360M.1121 Devenis, Michael: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt)
573. Your 733, April 10, 10 p.m. Views of Soviet authorities similar although more detailed than those previously expressed. [Page 954] Devenis was not accepted into Lithuanian citizenship upon his personal application. He was considered as Lithuanian under item 2 of paragraph 1 Provisional Law January 9, 1919. No application for Lithuanian citizenship is necessary under that law. His action in 1934 could be considered nothing more than establishment of his rights as Lithuanian under law. It did not result in loss American citizenship. His citizenship recognized when Department authorized Legation Kaunas July 22, 1940, to issue passport enable him return United States. If he had not been involuntarily detained in Lithuania Soviet law conferring citizenship upon Lithuanians residing in Lithuania could not possibly have had any application to his case. Department considers that in view of his detention he should not be considered as having acquired Soviet citizenship. Urge as vigorously as possible his release upon this basis. In this connection see Department’s 873 December 14, 1940, and 107 January 28, 1941.44
Mrs. Devenis has received a telegram from her father at Kaunas stating in effect as follows:
“Mykolas Devenis condemned Supreme Court Kaunas 8 years labor camp. He is at present in the Lukishki prison at Vilna and will be deported to the Soviet Union. Present through American Government or Embassy Moscow clemency petition asking Stalin45 to permit his return to his wife and children in the United States or to diminish or change his punishment to work as a physician in hospitals.”
- Neither printed.↩
- Iosif Vissarionovich Stalin, Secretary General of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks); member of the Politburo and Orgburo of the party; and, after May 6, 1941, President (Chairman) of the Council of People’s Commissars of the Soviet Union (Prime Minister).↩