Mykolas Krupavičius
Encyclopedia
Mykolas Krupavičius was a Lithuania
n priest and politician. He is best remembered for his involvement with the land reform in the interwar Lithuania.
In 1900 Krupavičius enrolled into the Veiveriai Teachers' Seminary
. He showed interest in politics from early days: during the Russian Revolution of 1905
he was arrested twice. After graduation in 1905, he worked as a teacher in the Łomża Governorate
and in Papilė
. In 1908 Krupavičius began his theological studies at the Sejny Priest Seminary
and continued them at the Saint Petersburg Roman Catholic Theological Academy. He was ordained into priesthood in June 1914. After graduation in 1917, he worked as a chaplain at a Lithuanian school in Voronezh
. At the same time he got involved with the Lithuanian Christian Democrats
and was sentenced to death by the Bolshevik revolutionary court. Krupavičius escaped the arrest and returned to Lithuania in May 1918. He joined activities of the Council of Lithuania
struggling to establish independent Lithuania. From the very beginning he was heavily involved with the land reform.
Krupavičius was elected to all Seimas
(parliament) and served as Minister of Agriculture from 1923 to 1926 in four different cabinets. After the 1926 Lithuanian coup d'état
, the Lithuanian Nationalists Union
usurped the political power and Krupavičius studied sociology, economics, and law at the Lille University and University of Toulouse
for two years. Upon return in 1930 he resumed his duties as priest and served Catholic congregations in Garliava
, Veiveriai, and Kalvarija. During the occupation of Lithuania by Nazi Germany
, Krupavičius together with Kazys Grinius
and Jonas Pranas Aleksa sent a letter to the German authorities protesting their attempts to colonize Lithuania. Krupavičius was arrested and deported to Germany where he was held under house arrest in a carmelite monastery in Regensburg
. In 1945 he was elected as chairman of the Supreme Committee for the Liberation of Lithuania
and served in such capacity for a decade. After the resignation he moved to the United States and largely retired from public life. Krupavičius published some 20 books on various topics in Lithuanian politics.
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 priest and politician. He is best remembered for his involvement with the land reform in the interwar Lithuania.
In 1900 Krupavičius enrolled into the Veiveriai Teachers' Seminary
Veiveriai Teachers' Seminary
Veiveriai Teachers' Seminary was a seminary in Veiveriai, Suwałki Governorate, Congress Poland . It was established as teachers' courses in 1866 and reorganized into a seminary in 1872. It prepared teachers for elementary schools in the Suwałki Governorate. During World War I, the seminary was...
. He showed interest in politics from early days: during the Russian Revolution of 1905
Russian 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...
he was arrested twice. After graduation in 1905, he worked as a teacher in the Łomża Governorate
Łomża Governorate
Łomża Governorate was an administrative unit of Congress Poland with seat in Łomża.-History:In 1867 territories of the Augustów Governorate and the Płock Governorate were divided into a smaller Płock Governorate, Suwałki Governorate and a recreated Łomża Governorate.In 1893, a small amount of...
and in Papilė
Papile
- History :The settlement was first mentioned in 1339, after the area was raided by the Livonian Order. Two hill-forts have been preserved since this time....
. In 1908 Krupavičius began his theological studies at the Sejny Priest Seminary
Sejny Priest Seminary
The Sejny Priest Seminary or Sejny Theological Seminary was a Catholic priest seminary established in Sejny in 1826. The courses lasted five years...
and continued them at the Saint Petersburg Roman Catholic Theological Academy. He was ordained into priesthood in June 1914. After graduation in 1917, he worked as a chaplain at a Lithuanian school in Voronezh
Voronezh
Voronezh is a city in southwestern Russia, the administrative center of Voronezh Oblast. It is located on both sides of the Voronezh River, away from where it flows into the Don. It is an operating center of the Southeastern Railway , as well as the center of the Don Highway...
. At the same time he got involved with the Lithuanian Christian Democrats
Lithuanian Christian Democrats
The Lithuanian Christian Democrats or LKD was a Christian-democratic political party in Lithuania. Originally established in 1905, it was closely associated with the Roman Catholic Church...
and was sentenced to death by the Bolshevik revolutionary court. Krupavičius escaped the arrest and returned to Lithuania in May 1918. He joined activities of the Council of Lithuania
Council of Lithuania
The Council of Lithuania , after July 11, 1918 The State Council of Lithuania , 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...
struggling to establish independent Lithuania. From the very beginning he was heavily involved with the land reform.
Krupavičius was elected to all Seimas
Seimas
The Seimas is the unicameral Lithuanian parliament. It has 141 members that are elected for a four-year term. About half of the members of this legislative body are elected in individual constituencies , and the other half are elected by nationwide vote according to proportional representation...
(parliament) and served as Minister of Agriculture from 1923 to 1926 in four different cabinets. 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;...
, the Lithuanian Nationalists Union
Lithuanian Nationalists Union
The Lithuanian Nationalist Union , also known as the Nationalists , was a nationalist, right-wing political party in Lithuania, founded in 1924 when the Party of National Progress merged with the Lithuanian Farmers' Association. It was the ruling party of Lithuania from the 1926 Lithuanian coup...
usurped the political power and Krupavičius studied sociology, economics, and law at the Lille University and University of Toulouse
University of Toulouse
The Université de Toulouse is a consortium of French universities, grandes écoles and other institutions of higher education and research, named after one of the earliest universities established in Europe in 1229, and including the successor universities to that earlier university...
for two years. Upon return in 1930 he resumed his duties as priest and served Catholic congregations in Garliava
Garliava
Garliava , is a city in Lithuania, considered a suburb of Kaunas. Garliava is located south from the center of Kaunas. In 1809 Józef Godlewski built a Holy Trinity church and named it Godlewo in his own honour, although Lithuanians started calling it Garliava. This year is generally viewed as the...
, Veiveriai, and Kalvarija. During the occupation of Lithuania by Nazi Germany
Occupation of Lithuania by Nazi Germany
The occupation of Lithuania by Nazi Germany refers to the occupation of Lithuania by Nazi Germany from the start of the German invasion of Soviet Union to the end of the Battle of Memel . At first the Germans were welcomed as "liberators" from the repressive Soviet regime which occupied Lithuania...
, Krupavičius together with Kazys Grinius
Kazys Grinius
Kazys Grinius was the third President of Lithuania, and held that office from 7 June 1926 to 17 December 1926.When Grinius was born in Selema, near Marijampolė, Lithuania was part of the Russian empire. He studied medicine at the University of Moscow and became a physician...
and Jonas Pranas Aleksa sent a letter to the German authorities protesting their attempts to colonize Lithuania. Krupavičius was arrested and deported to Germany where he was held under house arrest in a carmelite monastery in Regensburg
Regensburg
Regensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian administrative region Upper Palatinate...
. In 1945 he was elected as chairman of the Supreme Committee for the Liberation of Lithuania
Supreme 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...
and served in such capacity for a decade. After the resignation he moved to the United States and largely retired from public life. Krupavičius published some 20 books on various topics in Lithuanian politics.