Council of Lithuania
Encyclopedia
The Council of Lithuania , after July 11, 1918 The State Council of Lithuania (Lithuanian: Lietuvos Valstybės Taryba), was convened at the Vilnius Conference
that took place between September 18 and 23, 1917. The council was granted the executive authority of the Lithuanian people and was entrusted to establish an independent Lithuanian state. On February 16, 1918, the members of the council signed the Act of Independence of Lithuania
, and declared Lithuania
an independent state based on democratic
principles. The council managed to establish the proclamation of independence despite the presence of German troops
in the country until the autumn of 1918. The council continued its efforts until the Constituent Assembly of Lithuania
first met on May 15, 1920.
in 1795, Lithuania had become part of the Russian Empire
. During the 19th century, both the Poles and the Lithuanians attempted to restore their independence. They rebelled during the November Uprising
in 1830 and the January Uprising
in 1863, but the first realistic opportunity came about during World War I
. In 1915, Germany occupied Lithuania as its troops marched towards Russia. After the Russian Revolution
in 1917, opportunities for independence opened up. Germany, avoiding direct annexation, tried to find a middle path that would involve some kind of union with Germany. In the light of upcoming peace negotiations with Russia, the Germans agreed to allow the Vilnius Conference, hoping that it would proclaim that the Lithuanian nation wanted to be detached from Russia and wished for a closer relationship with Germany. However, the conference, held between September 18 and 23, 1917, adopted a resolution that an independent Lithuania should be established and that a closer relationship with Germany would depend on whether it recognized the new state. On September 21, the attendees at the conference elected a 20-member Council of Lithuania to establish this resolution. The German authorities did not allow that resolution to be published, but they did permit the council to proceed. The authorities censored the Council's newspaper, Lietuvos aidas
(Echo of Lithuania), preventing the Council from reaching a wider public audience. The Vilnius Conference also resolved that a constituent assembly should be elected by popular vote as soon as possible.
The twenty men composing the Council were of different ages (the youngest was 25; the oldest 66), social status, professions, and political affiliations. There were eight lawyers, four priests, three agronomists
, two financier
s, a doctor, a publisher, and an engineer. Eight of the members were Christian democrats
and seven were not affiliated. All except one held degrees in higher education, and all were multilingual, fluent at a minimum in Lithuanian
and Russian and often in Polish
and German as well. The Council's last surviving member, Aleksandras Stulginskis
, died in September 1969.
During the first meeting on September 24, Antanas Smetona
was elected as the chairman of the council. The chairman, two vice-chairmen, and two secretaries made up the presidium. The vice-chairs and secretaries would change from time to time, but Smetona retained the chairmanship until 1919 when he was elected the first President of Lithuania. Smetona was succeeded by Stasys Šilingas
as the chairman. He was not among the original twenty members. The first change in membership took place on July 13, 1918, when six new members (Martynas Yčas, Augustinas Voldemaras
, Juozas Purickis, Eliziejus Draugelis, Jurgis Alekna and Stasys Šilingas) were admitted and four (Kairys, Vileišis, Biržiška, Narutavičius) resigned. By spring of 1919, the council had almost doubled in size.
Soon after the council was elected, major developments took place in Russia. The October Revolution
brought the Bolshevik
s to power. They signed a truce with Germany on December 2, 1917 and started peace negotiations. Germany needed some documentation of its relationship with Lithuania. In the so-called Berlin Protocol Germany offered to recognize Lithuanian independence if the latter agreed to form a firm and permanent federation with Germany, based on conventions concerning military affairs, transportation, customs
, and currency. The council agreed, on condition that Lithuania would decide its own internal affairs and foreign policy. The Germans rejected this proposal. On December 11, the council adopted a resolution agreeing to a "firm and permanent alliance" with Germany on the basis of the four conventions. Only fifteen members voted for this resolution, but all twenty signed it.
The Germans broke their promise and did not recognize the state and did not invite its delegation to the negotiations of Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
. Lithuanians, including those living abroad, disapproved of the December 11 declaration. The declaration, seen as pro-German, was an obstacle in establishing diplomatic relations with England, France and the United States, the enemies of Germany. On January 8, the same day that Woodrow Wilson
announced his Fourteen Points
, the council proposed amendments to the declaration of December 11 calling for a constituent assembly. The amendments were rejected by the Germans and it was made clear that the Council would serve only advisory functions. The council was torn apart and a few members threatened to leave. On February 16, the council, temporarily chaired by Jonas Basanavičius
, decided to re-declare independence, this time mentioning nothing specific about a relationship with Germany. That was left for a constituent assembly to decide. February 16 is now one of Lithuania's two official Independence Days.
. It declared that the Baltic nations
were in the German interest zone and that Russia renounced any claims to them. On March 23, Germany recognized independent Lithuania on the basis of the December 11 declaration. However, nothing in essence changed either in Lithuania or in Council's status: any efforts to establish administration were hindered. The form of government, however, was left undecided. Germany, ruled by a kaiser
, obviously preferred a monarchy. They proposed a personal union with the Prussia
n Hohenzollern dynasty
. As an alternative, on June 4 the council voted to invite Duke Wilhelm of Urach, Count of Württemberg, to become the monarch of Lithuania. He agreed and was elected King of Lithuania (Mindaugas II) on July 13, 1918. The decision was very controversial and four members of the council left in protest.
Germany did not recognize the new king and its relationship with the council remained tense. The council was not allowed to determine the borders of Lithuania, establish an embassy in Berlin, or begin forming a stable administrative system. It received small funds to cover its expenses only in September 1918. The situation changed when the German Revolution
started and Germany lost the war in fall of 1918 – it was no longer in a position to dictate terms. On November 2, the council adopted the first provisional constitution
. The decision to invite King Mindaugas II was annulled and this helped to reconcile the political factions. The functions of government were entrusted to a 3-member presidium, and Augustinas Voldemaras
was invited to form the first Cabinet of Ministers. The first government was formed on November 11, 1918, the day that Germany signed the armistice in Compiègne
. The council began to organize an army, police, local government, and other institutions. It also expanded to include ethnic minorities (Jews
and Belarusians
).
As German forces retreated and Bolshevik
forces approached Vilnius
, on January 2, 1919 the council moved to Kaunas
. The Freedom Wars
started. On April 4, the second provisional constitution was adopted, creating the office of President of Lithuania. Antanas Smetona, as the chairman of the council, became the first president. The German forces did not leave Lithuania until July 1919. Due to wars and other turmoil, elections to the Constituent Assembly of Lithuania
were not held until spring of 1920. The council adjourned on May 15, 1920.
Vilnius Conference
The Vilnius Conference or Vilnius National Conference met between September 18, 1917 and September 22, 1917, and began the process of establishing a Lithuanian state based on ethnic identity and language that would be independent of the Russian Empire, Poland, and the German Empire...
that took place between September 18 and 23, 1917. The council was granted the executive authority of the Lithuanian people and was entrusted to establish an independent Lithuanian state. On February 16, 1918, the members of the council signed the Act of Independence of Lithuania
Act of Independence of Lithuania
The Act of Independence of Lithuania or Act of February 16 was signed by the Council of Lithuania on February 16, 1918, proclaiming the restoration of an independent State of Lithuania, governed by democratic principles, with Vilnius as its capital. The Act was signed by all twenty...
, and declared Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
an independent state based on democratic
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
principles. The council managed to establish the proclamation of independence despite the presence of German troops
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
in the country until the autumn of 1918. The council continued its efforts until the Constituent Assembly of Lithuania
Constituent Assembly of Lithuania
The Constituent Assembly of Lithuania was democratically elected in 1920 to draft and adopt the 1922 constitution of Lithuania.- Historical background :...
first met on May 15, 1920.
Historical background and Vilnius Conference
After the last Partition of the Polish-Lithuanian CommonwealthPartitions of Poland
The Partitions of Poland or Partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in the second half of the 18th century and ended the existence of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland for 123 years...
in 1795, Lithuania had become part of the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. During the 19th century, both the Poles and the Lithuanians attempted to restore their independence. They rebelled during the November Uprising
November Uprising
The November Uprising , Polish–Russian War 1830–31 also known as the Cadet Revolution, was an armed rebellion in the heartland of partitioned Poland against the Russian Empire. The uprising began on 29 November 1830 in Warsaw when the young Polish officers from the local Army of the Congress...
in 1830 and the January Uprising
January Uprising
The January Uprising was an uprising in the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth against the Russian Empire...
in 1863, but the first realistic opportunity came about during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. In 1915, Germany occupied Lithuania as its troops marched towards Russia. After the Russian Revolution
Russian Revolution of 1917
The Russian Revolution is the collective term for a series of revolutions in Russia in 1917, which destroyed the Tsarist autocracy and led to the creation of the Soviet Union. The Tsar was deposed and replaced by a provisional government in the first revolution of February 1917...
in 1917, opportunities for independence opened up. Germany, avoiding direct annexation, tried to find a middle path that would involve some kind of union with Germany. In the light of upcoming peace negotiations with Russia, the Germans agreed to allow the Vilnius Conference, hoping that it would proclaim that the Lithuanian nation wanted to be detached from Russia and wished for a closer relationship with Germany. However, the conference, held between September 18 and 23, 1917, adopted a resolution that an independent Lithuania should be established and that a closer relationship with Germany would depend on whether it recognized the new state. On September 21, the attendees at the conference elected a 20-member Council of Lithuania to establish this resolution. The German authorities did not allow that resolution to be published, but they did permit the council to proceed. The authorities censored the Council's newspaper, Lietuvos aidas
Lietuvos aidas
Lietuvos aidas is a daily newspaper in Lithuania. It was established on September 6, 1917 by Antanas Smetona, and became the semi-official voice of the newly formed Lithuanian government. When the government evacuated from Vilnius to the temporary capital, Kaunas, it ceased publication...
(Echo of Lithuania), preventing the Council from reaching a wider public audience. The Vilnius Conference also resolved that a constituent assembly should be elected by popular vote as soon as possible.
Structure and Membership
Agronomy
Agronomy is the science and technology of producing and using plants for food, fuel, feed, fiber, and reclamation. Agronomy encompasses work in the areas of plant genetics, plant physiology, meteorology, and soil science. Agronomy is the application of a combination of sciences like biology,...
, two financier
Financier
Financier is a term for a person who handles typically large sums of money, usually involving money lending, financing projects, large-scale investing, or large-scale money management. The term is French, and derives from finance or payment...
s, a doctor, a publisher, and an engineer. Eight of the members were Christian democrats
Christian Democracy
Christian democracy is a political ideology that seeks to apply Christian principles to public policy. It emerged in nineteenth-century Europe under the influence of conservatism and Catholic social teaching...
and seven were not affiliated. All except one held degrees in higher education, and all were multilingual, fluent at a minimum in Lithuanian
Lithuanian language
Lithuanian is the official state language of Lithuania and is recognized as one of the official languages of the European Union. There are about 2.96 million native Lithuanian speakers in Lithuania and about 170,000 abroad. Lithuanian is a Baltic language, closely related to Latvian, although they...
and Russian and often in Polish
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
and German as well. The Council's last surviving member, Aleksandras Stulginskis
Aleksandras Stulginskis
Aleksandras Stulginskis Aleksandras Stulginskis Aleksandras Stulginskis (born (February 26, 1885 in Kutaliai, in Šilalė district municipality near Tauragė, Lithuania, Russian Empire; died September 22, 1969 in Kaunas) was the second President of Lithuania (1920–1926)...
, died in September 1969.
During the first meeting on September 24, Antanas Smetona
Antanas Smetona
Antanas Smetona was one of the most important Lithuanian political figures between World War I and World War II. He served as the first President of Lithuania from April 4, 1919 to June 19, 1920. He again served as the last President of the country from December 19, 1926 to June 15, 1940, before...
was elected as the chairman of the council. The chairman, two vice-chairmen, and two secretaries made up the presidium. The vice-chairs and secretaries would change from time to time, but Smetona retained the chairmanship until 1919 when he was elected the first President of Lithuania. Smetona was succeeded by Stasys Šilingas
Stasys Šilingas
Baron Stasys Šilingas Lithuanian lawyer and statesman, was a significant figure in the history of Lithuania's independence....
as the chairman. He was not among the original twenty members. The first change in membership took place on July 13, 1918, when six new members (Martynas Yčas, Augustinas Voldemaras
Augustinas Voldemaras
Augustinas Voldemaras was a Lithuanian nationalist political figure. He served as the country's first Prime Minister in 1918, and again from 1926 to 1929.- Biography :...
, Juozas Purickis, Eliziejus Draugelis, Jurgis Alekna and Stasys Šilingas) were admitted and four (Kairys, Vileišis, Biržiška, Narutavičius) resigned. By spring of 1919, the council had almost doubled in size.
Declaration of Independence
October Revolution
The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
brought the Bolshevik
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists , derived from bol'shinstvo, "majority") were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903....
s to power. They signed a truce with Germany on December 2, 1917 and started peace negotiations. Germany needed some documentation of its relationship with Lithuania. In the so-called Berlin Protocol Germany offered to recognize Lithuanian independence if the latter agreed to form a firm and permanent federation with Germany, based on conventions concerning military affairs, transportation, customs
Customs
Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting and safeguarding customs duties and for controlling the flow of goods including animals, transports, personal effects and hazardous items in and out of a country...
, and currency. The council agreed, on condition that Lithuania would decide its own internal affairs and foreign policy. The Germans rejected this proposal. On December 11, the council adopted a resolution agreeing to a "firm and permanent alliance" with Germany on the basis of the four conventions. Only fifteen members voted for this resolution, but all twenty signed it.
The Germans broke their promise and did not recognize the state and did not invite its delegation to the negotiations of Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was a peace treaty signed on March 3, 1918, mediated by South African Andrik Fuller, at Brest-Litovsk between Russia and the Central Powers, headed by Germany, marking Russia's exit from World War I.While the treaty was practically obsolete before the end of the year,...
. Lithuanians, including those living abroad, disapproved of the December 11 declaration. The declaration, seen as pro-German, was an obstacle in establishing diplomatic relations with England, France and the United States, the enemies of Germany. On January 8, the same day that Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
announced his Fourteen Points
Fourteen Points
The Fourteen Points was a speech given by United States President Woodrow Wilson to a joint session of Congress on January 8, 1918. The address was intended to assure the country that the Great War was being fought for a moral cause and for postwar peace in Europe...
, the council proposed amendments to the declaration of December 11 calling for a constituent assembly. The amendments were rejected by the Germans and it was made clear that the Council would serve only advisory functions. The council was torn apart and a few members threatened to leave. On February 16, the council, temporarily chaired by Jonas Basanavičius
Jonas Basanavicius
Jonas Basanavičius was an activist and proponent of Lithuania's National Revival and founder of the first Lithuanian language newspaper Aušra. He was one of the initiators and the Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the 1905 Congress of Lithuanians, the Great Seimas of Vilnius...
, decided to re-declare independence, this time mentioning nothing specific about a relationship with Germany. That was left for a constituent assembly to decide. February 16 is now one of Lithuania's two official Independence Days.
Establishing independence
The Germans were not satisfied with the new declaration and demanded that the council go back to the December 11 decision. On March 3, Germany and Bolshevik Russia signed the Treaty of Brest-LitovskTreaty of Brest-Litovsk
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was a peace treaty signed on March 3, 1918, mediated by South African Andrik Fuller, at Brest-Litovsk between Russia and the Central Powers, headed by Germany, marking Russia's exit from World War I.While the treaty was practically obsolete before the end of the year,...
. It declared that the Baltic nations
Baltic states
The term Baltic states refers to the Baltic territories which gained independence from the Russian Empire in the wake of World War I: primarily the contiguous trio of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania ; Finland also fell within the scope of the term after initially gaining independence in the 1920s.The...
were in the German interest zone and that Russia renounced any claims to them. On March 23, Germany recognized independent Lithuania on the basis of the December 11 declaration. However, nothing in essence changed either in Lithuania or in Council's status: any efforts to establish administration were hindered. The form of government, however, was left undecided. Germany, ruled by a kaiser
Kaiser
Kaiser is the German title meaning "Emperor", with Kaiserin being the female equivalent, "Empress". Like the Russian Czar it is directly derived from the Latin Emperors' title of Caesar, which in turn is derived from the personal name of a branch of the gens Julia, to which Gaius Julius Caesar,...
, obviously preferred a monarchy. They proposed a personal union with the Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n Hohenzollern dynasty
House of Hohenzollern
The House of Hohenzollern is a noble family and royal dynasty of electors, kings and emperors of Prussia, Germany and Romania. It originated in the area around the town of Hechingen in Swabia during the 11th century. They took their name from their ancestral home, the Burg Hohenzollern castle near...
. As an alternative, on June 4 the council voted to invite Duke Wilhelm of Urach, Count of Württemberg, to become the monarch of Lithuania. He agreed and was elected King of Lithuania (Mindaugas II) on July 13, 1918. The decision was very controversial and four members of the council left in protest.
Germany did not recognize the new king and its relationship with the council remained tense. The council was not allowed to determine the borders of Lithuania, establish an embassy in Berlin, or begin forming a stable administrative system. It received small funds to cover its expenses only in September 1918. The situation changed when the German Revolution
German Revolution
The German Revolution was the politically-driven civil conflict in Germany at the end of World War I, which resulted in the replacement of Germany's imperial government with a republic...
started and Germany lost the war in fall of 1918 – it was no longer in a position to dictate terms. On November 2, the council adopted the first provisional constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
. The decision to invite King Mindaugas II was annulled and this helped to reconcile the political factions. The functions of government were entrusted to a 3-member presidium, and Augustinas Voldemaras
Augustinas Voldemaras
Augustinas Voldemaras was a Lithuanian nationalist political figure. He served as the country's first Prime Minister in 1918, and again from 1926 to 1929.- Biography :...
was invited to form the first Cabinet of Ministers. The first government was formed on November 11, 1918, the day that Germany signed the armistice in Compiègne
Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)
The armistice between the Allies and Germany was an agreement that ended the fighting in the First World War. It was signed in a railway carriage in Compiègne Forest on 11 November 1918 and marked a victory for the Allies and a complete defeat for Germany, although not technically a surrender...
. The council began to organize an army, police, local government, and other institutions. It also expanded to include ethnic minorities (Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
and Belarusians
Belarusians
Belarusians ; are an East Slavic ethnic group who populate the majority of the Republic of Belarus. Introduced to the world as a new state in the early 1990s, the Republic of Belarus brought with it the notion of a re-emerging Belarusian ethnicity, drawn upon the lines of the Old Belarusian...
).
As German forces retreated and Bolshevik
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists , derived from bol'shinstvo, "majority") were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903....
forces approached Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
, on January 2, 1919 the council moved to Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
. The Freedom Wars
Freedom wars of Lithuania
The Lithuanian Wars of Independence, also known as the Freedom Struggles , refer to three wars Lithuania fought defending its independence at the end of World War I: with Bolshevik forces , Bermontians , and Poland...
started. On April 4, the second provisional constitution was adopted, creating the office of President of Lithuania. Antanas Smetona, as the chairman of the council, became the first president. The German forces did not leave Lithuania until July 1919. Due to wars and other turmoil, elections to the Constituent Assembly of Lithuania
Constituent Assembly of Lithuania
The Constituent Assembly of Lithuania was democratically elected in 1920 to draft and adopt the 1922 constitution of Lithuania.- Historical background :...
were not held until spring of 1920. The council adjourned on May 15, 1920.