Opting for the national: the failure of the Lithuanian Committee for the Universality of Rome, 1934–1939

ABSTRACT

The article analyzes one of the Lithuanian experiments in constructing some form of pro-fascist political system during 1930s, specifically focusing on the events leading to the establishment of the Lithuanian section of the Italian-led Action Committees for the Universality of Rome (CAUR). One of its initial goals and functions was facilitation of the processes of fascistization of the country. However, even though officially the Lithuanian CAUR section functioned from 1934 and until 1939, yet, thanks to the unwillingness of the Lithuanian political elites to proceed down the path of fascism, this led to the section’s gradual demise.

KEYWORDS:

• Lithuania
• Italy
• fascism
• CAUR
• radicalism

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Lithuanian Research Council (grant number P-LIP-20-12).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. The codification of Italian fascist ideology took some time. It was only in 1932 that Mussolini and Giovanni Gentile published the official Fascist Doctrine (Sabatini 1997).

2. For example: V. [Juozas Purickis]. 1925. ‘Fašizmo stiprėjimas.’ Lietuva, 15 July 1925; Jt. 1925. ‘Fašistų revoliucijos trejų metų sukaktuvės.’ Lietuva, 10 November; ‘Fašizmo įsigalėjimas Italijoj.’ 1925. Lietuva, 13 November; ‘Rymas – tarptautinio katalicizmo sostinė. Fašistų spauda dėl jubiliejinių metų.’ 1926. Rytas, 1 January; J. Švaistra [J. Balčiūnas-Švaistas]. 1926. ‘Kodėl Italijoj fašizmas laikosi?’ Rytas, 8 January. For more on the Lithuania’s relations with the Holy See, see: Kasparavičius (2008).

3. Aleksandrovsky was well aware of the political situation in Lithuania. In fact, for quite some time Soviet Russia provided modest financial support to the opposition nationalist Tautininkai Union, its leaders, and the periodical press (for more, see: Butkus 2019, 536–551).

4. N. Pascazio. ‘Relazione sul viaggio in Lituania’ (no date; most probably second half of November 1933). Archivio Centrale dello Stato (State Central Archive, hereafter – ACS), Ministero della Cultura Popolare, Direzione generale servizi della propaganda, poi per gli scambi culturali (1930–1944). Propaganda per gli stati esteri, paese Lituania, fund 154, folder ‘Fascismo in Lituania,’ unnumbered pages.

5. Officially, the Institute did not receive financial support from the state, although the membership of high-ranking officials suggests that there might have been some indirect financing of its activities.

6. For a compendium of Riomeris’ lecture and the discussion that followed it, see: Mačys (1933). Similar plans were considered at the beginning of 1932, when the statute of the new institute was prepared and submitted for approval by the head of the Kaunas region, but for some reason the school did not open. See: Didžiulis, Iz [Tamošaitis] (1933).

7. The program included lectures such as: Tamošaitis’ ‘The Renaissance of Idealism,’ J. Tomkus’ ‘Democracy at a Crossroads,’ V. Juodeika’s ‘New Guidelines for Social Life,’ J. Valančius’ ‘New Directions in Economic Theory and Practice,’ J. Keliuotis’ ‘Religion and Contemporary Life,’ and Riomeris’ ‘The Origins of Communal Law.’ Abridged versions of some of the lectures were published in the main periodical press: I (1933); Tomkus (1933).

8. Not going too deep into the matter, it needs to be said that apart from organizing public lectures, the main field of the SPMI’s activities was the struggle against German Nazi propaganda in the Klaipėda region and the promotion of Lithuanian nationalism there. Starting from 1935, however, the SPMI became very involved in reforming the state bureaucracy, especially its ideological education (Rimgaudas 1935). The Institute’s activities intensified especially with the beginning of the organization of administrative courses, so much so that in 1940 there were thoughts of opening a separate institute of administration (Lingėnas 1940). This issue became very pressing after the return of Vilnius and its region, because, according to the periodical press, many students-nationalists who worked in Kaunas were reluctant to join the administration and continue their education in Vilnius. For this reason, the urgent preparation of the nationalistically-minded administrative staff was delegated to the SPMI. See: ‘Atsivertimas (1940); ‘Pradėtos administ mokslų paskaitos (1940); ‘Kaip norima reformuoti mūsų administraciją. Reikšmingi ministerio pirmininko A. Merkio žodžiai (1940).

9. This is partially reflected in some of the paragraphs of the new Tautininkai Union’s statute. For example, the restructuring of the state according to corporatist principles can be seen in the declaration that ‘The country’s representatives should be called from the organizations [underlining mine – VP] composed of the state’s fundamental areas of culture, agriculture, business, and labor’ (Lietuvių tautininkų sąjungos žinynas 1, 28 December 1933: 11).

10. N. Pascazio. ‘Relazione sul viaggio in Lituania’

11. “L’idea fascista totalitaria e l’idea romana contro l’idea tedesca della superioritàdi razza in Lituania. Preparazione del Comitato lituano per l‘Universalità di Roma. Missione del Signor Nicola Pascazio (No. 1177/418; Kaunas, 20 November 1933).” ACS, fund 154, folder ‘Fascismo in Lituania,’ unnumbered pages.

12. ‘L’idea fascista totalitaria … ’.

13. Amadori’s letter to the CAUR president Eugenio Coselschi and the minister of internal affairs Mussolini about the opening of the Lithuanian CAUR (19 March 1934) and the transcript of the first meeting: Coselschi, E. Lituania: Verbale della Prima seduta del Comitato di Kaunas dei C.A.U.R. ACS, fund 154, folder ‘Fascismo in Lituania’, unnumbered pages.

14. ‘Memoria. A. [Adalberto] Staneikos (28 November 1938).’ Lietuvos Centrinis Valstybes Archyvas (Lithuanian Central State Archives, hereafter – LCVA), f. 672, ap. 1, b. 138, l. 6–7.

15. As Staneika put it: ‘The activities were manifested mainly in public lectures by Tamošaitis, Kalvaitis and Tomkus, in which they explained different theories of fascism and ways of their implementation; also, lectures were given twice by two representatives of the CAUR center, who arrived from Rome specifically for this reason [one was Pavolini]. They conveyed the center’s thanks to the Lithuanian CAUR for organizing the festive celebrations of the fascist revolution (two years in a row), special receptions and celebratory dinners in the Italian consulate, the organization of a dinner honoring Mr Amadori, and for the casual sittings and meetings.’ LCVA, f. 672, ap. 1, b. 138, l. 6–7.

16. ‘Memoria. A. Staneikos’: 6–7.

17. ‘Memoria. A. Staneikos’: 6–7.

18. The letter from the correspondent of the Stefani news agency and CAUR representative in the Baltic region Vittorio Foschini to Merkys (15 November 1938). LCVA, f. 672, ap. 1, b. 138, l. 3; Di Giura’s congratulatory letter to Merkys (17 December 1938). LCVA, f. 672, ap. 1, b. 138, l. 8. It is interesting to note that in the letters, Merkys was addressed as a Chevalier of the Grand Cross (Cavaliere di Gran Croce), which was one of the most prestigious awards of the Italian state.

19. Coselschi’s letter to Merkys (23 November 1938). LCVA, f. 672, ap. 1, b. 138, l. 4.

20. Documents about the preparation and reception of the event: ACS, fund ‘Lituania,’ folder 154, file ‘Kaunas’

21. ‘N.di Pllo: 366/176. Governo-Smetona-Tubelis nei rapporti della situazione interna e della politica estera della Lituania. Uomini politici di Kaunas e loro storielle (14 April 1935).’ L’Archivio Storico Diplomatico del Ministero degli Affari Esteri, fund”, folder: N. 10 (1935), file: Rapporti politici (2-o trimestre), unnumbered pages. See also: Petronis and Griffante (2020).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Lietuvos Mokslo Taryba [P-LIP-20-12].

Notes on contributors

Vytautas Petronis

Vytautas Petronis is a PhD Researcher at the Lithuanian Institute of History in Vilnius. His current research primarily focuses on investigations of radical right- and left-wing movements in the Russian empire and interwar Lithuania, political terrorism, and ideological radicalism.