Johannes Lauristin

Johannes Lauristin (pseudonym: Juhan Madarik; 29 October 1899 – 28 August 1941) was an Estonian communist politician, activist, writer and statesman who served as the first Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic. Hs wife was communist politician Olga Lauristin and his daughter was politician Marju Lauristin. Biography Lauristin was born in to a family of industrial workers. After the revolutionary events of 1917, he quit his work and joined the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (Bolsheviks). In 1919, he was enrolled in the Army of the Republic of Estonia and participated in the War of Independence. After independence, Lauristin became a member of the illegal Estonian Communist Youth Union and worked as an editor in various underground newspapers and magazines. In the same year, he joined the Communist Party of Estonia and became a member of the Central Council of the Estonian Workers' General Union. He was a member of the II Riigikogu, having been a member since 7 June 1923, replacing Aleksander Mahlberg. On 27 June 1923, he resigned his position and was replaced by Aleksander Janson.