Vilnius Conference

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

The Vilnius Conference met in Vilnius from September 18 to 22, 1917. It started Lithuania’s path toward independence from Russia, Poland, and Germany and elected a 20‑member Council of Lithuania to declare independence and guide the early work of the new state. The conference gave the council legal authority to act, but said the specifics of the government would be decided later by a democratically elected Constituent Assembly.

Background: Lithuania had been independently governed in the medieval era, but in 1569 it joined with Poland to form the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Commonwealth ended in the late 18th century, and most Lithuanian lands became part of the Russian Empire. A Lithuanian independence movement grew in the 19th century and gained new momentum during World War I, when Germany occupied Lithuania and planned a network of puppet states. Lithuanians pressed for real national representation and elections, and negotiations led to a conference that would reflect Lithuanian aspirations, though elections were not allowed.

At the conference, 264 representatives were chosen and 214 attended. The meetings were held behind closed doors with no German delegates. The delegates focused on three main ideas: Lithuania should become an independent, democratic state; it should cover lands that were ethnically Lithuanian; and the details of the government would be decided later by a Constituent Assembly elected by the people. The conference also promised cultural rights for national minorities.

Five months later, on February 16, 1918, the Council of Lithuania issued the Act of Independence of Lithuania, setting the path for a free, democratic Lithuanian state. In practice, minorities were given certain rights, and over time some groups gained representation in government. The issue of the Polish minority near Vilnius remained contested as the new state formed relationships with its neighbors and with Germany.