Aleksander Einseln

Aleksander Einseln (born 25 October 1931 in Tallinn) is a former commander of the Estonian Defence Forces. He held that position from 4 May 1993 to 4 December 1995.

Biography

Born in Estonia, Einseln fled that country with his mother in 1944 as Soviet troops retook the Baltic states from Nazi Germany. He immigrated to the United States in 1949 and became a U.S. citizen. He enlisted in the Army and served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars and was a one-time staff officer with the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff and NATO in Brussels, retiring with the rank of colonel.[1][2]

In 1993, at the request of Estonian President Lennart Meri, Einseln returned to Estonia to take command of its military forces, over the objections of the U.S. State Department.[3] The U.S. threatened to terminate Einseln's military pension and even to revoke his U.S. citizenship. However, after getting support from several U.S. senators, Einseln received official permission from the U.S. authorities to take on his new post.[2]

On 4 December 1995, he was forced to resign due to a disagreement with the defense minister.[4]

In February 1996, he was awarded the Order of the Cross of the Eagle.[5]

Notes

  1. ^ "Estonia Names American as Military Chief, but U.S. Objects." New York Times, May 6, 1993. Accessed September 27, 2008
  2. ^ a b Toivo Miljan. Historical Dictionary of Estonia. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2004. ISBN 978-0-8108-4904-4; pp. 185–186
  3. ^ "Our Man in Estonia" People Magazine, August 2, 1993
  4. ^ WORLD NEWS BRIEFS;Ex-U.S. Colonel Resigns As Estonian Army Chief - New York Times
  5. ^ The President of Estonia 1992-2001 - Official Duties - Decorations of the Republic of Estonia

External links