Ilmārs Reinholds Drēziņš

Ilmārs Reinholds Drēziņš ( – ) was a long-standing construction industry expert, architect and civil engineer, resident of Carnikava and recipient of the Cross of Recognition. He worked in public administration until his death, and at 93 was the oldest working civil engineer in Latvia.

Biography Born in 1930 in the Kreišmaņu House of Nordeķi Manor in Riga. His father was officer of Latvian army Jānis Augusts Drēziņš, his grandfather was sea captain Jānis Drēziņš. Ilmārs studied in 1938 at the newly opened Riga Viesturs 48th Primary School for the Commander of the Latvian Army in the capital Riga, where during the occupation he founded the Latvian National Boys' Circle. After World War II, he graduated from the Construction Department of the Riga Industrial Polytechnic, beginning his apprenticeship and career as a construction engineer at 16. Student of painter Jūlijs Viļumainis. He was denied studies at the Latvian Academy of Art by the Minister of Culture of the Latvian SSR, Vladimirs Kaupužs. After the war, he lived in Carnikava.

He worked in construction planning, leading the project-estimate group of the Riga Workers' Deputies Council Executive Committee's Housing Department, He served as chief specialist at the Riga City Council Housing and Environment Department.

Public Activity

Drēziņš’s activism in constitutional law received international attention, for example in the Oxford University «Oxford Reports on International Law», and he was involved in the political process, including standing as a candidate for the Riga City Council and the Saeima.

He participated in the preservation of the Latvian language and culture, supported family values, and was active in the Christian and Evangelical Lutheran Churches.

Awards Cross of Recognition — Awarded in 2020 for contributions to construction and public service.