„Opinion is Power“: the View of Swedish Society towards Lithuania in the Context of National Rights during 1915–1919

During the years of the First World War Swedish society took an active interest in the possibilities of a fair post-war international system. Both fighting alliances stated that the post-war international system should be based on national self-determination. Opinions in Sweden split on the principle of national self-determination or national rights. The differences were the sharpest between the traditional opponents, the conservatives and the social democrats. Both sides acknowledged the cultural significance of preserving the nationality of small nations. But conservatives looked fairly sceptically at the possible realisation of national self-determination as the creation of an independent statehood. The social democrats considered the principle of national rights, including the right to statehood, one of the most important prerequisites for a secure peace. Notwithstanding this difference of opinion, the possibilities for the Lithuanian and other oppressed people of Central Eastern Europe to ensure the realisation of their political aspirations was debated and evaluated in Sweden in the context of national rights. This connection of the liberation of oppressed people and the principle of national rights was further strengthened with the development of signs of an Entente victory. The press in Sweden described in fairly good detail the creation of the Lithuanian state in connection with Germany’s efforts to keep Lithuania under its influence. Fairly active Lithuanian journalistic propaganda is traceable in Sweden’s press during the years of the First World War. Lithuanians presented their political objectives and set forth arguments as to why Sweden should be interested in Lithuania’s statehood. The most active Lithuanian propagandist to express himself in the Swedish press during the years of the First World War was Ignas Šeinius. His journalistic efforts nevertheless cannot be evaluated unambiguouslyVytauto Didžiojo universiteta