Ideology secretary of the pro-Moscow Lithuanian Communist Party who proclaimed the 'National Salvation Committee' in the Vilnius crackdown
On 13 January 1991, his recorded voice boomed from the loudspeakers of Soviet BMPs advancing on the Vilnius TV tower: 'Brother Lithuanians! The nationalist and separatist government, which confronted the people, has been overthrown!'
A farmer's son from southern Lithuania, Jermalavičius studied at Vilnius University and the Leningrad Higher Party School, then spent two decades as a researcher at the Party History Institute, publishing on atheism and religion. In 1990 he became ideology secretary of the pro-Moscow Lithuanian Communist Party (CPSU platform), fiercely opposing independence, and on 11 January 1991 he announced the creation of the 'National Salvation Committee of the Lithuanian SSR', which claimed to be the sole legitimate government, providing the political pretext for the Soviet military operation that killed 14 civilians two days later. Convicted in 1999 of anti-state organization and incitement to violently overthrow the government, he served eight years, then moved to Russia where he continued writing in defence of the Soviet system until his death.
Activities and affiliations
- Ideology and propaganda · Soviet Union
Career Timeline
- 1962Joined the CPSU
- 1970–1990Researcher, Institute of Party History, CPL CC
- 1990–1991Head of Ideological Department, CC, CPL (CPSU platform)
- 1994–2002Imprisoned for anti-state activities (8-year sentence)
- 2002–2012Professor, RSSU; Deputy Chairman, UCP-CPSU Council
Related historical events
- 1988–1991The Nationalities Crisis and the Collapse of Central AuthorityIdeology secretary announcing National Salvation CommitteeOn 11 January 1991 he proclaimed the creation of the National Salvation Committee, which claimed to be the sole legitimate government of Lithuania, providing the political pretext for the Soviet military operation.
- 1987–1991The Baltic Independence Movement and the Baltic WayFounder of the National Salvation Committee, ideology secretary of the pro-Moscow CPLProclaimed the National Salvation Committee on 11 January 1991, giving political cover for the Soviet military operation; on 13 January his recorded voice announced from BMP loudspeakers that the 'separatist government has been overthrown.'
Parallel power structures, 1990-1991, and the 1994 arrest and 1999 trial
Jermalavičius moved from archival research in the 1970s to political work in the 1990s, and was deeply involved in building organizations that existed alongside the republic's government. After Mykolas Burokevičius's communists won no seats in the February 1990 Supreme Council elections, Jermalavičius joined Burokevičius and Juozas Kuolelis in June 1990 in setting up the radio station 'Tarybų Lietuva' and associated bodies in forcibly seized premises of the Vilnius Pedagogical University. The station, run by Leonas Bartoševičius and Stanislovas Mickevičius, operated until August 1991.
On 11 January 1991, at a press conference in the Central Committee building of the Lithuanian Communist Party, he announced as ideology secretary the creation of the so-called 'National Salvation Committee of the Lithuanian SSR', declaring it was taking full power, and after the fall of the Vilnius TV tower on 13 January he broadcast from a military vehicle that the government had been overthrown. When the Moscow coup failed, the Lithuanian Communist Party (CPSU platform) was banned on 22-23 August 1991, and he fled to Minsk.
On 15 January 1994 he was detained in Minsk together with Burokevičius and handed over to Lithuania. On 19 June 1996 the indictment covering 48 persons went to Vilnius Regional Court, which split the case between the 6 defendants physically present in Lithuania and the 42 hiding abroad. On 23 August 1999 the court sentenced him to eight years: Burokevičius received 12 years, Juozas Kuolelis 6, Leonas Bartoševičius 3, Stanislovas Mickevičius 4 and Jaroslavas Prokopavičius 6. Jermalavičius was released on 15 January 2002 and soon left for Russia.