 = Tautiška giesmė = 
 
 Tautiška giesmė ( The National Hymn ) is the national anthem of Lithuania , also known by its opening words " Lietuva , Tėvyne mūsų " ( official translation of the lyrics : " Lithuania , Our Homeland " , literally : " Lithuania , Our Fatherland " ) and as " Lietuvos himnas " ( Hymn of Lithuania ) . The music and lyrics were written in 1898 by Vincas Kudirka , when Lithuania was still part of the Russian Empire . The fifty @-@ word poem was a condensation of Kudirka 's conceptions of the Lithuanian state , the Lithuanian people , and their past . Shortly before his death in 1899 , the anthem was performed for Lithuanians living in Saint Petersburg , Russia . 
 The first public Lithuanian performance of the anthem took place in Vilnius in 1905 , and it became the official national anthem in 1919 , a year after Lithuania declared its independence . Following the occupation and annexation of Lithuania by the Soviet Union in 1940 , the anthem was forbidden to be played or sung in public . 
 " Tautiška giesmė " was reinstated in 1989 shortly before the reestablishment of Lithuanian independence and confirmed in the National Anthem Act ( 21 October 1991 ) . It was automatically included as the national anthem in 1992 , when the new Constitution was ratified after independence from the Soviet Union was achieved . The status of " Tautiška giesmė " as the National Anthem of Lithuania was further confirmed in 1999 with the passage of a national law stating that . 
 
 = = Creation = = 
 
 At the time when the poem Lietuva , Tėvyne mūsų was written , Lithuania was part of the Russian Empire . Kudirka , a medical student at the University of Warsaw , was writing as a columnist for the newspaper Varpas ( The Bell ) . In his Varpas columns , Kudirka urged Lithuanians to take pride in their heritage , discussed the problems the Russian Government was causing the Lithuanian population , and denounced those who wished to work for the Tsarist autocracy . In the course of writing for Varpas , he wrote down his thoughts on what Lithuania was and what it should be , resulting in the fifty @-@ word poem Lietuva , Tėvynė mūsų ( " Lithuania , Our Homeland " ) . 
 The poem described the heroic past of Lithuania and exhorted its people to care for the land , care for humanity , and live in honor . Kudirka also urged the country to become a source of enlightenment and virtue . Without a melody , Kudirka took the time to compose the music just before dying of tuberculosis . Both the melody and the lyrics were printed in Varpas in September 1898 . Upon his death in 1899 , Kudirka 's tomb was engraved with the second stanza of the anthem ( later destroyed by the authorities ) . 
 
 = = History = = 
 
 Before Kudirka 's death , the first performance of the poem occurred at a concert in St. Petersburg , Russia in 1899 . The concert was conducted by Česlovas Sasnauskas and was attended by Lithuanians , which St. Petersburg had the largest population of at that time . The anthem was first performed in Lithuania during the Great Seimas of Vilnius on December 3 , 1905 . 
 When Lithuania declared its independence from Russia in 1918 , the song was declared the national anthem . It held this status until Lithuania was annexed into the Soviet Union during World War II . During the interwar period , there had been suggestions to modify the words to include a reference to God . It was decided , in Kudirka 's memory , that the lyrics should remain as he had written them . 
 Immediately following the Soviet occupation of Lithuania , The Internationale replaced the Tautiška giesmė . When in 1944 ' The Internationale ' have been replaced by State Anthem of the Soviet Union in Soviet Union as official anthem , Tautiška giesmė was used as official anthem for the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic . An alternate anthem was created and introduced in 1950 . The music for that piece was composed by Balys Dvarionas and Jonas Švedas , and the words were written originally by Antanas Venclova . Following Stalin 's death in 1953 , its lyrics were modified by Vacys Reimeris to remove reference to the former dictator . This anthem stated that Lenin had lit the path to freedom , helped by the Russian people , and exhorted the Lithuanian people to work with peoples of the other Soviet Republics . The anthem was confirmed in Article 169 of the 1978 Constitution of the Lithuanian SSR . The song continued to be used until Lithuania broke away from the Soviet Union . Already in 1988 , the Tautiška giesmė was suggested as a replacement for the Soviet Lithuanian anthem . After preliminary approval by the Supreme Soviet of the Lithuanian SSR and successive legislative bodies , its status as the national anthem was reconfirmed in 1992 . In that year , the Constitution of Lithuania was approved ; Article 19 of the document states that Tautiška giesmė will be the national anthem of Lithuania . The last law in relation to the national anthem was passed in 1999 ; it contained the official lyrics and protocol on how and when to play the anthem . 
 
 = = 1999 law = = 
 
 Signed into law by President Valdas Adamkus on June 9 , 1999 , the " Law on the National Anthem of the Republic of Lithuania " details when and where the national anthem is played and its performance protocols . 
 Article 2 of the law states that the anthem is to be played at the following occasions : At the beginning or ending of solemn sessions of the Seimas , on national holidays and memorial days , and at receptions and farewells of foreign heads of state on official visits to Lithuania — but only after the anthem of the foreign country has been played . 
 It is played in foreign countries to represent Lithuania , according to their own diplomatic protocols ; on national holidays and other days when the Flag of Lithuania is raised by order of the government ; when the flag is raised during public events sponsored by governmental institutions , business , and organizations ; and at the beginning and end of National Radio programming . The anthem may also be played at other occasions , such as sporting competitions . 
 When playing the anthem , the music may be either live or recorded . The anthem may be performed with a choir , an orchestra , a military band , or a combination of the latter two . Article 4 , section 2 , states that all participants are encouraged to sing the national anthem . When the anthem is played , all civilians are asked to stand in a gesture of respect to the anthem . If employees of national defense , police , and other military or military @-@ related organizations are present , they must respect the anthem in a way prescribed by their statutes . The anthem cannot be used as background music , purposes of advertisement , or for entertainment , such as karaoke . Public disrespect of the anthem may be punishable by law . 
 
 = = Lyrics = = 
 
 
 