Commander of the West Russian Volunteer Army who led German Freikorps against Riga
A cavalry officer of the Russian imperial army who styled himself 'Prince Avalov', claiming descent from a Georgian princely house. In 1919 he organized an anti-Bolshevik force from Russian prisoners in Germany, brought it to Latvia and absorbed tens of thousands of von der Goltz's German soldiers who refused the Allied demand to leave, forming the West Russian Volunteer Army. In October, while Yudenich was advancing on Petrograd, he refused the order to join the Northwestern Army and instead attacked Riga on 8 October, seizing the suburbs on the west bank of the Daugava. When the Latvian army counterattacked successfully on 11 November with the support of British and French warships and the Lithuanians defeated his troops at Radviliškis, he withdrew to Germany in December. In exile he led a Russian fascist organization in Berlin, was expelled from Nazi Germany in 1939 and went to the United States, where he died in New York in 1973. Sources disagree about his origins, so his country of origin is left blank.
Related historical events
- 1918–1922The Civil War and Foreign InterventionWest Russian Volunteer Army commander who attacked RigaCommanded the West Russian Volunteer Army, incorporating many German soldiers. Despite an anti-Bolshevik banner, he fought Latvian and Lithuanian forces in 1919 and went into exile after failing at Riga. Accounts of his ethnic background differ.
- 1918.11–1920.10Baltic wars of independence and border settlementsWest Russian Volunteer Army commander who attacked RigaAttacked Riga on 8 October 1919 with the West Russian Volunteer Army of German troops who had refused to leave, was repelled on 11 November and withdrew to Germany in December.
Revolution and independence wars
Commanded the West Russian Volunteer Army, incorporating many German soldiers. Despite an anti-Bolshevik banner, he fought Latvian and Lithuanian forces in 1919 and went into exile after failing at Riga. Accounts of his ethnic background differ.