The Latvian war of independence lasted from the country’s proclamation on November 18th, 1918 to the signing of the Latvia-Russia peace treaty on August 11th, 1920. The newly established Republic of Latvia defeated both the Soviet Russian army and the German Iron Division in the battles, and attacked and forced Bermont’s army, the West Russian volunteer army, to leave Jelgava on 21st November 1919.
On 22nd June 1932, the monument “Lāčplēsis (Bear-Slayer) and the Dark Knight” designed by Kārlis Jansons, was unveiled in Station square to commemorate the liberation of Jelgava from Bermont’s army.
The Black Knight was removed from the monument after 10 years during the German occupation. The monument was dismantled after the Second World War during the Soviet era and a statue of Lenin was erected in its place in front of the station. After many searches, a fragment of the monument was found buried in the yard of a kindergarten in 1988, when the Third Awakening in Latvia had begun. Only the torso of Lāčplēsis is left of the monument which is now exhibited at the Ģederts Eliass History and Art Museum of Jelgava.
On 21st November 1922, a newly created monument to the Liberators of Jelgava was unveiled at Station park – a copy of the monument which was designed by Andrejs Jansons, the son of sculptor Kārlis Jansons. Lāčplēsis day is celebrated every year throughout Latvia on the 11th of November, to commemorate the War of Independence, and thousands of Jelgava residents take part in a torch procession along the streets of Jelgava to honour the soldiers who fought for Latvia’s freedom.
