Search for the system of the state during the period of its restoration 100 years ago

Lithuanian politicians had a choice as to what kind of the State of Lithuania should be created – they were hoping to restore the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, but the inhabitants of its eastern part spoke Belarusian or Polish, and this hindered the idea of creating a nation state based on the principle of the self-determination of nations. Thus, it was decided to form the Lithuanian statehood on the territory of ethnographic Lithuania (with certain exceptions), which was almost entirely administered by the German occupational authorities. The Lithuanian Conference, convened with permission from Germany in Vilnius on 18–22 September 1917, elected the Council of Lithuania, which consisted of 20 persons. In 1917–1918, the conservative majority of the Council tried to create a constitutional monarchy while following Germany’s lead, since neither the Entente Powers nor Russia nor (later) Poland had given any future promises. On 11 December 1917, the Council of Lithuania proclaimed Lithuania’s independence, but, at the same time, had to pledge a perpetual bond of alliance with Germany, which was to be achieved on the basis of four conventions concerning military affairs, customs duties, currency, and transport. According to the Chairman of the Council, Antanas Smetona, the four conventions were the only way, because, in other cases, he said, “The Bolsheviks or the Poles would have come and run the whole show”. The German authorities did not recognise the Act of 16 February 1918, which proclaimed Lithuania’s independence from all other countries, and committed itself to recognising the State of Lithuania only on the basis of the resolution of 11 December 1917 (which it did on 23 March 1918), to helping Lithuania obtain international recognition, and to supporting Lithuania’s affairs at the upcoming post-war peace conference. The idea of a monarchy was advocated by the Catholic Centre of the Reichstag and one of its leaders, Matthias Erzberger, who proposed a candidate for the royal throne of Lithuania. The Council made a concrete move on 11 July 1918, by inviting Wilhelm von Urach, count of Württemberg, to occupy the throne as Mindaugas II. The monarch was not crowned, because Germany ignored this fact on the grounds that no agreements on the mutual four conventions had been concluded. By the way, the draft monarchical Constitution of Lithuania also indicated that Lithuania and Germany were related on the basis of the four conventions. The plan to declare Lithuania a constitutional monarchy was followed as long as the Council believed that Germany would win the war. However, after Germany had capitulated and after the revolutions had wiped out the monarchies, by means of the Fundamental Principles of the Provisional Constitution of the State of Lithuania of 2 November 1918 and the Fundamental Principles (bearing the same title) of 4 April 1919, the State of Lithuania was declared. The Constituent Seimas had to establish the form of government and the constitution, and, on 15 May 1920, it declared Lithuania a Republic. Thus, the period of the State of Lithuania lasted until the middle of May 1920 (therefore, on 4 April 1919, Antanas Smetona was elected President of the State of Lithuania, but not the President of the Republic of Lithuania)