
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
.
Lill was the chairman of
SK Tallinna Sport club, and member of
Korporatsioon Sakala, State Decorations Council, War of Independence Memorial Council, Cross of Liberty Brothers Society, and
Mulgi Society.
In October 1940
Soviet occupation authorities revoked Lill's retirement pension, and in December evicted him from his apartment at so-called "generals house" at
Gonsiori street. Afterwards he completed an accountancy course and tried to find a job. On 14 June 1941 he was arrested by
NKVD and
deported to Russia together with his sister Olga. Paul Lill died in a prison camp in
Sverdlovsk Oblast on 13 May 1942, his place of burial is unknown.
Honors
For his service in the Estonian War of Independence, Lill received
Cross of Liberty 1st grade 2nd class and the Latvian
Order of Lāčplēsis 2nd class. Service in World War I was rewarded with Russian
Order of Saint Anna 3rd class and the
Order of Saint Stanislaus 3rd class. In peacetime he received
Order of the Cross of the Eagle 1st class and
Order of the Estonian Red Cross 2nd class. Lill's foreign awards included Grand Cross of
Order of the White Rose of Finland,
Officer of
Legion of Honour,
Polish Cross of Valour, and
Czechoslovak and
Hungarian orders. In 1991 a memorial plaque was unveiled on the wall of his birth home.
Notes
References
Bibliography
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lill, Paul
1882 births
1942 deaths
People from Tõrva Parish
Politicians from Valga County
People from Kreis Fellin
Ministers of defence of Estonia
Estonian lieutenant generals
Imperial Russian Army officers
Russian military personnel of the Russo-Japanese War
Russian military personnel of World War I
Estonian military personnel of the Estonian War of Independence
Recipients of the Cross of Liberty (Estonia)
Recipients of the Military Order of the Cross of the Eagle, Class I
Recipients of the Order of St. Anna, 3rd class
Recipients of the Order of Saint Stanislaus (Russian), 3rd class
Recipients of the Order of Lāčplēsis, 2nd class
Recipients of the Cross of Valour (Poland)
Officers of the Legion of Honour
Estonian people who died in prison custody
Estonian people who died in Soviet detention