Frīdrihs Vesmanis

Vesmanis was born on April 15, 1875, in Rundāle Parish to Kārļa Vesmaņa and Elizabetes Vesmanes (née Straumanes).[1] After graduating from Jelgava Gymnasium, Vesmanis studied at the University of Tartu.[2] He was arrested in 1897, and after his arrest, emigrated to England in 1899, where he published in the newspapers Sociāldemokrāts and Latviešu Strādnieks.[2] In 1903, however, he was illegally returned to Latvia, but was promptly arrested and deported to a camp in Šiauliai.[1] In 1909, he graduated from St. Petersburg University. Until 1918, Vesmanis has been a lawyer in Jelgava and St. Petersburg, as well as working in journalism. In April 1918, he returned to Latvia.

In 1919, from July to August, Vesmanis was a member of the People's Council of Latvia.[1] In 1920, from February to May, he was the mayor of Jelgava, but later worked in the Constitutional Assembly of Latvia.[1][2] In 1922, after founding the Central Election Commission, Vesmanis was one of the eight original members.[3] He was elected to the 1st Saeima from the LSDWP and was the first Speaker of the Saeima. From February 1925 to March 1932, Vesmanis was the ambassador of Latvia in the United Kingdom. In 1927, after the death of Jānis Čakste, he was one of the candidates for the position of President.[4] He retired in 1937.[1]

On June 14, 1941, Vesmanis was arrested for being a "Socialist leader in [the] extreme right direction." Vesmanis was sent to the Solikamsk Penitentiary, and died on December 7 at Umolya Penitentiary in Surmog.[1]