Provisional Government of Lithuania
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Provisional Government of Lithuania (Lithuanian: Laikinoji Vyriausybė) was a temporary government aiming for independent Lithuania during the last days of the Soviet occupation and the first weeks of German occupation in 1941. It was secretly formed on 22 April, 1941, announced on 23 June, 1941, and dissolved on 5 August, 1941 [1]. It was formed out of members of Lithuanian Activist Front's Kaunas and Vilnius sections.
[edit] History
It was confirmed in June 22, at the start of June uprising. However the leader of the LAF, Kazys Škirpa, who was supposed to become prime minister, was in Germany at the time, hoping to get recognition for Lithuania (he was also former Lithuanian ambassador to Germany and therefore continued to live there). Since the Nazi regime in that country saw Lithuania as a future part of Greater Germany, it was therefore not interested in Lithuanian independence. Kazys Škirpa was not allowed to leave Germany and return to Lithuania to join the government; instead, he was put under house arrest. Rapolas Skipitis, another planned minister who was also in Berlin was also prevented from leaving.
The planned government had other losses as well: Vytautas Bulvičius, who was Minister of Defence in the underground government, was arrested by the Soviet forces on June 2. His place in the underground government as Minister of Defense was therefore taken by General Stasys Raštikis. On June 21, 1941 (just one day before Germany declared war on the Soviet Union, and the uprising started), 4 members of the planned government were arrested by the Soviets: (Vladas Nasevičius, Vytautas Statkus, Jonas Masiliūnas and Jonas Vainauskas); they were imprisoned in Gorkiy prison in Moscow. The tribunal for them started on November 26, 1941 (after the uprising had ended, and while Lithuania was still occupied by Germany). Sentence was pronounced on November 28. V. Bulvičius was executed, as were many other members of LAF, and also teachers and former soldiers of the Lithuanian army. Other arrested ministers (J. Masiliūnas, V. Nasevičius, V. Statkus) were exiled to Siberia, along with other people arrested at the same time.
The government, however, still came to the power after the June uprising, and ruled during the Lithuanian 1941 independence, until dissolving itself upon the Nazi occupation of the country.
[edit] The cabinet
The people who were meant to be in the government, prior to the arrests:
- Prime minister - Colonel Kazys Škirpa (was put under home arrest in Berlin)
- Defense minister - Major Vytautas Bulvičius (arrested by Russians in June 2, executed in November), later General Stasys Raštikis
- Foreign affairs minister - Rapolas Skipitis (was not able to leave Berlin)
- Internal affairs minister - Vladas Nasevičius (was arrested by Soviets in June 21, later exiled to Siberia)
- Education minister - Professor Juozas Ambrazevičius (served as prime minister after Lithuania was liberated in June uprising)
- Finance minister - Jonas Matulionis
- Trade minister - Vytautas Statkus (was arrested by Soviets in June 21, later exiled to Siberia)
- Industry minister - Doctor engineer Adolfas Damušis
- Agriculture miniter - Professor Balys Vitkus
- Social security minister - Doctor Jonas Pajaujis
- Infrastructure minister - Engineer Vytautas Landsbergis-Žemkalnis
- Connection minister - Jonas Masiliūnas (was arrested by Soviets in June 21, later exiled to Siberia)
- Controller of state - Jonas Vainauskas (was arrested by Soviets in June 21)
[edit] References
- ^ (Lithuanian) Sigitas Jegelevičius. 1941 m. Lietuvos laikinosios vyriausybės atsiradimo aplinkybės (Circumstances of establishment of Provisional Government of Lithuania in 1941). "Voruta", No. 11 (557), 11 June, 2004
- Gediminas Zemlickas, Pasaulyje - kaip savo namuose, Mokslo Lietuva, February 11, 1998, No. 3 (161)
