Dziamidaŭ Mikoła (Дзямідаў Мікола), teacher, military man, political leader. Mikola Dziamidaŭ was born on December 10, 1888. He studied in the city of Łomža and later graduated from Śvisłač Teachers' Seminary. Dziamidaŭ was drafted during World War I, sent to a military school from which he graduated and entered upon a military career in the Russian Army. However, during the period of the revolutions, Dziamidaŭ became closely connected with the Belarusian military activists and he himself became active in the organization of Belarusian soldiers. After the proclamation of the Belarusian Democratic Republic, Dziamidaŭ became totally taken up with the organization of the Belarusian Army and worked closely with Kanstantyn Jezavitaŭ. Dziamidaŭ was appointed the Belarusian Commander of the city of Horadnia when the Belarusian Government was located there in the years 1918-1919. Dziamidaŭ was also responsible for all Belarusian military units stationed in and around Horadnia. During 1920 Dziamidaŭ was one of the officers in the units of Gen. Bułak-Bałachovič. After the revolutionary years Dziamidaŭ lived for a short period in Poland, was expelled, and settled permanently in Latvia. Mikola Dziamidaŭ became one of the most active leaders among Belarusians in Latvia. He organized numerous Belarusian schools, commercial enterprises, and political parties. He assisted in the programs of the Belarusian Section of the Latvian Ministry of Culture. During World War II Dziamidaŭ was in Latvia. He then moved to Germany and came to the United States in the 1950s. He settled in Chicago where he became active in Belarusian-American organizations and in the affairs of the Belarusian Orthodox Church. Mikoła Dziamidaŭ died in Chicago on May 23, 1967.
References: Biełarus, New York, nos. 123-124, 1967; Biełaruski Hołas, Toronto, June 1, 1955; Baćkaŭščyna, Munich, nos. 623-624, 1964.
