Kazys Grinius 1866 – 1950

Biography

Kazys Grinius was born on December 17, 1866, in Selema, Lithuania, during a time of significant change in Eastern Europe. He would go on to play a notable role in his nation’s political history during a formative period of Lithuanian independence and development.

Grinius served as the Third President of Lithuania, holding this important office from June 7, 1926, until December 17, 1926. Though his presidency was relatively brief, it occurred during a crucial time in Lithuania’s early years as an independent nation following World War I, when the young republic was establishing its governmental structures and international presence.

In his later years, Grinius lived in Chicago, where he spent his final decades. He passed away on June 4, 1950, at the age of 83. His remains were laid to rest at the Lithuanian National Cemetery in Justice, United States, where many members of the Lithuanian-American community were honored. Grinius’s life spanned the transformation of Lithuania from imperial rule through independence, and his legacy remains part of the nation’s historical record.