TUNTUD JA TUNDMATU – MÕISTATUSLIK KOLONEL JAAN RINK

Colonel Jaan Rink (1886–1927) has remained a relatively little-known figure in Estonian military history. Of course, those who are better informed certainly know that during the War of Independence he initially served as Chief of Staff of the 1st Division, and later as Chief of the Administration of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief. In the final phase of the War of Independence he also performed the duties of Chief of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief, succeeding Major General Jaan Soots in this position. After the end of the War of Independence he also briefly served as Chief of Staff of the Estonian Military Forces. Rink was one of the few senior Estonian officers during the War of Independence who had undergone military training as a general staff officer at the Imperial Nicholas General Staff Academy; he also had experience at corps staff level during World War I. Since there are currently no comprehensive overviews on Jaan Rink, the purpose of this article is to examine his military education, participation in military activities during both World War I and the War of Independence, involvement in Estonian national defence after the War of Independence, and his contributions to the development of Estonian national defence. The article also serves as a tribute to this lesserknown hero of the War of Independence.