mass deportation of Lithuanians into Gulags and other forced settlements. In 1944, he led a delegation that signed an agreement with the Polish Committee of National Liberation that led to the repatriation of Poles. From 1952 to 1956, he was a candidate to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. In 1957, Gedvilas was demoted to Minister of Education due to tensions and political rivalry between him and Antanas Sniečkus, the first secretary of the Lithuanian Communist Party. Gedvilas is credited for rebuilding a number of schools and introducing eleven-year secondary education. In 1950–1972, 302 schools were built and another 935 expanded. He retired from the ministry in 1973. Gedvilas was a delegate of the Supreme Soviet of the Lithuanian SSR in 1940–1975 and of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union in 1941–1962. In 1975, he published a memoir book Lemtingas posūkis (The Fateful Change), which was translated into Russian in 1979. The book contained essays and speeches regarding World War II (1940–1945). In total, he wrote about 600 articles to various Lithuanian periodicals. He died in 1981 and was buried in Antakalnis Cemetery. Gedvilas was awarded numerous Soviet medals and orders, including four Orders of Lenin, Order of the October Revolution, Order of the Patriotic War (1st and 2nd class), Order of the Red Banner of Labour, Order of Friendship of Peoples. In 1945, he was awarded the Polish Order of the Cross of Grunwald (1st class). References 1901 births 1981 deaths People from Šiauliai District Municipality People from Shavelsky Uyezd Communist Party of the Soviet Union members First convocation members of the Soviet of the Union Second convocation members of the Soviet of the Union Third convocation members of the Soviet of the Union Fourth convocation members of the Soviet of Nationalities Fifth convocation members of the Soviet of Nationalities Communist Party of Lithuania politicians Heads of government of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic Interior ministers of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic Lithuanian collaborators with the Soviet Union (1940–41) Saint Petersburg State Institute of Technology alumni Recipients of the Order of the Cross of Grunwald, 1st class Recipients of the Order of Friendship of Peoples Recipients of the Order of Lenin Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner of Labour Burials at Antakalnis Cemetery