Arvydas Anušauskas (born 29 September 1963) is a Lithuanian politician and historian. He focuses on the history of the interwar Lithuanian secret services,

KGB The Committee for State Security (, ), abbreviated as KGB (, ; ) was the main security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 to 1991. It was the direct successor of preceding Soviet secret police agencies including the Cheka, Joint State Polit ...

actions in Lithuania, and Soviet repressions in Lithuania. As a member of the

Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats The Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats (, TS–LKD), also colloquially known as the Conservatives (), is a centre-right political party in Lithuania. It has 18,000 members and 28 of 141 seats in the Seimas. Its current leader ...

, he was elected to the

Seimas The Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania (), or simply the Seimas ( ; ), is the unicameralism, unicameral legislative body of the Lithuania, Republic of Lithuania. The Seimas constitutes the legislative branch of Government of Lithuania, govern ...

(parliament) in 2008 and reelected in 2012, 2016 and 2020. On 7 December 2020, he was approved to be the Minister of National Defence in the

Šimonytė Cabinet Šimonytė Cabinet was the 18th cabinet of the national government of the Republic of Lithuania. It consisted of the former Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė who was the Head of Government, and 14 government ministers from the Homeland Union � ...

. On 15 March 2024, he announced his resignation.

Early life and education

Anušauskas was born in Vilnius, Lithuania. In 1981, he graduated from Vilnius Secondary school No. 34. From 1981 to 1982, Anušauskas studied in Vilnius Technical school No. 21. In autumn 1982, he enrolled at

Vilnius University Vilnius University ( Lithuanian: ''Vilniaus universitetas'') is a public research university, which is the first and largest university in Lithuania, as well as one of the oldest and most prominent higher education institutions in Central and Ea ...

and graduated with a Master of History in 1989. While studying, he was conscripted to

Soviet Army The Soviet Ground Forces () was the land warfare service branch of the Soviet Armed Forces from 1946 to 1992. It was preceded by the Red Army. After the Soviet Union ceased to exist in December 1991, the Ground Forces remained under th ...

where he served from 1983 to 1985. In 1995, Anušauskas obtained a PhD in humanities at

Vytautas Magnus University Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) (, 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 as the University of Lithuania, but ...

. In 1990, after Lithuania declared independence, he started serving in the

Lithuanian National Defence Volunteer Forces The National Defence Volunteer Forces or NDVF ( [], previously []) is a branch of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. Volunteer forces were officially established on 17 January 1991 by the law of the Supreme Council of Lithuania on the National Defenc ...

and was promoted to reserve lieutenant in 1995.

Early career

Anušauskas was a research fellow at the Lithuanian Institute of History from 1989 to 2000. From 1996 to 1997, he worked as an associate professor at the Faculty of Humanities,

. From 1998 to 2007, Anušauskas was the Head of the Genocide and Resistance Research Centre of Lithuania (GRRLC). In parallel to this position, he continued academical career. From 1996 to 2006, Anušauskas was an associate professor at the Faculty of History,

Vilnius Pedagogical University Vytautas Magnus University Education Academy () – an academical unit of Vytautas Magnus University, which specialized in preparing school teachers and other educators. Located in Vilnius and Kaunas, Lithuania. Name changes * 1935–1939 Nati ...

. From 2002 to 2007, he was a visiting associate professor at the Institute of International Relations and Political Science,

, and an associate professor at the Faculty of History, Vilnius University from 2002 to 2008. Anušauskas is an author and co-author of numerous history books and 14 scripts for documentaries, and around 100 studies and articles published in Lithuanian, Polish, Latvian, French and German scientific publications. His first study on the interwar Lithuanian intelligence services was published in 1993.

Political career

Anušauskas joined the

in 2007 (although he stood in this party's multi-member list in 2004 parliamentary election). He was elected to the

(parliament) in 2008 and re-elected ever since. Anušauskas was the Chair of the Committee on National Security and Defence during his first term 2008–2012. Currently, he is a member of the Committee on National Security and Defence, Deputy Chair of the Commission for Parliamentary Scrutiny of Criminal Intelligence, member of the Commission for the Cause of Freedom, and the National Historical Memory and member of many parliamentary groups.Member of Parliament profile in official Lithuanian parliament (Seimas) page. https://www.lrs.lt/sip/portal.show?p_r=35299&p_k=2&p_a=498&p_asm_id=53916.

Awards

* Prize in the contest ''Pragiedruliai'' held by the Radio and Television Commission of Lithuania (2007); * Decoration of honour ''Lithuanian Diplomacy Star'' by the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2012); * 4th Class

Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana The Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana (, also the Order of the Cross of St. Mary's Land) was instituted by the President of Estonia, Lennart Meri, on 16 May 1995 to honour the independence of the Estonian state. (The Latin name ''Terra Mariana'' ...

of the Republic of Estonia (2013); * Cross of the Knight of the

Order for Merits to Lithuania The Order for Merits to Lithuania () is an award, presented by the President of Lithuania, which may be conferred on the citizens of Lithuania and foreign nationals for distinguished services promoting name of Lithuania, expanding a develop interna ...

(2018). *3rd Class

Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise The Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise () is a Ukrainian award. It is awarded for distinguished services to the state and people of the Ukrainian nation in the field of state building, strengthening the international prestige of Ukraine, develop ...

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

(2022).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Anusauskas, Arvydas 1963 births Members of the Seimas Homeland Union politicians Historians of Lithuania Vilnius University alumni Vytautas Magnus University alumni Academic staff of the Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences 20th-century Lithuanian historians 21st-century Lithuanian politicians Living people Politicians from Vilnius Lithuanian Army officers Ministers of defence of Lithuania 21st-century Lithuanian historians