Motiejus Šumauskas
Encyclopedia
Motiejus or Matas Šumauskas (October 2, 1905 in Kaunas
– May 28, 1982 in Vilnius
) was a Lithuania
n communist activist and politician. He served as the Chairman of the Council of Ministers (equivalent to Prime Minister) from 1956 to 1963 and Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Lithuanian SSR
(de jure
head of state) from 1967 to 1975.
Šumauskas received only primary education and earned a living working at a printing press. He joined the Lithuanian Communist Party in 1924. For his communist activities he was jailed in 1929, served a six-year sentence from 1931 to 1937, and was imprisoned again in 1939. Šumauskas was freed after the Soviet ultimatum in June 1940
and was elected to the People's Seimas. He became chairman of the trade unions and People's Commissar of Local Industry of the Lithuanian SSR
. During World War II
he retreated to the Russian SFSR, joined the 16th Rifle Division
and was a Soviet partisan leader in the environs of Švenčionys
and Lake Narach.
After the war, Šumauskas became Deputy Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars (1944–1950, 1953–1954). He replaced Mečislovas Gedvilas
as the Chairman of the Council of Ministers in 1956. Gedvilas was demoted to Minister of Education due to tensions between him and Antanas Sniečkus
, the First Secretary of the Lithuanian Communist Party. From 1967 to 1975 Šumauskas served as the Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Lithuanian SSR
and the Deputy Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. He was also a member of the Politburo
of the Central Committee
of the Lithuanian Communist Party.
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...
– May 28, 1982 in 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...
) 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 communist activist and politician. He served as the Chairman of the Council of Ministers (equivalent to Prime Minister) from 1956 to 1963 and Chairman of the Presidium 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...
(de jure
De jure
De jure is an expression that means "concerning law", as contrasted with de facto, which means "concerning fact".De jure = 'Legally', De facto = 'In fact'....
head of state) from 1967 to 1975.
Šumauskas received only primary education and earned a living working at a printing press. He joined the Lithuanian Communist Party in 1924. For his communist activities he was jailed in 1929, served a six-year sentence from 1931 to 1937, and was imprisoned again in 1939. Šumauskas was freed after the Soviet ultimatum in June 1940
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...
and was elected to the People's Seimas. He became chairman of the trade unions and People's Commissar of Local Industry 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...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he retreated to the Russian SFSR, joined the 16th Rifle Division
16th Rifle Division (Soviet Union)
The 16th Rifle Division , was a formation in the Red Army created during the Second World War. The division was formed twice, and was given the title 'Lithuanian' during its second formation. It was originally established at Novgorod in October 1939. It was wiped out at Mga in 1941...
and was a Soviet partisan leader in the environs of Švenčionys
Švencionys
Švenčionys is a city located north of Vilnius in Lithuania. It is the capital of the Švenčionys district municipality. As of 2005, it had population of 5,658 of which about one-third is part of the Polish minority in Lithuania.- Name :...
and Lake Narach.
After the war, Šumauskas became Deputy Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars (1944–1950, 1953–1954). He replaced Mečislovas Gedvilas
Mečislovas Gedvilas
Mečislovas or Mečys Gedvilas was a Lithuanian politician who collaborated with occupying Soviet forces. He served as the first Prime Minister of the Lithuanian SSR from 1940 to 1956....
as the Chairman of the Council of Ministers in 1956. Gedvilas was demoted to Minister of Education due to tensions 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. From 1967 to 1975 Šumauskas served as the Chairman of the Presidium 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...
and the Deputy Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. He was also a member of the Politburo
Politburo
Politburo , literally "Political Bureau [of the Central Committee]," is the executive committee for a number of communist political parties.-Marxist-Leninist states:...
of the Central Committee
Central Committee
Central Committee was the common designation of a standing administrative body of communist parties, analogous to a board of directors, whether ruling or non-ruling in the twentieth century and of the surviving, mostly Trotskyist, states in the early twenty first. In such party organizations the...
of the Lithuanian Communist Party.