Augustinas Voldemaras
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Augustinas Voldemaras (16 April 1883 – 16 May 1942) was a
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 ...
n nationalist political figure. He briefly served as the country's first prime minister in 1918 and continued serving as the minister of foreign affairs until 1920, representing the fledgling Lithuanian state at the
Versailles Peace Conference The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 1995 has been managed, u ...
and the
League of Nations The League of Nations (french: link=no, Société des Nations ) was the first worldwide intergovernmental organisation whose principal mission was to maintain world peace. It was founded on 10 January 1920 by the Paris Peace Conference that ...
. After some time in academia, Voldemaras returned to politics in 1926, when he was elected to the
Third Seimas The Third Seimas of Lithuania was the third parliament (Seimas) democratically elected in Lithuania after it declared independence on February 16, 1918. The elections took place on May 8–10, 1926. For the first time the Lithuanian Christian ...
. Dissatisfied with the left-wing government of President
Kazys Grinius Kazys Grinius (, 17 December 18664 June 1950) was the third President of Lithuania, and held that office from 7 June 1926 to 17 December 1926. Previously, he had served as the fifth Prime Minister of Lithuania, from 19 June 1920 until his resignat ...
, Voldemaras and fellow nationalist
Antanas Smetona Antanas Smetona (; 10 August 1874 – 9 January 1944) was a Lithuanian intellectual and journalist and the first President of Lithuania from 1919 to 1920 and again from 1926 to 1940, before its occupation by the Soviet Union. He was one of the ...
supported the military coup d'état in December 1926 and he was appointed as the prime minister for a second time. A brilliant orator, Voldemaras represented the radical wing of the Lithuanian Nationalist Union that was increasingly critical of the more moderate policies of President Smetona. Smetona had Voldemaras removed from office in September 1929 and exiled to
Zarasai Zarasai () is a city in northeastern Lithuania, surrounded by many lakes and rivers: to the southwest of the city is Lake Zarasas, to the north – Lake Zarasaitis, to the southeast – Lake Baltas, and the east – Lake Griežtas. Lakes Zarasai ...
. Voldemaras was arrested in 1934 after the failed coup against Smetona and served a prison sentence until exiled to
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
in 1938. Returning to Lithuania soon after the
Soviet occupation of Lithuania The Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were invaded and occupied in June 1940 by the Soviet Union, under the leadership of Stalin and auspices of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact that had been signed between Nazi Germany and the Soviet ...
, he was promptly arrested by the Soviet authorities and died in their custody in Moscow.


Early life and education

Voldemaras was born on 16 April 1883 in Dysna village in what is now
Ignalina district municipality Ignalina District Municipality is one of 60 municipalities in Lithuania. Structure District structure: * 2 cities – Dūkštas and Ignalina; * 3 towns – Mielagėnai, Rimšė and Tverečius; * 726 villages. * Ignalina District Municipalit ...
, Lithuania (then part of the
Vilna Governorate The Vilna Governorate (1795–1915; also known as Lithuania-Vilnius Governorate from 1801 until 1840; russian: Виленская губерния, ''Vilenskaya guberniya'', lt, Vilniaus gubernija, pl, gubernia wileńska) or Government of V ...
of the
Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
). Though born to a family of modest means and education, Augustinas excelled at his studies. He finished the public school in nearby Tverečius and graduated from a three-year school in
Švenčionys Švenčionys (, known also by several alternative names) is a town located north of Vilnius in Lithuania. It is the capital of the Švenčionys district municipality. , it had population of 4,065 of which about 17% is part of the Polish minority ...
. In 1890 he moved to
Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
to join his brother who had been working there. In 1902, Voldemaras passed the exams to enter a gymnasium, eventually graduating with distinction in 1904. While preparing for the exams in 1901, Voldemaras met
Antanas Smetona Antanas Smetona (; 10 August 1874 – 9 January 1944) was a Lithuanian intellectual and journalist and the first President of Lithuania from 1919 to 1920 and again from 1926 to 1940, before its occupation by the Soviet Union. He was one of the ...
who would become his close friend, political collaborator and, eventually, his political nemesis. In 1909, Voldemaras graduated in History and Philosophy at the
Saint Petersburg Imperial University Saint Petersburg Imperial University (russian: Санкт-Петербургский Императорский университет) was a Russian higher education institution based in Saint Petersburg, one of the twelve Imperial universities ...
and, in 1910, received his
Master's Degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.
and was awarded a gold medal for his dissertation. A scholarship fund was set up to enable him to further his studies, and eventually he achieved his PhD. After a period of studying in Italy and Sweden, Voldemaras returned to the university (now named Petrograd Imperial University) in 1915 and joined its staff. He moved to
Perm Perm or PERM may refer to: Places *Perm, Russia, a city in Russia ** Permsky District, the district **Perm Krai, a federal subject of Russia since 2005 **Perm Oblast, a former federal subject of Russia 1938–2005 **Perm Governorate, an administra ...
to become a professor when the Imperial University opened its branch there (the branch would later become
Perm State University Perm State University (now Perm State National Research University; russian: Пермский университет, Пермский государственный университет, , romanised: , ) or PSU, PSNRU (russian: ПГУ, , ...
). However, Voldemaras was not satisfied with the living conditions in Perm and planned his return to Lithuania.


Political career


Entry into politics

Voldemaras first entered politics as a student in Saint Petersburg. The wave of nationalism sweeping Lithuania did not elude him and the many other Lithuanians in the
Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
— prominent voices started calling for Lithuanian independence or autonomy within the Empire. Voldemaras joined the activities of the newly established Party of National Progress in 1916 and joined one of the Lithuanian student groups in Saint Petersburg, representing it at the
Petrograd Seimas Petrograd Seimas ( lt, Rusijos lietuvių seimas Petrograde or ) was a conference of Lithuanian activists in Petrograd, Russian Republic, held on to discuss the political future of Lithuania. Citing the right of self-determination, the delegates dis ...
in June 1917 and the Congress of Non-Sovereign Nations in Kiev in September 1917. In 1918, he represented the Lithuanian interests at the peace negotiations for the
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (also known as the Treaty of Brest in Russia) was a separate peace, separate peace treaty signed on 3 March 1918 between Russian SFSR, Russia and the Central Powers (German Empire, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Kingdom of ...
between
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
and the
Soviet Russia The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Russian SFSR or RSFSR ( rus, Российская Советская Федеративная Социалистическая Республика, Rossíyskaya Sovétskaya Federatívnaya Soci ...
. Since Lithuania was not part of the negotiations, he was officially part of the delegation of the short-lived
Ukrainian People's Republic The Ukrainian People's Republic (UPR), or Ukrainian National Republic (UNR), was a country in Eastern Europe that existed between 1917 and 1920. It was declared following the February Revolution in Russia by the First Universal. In March 1 ...
. His influence at the conference was minimal and Lithuania was claimed by Germany as part of the settlement. In 1918, Voldemaras finally returned to Lithuania and was invited to join the
Council of Lithuania The Council of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Taryba, german: Litauischer Staatsrat, pl, Rada Litewska), after July 11, 1918 the State Council of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Valstybės Taryba) was convened at the Vilnius Conference that took place betwe ...
after several members had left the council in protest of its alignment with Germany. One of the many problems facing the council was the lack of unity among Lithuanian organizations — several were claiming to represent Lithuania on the international stage. In September 1918, Voldemaras, together with Smetona, participated in a conference in
Lausanne , neighboring_municipalities= Bottens, Bretigny-sur-Morrens, Chavannes-près-Renens, Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Crissier, Cugy, Écublens, Épalinges, Évian-les-Bains (FR-74), Froideville, Jouxtens-Mézery, Le Mont-sur-Lausanne, Lugrin (FR-74), ...
,
Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
, helping to unite the organizations behind the Council of Lithuania. Events moved rapidly after the defeat of Germany in the
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, with Germany recognizing the Lithuanian independence and its army withdrawing. The Presidium of the Council of Lithuania, which had been acting as a collective head of state, chose Voldemaras as the first
Prime Minister of Lithuania The prime minister of Lithuania ( lt, Ministras Pirmininkas; "Minister-Chairman") is the head of the government of Lithuania. The prime minister is Lithuania's head of government and is appointed by the president with the assent of the Lithuani ...
and allowed him to form the government.


On the Government of Lithuania

Voldemaras assumed power on 11 November 1918 and started forming the cabinet, taking two cabinet positions for himself: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense. Voldemaras's first stated priority was to ensure the internal stability of the country, hoping that a statement of neutrality would be enough to deter foreign interference for a time. Nevertheless, On 23 November he signed the order creating the Lithuanian armed forces and appointed General Kyprian Kandratovich as the Deputy Minister of Defense—this appointment proved to be very unpopular. Kondratovich, who was an ethnic Russian and was viewed with suspicion by many, failed to take measures to organize the defense of the country and proposed to move the government to
Grodno Grodno (russian: Гродно, pl, Grodno; lt, Gardinas) or Hrodna ( be, Гродна ), is a city in western Belarus. The city is located on the Neman River, 300 km (186 mi) from Minsk, about 15 km (9 mi) from the Polish b ...
when
Vilnius Vilnius ( , ; see also other names) is the capital and largest city of Lithuania, with a population of 592,389 (according to the state register) or 625,107 (according to the municipality of Vilnius). The population of Vilnius's functional urb ...
was threatened by Soviet advance. He was dismissed on 24 December 1918. Voldemaras, together with President Smetona, left Lithuania on 21 December 1918. The stated purpose of the trip was to secure a badly needed loan from Germany and to participate in the
Versailles Peace Conference The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 1995 has been managed, u ...
, but the departure generated outrage in Lithuania where Voldemaras was seen as fleeing the Soviet advance. In absentia, he was replaced as the Prime Minister on 26 December 1918 by
Mykolas Sleževičius Mykolas Sleževičius (21 February 1882 – 11 November 1939) was a Lithuanian lawyer, political and cultural figure, and journalist. One of the most influential figures in inter-war Lithuania, he served as the prime minister of Lithuania on thre ...
. Furious with the events, Voldemaras nevertheless continued working as the Minister of Foreign affairs and stayed in Versailles representing Lithuania. The Lithuanian representatives in Versailles focused on receiving recognition of the independent Lithuania and its borders, as well as securing support in the struggle against
Bolsheviks The Bolsheviks (russian: Большевики́, from большинство́ ''bol'shinstvó'', 'majority'),; derived from ''bol'shinstvó'' (большинство́), "majority", literally meaning "one of the majority". also known in English ...
. Voldemaras and his colleagues found little support for their goals among the great powers: those supporting a strong Russia saw Lithuania as an integral part of that state, while the proponents of Poland as a bulwark against bolshevism thought Lithuanian independence would weaken it. Voldemaras similarly found it difficult to secure recognition for Lithuania after the end of the conference, with the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
refusing recognition in November 1919 (granting it only in 1922) and Soviet Russia refusing peace negotiations at the beginning of 1920. In June 1920, Voldemaras resigned together with the rest of the cabinet to make way for the government formed on the basis of the
elections An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold Public administration, public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative ...
to the constituent assembly. Voldemaras did not take part in the assembly, instead returning to academia.


Coup d'état and ascent to power

Even when working in academia, Voldemaras continued publishing political articles and essays, often critical of the government. In 1923, his political writings earned him a punishment of one month of forced labor in
Varniai Varniai (; Samogitian: ''Varnē''; pl, Wornie) is a city in the Telšiai County, western Lithuania. In the Middle Ages the city was known as Medininkai ( Samogitian: ''Medėninkā''). It was established in the 14th century, on the bank of th ...
. In 1926, Voldemaras was elected to 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 amendme ...
and was particularly critical of the President
Kazys Grinius Kazys Grinius (, 17 December 18664 June 1950) was the third President of Lithuania, and held that office from 7 June 1926 to 17 December 1926. Previously, he had served as the fifth Prime Minister of Lithuania, from 19 June 1920 until his resignat ...
and his government that came to power after the elections of 1926. He saw Grinius as too lenient on minority rights and advocated for a stronger, more dictatorial government in the mold of fascist regimes that were gaining power in much of Europe at the time. In 1926, a segment of the army that disagreed with the policies of Grinius administration planned a military coup d'état. They appealed to Voldemaras and
Antanas Smetona Antanas Smetona (; 10 August 1874 – 9 January 1944) was a Lithuanian intellectual and journalist and the first President of Lithuania from 1919 to 1920 and again from 1926 to 1940, before its occupation by the Soviet Union. He was one of the ...
, now the leaders of the Lithuanian Nationalist Union, to support them, both of whom agreed. The coup took place on 17 December, deposing Grinius and installing Smetona as the president for a second time and Voldemaras as the prime minister. To assuage public opinion, in both Lithuania and the outside world, Grinius agreed to appoint Voldemaras as the Prime Minister, on a condition that the latter would uphold the constitution of 1922. Although Voldemaras made this commitment, he and Smetona would renege on it within a year when the
Third Seimas The Third Seimas of Lithuania was the third parliament (Seimas) democratically elected in Lithuania after it declared independence on February 16, 1918. The elections took place on May 8–10, 1926. For the first time the Lithuanian Christian ...
was dissolved and no new elections were called. Voldemaras joked at the time that he had promised to hold elections, but made no promises on the year they would be held in. The move prompted the Christian Democrats to leave the government, leaving the Nationalist Union as the sole governing party. Finally, in 1928, the constitution of 1922 was scrapped altogether and replaced by a new constitution without following the constitutional procedures and without any sort of approval from the voters or the legislature. Voldemaras again assumed the role of the minister of foreign affairs together with that of prime minister, seeing foreign relations as the key issue for the government. In January 1928, Voldemaras signed a border treaty with Germany, in which Germany accepted the Lithuanian possession of
Klaipėda Klaipėda (; ; german: Memel; pl, Kłajpeda; russian: Клайпеда; sgs, Klaipieda) is a city in Lithuania on the Baltic Sea coast. The capital of the eponymous county, it is the third largest city and the only major seaport in Lithuan ...
(Memel). A trade agreement was also signed with the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
in the same year. 1926-27 saw the establishment of '' Geležinis Vilkas'' (Iron Wolf) organization among right-wing army officers and students. Ostensibly a youth sport organization and registered as such in 1928, Iron Wolf was heavily nationalistic and had a stated purpose of combating the enemies of the state. Their ideology and practices (initiates would kiss an iron dagger as part of their initiation ceremony) were outside the comfort zone of many among the populace and the political elite. Although Smetona was the honorary head of the organization, it was Voldemaras who actively participated in managing it. His personality and oratory skills attracted adherents among the younger nationalist officers, who were favorably impressed by the emerging fascism, and who were displeased with what they perceived as Smetona's more moderate course. On the other hand, Voldemaras was unpopular with foreign representatives in Lithuania, who perceived him as too radical and arrogant.


Assassination attempt and fall from power

The activities of Geležinis Vilkas and Voldemaras's more radical stance created friction between him and Smetona. As early as the beginning of 1929, Smetona was preparing to oust Voldemaras from the government. These initial plans were revised by an attempt on Voldemaras's life in May. On 6 May 1929, as Voldemaras, his wife and their friends were approaching a theater in Kaunas, they were shot on from behind. At least seven shots were fired, killing Voldemaras's adjutant and injuring several others. Voldemaras and his wife escaped unharmed, but his nephew was seriously hurt. Three Lithuanian students, members of ''
Aušrininkai ''Aušrininkai'' was a semi-formal socialist student movement in Lithuania that formed around the ''Aušrinė'' (morning star) magazine. Established in 1910, it was the first youth organization in Lithuania. Student groups formed in various scho ...
'', were accused of involvement in the assassination attempt, with one of them sentenced and executed. The outpouring of public and international support made it impossible for Smetona to dismiss Voldemaras, but pushed the latter to get even more involved with Geležinis Vilkas. On 19 September 1929, while attending a meeting of the
League of Nations The League of Nations (french: link=no, Société des Nations ) was the first worldwide intergovernmental organisation whose principal mission was to maintain world peace. It was founded on 10 January 1920 by the Paris Peace Conference that ...
, Voldemaras was ousted by President Smetona after the cabinet resigned. Smetona installed his brother-in-law
Juozas Tūbelis Juozas Tūbelis (9 April 1882 in Ilgalaukis, Kovno Governorate – 30 September 1939, Kaunas) was a Lithuanian politician, Prime Minister and member and chairman of the Lithuanian Nationalists Union. In 1908, he graduated from Polytechnical In ...
as the Prime Minister. In 1930, he was exiled to
Plateliai Plateliai ( sgs, Platelē; pl, Płótele) is a town in Samogitia, Lithuania. It is situated on the west bank of Lake Plateliai, the largest lake in Samogitia. The town with the population of about 1,100 people is the center of an elderate in Pl ...
and later to
Zarasai Zarasai () is a city in northeastern Lithuania, surrounded by many lakes and rivers: to the southwest of the city is Lake Zarasas, to the north – Lake Zarasaitis, to the southeast – Lake Baltas, and the east – Lake Griežtas. Lakes Zarasai ...
, where he lived under police surveillance. It was from Zarasai that he was flown into Kaunas during an attempted coup against Smetona in June 1934. Several officers sympathetic to Voldemaras and associated with Geležinis Vilkas attempted to replace Smetona, but the coup did not have widespread support in the military and was unsuccessful. Voldemaras was imprisoned for the next four years, receiving amnesty on the condition he would leave the country. He chose France as his destination.


Later life and death

Voldemaras attempted to return to Lithuania in 1939, but was exiled again. In June 1940, days after the
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
invaded and occupied Lithuania, Voldemaras and his wife made another attempt to return from exile. He was arrested at the border and imprisoned. It later emerged that he died while in Moscow
Butyrka prison Butyrskaya prison ( rus, Бутырская тюрьма, r= Butýrskaya tyurmá), usually known simply as Butyrka ( rus, Бутырка, p=bʊˈtɨrkə), is a prison in the Tverskoy District of central Moscow, Russia. In Imperial Russia it ...
on 16 December 1942. His place of burial is unknown; a memorial stone for him was unveiled in the
Petrašiūnai cemetery Petrašiūnai Cemetery ( lt, Petrašiūnų kapinės) is Lithuania's premiere last resting place formally designated for graves of people influential in national history, politics, arts, and science. Location Petrašiūnai Cemetery is located abo ...
in Kaunas in 2012.


Other activities and personal life

While in Perm, Voldemaras taught Roman history, Greek, Latin and English at what would become
Perm State University Perm State University (now Perm State National Research University; russian: Пермский университет, Пермский государственный университет, , romanised: , ) or PSU, PSNRU (russian: ПГУ, , ...
. After his stint on the government, he returned to academia in 1920, teaching courses and eventually joining the University of Lithuania (now
Vytautas Magnus University Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) ( lt, Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas (VDU)) is a public university in Kaunas, Lithuania. The university was founded in 1922 during the interwar period as an alternate national university. Initially it was known ...
) in Kaunas. At the university, he served as a professor and the dean of sociological studies. His academic works were highly acclaimed and in 1923-1924 he participated in international scientific congresses on History and Sociology. A
polyglot Multilingualism is the use of more than one language, either by an individual speaker or by a group of speakers. It is believed that multilingual speakers outnumber monolingualism, monolingual speakers in the World population, world's pop ...
, Voldemaras was familiar with sixteen different languages and wrote academic works in Lithuanian and French. In 1919, Voldemaras met Matilda Voldemarienė (née Delahay). While Voldemaras always introduced her as his wife, the status of their relationship was not completely clear and generated some amount of controversy in Lithuania, particularly when the couple visited the
Vatican Vatican may refer to: Vatican City, the city-state ruled by the pope in Rome, including St. Peter's Basilica, Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museum The Holy See * The Holy See, the governing body of the Catholic Church and sovereign entity recognized ...
in 1927. Voldemaras's political opponents, the
Christian Democrats __NOTOC__ Christian democratic parties are political parties that seek to apply Christian principles to public policy. The underlying Christian democracy movement emerged in 19th-century Europe, largely under the influence of Catholic social ...
, alleged in Lithuanian press that the couple were living together outside marriage, but the issue was not pressed by the Holy See and the couple received blessings from the Pope. In 1929, the couple acted as the
godparents In infant baptism and denominations of Christianity, a godparent (also known as a sponsor, or '' gossiprede'') is someone who bears witness to a child's christening and later is willing to help in their catechesis, as well as their lifelon ...
to the three-year-old
Valdas Adamkus Valdas Adamkus (; born Voldemaras Adamkavičius; 3 November 1926) is a Lithuanian-American politician, diplomat and civil engineer. He served as the 5th and 7th President of Lithuania from 1998 to 2003 and again from 2004 to 2009. Adamkus' ...
, who would later become the President of Lithuania. Nevertheless, Voldemaras was considered a womanizer and was known to have had several high-profile affairs during the years.


References


External links

*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Voldemaras, Augustinas 1883 births 1942 deaths People from Ignalina District Municipality People from Sventsyansky Uyezd Prime Ministers of Lithuania Members of the Council of Lithuania Ministers of Defence of Lithuania Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Members of the Seimas Lithuanian independence activists Lithuanian anti-communists Lithuanian exiles Recipients of Lithuanian presidential pardons Perm State University faculty Lithuanian people of World War I Lithuanian people of World War II Lithuanian people who died in prison custody Lithuanian people who died in Soviet detention