Mečislovas Gedvilas
Encyclopedia
Mečislovas or Mečys Gedvilas (October 19, 1901 – February 15, 1981) was a Lithuania
n politician who collaborated with occupying Soviet forces
. He served as the first Prime Minister of the Lithuanian SSR
from 1940 to 1956.
Gedvilas' family was deported to Russia for violation of the Lithuanian press ban
in 1904. Gedvilas studied at the Saint Petersburg State Institute of Technology
from 1919 to 1922. After return to Lithuania he worked as a teacher in Palanga
(1923–1927) and as a director of state patient fund in Telšiai
(1928–1940). He was active in various left-wing political organizations and publications. For these activities he was briefly jailed several times by the authoritarian regime of Antanas Smetona
. Troubles with the law enforcement brought Gedvilas closer to the communist activists. After the Soviet ultimatum
in June 1940, Gedvilas became Minister of Internal Affairs in the People's Government and was elected to the People's Seimas. He helped to transition Lithuania into the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic thus legitimizing the Soviet occupation
.
Gedvilas served as Chairman of Council of People's Commissars of Lithuania (in 1946 renamed to the Council of Ministers) from August 25, 1940 to January 16, 1956 (equivalent to Prime Minister). In this capacity he signed off on persecution order, including the mass deportation of the Lithuanians into gulag
s and other forced settlements. From 1952 to 1956, he was a candidate to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
. Gedvilas was demoted to Minister of Education due to tensions and political rivalry between him and Antanas Sniečkus
, the first secretary of the Lithuanian Communist Party. Gedvilas is credited for rebuilding a number of schools and introducing eleven-year secondary education. He retired from the ministry in 1973. Gedvilas was a delegate of the Supreme Soviet of the Lithuanian SSR
in 1940–1975 and of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union in 1941–1962. In 1975, he published a memoir book Lemtingas posūkis (The Fateful Change), which was translated into Russian in 1979. The book contained essays and speeches regarding World War II (1940–1945).
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 politician who collaborated with occupying Soviet forces
Occupation and annexation of the Baltic states by the Soviet Union (1940)
The occupation and annexation of the Baltic states by the Soviet Union covers the period from the Soviet–Baltic mutual assistance pacts in 1939, to the illegal annexation in 1940, to the mass deportations of 1941...
. He served as the first Prime Minister of the Lithuanian SSR
Lithuanian SSR
The Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Lithuanian SSR, was one of the republics that made up the former Soviet Union...
from 1940 to 1956.
Gedvilas' family was deported to Russia for violation of the Lithuanian press ban
Lithuanian press ban
The Lithuanian press ban was a ban on all Lithuanian language publications printed in the Latin alphabet within the Russian Empire, which controlled Lithuania at the time. Lithuanian-language publications that used the Cyrillic alphabet were allowed and even encouraged...
in 1904. Gedvilas studied at the Saint Petersburg State Institute of Technology
Saint Petersburg State Institute of Technology
Saint Petersburg State Institute of Technology is one of the oldest institutions of higher education in Russia , it currently trains around 5000 students.-History:...
from 1919 to 1922. After return to Lithuania he worked as a teacher in Palanga
Palanga
Palanga and beautiful sand dunes. Officially Palanga has the status of a city municipality and includes Šventoji, Nemirseta, Būtingė and other settlements, which are considered as part of the city of Palanga.-Legend:...
(1923–1927) and as a director of state patient fund in Telšiai
Telšiai
Telšiai , is a city in Lithuania with about 35,000 inhabitants. It is the capital of Telšiai County and Samogitia region, and it is located on Lake Mastis.-Names:...
(1928–1940). He was active in various left-wing political organizations and publications. For these activities he was briefly jailed several times by the authoritarian regime of 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...
. Troubles with the law enforcement brought Gedvilas closer to the communist activists. After the Soviet ultimatum
1940 Soviet ultimatum to Lithuania
The Soviet Union issued an ultimatum to Lithuania before midnight of June 14, 1940. The Soviets, using a formal pretext, demanded to allow an unspecified number of Soviet soldiers to enter the Lithuanian territory and to form a new pro-Soviet government...
in June 1940, Gedvilas became Minister of Internal Affairs in the People's Government and was elected to the People's Seimas. He helped to transition Lithuania into the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic thus legitimizing the Soviet occupation
Occupation and annexation of the Baltic states by the Soviet Union (1940)
The occupation and annexation of the Baltic states by the Soviet Union covers the period from the Soviet–Baltic mutual assistance pacts in 1939, to the illegal annexation in 1940, to the mass deportations of 1941...
.
Gedvilas served as Chairman of Council of People's Commissars of Lithuania (in 1946 renamed to the Council of Ministers) from August 25, 1940 to January 16, 1956 (equivalent to Prime Minister). In this capacity he signed off on persecution order, including the mass deportation of the Lithuanians into gulag
Gulag
The Gulag was the government agency that administered the main Soviet forced labor camp systems. While the camps housed a wide range of convicts, from petty criminals to political prisoners, large numbers were convicted by simplified procedures, such as NKVD troikas and other instruments of...
s and other forced settlements. From 1952 to 1956, he was a candidate to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , abbreviated in Russian as ЦК, "Tse-ka", earlier was also called as the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party ...
. Gedvilas was demoted to Minister of Education due to tensions and political rivalry between him and Antanas Sniečkus
Antanas Snieckus
Antanas Sniečkus was First Secretary of the Lithuanian Communist Party from August 1940 to January 22, 1974.- Biography :Antanas Sniečkus was born in 1903, in the village of Būbleliai, near Šakiai. During the First World War, his family fled to Russia where he observed the Russian revolution of 1917...
, the first secretary of the Lithuanian Communist Party. Gedvilas is credited for rebuilding a number of schools and introducing eleven-year secondary education. He retired from the ministry in 1973. Gedvilas was a delegate of the Supreme Soviet of the Lithuanian SSR
Supreme Soviet of the Lithuanian SSR
The Supreme Soviet of the Lithuanian SSR was the supreme soviet of the Lithuanian SSR, one of the republics comprising the Soviet Union. The Supreme Soviet was established in August 1940 when the People's Seimas declared itself the provisional Supreme Soviet...
in 1940–1975 and of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union in 1941–1962. In 1975, he published a memoir book Lemtingas posūkis (The Fateful Change), which was translated into Russian in 1979. The book contained essays and speeches regarding World War II (1940–1945).