Juozas Bulavas (12 January 1909 – 29 July 1995) was a Lithuanian legal scholar, academic, political and social figure, and member of the
Seimas
The Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublikos Seimas), or simply the Seimas (), is the unicameral parliament of Lithuania. The Seimas constitutes the legislative branch of government in Lithuania, enacting laws and amendmen ...
.
Biography
Bulavas was born to a peasant family in Ginotai village, in what is now
Rokiškis District
Rokiškis () is a city in northeastern Lithuania with a population of about 14,400.
History
The legend of the founding of Rokiškis tells about a hunter called Rokas who had been hunting for hares ( Lit. "kiškis"). However, cities ending in "-k ...
,
Lithuania
Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania ...
, on 12 January 1909.
Bulavas studied at the Faculty of Law of the
Vytautas Magnus University in
Kaunas
Kaunas (; ; also see other names) is the second-largest city in Lithuania after Vilnius and an important centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the largest city and the centre of a county in the Duchy of Trakai ...
. He finished his studies at the Department of Law in 1931 and the Department of Economics a year later, but would only receive his diploma in 1940, due to his political activities.
In 1940 Bulavas started working at
Vilnius University and was appointed a Pro-rector later that year. In 1941 he received his PhD and was appointed a professor, teaching government law. Under the
German occupation
German-occupied Europe refers to the sovereign countries of Europe which were wholly or partly occupied and civil-occupied (including puppet governments) by the military forces and the government of Nazi Germany at various times between 1939 an ...
, Bulavas was dismissed from the university and worked as a teacher in
Utena and
Rokiškis
Rokiškis () is a city in northeastern Lithuania with a population of about 14,400.
History
The legend of the founding of Rokiškis tells about a hunter called Rokas who had been hunting for hares ( Lit. "kiškis"). However, cities ending in "- ...
. He returned to the university in 1944.
In 1956 Bulavas was appointed the Rector of Vilnius University.
As a rector, he sought to introduce more Lithuanians into the faculty and to protect it from Russian influences. As a result of his efforts, he was dismissed from the role in 1958.
Bulavas continued working at the
Lithuanian Academy of Sciences in a scientific and management capacity.
Bulavas was a member of the
Communist Party of Lithuania (then illegal in Lithuania) between 1931 and 1938 and, again, from 1952. Between 1950 and 1954 he served on the Vilnius City Council. In 1959 Bulavas was dismissed from the party for his nationalist policies as the Rector of Vilnius University.
In 1988 he was one of the founders of the pro-independence
Sąjūdis movement
and, upon independence, was one of the key authors of the
Constitution of Lithuania, participating in its drafting during 1990–1991.
Between 1989 and 1991 he was the Chairman of the Lithuanian Election Commission.
In 1991, Bulavas joined the ranks of
Democratic Labour Party of Lithuania (LDDP). In the
elections in 1992, he represented LDDP and was elected as the member of the
Sixth Seimas through its electoral list.
[ Bulavas died in office on 20 July 1995.]
References
1909 births
1995 deaths
People from Rokiškis District Municipality
Communist Party of Lithuania politicians
Democratic Labour Party of Lithuania politicians
Members of the Seimas
Academic staff of Vilnius University
Rectors of Vilnius University
Vytautas Magnus University alumni
Knight's Crosses of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas
Recipients of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas
Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner of Labour
Legal historians
Lithuanian legal scholars
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