Augustinas Voldemaras

Augustinas Voldemaras (16 April 1883 – 16 May 1942) was a Lithuanian nationalist political figure. He briefly served as the country's first prime minister in 1918 and continued serving as the minister of foreign affairs until 1920, representing the fledgling Lithuanian state at the Versailles Peace Conference and the League of Nations. After some time in academia, Voldemaras returned to politics in 1926, when he was elected to the Third Seimas.

Dissatisfied with the left-wing government of President Kazys Grinius, Voldemaras and fellow nationalist Antanas Smetona supported the military coup d'état in December 1926 and he was appointed as the prime minister for a second time. A brilliant orator, Voldemaras represented the radical wing of the Lithuanian Nationalist Union that was increasingly critical of the more moderate policies of President Smetona. Smetona had Voldemaras removed from office in September 1929 and exiled to Zarasai. Voldemaras was arrested in 1934 after the failed coup against Smetona and served a prison sentence until he was exiled to France in 1938. Returning to Lithuania soon after the Soviet occupation of Lithuania, he was promptly arrested by the Soviet authorities and died in their custody in Moscow.

Early life and education

Voldemaras was born on 16 April 1883 in Dysna village in what is now Ignalina district municipality, Lithuania (then part of the Vilna Governorate of the Russian Empire). Though born to a family of modest means and education, Augustinas excelled at his studies. He finished public school in nearby Tverečius and graduated from a three-year school in Švenčionys. In 1890, he moved to Saint Petersburg to join his brother who had been working there. In 1902, Voldemaras passed the exams to enter a gymnasium, eventually graduating with distinction in 1904. While preparing for the exams in 1901, Voldemaras met Antanas Smetona, who would become his close friend, political collaborator, and, eventually, his political nemesis.

In 1909, Voldemaras graduated with a degree in History and Philosophy at the Saint Petersburg Imperial University and, in 1910, received his Master's Degree and was awarded a gold medal for his dissertation. A scholarship fund was set up to enable him to further his studies, and eventually, he achieved his PhD. After a period of studying in Italy and Sweden, Voldemaras returned to the university (now named Petrograd Imperial University) in 1915 and joined its staff. He moved to Perm to become a professor when the Imperial University opened its branch there (the branch would later become Perm State University). However, Voldemaras was not satisfied with the living conditions in Perm and planned his return to Lithuania. and was particularly critical of President Kazys Grinius and his government, which came to power after the elections of 1926. He saw Grinius as too lenient on minority rights and advocated for a stronger, more dictatorial government like the fascist regimes that were gaining power in much of Europe at the time.

In 1926, a segment of the army that disagreed with the Grinius administration planned a military coup d'état. They appealed for support to Voldemaras and Antanas Smetona, now leaders of the Lithuanian Nationalist Union, and both agreed. The coup took place on 17 December, deposing Grinius and installing Smetona as the president for a second time and Voldemaras as prime minister. To assuage public opinion in both Lithuania and the outside world, Grinius agreed to appoint Voldemaras as the prime minister on the condition that he uphold the constitution of 1922. Although Voldemaras did make this commitment, he and Smetona reneged on it within a year, when the Third Seimas was dissolved and no new elections were called. Voldemaras joked at the time that he had promised to hold elections, but had made no promises about in which year. Ostensibly a youth sport organization and registered as such in 1928,

Assassination attempt and fall from power

Geležinis Vilkas and Voldemaras's more radical stance created friction with Smetona. As early as the beginning of 1929, Smetona was preparing to oust Voldemaras from the government. These initial plans were revised by an attempt on Voldemaras's life in May. Three Lithuanian students, members of Aušrininkai, were accused of involvement in the assassination attempt, with one of them sentenced and executed. The outpouring of public and international support made it impossible for Smetona to dismiss Voldemaras, but pushed the latter to get even more involved with Geležinis Vilkas. In 1930, Voldemaras was exiled to Plateliai and later to Zarasai, where he lived under police surveillance.

Other activities and personal life

While in Perm, Voldemaras taught Roman history, Greek, Latin, and English at what would become Perm State University. After his stint in the government, he returned to academia in 1920, teaching courses and eventually joining the University of Lithuania (now Vytautas Magnus University) in Kaunas. At the university, he served as a professor and the dean of sociological studies. His academic works were highly acclaimed and in 1923-1924, he participated in international scientific congresses on History and Sociology. A polyglot, Voldemaras was familiar with sixteen different languages and wrote academic works in Lithuanian and French.

Books Национальная борьба в Великом Княжестве Литовском в XV и XVI веках (National struggle in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the 15th and 16th centuries), 1910. Archive.org Lithuanie et Pologne (Lithuania and Poland), 1920. Archive.org Les Relations Russo-Polono-Lithuaniennes (Russian-Polish-Lithuanian relations), 1920. Archive.org La Lithuanie et ses problèmes, Tome 1, Lithuanie et Allemagne (Lithuania and its problems, Volume 1, Lithuania and Germany), 1933. One volume only. Archive.org Raštai: 90 metų sukakčiai paminėti (Writings: 90th Anniversary Celebration), 1973. Archive.org Raštai: 100 metų gimimo sukakčiai paminėti (Writings: To commemorate the 100th anniversary of birth), 1983. Archive.org