Antanas Merkys

Antanas Merkys, born on February first, eighteen eighty-seven, was a prominent Lithuanian politician and lawyer. He is best remembered as the last Prime Minister of independent Lithuania, a position he held from November nineteen thirty-nine until June nineteen forty. His tenure was marked by significant political turmoil as Lithuania faced external pressures from the Soviet Union.

When the Soviet Union issued an ultimatum demanding the establishment of a Soviet garrison in Lithuania, President Antanas Smetona fled the country, leaving Merkys in a precarious position. In the wake of this crisis, Merkys assumed the role of acting president, a move that would later be viewed as controversial. His actions during this period suggested a degree of cooperation with the Soviets, leading to his illegal assumption of the presidency.

After a brief three-day period, Merkys transferred power to Justas Paleckis, who subsequently established the People's Government of Lithuania. This transition marked a significant shift in the political landscape of the country during a time of great uncertainty.

In an attempt to escape the escalating situation, Merkys sought to flee Lithuania but was ultimately captured. He was deported to the interior of Russia, where he spent the remainder of his life until his death in nineteen fifty-five.