Antanas Juozapavičius

Memorial stone at the foot of the Juozapinė mountain, with the words of Antanas Juozapavičius "I am Lithuanian. That is my honour" inscribed on it.

Antanas Juozapavičius (13 February 1894 – 13 February 1919) was the first officer of the Army of the Republic of Lithuania to die while fighting in the Lithuanian Wars of Independence.

Biography Antanas Juozapavičius was born to Juozapas Juozapavičius and his wife Marijona Juozapavičienė. He was born in the small Švakštonys manor, which the parents were renting. As farming was financially unsuccessful, the family moved to Riga, where Juozapas Juozapavičius worked as a wagoner.

Death Juozapavičius was wounded on the bridge of Alytus during the Battle of Alytus on his 25th birthday, when the regiment had to retreat for fear of encirclement, as the neighbouring allied German soldiers unexpectedly retreated. However, Lithuanians quickly retook control of Alytus.

Burial He was buried on 14 February 1919 in the churchyard of . On 28 April 1919, he was ceremoniously reburied in the cemetery of Alytus, next to the .