In the Gargždai Regional Museum – the exhibition “Signatory of the Act of Independence of Lithuania Jonas Šimėnas (1953–2023)”

Signatory of the Act of Independence of Lithuania, 1996-2000. and 2008-2012 Jonas Šimėnas, member of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, representative of the people of the city of Gargždai in the Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania, was born in 1953. July 31 In the village of Papiliai (Anykščiai district) in the family of peasants Jonas Šimėnas and Stase Šimėnienė (Januškaitė). According to J. Šimėnas himself, “it was not easy to dream about the independence of Lithuania” for someone who was born in a Lithuanian village torn apart by Khrushchev’s experiments, and who grew up in a free-thinking communist system.
John’s perception of the realities of Lithuania at that time was shaped by the fate of the Šimėnai family – the Siberian exile was experienced by his grandfather, aunts and uncles. Father Jonas Šimėnas was interrogated and imprisoned in Panevėžys prison. The family secret that was preserved at that time was revealed many years later – the father belonged to the partisan unit of Papiliu village. The strong ties of the Šimėnai family of several generations, the deep connection with the native Papilias were a kind of internal code of the future signatory’s life, connecting Christian traditions, love for the homeland, Lithuanian words and songs, ethnoculture.
In his youth, John himself had to face the reality of “collective prosperity”. The young people of the collective farm were tied to their place of residence, and only those who enrolled in higher education gained the privilege of being “liberated”, that is, deregistered from the collective farm. in 1971 J. Šimėnas graduated from Viešintais secondary school, 1973-1978. Studied hydrogeologist and engineering geologist at Vilnius University. in 1977 married Vydas Jadvygas Balcevičiūtė, together they raised three sons: Jonas, Liutauras and Paulias. 1978-1980 J. Šimėnas worked as a geologist, senior geologist, head of department in the companies of the Lithuanian Geology Board, 1981-1990. carried out geological mapping of the bottom of the Baltic Sea and prepared geological maps.
In the years of revival, 1988-1989, J. Šimėnas was one of the creators of the initiative group of Lithuanian Reorganization Sąjūdis Klaipėda district (Gargžda). in 1988 October 22-23 participated in the work of the Founding Congress of the Sąjūdis Party of Lithuania, where he was elected to the Sąjūdis Seimas. in 1989 December 18 was elected as a member of the Lithuanian Reorganization Sąjūdis Klaipėda district (Gargždų) council, the council chairman.
J. Šimėnas became a politician and a member of the parliament of the restored independent state of Lithuania – the Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania and a signatory of the Act of Independence of Lithuania at the age of 36. He ran for the Supreme Council of the Lithuanian SSR in Gargždai electoral district of Klaipėda district no. 64, brought forward by the Sąjūdis Klaipėda District Council of Lithuanian Reorganization. Already in the first round in 1990. February 24 the people of Gargždi elected him to the Lithuanian parliament. March 11 J. Šimėnas voted for the restoration of the independent state of Lithuania.
In total, he spent the 10 most mature years of his life – 1990-1992, 1996-2000 – for the activities of the parliamentarian. and 2008-2012 He ran seven times in the Seimas elections of the Republic of Lithuania, twice in the European Parliament elections. During the years of political activity, Mr. Šimėnas belonged to the Lithuanian Christian Democrats, Fatherland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democratic parties. in 2020 ran for the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania as a member of the Christian Union.
Recalling the beginning of his work in the parliament, he noted: “As an elected representative in the province, I was not known, so I began to delve into parliamentary activities. I chose environmental protection. This is the area I know best, and besides, it is my way of life.” In the Supreme Council, J. Šimėnas was appointed to the permanent Nature Protection Commission (from March 20, 1990), held the position of deputy chairman of the commission, from 1990 was the chairman of this commission from October until the end of the term. J. Šimėnas was active, participated in the preparation of draft laws on environmental protection, taxes for environmental pollution, taxes for natural resources, initiated the creation of a network of protected areas in Lithuania, legitimizing 3 national, 30 regional parks and 1 nature reserve, actively participated in parliamentary debates, advocating for nature conservation, agricultural issues.
In 1996-2000 J. Šimėnas was elected to the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania in the single-member district of Utena. Worked in the Nature Protection Committee (until 1999). As a member of the Seimas, he initiated the preparation and adoption of laws, resolutions and other legal acts related to sustainable development and environmental protection: on taxes for environmental pollution and for natural resources, waste management, water, biofuel, etc.
2008-2012 J. Šimėnas was elected as a member of the Seimas for the term of office according to the list of the Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats. Worked in the Environmental Protection Committee, held the position of chairman of the committee. Having accumulated extensive experience in the development and practical implementation of renewable energy source technologies, he initiated the adoption of the laws on renewable energy, waste management, forests, gardeners’ associations and other laws and their amendments in the Seimas.
Those who knew Jonas Šimēnas remember him as a life-loving, social, people-oriented person who knew how to balance intensive work and active rest. In his youth, he was an enthusiastic participant of tourist trips to the mountains, in later years he participated in the Lithuanian geologists’ expedition to Greenland (2006), the memorial expedition to Siberia “Kraslagas 12”, etc. He belonged to the gathering of Vilnius mayors, encouraged and strengthened community activities in his native Papilii. On the initiative of J. Šimėnas, a chapel pillar was built for the 20th anniversary of Lithuania’s Independence with the Mother Mary and St. Casimir’s sculptures, the chapel and St. Florijon’s sculpture, renovated Papiliu chapel (2022). He was a member of the Lithuanian Geologists’ Professional Union and Council, 2001-2004. – chairman of the council.
Although he had no special musical education, J. Šimėnas was interested in folklore and sacred music, knew how to play the accordion, and sang in the song and dance ensemble of Vilnius University during his studies. in 2001 together with the then Vilnius St. As rector of Kazimierz Church, Liongin Virbalus SJ (now archbishop emeritus) founded the church choir “Ave verum”, 2001-2008. served as the elder of this choir. For many years, Jonas was the person who united the choir community, organized trips to choir festivals, excursions, organized annual gatherings in Šilinėlė’s indulgences in Papilii.
On the occasion of the decade of the restoration of the state of Lithuania, for merits in restoring and consolidating the independent state of Lithuania by decree of the President of the Republic in 2000. J. Šimėnas was awarded the Lithuanian Independence Medal. Awarded the “Golden Oak Leaf” medal by the General Forest Office (2010). For the development of renewable energy, the Lithuanian Committee of the World Energy Council awarded the Lithuanian Energetics Honorary Badge (2012). On the occasion of the centenary of the Republic of Lithuania, he was awarded the commemorative sign “Centennial of Anykščiai” established by the municipality of Anykščiai district (July 20, 2018).
In commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the birth of Jonas Šimėnas, the exhibition prepared by the Department of Historical Memory of Parliamentarianism presents a visual narrative of the signatory’s life path, lineage, family history, years of youth and studies, professional activities, the fateful years of the Lithuanian Persistrakmys Sąjūdis and the most significant years – the years of parliamentary work, active social, cultural activities of J. Šimėnas.
The photographs exhibited in the exhibition are stored in the Central State Archive of Lithuania, the Archive of the Lithuanian Act of Independence Signatories Club, the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Lithuania, the Archive of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, the Anykščiai District Municipality Archive, the Jonas Šimėnas Family Archive. Many of the photographs are exhibited for the first time. The authors of the photos are Džoja Gunda Barysaitė, Romualdas Damulis, Gintaras Eidukonis, Gediminas Ilgūnas, Vilius Jasinevičius, Jonas Juknevičius, Romualdas Jurgaitis, Juozas Kazlauskas, Stasys Laukys, Gintaras Mačiulis, Rimvydas Petkevičius, Edmundas Petrošius, Olga Posaškova, Ingrida Rubienė, Silvija Sakeiūtė, Birutėvičius. Valionytė, Algimantas Žižiūnas. We sincerely thank Vyda Šimėniene, Ingrida Rubiene, Aldona Vareikiene, the signatory of the Act of Independence of Lithuania Stasis Kropas and others who helped with their advice and work in preparing this exhibition.
The exhibition will be on display at the Gargžda Region Museum until March 30.
the Republic of Lithuania
Seimas information
Photo of Laima ŠVEISTRYTĖ.