People's Parliament
Encyclopedia
The People's Seimas was a puppet legislature organized in order to legitimate the occupation and annexation of Lithuania
by the Soviet Union
. After the Soviet ultimatum in June 1940
, a new pro-Soviet government was formed, known as the People's Government. The new government dismissed the Fourth Seimas
and announced elections to the People's Seimas. After the rigged elections, the new parliament unanimously adopted the resolution to transform independent Lithuanian into the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic. Lithuanian petition to be accepted into the Soviet Union was accepted on August 3, 1940. The People's Seimas adopted a new constitution, a close copy of the 1936 Soviet Constitution
, on August 25 and renamed itself to the Supreme Soviet of the Lithuanian SSR
.
According to Lithuanian and Western sources, these events were merely a cover to create an illusion of constitutional legitimacy of the forcible Soviet occupation. When Lithuania declared its independence in 1990, it took the line that the actions of the People's Seimas--and indeed, the entire process of annexation--violated both Lithuanian and international law, and it was merely reasserting an independence that legally still existed. According to Soviet and Russian sources, the Lithuanian people, like the Estonians and the Latvians, had carried out a socialist revolution independent of Moscow's influence and had voluntarily requested admission into the USSR.
: Lithuania would receive a portion of Vilnius Region
in exchange for Soviet bases within Lithuania. Similar pacts were already signed with Latvia and Estonia. Finland rejected similar proposal and the Soviets started the Winter War
which delayed the occupation of the Baltic States. As the Winter War was over and Germany was winning the Battle of France
, Soviets heightened their propaganda accusing Lithuania of abducting its soldiers from the bases in Lithuania and conspiring with Latvia and Estonia against the Soviet Union. On June 14, 1940 the Soviet Union issued an ultimatum
to Lithuania, demanding to form a new pro-Soviet government and to allow unspecified number of the Red Army
soldiers to enter Lithuanian territory.
Lithuania accepted the ultimatum and on June 15 Russian army entered Lithuania unopposed. People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs Vladimir Dekanozov
arrived to supervise the process of the annexation of Lithuania.
President Antanas Smetona
was forced into exile, leaving Prime Minister Antanas Merkys
as acting president. On 16 June, Merkys appointed a new pro-Soviet Government headed by Justas Paleckis
. It later became known as the People's Government. Merkys then resigned, leaving Paleckis acting president. Writer Vincas Krėvė-Mickevičius
became the new Prime Minister. These moves are now considered unconstitutional, since Smetona never resigned. For all intents and purposes, Lithuania had lost its independence.
On June 27, Paleckis dissolved the Fourth Seimas of Lithuania
, citing the Constitution of 1938.
emerged from underground with 1500 members after the Soviet invasion. Soon afterward, the government announced formation of the Union of the Working People of Lithuania, ostensibly a popular front. Voters were presented with a single list of candidates, including some non-Communists. Just one candidate was proposed for every seat in the new parliament. No other organizations were allowed to participate. On July 11 and 12, the Soviet authorities reduced the possible points of opposition by arresting leading figures of the old regime and deporting some of them to the interior of the Soviet Union – even though Lithuania was still formally an independent state. Later elections were extended into July 15. Each voter had his or her passport stamped after voting. According to the official results, voter turnout reached 95% and the Union list received over 99% of the votes. Most of the original election records were destroyed. The remaining bits show that turnout was indeed high, but a lot of ballots were invalid (missing, destroyed, left blank, or marked with anti-Soviet slogans). The results were announced even before the polls closed--a classic sign of massive election fraud.
, Minister of Defence and Commander of the Army Vincas Vitkauskas, former priest and chief control inspector Liudas Adomauskas, chairman of the trade unions Motiejus Šumauskas
, Communist Party activists Karolis Didžiulis-Grosmanas and Icikas Meskupas-Adomas, writers Liudas Gira
and Petras Cvirka, poetess Salomėja Nėris
, Palanga
mayor Stasė Vaineikienė, soldier Victoras Ditkevičius, farmers Juozas Demskis and Birutė Abdulskaitė, workers Kazys and Pranas Petrauskas, Pranas Zibertas, and Marija Kutraitė. Each member of the delegation received 5,000 litas
payment for their signatures, which was a substantial sum for that time.
The Soviet Union approved the Lithuanian resolution on August 3, and the People's Seimas declared itself the provisional Supreme Soviet of the Lithuanian SSR
.
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...
by the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. 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...
, a new pro-Soviet government was formed, known as the People's Government. The new government dismissed the Fourth Seimas
Fourth Seimas of Lithuania
The Fourth Seimas of Lithuania was the fourth parliament elected in Lithuania after it declared independence on February 16, 1918. The elections took place on June 9 and June 10, 1936, a bit less than ten years after the Third Seimas was dissolved by President Antanas Smetona. The Seimas commenced...
and announced elections to the People's Seimas. After the rigged elections, the new parliament unanimously adopted the resolution to transform independent Lithuanian into the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic. Lithuanian petition to be accepted into the Soviet Union was accepted on August 3, 1940. The People's Seimas adopted a new constitution, a close copy of the 1936 Soviet Constitution
1936 Soviet Constitution
The 1936 Soviet constitution, adopted on December 5, 1936, and also known as the "Stalin" constitution, redesigned the government of the Soviet Union.- Basic provisions :...
, on August 25 and renamed itself to 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...
.
According to Lithuanian and Western sources, these events were merely a cover to create an illusion of constitutional legitimacy of the forcible Soviet occupation. When Lithuania declared its independence in 1990, it took the line that the actions of the People's Seimas--and indeed, the entire process of annexation--violated both Lithuanian and international law, and it was merely reasserting an independence that legally still existed. According to Soviet and Russian sources, the Lithuanian people, like the Estonians and the Latvians, had carried out a socialist revolution independent of Moscow's influence and had voluntarily requested admission into the USSR.
Background
According to the German–Soviet Boundary and Friendship Treaty, Lithuania was assigned to the Soviet sphere of influence. Almost immediately Lithuanian diplomats were invited to Moscow for negotiations. Soviets proposed the Soviet–Lithuanian Mutual Assistance TreatySoviet–Lithuanian Mutual Assistance Treaty
The Soviet–Lithuanian Mutual Assistance Treaty was a bilateral treaty signed between the Soviet Union and Lithuania on October 10, 1939. According to provisions outlined in the treaty, Lithuania would acquire about one fifth of the Vilnius Region, including Lithuania's historical capital, Vilnius,...
: Lithuania would receive a portion of Vilnius Region
Vilnius region
Vilnius Region , refers to the territory in the present day Lithuania, that was originally inhabited by ethnic Baltic tribes and was a part of Lithuania proper, but came under East Slavic and Polish cultural influences over time,...
in exchange for Soviet bases within Lithuania. Similar pacts were already signed with Latvia and Estonia. Finland rejected similar proposal and the Soviets started the Winter War
Winter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
which delayed the occupation of the Baltic States. As the Winter War was over and Germany was winning the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
, Soviets heightened their propaganda accusing Lithuania of abducting its soldiers from the bases in Lithuania and conspiring with Latvia and Estonia against the Soviet Union. On June 14, 1940 the Soviet Union issued an 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...
to Lithuania, demanding to form a new pro-Soviet government and to allow unspecified number of the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
soldiers to enter Lithuanian territory.
Lithuania accepted the ultimatum and on June 15 Russian army entered Lithuania unopposed. People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs Vladimir Dekanozov
Vladimir Dekanozov
Vladimir Georgievich Dekanozov ) was a Soviet senior state security operative and diplomat.-Before Second World War:...
arrived to supervise the process of the annexation of Lithuania.
President 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...
was forced into exile, leaving Prime Minister Antanas Merkys
Antanas Merkys
Antanas Merkys |Bajorai]], near Skapiškis, Vilna Governorate of the Russian Empire; died on March 5, 1955 in Vladimir Oblast, Soviet Union) was the last Prime Minister of independent Lithuania, serving from November 1939 to June 1940. When Soviet Union presented an ultimatum to Lithuania, President...
as acting president. On 16 June, Merkys appointed a new pro-Soviet Government headed by Justas Paleckis
Justas Paleckis
Justas Paleckis was a Lithuanian journalist and politician. He was acting president of Lithuania after the Soviet invasion while Lithuania was still ostensibly independent, in office from June 17 – August 3, 1940....
. It later became known as the People's Government. Merkys then resigned, leaving Paleckis acting president. Writer Vincas Krėvė-Mickevičius
Vincas Kreve-Mickevicius
Vincas Mickevičius , better known by his pen name Vincas Krėvė-Mickevičius, was a Lithuanian writer, poet, novelist, playwright and philologist...
became the new Prime Minister. These moves are now considered unconstitutional, since Smetona never resigned. For all intents and purposes, Lithuania had lost its independence.
On June 27, Paleckis dissolved the Fourth Seimas of Lithuania
Fourth Seimas of Lithuania
The Fourth Seimas of Lithuania was the fourth parliament elected in Lithuania after it declared independence on February 16, 1918. The elections took place on June 9 and June 10, 1936, a bit less than ten years after the Third Seimas was dissolved by President Antanas Smetona. The Seimas commenced...
, citing the Constitution of 1938.
Elections
On July 1, the Paleckis government announced elections to a new parliament, the People's Seimas, to be held on June 14. The Communist Party of LithuaniaCommunist 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:...
emerged from underground with 1500 members after the Soviet invasion. Soon afterward, the government announced formation of the Union of the Working People of Lithuania, ostensibly a popular front. Voters were presented with a single list of candidates, including some non-Communists. Just one candidate was proposed for every seat in the new parliament. No other organizations were allowed to participate. On July 11 and 12, the Soviet authorities reduced the possible points of opposition by arresting leading figures of the old regime and deporting some of them to the interior of the Soviet Union – even though Lithuania was still formally an independent state. Later elections were extended into July 15. Each voter had his or her passport stamped after voting. According to the official results, voter turnout reached 95% and the Union list received over 99% of the votes. Most of the original election records were destroyed. The remaining bits show that turnout was indeed high, but a lot of ballots were invalid (missing, destroyed, left blank, or marked with anti-Soviet slogans). The results were announced even before the polls closed--a classic sign of massive election fraud.
Annexation
The People's Seimas met on July 21, 1940. Its sole order of business was a resolution creating the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic and requesting the Soviet Union to admit Lithuania into the Union. This resolution was passed by acclamation. Twenty representatives were to deliver the declaration to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR: acting President Justas Paleckis, Minister of the Interior Mečys Gedvilas, Minister of Agriculture Matas Mickis, Minister of Education Antanas VenclovaAntanas Venclova
Antanas Venclova was a Lithuanian and Soviet politician, poet, journalist and translator.- Early life :He studied Lithuanian, Russian and French at the Vytautas Magnus University, in Kaunas. In 1936, Venclova visited the USSR, and became fascinated with the Soviet system and its culture...
, Minister of Defence and Commander of the Army Vincas Vitkauskas, former priest and chief control inspector Liudas Adomauskas, chairman of the trade unions Motiejus Šumauskas
Motiejus Šumauskas
Motiejus or Matas Šumauskas was a Lithuanian communist activist and politician. He served as the Chairman of the Council of Ministers from 1956 to 1963 and Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Lithuanian SSR from 1967 to 1975.Šumauskas received only...
, Communist Party activists Karolis Didžiulis-Grosmanas and Icikas Meskupas-Adomas, writers Liudas Gira
Liudas Gira
Liudas Gira was a Lithuanian poet, writer, and literary critic. His is noted for his early poetry, which resembles traditional Lithuanian folk songs. Gira was active in cultural and political life, gradually shifting towards communism in 1930s...
and Petras Cvirka, poetess Salomėja Nėris
Salomeja Neris
Salomėja Nėris - Lithuanian poetess.- Biography :Nėris was born in Kiršai, in the current district of Vilkaviškis. She graduated from the University of Lithuania where she studied Lithuanian and German language and literature.After that she was a teacher in Lazdijai, Kaunas, and Panevėžys...
, 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:...
mayor Stasė Vaineikienė, soldier Victoras Ditkevičius, farmers Juozas Demskis and Birutė Abdulskaitė, workers Kazys and Pranas Petrauskas, Pranas Zibertas, and Marija Kutraitė. Each member of the delegation received 5,000 litas
Lithuanian litas
The Lithuanian litas is the currency of Lithuania. It is divided into 100 centų...
payment for their signatures, which was a substantial sum for that time.
The Soviet Union approved the Lithuanian resolution on August 3, and the People's Seimas declared itself the provisional 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...
.