February 16 in History: Celebrate Lithuanias Independence Day

Autors: Jānis Pēteris Bērziņš
Avots: BalticTravelnews.com

Our neighboring country's fateful Act of Independence was adopted on February 16, 1918, when all 20 members of the Lithuanian Council, led by Jonas Basanavičius, signed a document proclaiming the restoration of the independent state of Lithuania, a state that the Russian Empire had abolished in 1795 by annexing its territory.

Reklāma

This historic decision was the culmination of months of work that began at the Vilnius Conference in September 1917, where the Lithuanian Council was established and the goals of independence were defined. The act not only restored statehood, but also clearly stipulated the creation of a democratic republic with Vilnius as its capital.

Interestingly, the original Act of Independence was long considered lost. It was only found again in 2017 in German archives, more than 99 years after it was signed. Jonas Basanavičius, the leader of the signing of the act, is called the “father of the nation.” He was not only a politician, but also a doctor, a folklorist, and one of the symbols of the Lithuanian national awakening.

Lithuania became the first of the three Baltic states to regain its independence during World War I, inspiring other nations to strive for freedom.

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