sonunigam (Love Geek):
Inter-war Lithuania
After Vilnius was occupied by the Russian Bolsheviks in 1919, the government of the Republic of Lithuania established its main base here. Later, when the capital Vilnius was forcibly annexed by Poland, Kaunas became the temporary capital of Lithuania, a position it held until October 28, 1939, when the Red Army handed Vilnius back to Lithuania. *
06-01-11 - 04:57:54

sonunigam (Love Geek): Between the World Wars industry prospered in Kaunas; it was then the largest city in Lithuania. Under direction of the mayor Jonas Vileišis (1921–1931) Kaunas grew rapidly and was extensively modernised. A water and waste water system, costing more than 15 million Lithuanian litas, was put in place, the city expanded from 18 square kilometers to 40, more than 2,500 buildings were built, plus three modern bridges over the Neris and Nemunas rivers. *
06-01-11 - 04:58:33

sonunigam (Love Geek): All the city's streets were paved, horse-drawn transportation was replaced with modern bus lines, new suburbs were planned and built (Žaliakalnis neighborhood in particular), and new parks and squares were established. The foundations for a social security system were laid, three new schools were built, and new public libraries, including the Vincas Kudirka library, were established. *
06-01-11 - 04:59:10

sonunigam (Love Geek): J. Vileišis maintained many contacts in other European cities, and as a result Kaunas was an active participant in European urban life.
. .St. Michael the Archangel (garrison) Church *
06-01-11 - 05:00:18

sonunigam (Love Geek): During the inter-war period Kaunas had a Jewish population of 35,000-40,000, about one-fourth of the city's total population. Jews made up much of the city's commercial, artisan, and professional sectors. Kaunas was a center of Jewish learning, and the yeshiva in Slobodka (Vilijampolė) was one of Europe's most prestigious institutes of higher Jewish learning. *
06-01-11 - 05:03:47