Johannes Kert

Johannes Kert
Kert in 2015
Born(1959-12-03)3 December 1959
Pechory, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Died4 March 2021(2021-03-04) (aged 61)
Tallinn, Estonia
Allegiance Soviet Union (1981–1991)
Estonia (1991–2008)
Branch
Soviet Army
Estonian Land Forces
Service years
1981–2008
Rank
Lieutenant General
CommandsEstonian Land Forces (2001–2002)
Estonian Defence Forces (1996–2000)
Estonian Defence League (1993–1996)
Kuperjanov Infantry Battalion (1992)
Tartu Malev (1991)
AwardsSee: Awards, decorations, and recognition

Johannes Kert (3 December 1959 – 4 March 2021)[1] was an Estonian politician and military officer. He served as the Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces from 1996 until 2000. He retired from the military in 2008. Since 2014, Kert had been a member of the Estonian Reform Party.

Early life and education

Kert was born in 1959 in Pechory, in the Russian SFSR. He graduated from Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald Võru 1st Secondary School in 1978 and in 1981 from the Faculty of Physical Education of Tartu State University. He was conscripted as a lieutenant in the Soviet Army, where he was stationed in the Lithuanian SSR.[2] Kert graduated from the Corps Commanders' Course at the Kharkiv Higher Tank School in 1988 and the Strategic Planning Course for Senior Civil Servants at the George C. Marshall Center for European Security Studies in Germany in 1994. He had studied at the Estonian National Defense Senior Command Special Course at the Finnish National Defense College in 1998–1999 and at the United States Army War College in Pennsylvania in 1999–2000.

Military service

Johannes Kert served in the Soviet Army as a platoon commander and acting platoon commander from 1983 to 1985. He was a member of the Estonian Defence League since 1990. He was the Commander of the Tartu Division of the Defence League in 1991, Commander of the Operational Group of the Defence League from 1991 to 1992, Commander of the Kuperjanov Infantry Battalion in 1992. Kert was Commander of the Defence League from 1993 to 1996. He was Commander of the Defence Forces from 1996 to 2000, then Advisor to the Commander of the Defence Forces and Commander of the Land from 2000 to 2002. He was the Estonian Military Representative to NATO and the European Union from 2002 to 2008.[3][4]

Later life

He retired from active duty on January 31, 2008.[5] Since 1 February 2008, he has been an advisor to the Ministry of Defence. He advised the Ministry mainly on cyber defence. He was one of the founders of the NGO Free Ukraine and an alumnus of the Korporatsioon Sakala. He has been a member of the Reform Party since October 2014. He ran in the 2015 Estonian parliamentary election in electoral district no. 8 and was elected with a district mandate (752 votes). He was a member of the Member of the 13th and 14th Riigikogu from March 30, 2015 to his death on 4 March 2021 in Tallinn.[6] He was buried in the Defence Forces Cemetery of Tallinn.

In August 2023, a memorial to Kert was unveiled in Võru.[7]

Effective dates of promotion

Soviet Army

See Military ranks of the Soviet Union
Promotions
InsigniaRankDate
Lieutenant (лейтена́нт)1981
Senior Lieutenant (ста́рший лейтена́нт)1984
Captain (капита́н)1988

Estonian Land Forces

See Military ranks of Estonia
Promotions
InsigniaRankDate
Captain1992
Major21 June 1993[8]
Lieutenant Colonel1 February 1995[9]
Colonel23 January 1996[10]
Major General4 June 1997[11]
Lieutenant General19 June 1998[12]

Awards, decorations, and recognition

Decorations and badges

Estonian Awards and decorations
2nd Class of the Order of the Cross of the Eagle2001
White Cross of the Estonian Defence League (I class)2008
White Cross of the Estonian Defence League (II class)
White Cross of the Estonian Defence League (III class)
Cross of Merit of the Ministry of Defence (I class)2009
Cross of Merit of the Ministry of Defence (II class)2009
Distinguished Service Decoration of the EDF20 February 2001
Order of Merit of the Estonian Defence Forces18 May 2005
Merit Medal of the Defence League Special Class
Gold Cross of the Officer of Land Forces
Estonian Defence Forces General Staff Cross of Merit12 November 2003
Merit Medal of the Defence League I Class
Merit Medal of the Defence League II Class
Memorial Medal "10 Years of the Re-Established Defence Forces"
NCO School Medal of Merit
Golden Cross of the Rescue Board18 February 2002
Border Guard Cross of Merit I Class
Memorial Medal 10 Years of the Re-Established Border Guard (I Class)
Cross of the Estonian Reserve Officers’ Assembly (gold)12 June 2001[13]
Former Estonian Forest Brothers Association Service Cross II class)
"City locked down" 20 year Memorial Medal
Foreign Awards
Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion of Finland(Finland)
Golden Medal of Merit Finnish Reserve Officer Association(Finland)
Order of Finnish Non-commissioned Officers League(Finland)
Blue Cross(Finland)
Cross of the Association of Military Guilds(Finland)
Order of Merit of Latvian Ministry of Defense(Latvia)
Award of the Minister of Defense badge of honor "For contribution to the development of the armed forces"(Latvia)
Medal for Diligency in Military Service(Latvia)
State of Maryland Distinguished Service Cross(U.S.)
CISM Order of Merit Grand Knight(International)
Baltic Assembly Medal25 October 2018 (International)[14]
Badges
Order of Merit of Kuperjanov Battalion
The Order of Merit of the Estonian National Defence College
The Order of Merit of the Estonian Reserve Officers’ Assembly
The Order of Merit of Estonian Border Guard "Sword and Lynx"
Order of Merit of Defense League unit in Jõgeva
Order of Merit of Defense League unit in Läänemaa
Order of Merit of Defense League unit in Tallinn
10 year service badge of Defense League unit in Tallinn
Order of Merit of Defense League unit in Tartu
Order of Merit of Defense League subunit in Tartu
Order of Merit of Defense League unit in Narva
The Board of Elders of the Estonian Defence League member badge

References

  1. ↑ Kross, Eerik-Niiles (6 March 2021). "Obituary: Johannes Kert, the former Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces". Estonian World (in Estonian). Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  2. ↑ Kross, Eerik-Niiles (6 March 2021). "Obituary: Johannes Kert, the former Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces". Estonian World. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  3. ↑ "In memoriam Johannes Kert (3 December 1959 – 4 March 2021)". www.baltasam.org. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  4. ↑ ERR, ERR News, BNS | (5 March 2021). "MP and former EDF commander Johannes Kert dies". ERR. Retrieved 2 July 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ↑ Peeter Tali (11 February 2024). "PEETER TALI ⟩ Kaitseväe juhataja ametiaeg võikski olla lühem ja auaste madalam". Postimees. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  6. ↑ Meisalu, Merje (5 March 2021). "In memoriam Johannes Kert". Riigikogu. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  7. ↑ ERR, ERR | (23 August 2023). "Lt. Gen. Johannes Kert memorial unveiled in Võru". ERR. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  8. ↑ "14. J. Kerdile sõjaväelise auastme andmine". Office of the President. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  9. ↑ "40. Sõjaväeliste auastmete andmine". Office of the President. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  10. ↑ "63. J. Kerdile sõjaväelise auastme andmine". Office of the President. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  11. ↑ "12. J. Kerdile sõjaväelise auastme andmine". Office of the President. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  12. ↑ "38.Sõjaväeliste auastmete andmine". Office of the President. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  13. ↑ "EROK teeneteristi kavalerid". Eesti Reservohvitseride Kogu. Archived from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  14. ↑ "People Awarded with the Medal of the Baltic Assembly". Baltic Assembly. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
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