On election day, Kaunas remembers the personality and activities of President Antanas Smetona

In 2024, in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the President of the Republic of Lithuania Antanas Smetona, the Historical Presidency in Kaunas dedicates the 18th outdoor photography exhibition to him. On May 12, the day of the presidential election of the Republic of Lithuania, the exhibition “President Antanas Smetona: between authority and authoritarian” will be opened in the garden of the museum.

Such a time has been chosen, when the public going to the polls must realize how important their vote is – the elected president of the Republic of Lithuania will be the first among the citizens of Lithuania, the best seen and heard representative of the state for the next five years.

It is important to emphasize – the content of the exhibition invites you to vote responsibly, but in no way does it campaign for any candidate.

The new exhibition of archival photographs reveals the transformation of A. Smetonas as a person and a politician: as a member of democratic-minded Lithuanian national societies and the chairman of the Council of Lithuania, he constantly sought unity and compromise when declaring the independence of Lithuania in 1918. by the resolution of February 16.

Later, after 1926 returned to the post of president after a military coup, turned into an authoritarian with the title of Commander of the Nation? Why was his desire for power so strong that it was necessary to remove from power not only his former close comrade Augustinas Voldemar, who became a political rival, but also the entire Seimas? Why was it necessary to ban all political parties in the country and leave only the only Union of Lithuanian Nationalists?

The photo exhibition reveals not only the nearly 15-year rule of the country, but also the transformation of the personality of President A. Smetona himself. It is symbolic that the stand presenting this exhibition features two portraits of A. Smetona: on one side, 1920. in the photo taken, the democratic leader of the country is sitting on a bench, and in the other, in 1928, sitting in an ornate chair. immortalized leader of the nation seeking authoritarian rule.

May 12 12.00, 13.30 and 15.00 there will be a tour of the exhibition with curator dr. Ingrida Jakubavičiene.

The exhibition “President Antanas Smetona: between authority and authoritarian” can be visited free of charge every day from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Those who want not only to see, but also to hear the story of A. Smetona’s political transformations, can order a tour with a tour guide at tel. +370 37 20 17 78.

The exhibition is open: 12.05.2024 – 31.10.2024

Organizers of the exhibition: Historical Presidency of the Republic of Lithuania in Kaunas, National MK Čiurlionis Art Museum. Exhibition curator: dr. Ingrida Jakubavičienė. Exhibition designer: Jonas Vaikšnoras. Exhibition partners: Kretinga Museum, Central State Archives of Lithuania, Maritime Museum of Lithuania, Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore, National Museum of Lithuania, Šilutė Hugo Šojaus Museum.

The event is part of the program of the anniversary year of the President of the Republic of Lithuania Antanas Smetonas (1874–1944) at the Historical Presidency of the Republic of Lithuania in Kaunas.

The project is financed by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania.