June Uprising in Lithuania
June Uprising | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of Operation Barbarossa on the Eastern Front of World War II | |||||||
German advances from June to August 1941 | |||||||
| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
Provisional Government of Lithuania | |||||||
Strength | |||||||
12–15 divisions[2] (137,605-158,775) | 20,000–30,000[3] | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
5,000[4] | 600[3] |
The June Uprising (Lithuanian: Birželio sukilimas) was a brief period of the history of Lithuania in late June 1941 between the first Soviet and the Nazi occupations.
A year prior, on June 15, 1940, the Red Army occupied Lithuania and established the unpopular[5] Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic, which silenced its critics and suppressed resistance with political repression and state terrorism. When Nazi Germany attacked the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941, the Lithuanian Activist Front initiated the June uprising for which it been preparing since late 1940 and formed the short-lived Provisional Government.[1] The Lithuanian insurgents liberated Kaunas and Vilnius before the Wehrmacht arrived and within a week, all of the Lithuanian territory was free from the occupying Red Army.
The German Army was greeted by anti-Communist Lithuanians as liberators from repressive Soviet rule, because of the widespread hopes that Germany would help to recreate Lithuanian independence.
Background and preparations
In 1918, Lithuania achieved independence in the aftermath of World War I and the Russian revolution and secured its statehood during the Lithuanian Wars of Independence. Initially prior to World War II, Lithuania declared neutrality and its Seimas passed the neutrality laws.[8]
In June 1940 the Lithuanian government submitted to the
A year later, just a week before the uprising, some 17,000 Lithuanians, mainly the intelligentsia, were taken with their entire families and deported to Siberia, where many died of the inhumane living conditions. It was the single most important precipitating event that incited popular support for the uprising and a positive predisposition toward the German invasion. Those who escaped the deportations or arrests spontaneously organized themselves into armed groups hidden in the forests and waited for the wider uprising.[10]
The ultimate goal of the Lithuanian Activist Front (LAF), formed in the fall of 1940, was to re-establish Lithuanian independence. Started by Kazys Škirpa in Berlin, the LAF sought to unify the Lithuanian resistance, and organize and conserve resources for the planned uprising against the Soviets.[11] It acted as an umbrella organization[12] and many groups used the LAF name even though they were not connected with the LAF in Berlin.[13] The LAF established its military–political headquarters in Vilnius and organizational headquarters in Kaunas.[11] The communication and coordination between the centers in Berlin, Kaunas, and Vilnius were rather poor. The headquarters in Vilnius suffered heavily from Soviet arrests, especially in early June 1941, and became largely defunct.[14] Most of those arrested activists were executed in December 1941 in the Soviet Union.
In March 1941, the LAF in Berlin published a memorandum, titled Brangūs vergaujantieji broliai (English: Dear Enslaved Brothers), with instructions on how to prepare for the war between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union.[15] Insurgents were asked to secure strategic objects like prisons, railroads, bridges, communication hubs and factories, guarding them against potential sabotage by the retreating Red Army, while Central Headquarters was to organize a Provisional Government and declare independence.[16] In April, a list of the members of the Provisional Government, was compiled.[17] The Prime Minister's post was reserved for Škirpa, four ministers were from Vilnius, six from Kaunas, and one from Berlin. The members represented a wide spectrum of pre-war political parties and, as such, claimed to represent a majority of the Lithuanian people.[18] Some have suggested that not all of the designated ministers knew about their proposed appointment to the Provisional Government.[19] On June 14, the Nazi authorities in Berlin insisted that Škirpa and his activists not form any government or make any public declarations without their prior approval.[19] Škirpa agreed to this, but had very little control over the activists in Lithuania itself.
June Revolt
German advances and Soviet retreat
At 3:15 am on June 22, the territory of the Lithuanian SSR was invaded by two advancing German army groups: Army Group North, which took over western and northern Lithuania, and Army Group Centre, which took over most of the Vilnius Region. The Germans amassed some 40 divisions, 700,000 troops, 1,500 tanks, and 1,200 airplanes for the attack on the Lithuanian SSR.[20] The Soviets had about 25 divisions, 400,000 troops, 1,500 tanks, and 1,344 airplanes in the Baltic Military District.[21] 7 rifle and 6 motorized divisions from the 8th and 11th Armies were located within Lithuanian territory.[20]
The first attacks were carried out by the Luftwaffe against airports, airfields, and Lithuanian cities (Kėdainiai, Raseiniai, Karmėlava, Panevėžys, Jurbarkas, Ukmergė, Šiauliai, and others). These attacks claimed the lives of some 4,000 civilians.[21] Most of the Soviet air forces' aircraft were obliterated on the ground (322 airplanes were lost in the air versus 1,489 destroyed on ground).[21] The Germans rapidly advanced, encountering only sporadic resistance from the Soviets near Kaltinėnai, Raseiniai, and Šiauliai, and assistance from the Lithuanians. In the Battle of Raseiniai, the Soviets attempted a counterattack, reinforced by tanks, but suffered heavy losses.[22] Within a week, the Germans had sustained 3,362 casualties but controlled all of Lithuania.[2] Soviet losses were heavy and not known precisely; estimates put them at 12–15 divisions.[2] The Red Army also lost most of the aircraft stationed there, tanks, artillery, and other equipment.[22]
German and Soviet atrocities
Despite the generally friendly Lithuanian attitude, the Germans carried out
More atrocities were carried out by the retreating Red Army. About 4,000 political and criminal prisoners arrested during the first Soviet occupation were transported to Soviet Union.[25] The NKVD organized prisoner massacres in Rainiai, Pravieniškės and Panevėžys. Forty mass killing sites have been identified in Lithuania.[26] Many others were killed en route to Soviet prisons. The largest such massacre took place near Chervyen in present-day Belarus. A list of NKVD victims in Lithuania, compiled during the Nazi occupation, includes 769 people that did not participate in the uprising.[27]
Lithuanian revolt
In Kaunas
The uprising began in the early morning of June 22, 1941, the first day of the war. LAF's main forces were concentrated in Kaunas. At 10 am LAF held a meeting in Žaliakalnis, dividing responsibilities. It decided that its main goal was not to fight the Soviets but to secure the city (i.e. organizations, institutions, enterprises) and declare independence.[28] By the evening of June 22, the Lithuanians controlled the Presidential Palace, post office, telephone and telegraph, radio stations and radiophone.[28] Control of the telephone systems allowed Lithuanians to disconnect all known communist numbers and talk to each other without passwords or codes.[29] The Soviets had sabotaged the radio station, and repairs were carried out at night from June 22 to 23. Spare parts were delivered by medical students driving an ambulance.[30] Despite fears that not enough Lithuanian forces were guarding the radio tower, on the morning of June 23, Leonas Prapuolenis read the declaration of Lithuanian independence and the list of members of the Provisional Government. The broadcast was repeated several times in Lithuanian, German, and French.[30]
Also on the morning of June 23, 1941, insurgents raided Soviet armories in
The bridges over the
On June 24, 1941, the Red Army's tank units in Jonava were ordered to retake Kaunas. The insurgents radioed the Germans for assistance. The Luftwaffe bombed the tank units and they did not reach the city. It was the first coordinated Lithuanian–German action.[36] The first German scouts, lieutenant Flohret and four privates entered Kaunas on June 24 and found it in friendly hands.[37] A day later the main forces marched into the city without impediment, almost in a parade.[38] On June 26, the German military command was ordered to disband and disarm the rebel groups.[39] Two days later Lithuanian guards and patrols were also relieved of their duties.
According to self-registration in July, there were about 6,000 insurgents,[40] spontaneously organized into 26 groups in Kaunas.[41] The largest groups numbered 200–250 men. Total Lithuanian casualties in Kaunas have been estimated at 200 dead and 150 wounded.[40]
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LAF activists inspect a T-38 tank from the Red Army in Kaunas
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Lithuanian activists in Kaunas on June 25, 1941
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Lithuanian activists in Šančiai, Kaunas
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Lithuanian insurgents lead the disarmed soldiers of the Red Army in Kaunas
In Vilnius
In Vilnius, the LAF, commanded by
The 7,000–8,000 ethnic Lithuanians in the
-
Buildings in Vilnius with the Lithuanian tricolor flags
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Soviet POWs escorted by German soldiers in Vilnius, June–July 1941
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Lithuanian insurgents (LAF) and soldiers of the Lithuanian Army in Cathedral Square, Vilnius after the city was liberated from the Soviets
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Lithuanian soldiers, liberated fromthe former Lithuanian corps of the Red Army, warmly greeted in Vilnius, Lithuania
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Lithuanian insurgents (LAF) patrolling the streets of Vilnius, Lithuania
Elsewhere and summary
The uprising spread to other cities, towns, and villages. The level of rebel activities varied greatly across Lithuania and the uprising was spontaneous and chaotic.
In the Soviet era, insurgents were persecuted and the uprising was censored from the history books. Memoirs and studies, published mainly by
Independence and Provisional Government
"Attention! Attention! This is
Bolshevikterror, decided to build its future on the basis of national unity and social justice."
—
On June 23, 1941 at 9:28 AM Tautiška giesmė, the national anthem of Lithuania, was played on the radio in Kaunas.[48] LAF member Leonas Prapuolenis read independence declaration Atstatoma laisva Lietuva (Free Lithuania is Restored).[49] Prapuolenis announced the members of the Provisional Government and also asked the people to guard public and private property, workers to organize protection of factories, public institutions, and other important objects, and policemen to patrol their territories preserving the general public order. The message was repeated several times in Lithuanian, German, and French.
The first meeting of the Provisional Government took place on June 24. LAF activist Juozas Ambrazevičius replaced Kazys Škirpa, who was under house arrest in Berlin, as the Prime Minister. The new government attempted to take full control of the country, establish the proclaimed independence, and start a de-Sovietization campaign. During its six-week existence over 100 laws, some prepared in advance, were issued, dealing with de-nationalization of land, enterprises, and real estate, restoration of local administrative units, formation of police, and other issues. The government did not have power in the Vilnius Region, under the control of a different army group.[50] Hoping to survive, the government cooperated fully with the Nazi authorities.[38]
The Germans did not recognize the new government, but also did not take any actions to dissolve it by force (unlike the government of
Aftermath and controversies
Usurpation of public life continued after the demise of the Provisional Government. The
Despite its failure to establish independence and meager long-term results, as
References
- ^ a b c Brandišauskas 2018.
- ^ a b c d Anušauskas 2005, p. 164.
- ^ a b c d e f Anušauskas 2005, p. 171.
- ^ a b c d
Brandišauskas, Valentinas (2002). "1941 m. sukilimas ir nepriklausomybės viltys". Gimtoji istorija. Nuo 7 iki 12 klasės (in Lithuanian). Vilnius: Elektroninės leidybos namai. ISBN 9986-9216-9-4. Archived from the originalon 2008-03-03. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
- Bubnys, Arūnas (2020-06-21). "1941 m. birželio sukilimas Vilniuje". Alkas.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 11 June 2021.
- ^ Литва в период германской оккупации 1941 – 1944 г. (in Russian). runivers.ru. Retrieved 2012-07-18.
- ^ Jazavita 2018, p. 69.
- ^ Jazavita 2018, p. 90.
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Liekis, Šarūnas (2010). 1939: The Year that Changed Everything in Lithuania's History. New York: Rodopi. pp. 119–122. ISBN 978-9042027626.
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- ^ Anušauskas 2005, pp. 157–158.
- ^ a b Anušauskas 2005, p. 157.
- ^ Bubnys 1998, p. 26.
- ^ Bubnys 1998, p. 27.
- ^ Bubnys 1998, p. 32.
- ^ a b Anušauskas 2005, p. 167.
- ^ Anušauskas 2005, p. 168.
- ^ Bubnys 1998, p. 29.
- ^ a b Misiunas & Taagepera 1993, p. 46.
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- ^ Anušauskas 2005, p. 141.
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"1941 metų Joninės. Šlovės savaitė: kaip lietuviai laimėjo hibridinį karą prieš Kremlių « Lietuvos Žurnalistų draugija". Lietuvos žurnalistų draugija. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
- Aleksandravičius, Arnoldas. "1941 metų Joninės. Šlovės savaitė: kaip lietuviai laimėjo hibridinį karą prieš Kremlių". Lietuvos kariuomenės kūrėjų savanorių sąjunga (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 26 June 2016.
- ^ Gerutis 1984, pp. 325–326.
- ^ a b c Bubnys 1998, p. 40.
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- ^ Bubnys 1998, p. 38.
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- ^ Anušauskas 2005, p. 169.
- ^ a b Bubnys 1998, p. 43.
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- ^ Anušauskas 2005, p. 170.
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- Lrt.lt(in Lithuanian). 2001-06-28. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ Jegelevičius, Sigitas. "Lietuvių savivalda ir vokiečių okupacinė valdžia: tarp kolaboravimo ir rezistencijos". Genocid.lt. Genocide and Resistance Research Centre of Lithuania. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ "The History of Lithuania's National Anthem". DRAUGAS NEWS. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
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- ^ Anušauskas 2005, p. 175.
- ^ a b Anušauskas 2005, p. 177.
- ^ Škirpa, Kazys (1973). Sukilimas Lietuvos suverenumui atstatyti. Brooklyn, NY: Franciscan Fathers Press. p. 502.
- ^ Misiunas & Taagepera 1993, p. 48.
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- ^ "Vokiečių okupuota Lietuva (1941-1944)". Lithuanistika.
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Zemlickas, Gediminas (2000-03-09). "Apie Birželio sukilimą ir Lietuvos laikinąją vyriausybę". Mokslo Lietuva (in Lithuanian). 5 (207). ISSN 1392-7191. Archived from the originalon 2006-05-18.
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- Misiunas, Romuald J.; Taagepera, Rein (1993). The Baltic States: Years of Dependence 1940–1990 (expanded ed.). University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-08228-1.
- Narutis, Pilypas (1994). Tautos sukilimas 1941 Lietuvos nepriklausomybei atstatyti / Lithuanian uprising 1941 Struggle for independence - caught between Nazi Germany and Soviet Empire (1st ed.). Illinois: Oak Lawn, Ill.
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