Antanas Smetona Biography

Antanas Smetona was a very significant Lithuanian political leader who represented strong national interests and was at the helm of Lithuania's government between the two world wars. The turbulent times of Lithuania's struggle for independence from the Bolsheviks and Polish invaders were followed by a period of prosperity under his governance. The first president of independent Lithuania and also the last one before Lithuania fell into the hands of the Soviet Union, he had been politically active from a young age, joining organizations with strong ties to nationalist and anti-czarist ideology. He showed himself as a man of convictions and leadership. He stood up to repressive influences of the forces attempting to dominate his country. As a journalist, he wrote powerfully against political oppression during times of conflict and war. Highly motivated, he joined the Lithuanian Democratic Party as a member, rising to the position of representative of the party to the Great Assembly of Vilnius. With his bold but conservative ideas, determination and involvement in various committees, he progressed dynamically towards a nationalistic political career. His pro-German stance and belief that Lithuania's independence would be best achieved through an alliance with Germany was met with strong disapproval by the members of the newly-established Lithuania Council towards the end of the First World War. He became increasingly autocratic during his second presidency, assuming sweeping presidential powers and suppressing opposition; yet his style was centrist and neither radical nor extreme