Ernestas Galvanauskas
Encyclopedia
Biržai district municipality
Biržai district municipality Lithuanian municipality, located in northern Lithuania, Aukštaitija ethnographic region, Panevėžys County.The towns of Biržai and Vabalninkas lie within the district. About 64% of its land is agricultural, including a number of organic farms...
; died July 24, 1967 in Aix-les-Bains
Aix-les-Bains
Aix-les-Bains is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.It is situated on the shore of Lac du Bourget, by rail north of Chambéry.-Geography:...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) was a 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...
n engineer, politician and one the founders of the Lithuanian Peasants' Union (which later merged with the Lithuanian Popular Peasants' Union). He also served twice as Prime Minister of Lithuania
Prime Minister of Lithuania
The Prime Minister of Lithuania is the head of the executive arm of Lithuania's government, and is chosen by the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas. The modern office of Prime Minister was established in 1990, although the official title was "Chairperson of the Council of Ministers" until 25...
.
Biography
In 1902 Galvanauskas completed his secondary education at the Gymnasium of Jelgava, Latvia. He then took up studies in engineering in St. Petersburg, Russia. In 1905 he was active in the Russian Revolution of 1905Russian Revolution of 1905
The 1905 Russian Revolution was a wave of mass political and social unrest that spread through vast areas of the Russian Empire. Some of it was directed against the government, while some was undirected. It included worker strikes, peasant unrest, and military mutinies...
in Lithuania, and founded the Lithuanian Peasants' Union. Later he was elected as a delegate to the Great Seimas of Vilnius
Great Seimas of Vilnius
The Great Seimas of Vilnius , was a major assembly held on December 4 and 5, 1905 in Vilnius, Lithuania, then part of the Russian Empire, largely inspired by the Russian Revolution of 1905. It was the first modern national congress in Lithuania and dealt primarily not with the social issues that...
Between 1906-1919 he lived first in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, and then in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, where he completed his studies and received a diploma in mining engineering. In 1919 he was a member of the Lithuanian delegation at the Versailles Conference being held in Paris. In October of 1919, Galvanauskas became Prime Minister of Lithuania
Prime Minister of Lithuania
The Prime Minister of Lithuania is the head of the executive arm of Lithuania's government, and is chosen by the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas. The modern office of Prime Minister was established in 1990, although the official title was "Chairperson of the Council of Ministers" until 25...
, and held this office until April 1920. During that time he also held the offices of Finance, Trade, and Minister of Industry. In 1921 Galvanauskas was also a delegate to the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
, where he worked to establish international recognition of Lithuania.
Between February 1922 and June 1924, Galvanauskas was also Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Lithuania)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania is participating in formation of Lithuania's Foreign Affairs policy and represent interest of Lithuania and its citizens, protect their rights. The current head of the Ministry is Audronius Ažubalis...
. During this period, Galvanauskas' efforts also helped to establish the University of Lithuania in 1923.
Klaipėda years
Galvanauskas was a major force behind the Klaipėda RevoltKlaipeda Revolt
The Klaipėda Revolt took place in January 1923 in the Klaipėda Region . The region, located north of the Neman River, was detached from the East Prussia of the German Empire by the Treaty of Versailles and became a mandate of the League of Nations. It was placed under provisional French...
. Afterwards Galvanauskas led the Lithuanian delegation in Paris, that negotiated the Klaipėda Convention
Klaipėda Convention
Klaipėda Convention was an international agreement between Lithuania and the countries of the Conference of Ambassadors signed in Paris on May 8, 1924. According to the Convention, the Klaipėda Region became an autonomous region under unconditional sovereignty of Lithuania...
to determine the future of the Klaipėda Region
Klaipėda Region
The Klaipėda Region or Memel Territory was defined by the Treaty of Versailles in 1920 when it was put under the administration of the Council of Ambassadors...
.
Between 1924 and 1927, Galvanauskas was accredited to the Court of St. James's
Court of St. James's
The Court of St James's is the royal court of the United Kingdom. It previously had the same function in the Kingdom of England and in the Kingdom of Great Britain .-Overview:...
in London and became Lithuania's ambassador to Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. After the 1926 Lithuanian coup d'état
1926 Lithuanian coup d'état
The 1926 Lithuanian coup d'état was a military coup d'etat in Lithuania that resulted in the replacement of the democratically elected government with a conservative authoritarian government led by Antanas Smetona. The coup took place on December 17, 1926 and was largely organized by the military;...
he resigned from that post and returned to Klaipėda
Klaipeda
Klaipėda is a city in Lithuania situated at the mouth of the Nemunas River where it flows into the Baltic Sea. It is the third largest city in Lithuania and the capital of Klaipėda County....
where he devoted himself mostly to teaching. In 1927-1928 he was chairman of Klaipėda's port board, chairman of Klaipėda's Teachers Society, and between 1934-1939 he established the Klaipėda Commerce Institute, and was its director. He was involved in re-organizing Klaipėda's woodworking industry, and founded a building company that constructed apartments for workers. He also founded Klaipėda's Trade School. He was member of the board of directors for the Rytas publishing house, and chief editor of the newspaper Vakarai.
In 1939-1940 he became Lithuanian Minister of Finance, but after the first Soviet occupation he fled to Klaipėda, which had been reoccupied by Germany in 1939. In 1941 the Nazi's arrested him and he was sent into exile.
Exile
At the end of 1946 Galvanauskas became head of the Supreme Committee for the Liberation of LithuaniaSupreme Committee for the Liberation of Lithuania
The Supreme Committee for the Liberation of Lithuania or VLIK was an organization seeking independence of Lithuania. It was established on October 25, 1943 during the Nazi occupation. After World War II it moved abroad and continued its operations in Germany and the United States...
. In 1947 he emigrated to Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
where he taught courses on commerce and industry. In 1963 Galvanauskas moved to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and lived there until his death.
Publications
- „Valstija ir mokesčiai” 1909,
- „Pologne et Lithuanie”, 1923,
- „Atsiminimai” 1925