Silvestras Leonas

Silvestras Leonas
Leonas with uniform of the Lithuanian Army and state awards
Minister of Internal Affairs
In office
24 March 1938 – 28 March 1939
Prime MinisterVladas Mironas
Preceded byJulius Čaplikas
Succeeded byKazys Skučas
Personal details
Born(1894-01-15)15 January 1894
Died17 November 1959(1959-11-17) (aged 65)
Resting placePlutiškės Cemetery
RelativesUncle Petras Leonas
Alma materUniversity of Lithuania
Military career
AllegianceRussian Empire
Lithuania
BranchRussian Imperial Army
Lithuanian Army
Service years1916–1925, 1934–1939
RankPraporshchik (Sept. 1916)
Podporuchik (July 1917)
Senior lieutenant (Nov. 1919)
Captain (May 1920)
Major (Dec. 1923)
Lieutenant colonel (June 1934)
Polkovnik (July 1936)
ConflictsWorld War I
Lithuanian Wars of Independence
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Silvestras Leonas (1894–1959) was a Lithuanian military officer. After serving in the Russian Imperial Army during World War I, Leonas joined the Lithuanian Army and fought in the Lithuanian Wars of Independence. He completed law studies at the University of Lithuania and worked as a judge. In 1934–1935, he presided over the Military Tribunal trial of Neumann–Sass that involved 122 defendants accused of anti-Lithuanian activities. From March 1938 to March 1939, he was Minister of Internal Affairs in the government of Prime Minister Vladas Mironas. In 1944, Leonas was arrested by the NKVD and imprisoned in a Gulag camp. He returned to Lithuania in 1956.