formed on 6 September 1920 when the course of the War of Independence and the situation at that time required Valga's separation from the other counties. On 11 February 1921 the Estonian Government fixed the area of Valga County. Võru County gave Kaagjärve, Karula, Laanemetsa and Taheva parishes, Tartu County gave Tõlliste, Laatre, Sangaste, Keeni and Kuigatsi parishes, Viljandi County gave Jõgeveste, Patküla, Koorküla, Taagepera, Leebiku, Helme, Lõve and Hummuli parishes. Later on, several administrative territorial changes were carried through. In 1921 Patküla parish was separated from Holdre parish and Tõrva borough. Puraküla, which formerly belonged to Paju parish was united to the town of Valga in 1922. In 1924 Paju parish was united to Sooru parish and on 2 July 1926, it started to bear the name Tõrva. Since the second half of the 1920s until 1939 there were 19 parishes in Valga County. In 1939 many smaller parishes were united by the administrative reform. Ten parishes were left: Helme, Hummuli, Kaagjärve, Karula, Kuigatsi, Põdrala, Sangaste, Taheva, Tõlliste and Vaoküla. World War II and occupation The last pre-occupation County Governor Värdi Vellner had to give up his power on 8 July 1940. Nevertheless, the administrative division of 1939 lasted until 1950 when 39 county districts were formed. They were divided into 636 village soviets. The present territory of Valga County was divided into three parts: Valga, Tõrva and Otepää districts. In 1952 the oblasts of Tallinn, Tartu and Pärnu were formed on the territory of the Estonian SSR. In 1959 the liquidation of smaller districts began. Antsla, Otepää and Tõrva districts were liquidated. Tõrva and the village soviets of Haabsaare, Helme, Koorküla, Mõniste, Riidaja and Taagepera were united to Valga district. Otepää town and the village soviets of Otepää and Pühajärve were united to Elva district. In 1961 Mõniste was united to Võru district. Next year, in 1962, Otepää and village soviets of Aakre, Otepää and Palupera were reunited to Valga district. One year later some areas of Põlva District were united to Valga district. In 1966 the area of Valtina was added and thus the final border of Valga district was fixed. In December 1989 the Chairman of the former Executive Committee of Valga District, Uno Heinla, was elected as the inaugural county governor following Estonia's reestablished independence. On 22 February 1990, the RSN Executive Committee of Valga District was reorganized and it became Valga County Government. Regaining