George Waschkies (Lithuanian: Jurgis Vaškys, August 22, 1875 – April 26, 1954) was an ethnic German politician in Lithuania. Waschkies was a farmer from Ußlöknen, East Prussia, who represented the Memel Agricultural Party in the Lithuanian parliament for a short stint in 1926–27.
Youth
Waschkies was born on August 22, 1875, in Ußlöknen (Užliekniai [lt]).[1] He attended school in his home village and worked at his father's farm following his confirmation.[1][2] Waschkies did military service 1897–1900 in the 12th Lithuanian Uhlan Regiment [de].[1][2] Waschkies took over the family farm after his father's death in 1903, but had to sell the property soon thereafter.[2] He married in 1904 and moved to his wife's town of Blausden (Blauzdžiai).[1][2] The couple had 14 children; as of 1927 eleven were alive.[2]
Career
Waschkies was one of the founders of the Wießen (Vyžiai [lt]) Credit Association in 1907.[1] In 1912 he was named director of the association.[1] In January 1916 he was named juror, and in 1917 he was named church warden.[1] In 1919 he became a member of the Heydekrug town council and in 1924 a member of the town board.[1] In 1919 he took charge as parish superintendent in Wießen and in July 1925 he became a parish council member.[1]
He was a member of the Parliament of the Klaipėda Region 1932–1934.[1] On July 26, 1934 he took charge as acting vice speaker of the assembly.[1] He was removed from the assembly in August 1934.[1] His seat was left vacant.[3] In September 1935, during the local elections, 14 men, including Waschkies, attacked the election officials and smashed the ballot box in Juknaičiai [lt].[4] On October 13, 1936, the appeal court found the men guilty and sentenced Waschkies to 11 months imprisonment.[5][6]
World War II and later period
Waschkies became a member of the NSDAP or Nazi Party on April 1, 1939.[1] He was a member of the Wiesenheide local unit of the party.[1] After the war he moved to Bremen, where he died on April 26, 1954.[1] He was buried at Bremen-Lesum chapel on April 30, 1954.[7]