Mykolas Sleževičius

Mykolas Sleževičius ( born February 21, 1882 in Drembliai at Raseiniai, † November 11, 1939 in Kaunas, Lithuania ) was a Lithuanian lawyer, politician and Prime Minister.

• 2.1 Notes and references

Life

Study and career

After graduating from high school he graduated from Jelgava in 1901 to study law at the University of Odessa, from which he graduated in 1907 with the state exam. While still a student, he was a participant in the Russian Revolution of 1905. After graduating, he returned to Lithuania back and joined the Lithuanian Democratic Party ( Lietuvos demokratų partija ) at.

From 1907 to 1912 he was editor of the newspaper " Lithuanian peasant " ( Lietuvos Ūkininkas ) and at the same time from 1910 to 1912 the newspaper "Lithuanian news " ( Lietuvos zinios ). He then worked as a lawyer until 1915 he left Lithuania after the German invasion and settled in Russia.

Independence and Prime Minister from 1918 to 1919

On December 26, 1918, he was the successor of Augustinas Voldemaras second Prime Minister of the independent Republic of Lithuania. On March 12, 1919, he resigned because he refused to rule with dictatorial powers.

Prime Minister 1919

On April 12, 1919, he took over again as prime minister by his successor Pranas Dovydaitis. During this term of office volunteer army was established, which mainly Polish nationalist Military Organization (POW, Polish Polska Organizacja Wojskowa ) fought. The POW looked Lithuania remains as part of Poland. With support for the armed forces Sleževičius came in sharp contrast to the former Prime Minister Voldemaras, who was of the opinion that the Lithuanian militia are sufficient for defense against the Polish nationalist organizations. The Government of Sleževičius also laid the foundation for some state institutions in the field of finance, the case law and the municipal administration. In addition, a first draft law for land reform was developed. On October 7, 1919 Sleževičius was replaced by Ernestas Galvanauskas.

After the flare-up of an armed conflict between Poland and Lithuania in 1920, he was elected as Chairman of the Lithuanian National Defence Commission ( Vyriausias Lietuvos Gynimo Komitetas ), and practiced as such, oversees the organization of the armed forces.

Prime Minister in 1926 and Lithuanian - Soviet non-aggression pact

On October 10, 1922 Sleževičius was elected deputy of the first parliament ( Seimas ), where he represented until 1927, the interests of the Lithuanian peasants Union ( Lietuvos Valstiečių Liaudininkų Sąjunga ). From 1922 to 1936 he was also chairman of the Central Committee of the party.

On 15 June 1926 he was the successor of Leonas Bistras prime minister again, this time he led a coalition of his peasants Union with the Social Democrats for the first time participating in the government. As such, he was on 28 September 1926 in Moscow next to the Soviet People's Commissar of Foreign Affairs ( Foreign Minister ) Georgi Vasilyevich Chicherin signatory of an offer called " gentlemen's agreement " non-aggression pact with the USSR, which contributed from the Soviet point of view to the influence of Great Britain on the Baltic States to reduce. During this time, he was also acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Justice.

Also in sharp rejection of this turn to the Soviet Union his government was overthrown by a coup d'etat by Antanas Smetona and Lieutenant General Povilas Plechavičius on 17 December 1926.

He subsequently withdrew largely from politics and was returned to the bar for various organizations and banks. In addition Sleževičius acted as an actor and director at the Theatre of Kaunas.