2015 Event Lithuania changes its currency from litas to euros as it becomes the 19th member of the eurozone currency union 2013 Event The UN Security Council elects Lithuania, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Chad and Chile to a two-year term beginning January 1, 2014 1991 Event U.S. officially recognizes independence of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania 1991 Event Iceland recognizes Lithuania's independence 1991 Event Lithuania votes for independence from U.S.S.R. 1991 Event Soviets storm buildings in Vilnius to block Lithuania independence 1990 Event Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia hold their 1st joint session 1990 Event Lithuania declares it's Independence 1990 Event 200,000 demand return of Lithuania's independence 1944 Event Vilnius, Lithuania, liberated 1944 Event 2,000 Jews are murdered in Kaunas Lithuania 1943 Event Concentration Camp Kauwen in Lithuania opens 1941 Event Nazis kill 800 Jewish women at Shkudvil Lithuania 1941 Event Entire Jewish community of Meretsch, Lithuania is exterminated 1941 Event Nazi execute entire Jewish population of Grodz, Lithuania 1941 Event Nazis executed 5,000 Jews in Kovono, Lithuania 1941 Event Entire Jewish male population of Gorzhdy Lithuania, exterminated 1940 Event Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia incorporated into Soviet Union 1940 Event Soviet Union annexes Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania 1940 Event Lithuania becomes Lithuanian SSR 1940 Event Communist government installed in Lithuania 1940 Event Soviet Army occupies Lithuania 1940 Birthday Kas Garas, born in Kaunas, Lithuania, actor, Hamlyn-Strange Report 1939 Event Soviet-German treaty agree on 4th partition of Poland (WW II) and gives Lithuania to U.S.S.R., last Polish troops surrender 1939 Event Lithuania state, forced to give Memel territory to Germany 1939 Event 7,000 Jews flee German occupied Memel Lithuania 1934 Event Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania signs Baltic Entente, against U.S.S.R. 1929 Event Lithuania signs Litvinov-pact 1925 Birthday Jacques Sernas, born in Lithuania, actor, La Dolce Vita, Helen of Troy 1924 Event Memel territories given to Lithuania 1923 Event Poland annexes Central Lithuania 1923 Event Lithuania seizes and annexes country of Memel 1922 Event Vilinus, Lithuania, agrees to separate from Poland 1921 Event Estonia and Lithuania admitted to League of Nations 1920 Event Lithuania and U.S.S.R. sign peace treaty, Lithuania becomes independent rep 1919 Event Polish Army captures Vilno, Lithuania from Soviet Army 1919 Event Lithuania gains independence 1918 Event Lithuania proclaims independence 1918 Event Lithuania declares independence from Russia and Germany (National Day) 1918 Event Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania adopt Gregorian calendar 1917 Event German-occupied Lithuania proclaims independence from Russia 1915 Death Rupert Chawner Brooke, English poet (Lithuania), dies at 27 1907 Birthday Bernardas Brazdzionis, Lithuania, poet/editor/critic 1905 Event Pogrom against Jewish community in Brisk Lithuania 1901 Birthday Jascha Heifetz, Vilna Lithuania, U.S. violin virtuoso, Carnegie Hall 1887 Birthday William Zorach, Lithuania, U.S. sculptor, Spirit of the Dance 1882 Birthday Vincas Kreve-Mickievicius, Lithuania, poet/philologist/playwright 1877 Birthday Feliks E Dzjerzjinski, Lithuania, founder, KGB 1870 Birthday Leopold Godowsky, Lithuania, virtuoso pianist/composer 1835 Birthday Cesar A. Cui, Vilna Lithuania, fort architect/composer 1563 Event Russian troops occupy Polotsk Lithuania 1440 Birthday Ivan III, the Great, Russian czar, 1462-1505, conquered Lithuania 1434 Death Jagiello, King of Lithuania/Poland, dies 1370 Event Battle at Rudau: Germany beats Lithuania
