Juozas Tūbelis

Juozas Tūbelis (April 9, 1882 in Ilgalaukis, Kovno Governorate – September 30, 1939, Kaunas) was a Lithuanian politician, Prime Minister and member and chairman of the Lithuanian Nationalists Union.

In 1908, he graduated from Polytechnical Institute in Riga receiving a diploma in agronomy. Not being able to find employment in his field, for another two years he worked in Riga as a teacher and then on land exploitation projects. In 1915, he was drafted to the Russian army. He was able to assist Lithuanian Central Relief Committee which helped out refugees and others suffering from war. He traveled across Russia and in 1918 he returned to Lithuania, and worked for the Council of Lithuania at an education commission.

On November 11, 1918, Tūbelis became Minister of Agriculture and State Treasures. On March 12, 1919 he had to resign from the post but became Minister of Education till June 19, 1920. From May 3, 1927 he was Minister of Finances. He held this position until March 24, 1938. On September 23, 1929 he became the Prime Minister of Lithuania. He led three Minister Cabinets (the 14th, 15th and 16th) before resigning on March 24, 1938. Tūbelis was the longest standing Prime Minister of Lithuania. From March 1938 until December 5, 1938 he was Minister of Agriculture. He was also directing the Bank of Lithuania in 1938-1939.

Between political roles, Tūbelis helped to establish and direct large enterprises like Lietūkis (est. in 1923), Maistas (est. in 1925), and Pienocentras (est. in 1926).

After the coup d'état in 1926, his brother-in-law Antanas Smetona became the president. Since the two men agreed on political views, Tūbelis became the second most powerful man in Lithuania in the 1930s. He is credited for stable economy, national currency litas, and small foreign debt despite the Great Depression.