Jānis Bebris

Jānis Bebris was a left winger who played for Latvia at the 1936 Garmisch-Partenkirchen Winter Olympics. He played his entire career (1934-43) in Latvia with Rīga US. He also competed for the national team in 1937 and 1938, and Bebris played in goal for Latvia in football.

During World War II Bebris was forced to join the Soviet Army and fight the Germans. In 1942 he was in a group of 30 Soviets and five Latvians and was captured by the Germans but was recognized as a top sportsman, and was spared, although most of the prisoners were killed. In 1943 Bebris was forced by the Nazis to fight against the Soviets.

After World War II Bebris played football in Augsburg, Germany and Strasbourg, France. In the 1950s he moved to the United States and lived the remainder of his life there, working as a trainer for both football and ice hockey. He died in May 1969 in Dover, New Hampshire.