This article presents an analysis of the reasons and the specificities of the development of translation theory in one of the three post-Soviet Baltic countries, Lithuania, since the first half of the 20thcentury until 1990. The analysis considers the historical and political circumstances characterising the period of Lithuania’s Independence (1918–1940) as well as the Soviet period (1940–1941 and 1944–1990). The discussion of the development of translation theory in Lithuania helps reveal general features relevant to the context of translation studies in Latvia and Estonia as well, because the historical and political experiences of these Baltic countries have been similar to those of Lithuania.