Stasys Antanas Bačkis

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Stasys Bačkis
Born(1906-02-10)10 February 1906
Audrys Juozas Bačkis
Head of the Lithuanian Diplomatic Service
In office
24 December 1983 – 15 November 1987
Preceded byStasys Lozoraitis
Succeeded byStasys Lozoraitis Jr.

Stasys Antanas Bačkis (10 February 1906 – 10 November 1999) was a

Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1930 until 1938, Head of the Lithuanian Embassy in Paris and later Head of the Lithuanian Diplomatic Service in Washington D.C
. from 1983 until 1987.

A graduate of the

Audrys Juozas Bačkis
.

Biography

Early life and career

Bačkis was in born in Pantakoniai,

coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.[3] He received the Swedish Order of the Polar Star in 1935 and Italian Order of the Crown of Italy in 1937.[1] He was also rector of Valančius People's University (a folk high school) established by Pavasarininkai.[3]

Diplomat in Paris

In August 1938, he joined the Lithuanian embassy in Paris as first secretary. On 14 June 1940, German forces

Lithuanian SSR and incorporated into the Soviet Union. Klimas and other Lithuanian diplomats protested these developments and refused to transfer their posts to Soviet officials creating the Lithuanian Diplomatic Service. Acting in conditions of exile, the service continued to represent independent Republic of Lithuania. Pressured by French and Soviet officials, Bačkis surrendered the embassy building to the Soviets on 23 August 1940.[4] However, diplomatic privileges for existing à titre personnel diplomats were not revoked. That mean that Bačkis' diplomat identification would be annually renewed and that he could continue his diplomatic work and consular assistance. He did so from his private apartment until his departure to the United States in 1960.[4]

Bačkis' family in Lithuania was persecuted by the Soviets; his brother Juozas was

Estonian Diplomatic Services, but allowed them to function unofficially.[4] Bačkis continued to educate various officials about Lithuania's occupation and lobby for non-recognition of the Lithuanian SSR to ensure state continuity. He also published informational bulletins on Lithuanian affairs (including 33 issues of Questions Lithuaniennes, 8 issues of Bulletin Lithuanien, and book Peuples opprimés. La tragédie des Etats Baltes),[2][3] helped Lithuanian refugees, etc. In 1948, Bačkis made contacts with Juozas Lukša, an anti-Soviet partisan who managed to escape the Iron Curtain, and helped him spread information about the armed struggle.[4]

In 1949, Committee on Central and Eastern European Countries, chaired by British MP Harold Macmillan and representing various Eastern Bloc nations, was established by the European Movement.[5] Bačkis became vice-chairman of the Committee in 1951. He was also a Lithuanian representative to the Union of European Federalists, joined the Nouvelles équipes internationales (New International Teams),[4] and Assembly of Captive European Nations.[3] Bačkis also urged reestablishment of the Lithuanian Catholic Academy of Science and actively presented research papers in its sessions.[2] In 1950, he was awarded the Order of St. Gregory the Great by the Vatican.[1]

Bačkis was financially supported by the

Jurgis Baltrušaitis.[4]

Diplomat in Washington, D.C.

Bačkis departed France on 15 June 1960. The

Embassy of Lithuania in Washington, D.C. was headed by Juozas Kajeckas who maintained contacts with the United States Department of State that controlled the pre-war gold reserves and funded the entire Lithuanian Diplomatic Service.[6] Therefore, he thought the embassy was particularly important. Other diplomats did not approve his attitude and criticized his attempts to control the diplomatic service through finances. Kajackas' health deteriorated in 1975 and he reluctantly agreed to resign in June 1976.[6] Bačkis was promoted to chargé d'affaires. In August 1978, Stasys Lozoraitis appointed Bačkis his deputy and successor.[6]

By 1980, the gold reserve was exhausted and the Lithuanian diplomatic service faced the possibility that it would have to close due to lack of funds.

Cuban Interests Section. Bačkis managed to raise about $130,000 (equivalent to $436,000 in 2023) from Lithuanian Americans and repaired the building in 1981–1983.[9]

Stasys Lozoraitis, head of the Lithuanian Diplomatic Service, died on 24 December 1983. Bačkis, pursuant to a previous decree by Lozoraitis, assumed the position. However, in March 1986, while crossing a street Bačkis was hit by a car and severely injured.

Jurgis Baltrušaitis in 1988, Bačkis decided to return to Paris and, health permitting, resume his unofficial position there.[10] That left Lozoraitis a de facto leader of the diplomatic service.[11]

Post-independence

Lithuania

August 1991 Putsch, western countries officially recognized independent Lithuania. On 6 September 1991, Bačkis sent a resignation letter to Algirdas Saudargas, Minister of Foreign Affairs. That officially ended the Lithuanian Diplomatic Service in exile.[11]

In May 1992, Bačkis accompanied French president François Mitterrand on his official visit to Lithuania. In April 1993, Bačkis returned to Lithuania permanently.[1] In 1996, he was awarded the Grand Gross of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas and the Officer rank of the Legion of Honour.[1] He died in 1999 in Vilnius and was buried in Antakalnis Cemetery.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Kazlauskas, Albinas (2013-03-17). "Stasys Antanas Bačkis". Joniškėlis.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 2015-02-14.
  2. ^
    ISSN 1648-7230
    .
  3. ^
    ISSN 0002-208X
    .
  4. ^
    ISSN 1392-3463
    .
  5. ^ "The establishment of the European Movement". Centre Virtuel de la Connaissance sur l'Europe. 2012-09-13. Retrieved 2015-01-30.
  6. ^
    ISBN 9986-757-56-8
    .
  7. ^ a b Jonušauskas 2003, pp. 262–263.
  8. ^ a b c Jonušauskas 2003, pp. 269–274.
  9. ^ Jonušauskas 2003, pp. 303–305.
  10. ^ a b Jonušauskas 2003, pp. 305–306.
  11. ^ a b c Jonušauskas 2003, pp. 307–308.
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