Julius Kuperjanov

Kuperjanov was born on 11 October 1894 to Taniel and Liisi Kuperjanov (née Reben); a family of Estonian immigrants living in Pskov, Russia.[1] Because his parents emigrated to Russia for work, they acquired a russified form of their family name (original Kupper). After returning to Estonia, they preserved this name.[2]

In 1904, his family returned to Estonia and resided in Tartu county. After five years of studies at the 2-class ministry school in Sipel Vana-Kuuste in Kambja municipality, Kuperjanov entered the Tartu Teachers' Seminar in 1910. After finishing school in 1914, he asked to be appointed as a teacher at the village school in Kambja, due to the school set to be closed due to the lack of teachers who were mobilized for the First World War.[2]

On 26 February 1918, Kuperjanov married Alice Johanson.[3]

At the start of World War I, he was mobilized into the Imperial Russian Army and commissioned after receiving basic training at Vladamir Military School in Saint Petersburg.[1] He was wounded in both legs in July 1917.

Kuperjanov in the Tartumaa Battalion Uniform (indicated by patch)

In 1917 he joined the Estonian forces during the start of the War of Independence. In December 1918, he received permission to form a ranger battalion. Students were among the first to join the Tartumaa Partisan Battalion.

In the early morning of January 5, 1919, the first village in Southern Estonia was liberated: Saduküla, after which steps were taken to liberate Tartu as early as January 7, but it was postponed due to the passivity of the 2nd Division and the 2nd Infantry Regiment. The offensive towards Tartu started on January 10, and on January 13, against the will of the superiors, two wide-gauge armored trains arrived from Haljala. During the general offensive of the Red Army during the liberation of Tartu, the Tartumaa Partisan Battalion was the first to invade the city on 14 January 1919 with armored trains. With the support of armored trains, they headed from there in the direction of Elva, Rõngu, Puka and Sangaste, and on January 30, 1919, fierce battles were reached near Valga, where the Paju Manor was liberated.

In the Battle of Paju, on 31st of January, Lieutenant Kuperjanov was trying to observe the activities of a division far by the railway, a bullet fired from a Russian Armored Train penetrated the side of his left hand and punctured his lungs and kidneys. The wounded Kuperjanov was taken to the Sangaste railway station, which was going to the hospital, but the train which held the wounded did not leave until 6.5 hours later. 24 year old Kuperjanov died at the Faure Clinic in Tartu on February 2, 1919, due to inflammation.[4]

The Kuperjanov Partisan Porgu Society was also established on December 23, 1938, under the leadership of Lieutenant Colonel J. Soodla. In 2010, the Society established a commemorative medal for Lieutenant Kuperjanov, which are awarded to those citizens whose activities for the well-being of the indigenous people of Estonia have been transparently honest, purposeful and self-sacrificing.

To date, a total of 6 persons have been awarded the Medal of Lieutenant Kuperjanov:

• Julius Kuperjanov, posthumously
• Johannes Soodla, posthumously (hero of the Battle of Paju and founder of the Kuperjanov Society)
• Ülo Adamson (leader of the Kuperjanov organization during the Soviet Occupation, deported)
• Jüri Pertmann (leader of the Kuperjanov organization during the Soviet Occupation, deported)
• Villu Kibena (leader of the Kuperjanov organization during Soviet Occupation, deported)
• Artur Sirk, posthumously (Infamous soldier of the War of Independence, died due to suspicious circumstances).

Insignia of the Kuperjanov Infantry Battalion

The Tartumaa Partisan Battalion, which was led by him and renamed for his memorium, was restored in 1992[7] after the Estonian Restoration of Independence, and is still a division of the Estonian Defense Forces in Võru to this day.[8]