Žinoma ir nežinoma Lietuvos garbės konsulo Bostone Antano Osvaldo Šalnos veikla (1939–1971) / Known and Unknown Activities of Lithuanian Honorary Consul in Boston Antanas Osvaldas Šalna (1939–1971)

Abstract

The activities of the Honorary Consulate of Lithuania in Boston in 1939–1971 have not yet been in the focus of research. The history of the consulate is directly linked to the representation of the first Lithuanian honorary consul lawyer Antanas O. Salna. The article discusses the Lithuanian policy in the establishment of honorary consulates in the United States of America. It reveals the reasons of establishment of the Honorary Consulate in Boston, its solemn opening and the key facts of the life and activities of A. O. Salna as well as the arguments of selecting him a candidate to the consul. It also focuses on the position taken by A. O. Salna in 1940 and its relations with Lithuanian career diplomats (envoy Povilas Žadeikis and consul - general Jonas Budrys). The article describes the activities of the honorary consul after the loss of Lithuania’s independence, his relations with the Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian emigre community in Massachusetts in the postwar period. It attempts to evaluate the role of A. O. Salna in the Lithuanian diplomatic service. Keywords: Lithuanian honorary consul, Antanas O. Salna, Boston, Lithuanian Americans, occupation of Lithuania, Jonas Budrys, Consulate General of Lithuania in New York, Povilas Žadeikis, Legation of Lithuania in Washington. Summary The Lithuanian government did not establish its honorary consulates in the United States of America until the late 1930s, though it was the issue under consideration. Honorary consulates were not established because the Lithuanian trade with the US was minimal; besides, the Lithuanian government did not want to evoke dissatisfaction among Lithuanian Americans by appointing an honorary consul who was not Lithuanian. Immense discontent could also have been caused to representatives of one or another ideological movement of the Lithuanian emigre community by appointing a local Lithuanian. Nevertheless, in 1938 the Lithuanian government resolved to appoint Lithuanians who were US citizens, educated, well-familiar to the American society, more or less acceptable to all patriotic movements of Lithuanian Americans (Catholics, Nationalists, Sandarieciai and Socialists), in favour with the Lithuanian government, and patriotically-minded. After the export of Lithuanian food products to the US increased and Americans were planning to open World’s Fairs in New York and Los Angeles, two honorary consulates were established in Los Angeles and Boston in order to inspire the national spirit in local Lithuanian colonies. Lawyer Antanas Osvaldas Salna (1894–1971), a natural-born US citizen involved in the activities of Lithuanian American organizations and having broad contacts in the US political and public layers, was selected as the Lithuanian honorary consul in Boston. It was a Lithuanian of liberal views, married to Zuzana Puisytė, Lithuanian by descent and also a lawyer. The opening of the honorary consulate on 3 December 1939 was a solemn event which drew an abundance of participants. Lithuanian Consul-General Jonas Budrys arrived from New York to open the consulate. Not only Lithuanians of diverging views attended the event but also local representatives of Jews, Estonians and Latvians. Driven by political motives, a part of Lithuanian priests ignored the event. Propaganda solemnity was also linked to the retrieval of Vilnius Region and the strengthening of statehood. Lithuanian honorary consul in Boston who was acting in the state of Massachusetts was subordinate to the consulate general in New York and fulfilled the tasks assigned by the career consul. The duration of activities for the sake of Lithuania was rather short because in 1940 Lithuania was occupied and annexed by the Soviet Union. Despite his absolute disagreement to the occupation, A. O. Salna observed the events for the time being by refraining from a declaration of his position. Such procrastination evoked discontent and doubts with him from the side of Lithuanian career diplomats. Though A. O. Salna did not officially refuse the title of honorary consul, he tried not to speak about it in public, in particular in the US society. He maintained minimum contact with Lithuanian representatives in the US. Such a position of the honorary consul can be explained by the fact that it was not always beneficial to him as a US citizen involved in political activities and a practising lawyer to make public the status of him as a representative of a non-existing country. For such a position A. O. Salna was not promoted to the rank of Lithuanian honorary consul general. The Lithuanian emigre community would accept A. O. Salna as a Lithuanian honorary consul when he attended the events of the emigres, including Latvian and Estonian. He would give welcoming addresses, remind of the independent states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, their occupation and its outcomes. He would give legal advice to assist emigrants and the Lithuanian diplomatic service, handle inheritance cases, correspond with US public authorities and organizations on the matters of Lithuanians and Latvians. He was an active lecturer in the US English-speaking society and spread information on the topics of the history of Lithuania (on the Lithuanian descent of generals Tadeusz Kościuszko and Kazimierz Pulaski). He passed away on 19 June 1971 in Boston. DOI:  http://dx.doi.org/10.15823/istorija.2015.22