Vairas

Vairas (literally: steering wheel; also translated as helm or rudder) was a Lithuanian-language political and cultural newspaper published by Antanas Smetona and the Lithuanian Nationalist Union, the ruling party in Lithuania in 1926–1940.

It was established by Antanas Smetona with financial backing of Martynas Yčas on 5 January 1914 in Vilnius. After a conflict with conservative clergy, Smetona departed Viltis and established Vairas to continue its original mission of uniting Lithuanians, regardless of their religious or political beliefs, to promote the Lithuanian national identity. Initially it was a monthly, and in 1915 became a weekly. It was frequently illustrated with reproductions of paintings and photos by Lithuanian artists, including Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis, Petras Kalpokas, Antanas Žmuidzinavičius, Adomas Varnas, Juozas Zikaras, Petras Rimša. The publication was discontinued in summer 1915 due to World War I.

Vairas was reestablished as a weekly in Kaunas in September 1923. Smetona, the first President of Lithuania in April 1919 – June 1920, and Augustinas Voldemaras, the first Prime Minister in November–December 1918, relentlessly criticized their political opponents, the Lithuanian government, and the Second Seimas. Their publications were closed one after another by the government censors. Using a loophole in the law, they would establish a new publication under a slightly different name. Thus Lietuvos balsas (Voice of Lithuania; April–October 1921) turned into Lietuvių balsas (Voice of the Lithuanians; November–December 1921) which became Tautos balsas (Voice of the Nation), Tėvynės balsas (Voice of the Fatherland), and eventually Krašto balsas (Voice of the Country; October 1922 – June 1923). In September 1923, they revived the pre-war Vairas. It was double the size of Krašto balsas and was illustrated with works by Petras Rimša, but it also did not last long. In November 1923, both Smetona and Voldemaras were imprisoned for two months for their criticism of the government.Vairas was discontinued on February 24, 1924. It was replaced by one-time publications Skeveldrų rinkinys (Collection of Fragments; February 28) and Irklas (Oar; March 7). Renamed to Tautos vairas, the newspaper was published from March to fall 1924 when it was replaced by Lietuvis (The Lithuanian).

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