Prof. Vinco Krevės-Mickevičiaus pastangos išsaugoti Lietuvos savarankiškumą (1940 06 17-07 22)
ENWhen the Red Army occupied Lithuania on June 15, 1940, Moscow had already devised its plan to establish a local pro-Soviet government, one which would execute a program of Sovietization, and lead the country to join the USSR in a manner that would appear to be on the basis of free will. Negotiations between Moscow emissary Dekanozov, and the Lithuanian acting president and Prime Minister Merkys, on the issue of a new Lithuanian Government succeeded in a compromise. A Government lead by pro-Soviet Prime Minister Paleckis was formed on June 17, 1940. Professor Vincas Krėvė-Mickevičius was appointed to the position of Assistant Prime Minister and Cabinet Minister for Foreign Affairs. Krėvė was born on October 19, 1882 in Subartonys, Varėna district. From 1904 to 1908, he studied at universities of Kiev and Lvov. From 1909 to 1920, Krėvė-Mickevičius worked as a teacher in Baku, Azerbaijan. He was also the Lithuanian representative to the Azerbaijan Government during the same time. From 1922 to 1940, Krėvė-Mickevičius was a professor at Kaunas University. He edited and published various academic publications and periodicals. Krėvė-Mickevičius was a member of the left-wing Nationalists Movement, and a member of the Society for Understanding of the Culture of Soviet Nations. From 1939 to 1940, he was the Chairman of the Society of Lithuanian Writers. Though Krėvė-Mickevičius supported liberal ideas, and spoke out for closer relations with the USSR, he was also an active supporter of independent Lithuania. At that time, the so-called People’s Government, led by Paleckis, split into two groups, one nationalist and one pro-Communist. Krėvė-Mickevičius belonged to the national faction, together with Galvanauskas and Vitkauskas. This group attempted to retain Lithuania’s self dependence as long as possible, and not permit the Bolsheviks to destroy the national economy and social structure.The Bolsheviks needed Krėvė-Mickevičius, as a figure of authority in Lithuania. In addition, Krėvė-Mickevičius had been among those, who had spoken out against the former regime of Smetona. Krėvė-Mickevičius agreed to par ticipate in the Cabinet of Ministers, only after advance consultations with other Lithuanian statesmen, Šilingas, Galvanauskas, Merkys and Sidzikauskas. These men convinced Professor Krėvė-Mickevičius to join the Government in order to prolong Lithuania’s independence. The Bolsheviks began enlarging the Government by gradually appointing more and more ministers, well disposed towards Moscow. The now-legalized Lithuanian Communist party led anti-State activities and instigated people. The USSR embassy and the leaders of the Red Army in Kaunas supported the actions. Krėvė-Mickevičius expressed objections against Soviet incitements to favor the USSR Government, and decided to resign his post. However, the old Lithuanian intelligentsia begged him to delay such a decision as long as possible. Krėvė-Mickevičius held a naive hope that if Bolshevik politics were not criticized openly and to a great extent, their actions in Lithuania would be less harmful. He believed that Lithuania might keep its economic and organizational independence, at least until the beginning of the war between the USSR and Germany. For this reason, Krėvė-Mickevičius sent reassuring news, emphasizing that not all had been lost, and that the essential foundation of the State had not yet changed to Lithuanian representatives abroad. Unfortunately, Lithuanian representatives were misled by such reports. As Minister of Foreign Affairs, Krėvė-Mickevičius was primarily in contact with USSR representatives. He made efforts to safeguard the Lithuanian market from the low-valued Russian rubles, being issued in circulation in large numbers by the 250,000 military occupants.Krėvė-Mickevičius attempted to preserve the borders with Germany under Lithuania’s control. However, the speed of the Sovietization effort prompted a meeting between Krėvė-Mickevičius and Molotov in Moscow on July 1, 1940. At that time, Molotov made it relatively clear that after the abolition of independence, Lithuania would be included into the USSR. Krėvė-Mickevičius had remained in the People’s Government until the Peoples’ Seimas started its activities in the vain hope that the Bolsheviks would delay the destruction of Lithuanian statehood until the beginning of the war against Germany. When a falsified meeting of the People’s Seimas issued a resolution stating that Lithuania had joined the USSR on July 21, 1940, Krėvė-Mickevičius resigned from politics. By attempting to retain the foundation of Lithuania statehood as long as possible, Krėvė-Mickevičius tried to liberalize and democratize the society in which he believed, as a guarantee of independence. However, his activities only quickened the process of Sovietization in Lithuania in one manner or another. Krėvė-Mickevičius had continued the same policy of connivance toward the neighbor countries, which had already been initiated by Mironas, Černius and Merkys. From 1941 to 1944, Krėvė-Mickevičius was a professor at Vilnius University. When the Bolsheviks began approaching Lithuania, he relocated to Austria, and then to the United States. The professor lectured in Slavonic Studies at Pennsylvania University. Krėvė-Mickevičius wrote his memoirs prior to his death on July 7, 1954, in Philadelphia.
