Topicalities of the time in Matas Šalčius’ diary of 1923

Abstract

Abstract. In 1923 Matas Šalčius, suffering from various problems, was treated for five months in one of the clinics in Königsberg. At that time, he wrote a diary in which, in addition to his personal experiences, he emphasised the significance of the uprising of the Klaipėda region in the interwar Lithuanian political life. Šalčius also wrote about the former political tension in Königsberg in the eyes of Lithuanians when Klaipeda was officially declared a part of Lithuania. In the diary, Šalčius provided valuable information related to events organised by the Lithuanian Consulate General in Königsberg, and the people who worked there. While his health was improving, Šalčius was interested in the current issues of Lithuanian political life at that time: the diary reviews the disagreements between the members of the parties in the First Seimas (1922–1923), emphasising the non-participation of ethnic minorities in parliamentary activities, and noting the state apparatus of the young country.