Lietuvos užsienio reikalų ministerijos likvidavimas

ENIncorporation of Lithuania into the USSR implied the liquidation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, since this institution had served as a symbol of independence. When the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vincas Krėvė resigned from this post, it was taken over by Glovackas, a communist. However, numerous documents were found to have been signed in the name of Krėvė well after his resignation. These falsifications were purposeful actions on the part of the Bolsheviks. Decisions, diminishing the sovereignty of the country, made by the occupant People Seimas, provoked negative reactions on the part of Lithuanian diplomats abroad. Škirpa, Lozoraitis, Žadeikis, Girdvainis, Balutis, Graužinis, Šaulys and others presented Notes of Protest to the respective governments of their service as official representatives of the Government of Lithuania. The notes urged withholding recognition of any new status of Lithuania related to an incorporation into the USSR. Twenty-eight of the forty-three foreign countries, which had maintained diplomatic relations with Lithuania, took a stand against the annexation of Lithuania. The United State, Great Britain, the Vatican and certain others continued to support and maintain relations with the Lithuanian representatives in their countries until 1990. Bolshevik authorities sought all means to force compliance from Lithuanian representatives, and to appropriate Lithuanian property and archives. The contemporary political situation enabled an easy take-over of Lithuanian representative offices in Moscow, Estonia, Latvia, Germany, Italy, France and Sweden. Officials of Lithuania, who had not submitted to the new Soviet authority, were punished. They lost Lithuanian citizenship, their property was confiscated, and any possibility for a return to Lithuania, forestalled.Meanwhile, all the embassies and consulates of foreign countries within Lithuania were being liquidated. By September 5, all foreign diplomatic offices had been closed, except Germany, later to be revealed the ally of the USSR. The Committee for the Liquidation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, formed by the Council of Ministers of the LSSR and directed by Glovackas, began work on August 9th. By September 15th, the Ministry of Lithuania had been liquidated.