Vaclau Lastouski

Vatslaw Lastowski

Vatslaw Yustynavich Lastowski ([ˈvatsɫaw ɫasˈtowsci]; Belarusian: Вацлаў Юстынавіч Ластоўскі, Russian: Вацлав Устинович Ластовский, Polish: Wacław Łastowski; 1883 – 1938) was a Belarusian critic, historian of literature, and politician.

He was a member of Council of the Belarusian Democratic Republic. He had published many books about Belarus, and recognized the right of the people of Belarus to self-determination. Such books as "History of Belarusian (Krivichian) book", and "Short history of Belarus" propagandized the idea.

In late 1918 Lastowski became a member of the Council of Lithuania.^[1]

From 1922 to 1925 he was the prime-minister of the BDR and initiator of a dissolution of its exiled government which, in turn, did not mean a dissolution of the Council of the BDR, its parliament in exile. Lastowski was also a member of the Academy of sciences of Belarus.

In 1938 he was arrested by the NKVD within the Case of the Union of Liberation of Belarus. He was sentenced to dispatch, but was seized and shot by the Soviets.

He was married to writer Marija Ivanauskaitė–Lastauskienė.

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