Mečislovas Gedvilas (19 October 1901 – 15 February 1981) was a Lithuanian Communist politician who collaborated[1] with occupying Soviet forces.

Rivalry between him and Antanas Sniečkus, the first secretary of the Lithuanian Communist Party, led to his demotion to Minister of Education (1957–1973).

Born at Bubiai in Kovno Governorate in 1901, Gedvilas and his family were deported to Russia for violation of the Lithuanian press ban in 1904.

After returning to Lithuania he worked as a teacher of algebra, geometry, bookkeeping in Palanga (1923–1927) but was dismissed for not having any pedagogical education or qualifications.

In 1926, he joined the Lithuanian Popular Peasants' Union but quickly became disappointed by its conservatism and left it in 1931.

In this capacity he supervised Sovietization of Lithuania and signed off on persecution orders, including the mass deportation of Lithuanians into Gulags and other forced settlements.

[2] In 1957, Gedvilas was demoted to Minister of Education due to tensions and political rivalry between him and Antanas Sniečkus, the first secretary of the Lithuanian Communist Party.