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Karlis Ulmanis

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World Leader

The Resume

    (September 4, 1877-September 20, 1942)
    Born in Bērze, Latvia
    Graduated from University of Nebraska-Lincoln with degree in Agriculture and Animal Husbandry (1909)
    Worked at dairy and cheese-making industries
    Founder of Latvian People’s Council and Latvian Farmer’s Union
    Prime Minister of Latvia (November 19, 1918-June 18, 1921)
    President of Latvia (November 4, 1936-July 21, 1940)
    Died in a jail in Krasnovodsk, Soviet Union (now Türkmenbaşy, Turkmenistan)

Why he might be annoying:

    He was involved in the 1905 Revolution, which landed him in prison for writing an insulting article about Tzar Nicholas II.
    He gained power through a bloodless coup d’état.
    He dissolved the Latvian Parliament, known as the Saeima, and then proceeded to run a dictatorship.
    He also suspended most civil liberties.
    Under his rule, Latvia’s ethnic minorities didn’t get an equal share of the nation’s wealth with Latvians.
    He said that he was ‘married’ to Latvia, which explains why he remained a bachelor throughout his life.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He fought for Latvian independence from Russia.
    He was popular among farmers due to his former experience working as a dairyman in the United States.
    He developed Latvia’s economy and improved its literacy rate at a time when other European countries were struggling financially.
    He forbade the physical harassment of ethnic minorities in Latvia.
    When the Soviets occupied Latvia, he told the people to show no resistance, saying, ‘I’ll remain in my place and you remain in your places.’ (1940)
    The Soviets mislabeled him as a fascist, even though the fascist party was outlawed in Latvia.
    Latvians viewed his rule as a golden age of Latvia.
    His grand-nephew Guntis Ulmanis became the first Latvian president since the Soviet Union’s breakup.

Credit: Big Lenny


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 10 Votes: 90.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 32 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 24 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 12 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 16 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 24 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 42 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 10 Votes: 70.0% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 10 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 28 Votes: 60.71% Annoying