Vincas Mickevicius-Kapsukas
Encyclopedia
Vincas Mickevičius-Kapsukas ( in Būdviečiai, Vilkaviškis district — 17 February 1935 in Moscow
) was a Lithuania
n political activist, one of the founders and leaders of the Communist Party of Lithuania
and the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (1918–1919)
.
Born to a family of wealthier farmers, Mickevičius studied at the Marijampolė gymnasium from 1890 to 1897. After graduation he enrolled into the Sejny Priest Seminary
, but was expelled after a year for his activities against the Tsarist authorities. He participated in the Lithuanian National Revival
, contributing and editing weekly Varpas
and Ūkininkas
and disseminating illegal Lithuanian literature during the Lithuanian press ban
. Mickevičius chose his pen name Kapsukas after Vincas Kapsas, one of the pen names of Vincas Kudirka
, founder of Varpas. Mickevičius' political views turned increasingly socialist and against Lithuanian independence.
In 1904 he established Social Democratic Workers' Party, which soon merged into the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party. Despite his position as member of the Central Committee, Mickevičius did not persuade the Party to join the Bolshevik
movement in Russia. During the Russian Revolution of 1905
, he organized worker strikes in Suvalkija
. From 1907 he was imprisoned and exiled several times for his political activities by the Tsarist authorities, but at the end of 1913 he escaped the Russian Empire
. In Europe he joined Communist movement and met with Vladimir Lenin
. In 1918 Mickevičius was sent to establish and govern the short-lived Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (1918–1919)
, which several months later was joined with the Socialist Soviet Republic of Byelorussia
to form the Lithuanian–Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, commonly referred to as Litbel. After the failure of these republics, Mickevičius left for Soviet Russia, where he continued to lead Lithuanian communist and work for Comintern
. During a visit to see Joseph Stalin
in Moscow
, in 1935, he died under mysterious circumstances and his family was repressed.
After the Soviet occupation of Lithuania, his student Antanas Sniečkus
propagated Mickevičius' personality cult. In his honor the city of Marijampolė
was renamed Kapsukas (1956–1989) and Vilnius University
(1955–1990) bore his name. Two large sculptures of Mickevičius were erected in Vilnius
: one in front of the Vilnius Town Hall (1962) and another, depicting Mickevičius with Lenin, in Antakalnis
(1979).
His son, bearing his name, continues to reside in Vilnius, while his grandson, Rimvydas, lives in California with his wife and two children.
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
) 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 political activist, one of the founders and leaders of the Communist Party of Lithuania
Communist Party of Lithuania
The Communist Party of Lithuania was a communist party in Lithuania, established in early October 1918. The party was banned in December 1926.-History:...
and the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (1918–1919)
Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (1918–1919)
The Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic was an early short-lived Soviet republic declared on December 16, 1918 by the provisional revolutionary government, led by Vincas Mickevičius-Kapsukas...
.
Born to a family of wealthier farmers, Mickevičius studied at the Marijampolė gymnasium from 1890 to 1897. After graduation he enrolled into 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...
, but was expelled after a year for his activities against the Tsarist authorities. He participated in the Lithuanian National Revival
Lithuanian National Revival
Lithuanian National Revival, alternatively Lithuanian National Awakening , was a period of the history of Lithuania in the 19th century at the time when a major part of Lithuanian inhabited areas belonged to the Russian Empire...
, contributing and editing weekly Varpas
Varpas
Varpas was a monthly Lithuanian-language newspaper published during the Lithuanian press ban from January 1889 to December 1905...
and Ūkininkas
Ūkininkas
Ūkininkas or Ukinįkas was a monthly Lithuanian-language newspaper published during the Lithuanian press ban by the editorial staff of Varpas from 1890 to 1905...
and disseminating illegal Lithuanian literature during 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...
. Mickevičius chose his pen name Kapsukas after Vincas Kapsas, one of the pen names of Vincas Kudirka
Vincas Kudirka
Vincas Kudirka was a Lithuanian poet and physician, and the author of both the music and lyrics of the Lithuanian National Anthem, Tautiška giesmė. He is regarded in Lithuania as a National Hero. Kudirka used pen names - V...
, founder of Varpas. Mickevičius' political views turned increasingly socialist and against Lithuanian independence.
In 1904 he established Social Democratic Workers' Party, which soon merged into the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party. Despite his position as member of the Central Committee, Mickevičius did not persuade the Party to join 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....
movement in Russia. 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 organized worker strikes in Suvalkija
Suvalkija
Suvalkija or Sudovia is the smallest of the five cultural regions of Lithuania. Its unofficial capital is Marijampolė. People from Suvalkija are called suvalkiečiai or suvalkietis . It is located south of the Neman River, in the former territory of Vilkaviškis bishopric...
. From 1907 he was imprisoned and exiled several times for his political activities by the Tsarist authorities, but at the end of 1913 he escaped 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...
. In Europe he joined Communist movement and met with Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and communist politician who led the October Revolution of 1917. As leader of the Bolsheviks, he headed the Soviet state during its initial years , as it fought to establish control of Russia in the Russian Civil War and worked to create a...
. In 1918 Mickevičius was sent to establish and govern the short-lived Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (1918–1919)
Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (1918–1919)
The Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic was an early short-lived Soviet republic declared on December 16, 1918 by the provisional revolutionary government, led by Vincas Mickevičius-Kapsukas...
, which several months later was joined with the Socialist Soviet Republic of Byelorussia
Socialist Soviet Republic of Byelorussia
The Socialist Soviet Republic of Byelorussia or Soviet Socialist Republic of Belarus was an early republic in the historical territory of Belarus after the collapse of the Russian Empire as a result of the October Revolution....
to form the Lithuanian–Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, commonly referred to as Litbel. After the failure of these republics, Mickevičius left for Soviet Russia, where he continued to lead Lithuanian communist and work for Comintern
Comintern
The Communist International, abbreviated as Comintern, also known as the Third International, was an international communist organization initiated in Moscow during March 1919...
. During a visit to see Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, in 1935, he died under mysterious circumstances and his family was repressed.
After the Soviet occupation of Lithuania, his student 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...
propagated Mickevičius' personality cult. In his honor the city of Marijampolė
Marijampole
Marijampolė is an industrial city and the capital of the Marijampolė County in the south of Lithuania, bordering Poland and Russian Kaliningrad oblast, and Lake Vištytis. The population of Marijampolė is 48,700...
was renamed Kapsukas (1956–1989) and Vilnius University
Vilnius University
Vilnius University is the oldest university in the Baltic states and one of the oldest in Eastern Europe. It is also the largest university in Lithuania....
(1955–1990) bore his name. Two large sculptures of Mickevičius were erected 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...
: one in front of the Vilnius Town Hall (1962) and another, depicting Mickevičius with Lenin, in Antakalnis
Antakalnis
Antakalnis is an eldership in the Vilnius city municipality, Lithuania. Antakalnis is one of the oldest historical suburbs of Vilnius City. It is located in the eastern section of Vilnius, along the right bank of the Neris River...
(1979).
His son, bearing his name, continues to reside in Vilnius, while his grandson, Rimvydas, lives in California with his wife and two children.