History of Lithuania
On February 16, 1918, Lithuania was re-established as a democratic state. It remained independent until the outset of World War II, when it was occupied by the Soviet Union under the terms of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact. Following a brief occupation by Nazi Germany after the Nazis waged war on the Soviet Union, Lithuania was again absorbed into the Soviet Union for nearly 50 years. In 1990–1991, Lithuania restored its sovereignty with the Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania. Lithuania joined the NATO alliance in 2004 and the European Union as part of its enlargement in 2004.
Jonas Aukštuolis
Lithuania declared independence in February 1918 and Sweden recognized Lithuania "de facto" on 12 January 1919. On the same day, Aukštuolis was appointed as the first Lithuanian representative to Sweden. In July 1919, he was also appointed as the representative to Norway. At the time, the primary task of Lithuanian diplomats was to obtain "de jure" recognition of Lithuania's independence and support for Lithuania's membership in the League of Nations. In February 1922, due to financial difficulties, the legation in Sweden was closed and Aukštuolis was recalled to Kaunas where we worked as the director of the Law and Administration Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.