High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Antanas Smetona pronunciation (help·info) (August 10, 1874 – January 9, 1944) was one of the most important Lithuanian political figures between World War I and World War II. He served as the first President of Lithuania from April 4, 1919 to June 19, 1920. He again served as the last President of the country from December 19, 1926 to June 15, 1940, before its occupation by the Soviet Union. He was also one of the famous ideologists of nationalism in Lithuania.