Temporary capital of Lithuania

Currently, the term temporary capital, despite being factually out of date, is still frequently used as a nickname for Kaunas, the second largest city in Lithuania.

[1] In this way Kaunas became the only European city representing large scale urbanization during the interwar period and a variety of modern architecture (Art Deco, neoclassicism, traditionalism, functionalism, etc.).

This claim was based on historical grounds, as the city was founded by Lithuanians and later was the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

[citation needed] As Soviet forces pushed westward to spread the global proletarian revolution, German Ober-Ost administration evacuated and the Lithuanians withdrew to Kaunas.

[4] To reconcile reality with constitutional claims, Kaunas was designated as a temporary or provisional capital until Vilnius could be "liberated from Polish occupation".