The Impacts of war on The Impacts of war on Lithuanian’s cultureLithuanian’s culture

Historical background

• Act of Independence of Lithuania (1918)

• Soviet first and second occupation (1940-1941, 1944-1945)

• Germans’ occupation (1941-1944)

• Lithuania’s independence in 1990

Lithuanian Partisans

• Partisans who waged uniformed guerrilla warfare against Soviet rule during the Soviet invasion and occupation of Lithuania during and after World War II

• Almost 50.000 partisans from many European countries fought from the mountains

• Captured Lithuanian partisans faced torture and deportation

• It is estimated that a total of 30,000 partisans and their supporters were killed during the guerrilla warfare from 1944 to 1953

People killed (MGB data)

Year Partisans Soviets Pro-Soviet civilians

1944 2,436 258 258

1945 9,777 3,419 447

1946 2,143 2,731 493

1947 1,540 2,626 299

1948 1,135 1,673 256

1949 1,192 1,018 338

1950 635 494 261

1951 590 292 195

1952 457 92 62

1953 198 14 10

Total 20,103 12,921 2,619

Most known Lithuanian partisans

• Juozas Lukša (1921-1951)

• Adolfas Ramanauskas (1918-1957)

• Pranas Končius (1911-1965)

Juozas Lukša (1921-1951)

• Codename: Daumantas or Skirmantas

• Leader of the Lithuanian partisans after the World War II

• He engaged in the underground movement in 1944

• He joined the armed resistance in 1946

• In 1947 he escaped to the West• He was killed in 1951

Adolfas Ramanauskas (1918-1957)

• Codename: Vanagas

• Leader of the Lithuanian partisans

• Betrayed, he was arrested, tortured, and eventually executed by KGB in 1957

• Awarded the Order of the Cross of Vytis

• Promoted to brigadier general in 1990

Pranas Končius (1911-1965)

• Codename: Adomas

• The last Lithuanian anti-soviet resistance fighter killed in action

• In 2000 he was posthumously awarded the Cross of Vytis

The aftermath

• The freedom of Lithuania

• Declaration of independence

• Partisan’s day

Pictures from the Museum of Genocide Victims

Wall of former KGB headquarters in Vilnius inscribed with names of those tortured and

killed in its basement Picture 1

Pictures from the Museum of Genocide Victims

Execution RoomPicture 2

Mental CellPicture 3

Pictures from the Museum of Genocide Victims

Horrifying photos of the victimsPicture 4

Isolation chamberPicture 5

Baltic Chain

• Baltic Way or Chain of Freedom • Peaceful political demonstration• 2.000.000 people• Over 600 kilometers across the three Baltic

states• Tallinn-Riga-Vilnius• Effective campaign • Emotionally and stunning scene.

Pictures of Baltic Chain (1/3)

Pictures of Baltic Chain (2/3)

Pictures of Baltic Chain (3/3)

LITHUANIA BALTIC WAY ANNIVERSARY

Songs and Poems A.Bitvinskas. „Mes nemirę“

„Mes nemirę, mes nemirę!" Naktį juodą, žiaurią, gilią Kelias aukos iš kapų. Nužudyti, nukankinti Skelbia garsiai vieną mintį Dar gyvais balsais žmonių: „Mes nemirę, mes nemirę! Laukiam laisvės atgimimo Sutemų pilnoj šaly, -Dar ir Sibiro ledynėj, Toje lagerių tėvynėj, Mes gyvi, mes dar gyvi! Mes nemirę, mes nemirę, Jei pajėgiam naktį gilią Atsikelti iš kapų"...

A.Bitvinskas. "We're not dead"“We‘re not dead, we did not die!“Night black, fierce, deepWake up victims from their graves.Murdered, torturedProclaim loudly one thoughtWith voices of people still alive:“We’re not dead, we did not die!We’re waiting for the rebirth of freedomIn the country full of dusk,-Even in Siberia glacier,That lagers homeland,We’re alive, we’re still alive!We’re not dead, we did not die,If we can afford in night deepTo wake up from our graves“…

Songs and PoemsJei ne auksinės vasaros,

Ne mėlynos vosilkos,Nebūtum mes atėję čia,Kur slenka dienos pilkos.

Taip tyliai slenka vasaros,Pražydę gėlės vysta.Mes tyliai šluostom ašaras,Palaidoję jaunystę.

Paliksime tas kryžkelesIr viską, ką turėjom -Jaunystę, juoką, ašarasIr tą, kurią mylėjom.

Išeisiu vieną vakarąIr jau daugiau negrįšiu.Žydės vosilkos mėlynai,Bet jų nebematysiu.

If not for golden summersIf not for fields of blueWe wouldn’t have come hereTo while away the days

So quietly pass the summersAnd blossoming flowers wiltWe quietly wipe away the tearsIn memory of our youth.

We’ll leave behind those crossroadsAnd everything we hadYouth, laughter, tearsAnd the one we loved

I’ll leave one eveningNever to returnThe rye flower will blossom blueBut I will never see it

Thank you for your Thank you for your attention attention