The KGB (Komitet gosudarstvennoi bezopastnosti/Committee for State Security), the Soviet secret service, was established in Soviet Lithuania in 1954, but the origins of the Soviet security service go back to post-Second World War times: the NKVD (Narodnyi komisariat vnutrenih del/People's Commissariat for Interior Affairs), and later, in 1953-1954, the MGB (Ministerstvo gosudarstvennoi bezopastnosti/State Security Ministry). The main task of the security service at that time was to fight the anti-Soviet armed resistance that lasted in Lithuania for more than eight years (1944-1953).
On 1 April 1954 was established the KGB on the bases of MGB. KGB was under the jurisdiction of the Council of Ministers. Methods of activities and operiational work continued chekist traditions introducing more flexible forms applaying to the local situation. While old staff of the MGB, mostly Russians, were employed in KGB as well, more Lithuanians after graduation of high education were invited to KGB in 50's and 60's. This "Lithuanization" of KGB was rational step surveiling society especially in fighting with more sophisticated forms of cultural opposition. So called "line two" operated by the KGB 2nd division and "line five" operated by the 5th department were most involved in activity against cultural opposition. The Second line meant keeping and control of state secrets and it was concentrated in industrial factories, construction, science and transport organization. The Fifth line was directly concentrated on counter-ideological work and acted mostly in high schools and culture institutions.