Lithuanian Tariba

Elected at the Vilnius Conference with the participation of 214 delegates, held under the direction of Jonas Basanavicius on September 18 - 22, 1917 at the Theater on Pogulianka . Antanas Smetona was elected Chairman. 5 places were reserved for representatives of the Belarusian , Jewish , Polish population.

Initially, 6 priests were selected (in addition to 4 Juozas Stankevicius from Vilna and Pranciskus Urbanavicius from Telš who entered Tariba), however, due to protests, part of the audience Juozas Stankevicius and Pranciskus Urbanavicius gave way to Stanislav Narutaevisius and Jarutaevisius Yarutaevisius and Jarutavisius .

• Jonas Basanavičius ( lit. Jonas Basanavičius )
• Salamonas Banaitis ( lit. Saliamonas Banaitis )
• Mykolas Biržiška ( lit. Mykolas Biržiška )
• Kazis Bizauskas ( lit. Kazys Bizauskas )
• Jonas Vailokaitis ( lit. Jonas Vailokaitis )
• Jonas Vileišis
• Pranas Dovydaitis ( lit. Pranas Dovydaitis )
• Steponas Kairys ( lit. Steponas Kairys ) Social Democrat
• Petras Klimas ( lit. Petras Klimas )
• Donatas Malinauskas ( lit. Donatas Malinauskas )
• Vladas Mironas ( lit. Vladas Mironas ) priest
• Stanislav Narutovich ( lit. Stanislovas Narutavičius )
• Alfonsas Pyatrulis ( lit. Alfonsas Petrulis ) priest
• Antanas Smetona ( lit. Antanas Smetona )
• Jonas Smilgevičius ( lit. Jonas Smilgevičius )
• Justinas Staugaitis ( lit. Justinas Staugaitis ) priest
• Alexandras Stulginskis ( lit. Aleksandras Stulginskis )
• Jurgis Šaulys ( lit. Jurgis Šaulys ) non-partisan
• Kazimieras Steponas Šaulys ( lit. Kazimieras Steponas Šaulys ) priest
• Jokubas Šernas ( lit. Jokūbas Šernas )

In addition to the chairman Antanas Smetona, the presidium included Steponas Kairis (vice chairman), Justinas Staugaitis (vice chairman), Jurgis Šaulis (general secretary), Pyatras Klimas (secretary).

On July 18, 1918, Jurgis Alyakna , Augustinas Voldemaras , Elysius Daugialis , Martinas Ichas , Vytautas Pyatrulis , Juozas Puritskis were co-opted to Tariba.

During World War I, the territory of Lithuania since 1915 was occupied by German troops ( Ober Ost territory).

On December 11 (24), 1917 , that is, shortly after the start of the Brest negotiations , Tariba adopted a declaration on the restoration of Lithuania’s independence and “eternal allied relations of the State of Lithuania with Germany”. 14 members voted in favor, 2 abstained, 4 voted against. On January 18, 1918, they (J. Vileisis, S. Kairis, S. Narutovic, J. Smigliavicius) presented their version of the act of independence, which affirmed the freedom of Lithuania from any union obligations and represented the decision of the fate of the state to the Constituent Seimas. Under their pressure, on February 16, 1918, Tariba adopted the “ Lithuanian Independence Act ”. It was signed by all 20 members of Tariba.

The issue of the Lietuvos Aydas newspaper, in which the Independence Act was published, was confiscated by German authorities; Martin Kuchta’s printing house, in which the Independence Act was printed on a separate sheet, was closed. On February 21, the German Chancellor notified Tariba that the German state cannot recognize Lithuania’s independence on a basis other than those recorded in the December declaration. On February 28, the Presidency of Tariba declared that the two declarations did not contradict each other, the December Declaration established the basis for future relations between Lithuania and Germany, and that Tariba agreed to the recognition of independence in accordance with the principles of the declaration of December 11 (24), 1917 .

On March 23, 1918, Emperor William II recognized the independence of Lithuania. On the basis of the act on the recognition of Lithuanian statehood, signed by William II, Tariba was transformed into the Council of State of Lithuania on July 11, 1918 .

On July 13, 1918, the State Council of Lithuania decided to establish a constitutional monarchy in Lithuania and propose to the Württemberg Prince Wilhelm von Urach the crown of the Kingdom of Lithuania (under the name of Mindaugas II ). On November 2, 1918, this decision was revoked. The main provisions of the Interim Constitution of Lithuania were adopted. Guided by these provisions, the Presidium of the State Council on November 11, 1918 approved the first provisional government of Lithuania out of six ministers under the leadership of Augustinas Voldemaras , thereby giving rise to the creation of the Lithuanian state apparatus.

In connection with the advance of the red units on Vilna on January 2, 1919, the Council moved to Kovno . On April 4, 1919 , the State Council adopted the second provisional Constitution of Lithuania, establishing the introduction of the post of president . Antanas Smetona was elected the first president of Lithuania . On April 16, the Council was dissolved, but soon resumed its activities, which ended with the convening of the Constituent Seimas ( May 15, 1920 ).