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| '''Vilnius region''' (] ''Vilniaus kraštas'', ] ''Litwa Środkowa'') refers to a part of historical ] that was disputed between ] and ] between ] and ]. |
'''Vilnius region''' (] ''Vilniaus kraštas'', ] ''Litwa Środkowa'') refers to a part of historical ] that was disputed between ] and ] between ] and ]. | ||
| ==History== | ==History== | ||
| ⚫ | Most of the area was a part of the initial ], , referred to in Lithuanian historiography as a part of ]<ref>{{cite journal | last = Smetona | first =Antanas | authorlink = Antanas Smetona | title =Lithuania Propria| journal = Darbai ir dienos | volume =3(12) | pages = 191-234 | language =Lithuanian | accessdate = }}</ref><ref>Viduramžių Lietuva . Retrieved on 2007.04.11</ref>. After the ] in late ] it was annexed by ]. In the effect of ] it was seized by Germany and given to the civilian administration of the ]. With the German defeat in the ] and the outbreak of hostilities between various factions of the ], the area, while controlled by Poles became disputed by Lithuania and the short-lived ]. | ||
| ⚫ | After the outbreak of the ], during the summer offensive of the ], the region got under Russian occupation. In exchange for military cooperation, the ] authorities signed a peace treaty<ref>{{cite book |last=Čepėnas |first=Pranas |authorlink=Pranas Čepėnas | title=naujųjų laikų Lietuvos istorija |year= |publisher=DR. Griniaus fondas |location=Chicago}}</ref> with Lithuania on ] of ]. According to the ], all area disputed between Poland and Lithuania, at the time controlled by the Bolsheviks, was to be transferred to Lithuania. However, the actual control over the area remained in Bolsheviks hands. After the ] of ] it became clear that the advancing ] would soon recapture the area. Seeing that they could not secure it, the Bolshevik authorities started to transfer the area to Lithuanian sovereignty. The advancing Polish Army managed to retake much of the disputed area before the Lithuanians arrived, while the most important part of it with the city of ] / ] was secured by Lithuania. | ||
| ⚫ | Most of the area was a part of the initial ], as a part of ]<ref>{{cite journal |
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| ⚫ | Since the two states were not at war, diplomatic negotiations started. As ] made ] in the disputed area and ] constituted approximately 60% of its inhabitants (the rest being mostly ] and ]), the Polish authorities demanded region to be transferred to Poland. On the other hand Vilnius neighbourhood was surrounded of the lands inhabited by the Lithuanian speakers and Poles didn't bordered the main Polish massive in Poland. Lithuanian government argued that the majority of those who declared Polish nationality were in fact ] Lithuanians and that the area historically belonged to ] part of the ]. The negotiations and international mediation led to nowhere and until ] the disputed territory remained divided onto Lithuanian and Polish part. | ||
| ⚫ | After the outbreak of the ], during the summer offensive of the ], the region got under Russian occupation. In exchange for military cooperation, the ] authorities signed a peace treaty<ref>{{cite book |last=Čepėnas |first=Pranas |authorlink=Pranas Čepėnas | title=naujųjų laikų Lietuvos istorija |year= |publisher=DR. Griniaus fondas |location=Chicago}}</ref> with Lithuania on ] of ]. According to the ], all area disputed between Poland and Lithuania, at the time controlled by the Bolsheviks, was to be transferred to Lithuania. However, the actual control over the area remained in Bolsheviks hands. After the ] of ] it became clear that the advancing ] would soon recapture the area. Seeing that they could not secure it, the Bolshevik authorities started to transfer the area to Lithuanian sovereignty. The advancing Polish Army managed to retake much of the disputed area before the Lithuanians arrived, while the most important part of it with the city of ] / ] was secured by Lithuania. |
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| ⚫ | Since the two states were not at war, diplomatic negotiations started. As ] made |
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| Finally, in ], after a staged coup, Polish general ] seized the Lithuanian part of the disputed territory and created there a semi-independent state of ]. Although the following year it voted to join Poland and the choice was later accepted by the ]<ref name="Krajewski">{{pl icon}} Krajewski Zenon, ''Geneza i dzieje wewnętrzne Litwy Środkowej (1920-1922)'', Lublin 1996; ISBN 8390632101</ref>, the area granted to Lithuania by the Bolsheviks in ] continued to be claimed by Lithuania, with the city of ] being treated as that state's official capital and the ] in ], and the states officially remained at war. It was not until the Polish ultimatum of 1938, that the two states resolved diplomatic relations. | Finally, in ], after a staged coup, Polish general ] seized the Lithuanian part of the disputed territory and created there a semi-independent state of ]. Although the following year it voted to join Poland and the choice was later accepted by the ]<ref name="Krajewski">{{pl icon}} Krajewski Zenon, ''Geneza i dzieje wewnętrzne Litwy Środkowej (1920-1922)'', Lublin 1996; ISBN 8390632101</ref>, the area granted to Lithuania by the Bolsheviks in ] continued to be claimed by Lithuania, with the city of ] being treated as that state's official capital and the ] in ], and the states officially remained at war. It was not until the Polish ultimatum of 1938, that the two states resolved diplomatic relations. | ||
| The Polish government never acknowledged the Russo-Lithuanian convention of ], ], that granted the latter state territory seized from Poland by the Red Army during the ], then promised to Lithuania as the Soviet forces were retreating under the Polish advance; particulary as the Soviets had previously renouced claims to that region in the ]. In turn, the Lithuanian authorities did not acknowledge the Polish-Lithuanian border of 1918-1920 as permanent nor did they ever acknowledged the sovereignty of puppet ] that was soon incorporated into Poland. | |||
| ==Terminology== | ==Terminology== | ||
| Polish historians usually use the term ] (''Litwa Środkowa'') to refer to that region. The term ''Vilnius region'' (''Vilniaus kraštas'') is prefered in Lithuanian historiography. In Western scholarly works both terms are used, although 'Central Lithuania' can in some context refer to the ] as a state, not the geographical region. | |||
| Since the Polish government never acknowledged the Russo-Lithuanian convention of ], ], that granted the latter state with parts of Polish territory. | |||
| Polish historians usually refer to ], that is the part of the disputed area that was actually controlled by Lithuania at the moment the ] was signed. Nevertheless, the Lithuanian authorities did not acknowledge the Polish-Lithuanian border of 1918-1920 as permanent nor did they ever acknowledged the sovereignty of puppet-state Central Lithuania. In scholarly works disputed area is referred to as occupied by Poland.<ref>Wright, s.Language Policy and Language Issues in the Successor States of the Former USSR. 1999, p.9</ref><ref>Dawisha, K; Parrott, B.Democratization and authoritarianism in postcommunist societies.1997 p.292</ref> | |||
| ==Ethnography== | ==Ethnography== | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| {{main|Ethnic composition of Central Lithuania}} | {{main|Ethnic composition of Central Lithuania}} | ||
| As most of the censae organised for the area prior to ] are disputed by Lithuanian historians{{Fact|date=February 2007}}, it is difficult to measure the exact ethnic and cultural pattern. According to the ] organised there by the German authorities Lithuanians constituted 18.5% of the population. The post-war Polish censae of 1921 and 1931, found 5% of Lithuanians living in the area, with several almost purely-Lithuanian enclaves located to the south-west of ] (Polish ''Wilno'') and to the north of ] (Polish ''Święciany''). The majority of the population was composed of Poles (roughly 60%) according the latter three censae. However, the Lithuanian government claimed that the majority of local Poles were in fact ] Lithuanians. In the 1920s, most Lithuanians, but also many Jews and Belarusians<ref>{{cite book |last=Kiaupa |first=Zigmantas |authorlink=Zigmantas Kiaupa |coauthors= |title=The History of Lithuania |year=2004 |publisher=baltos lankos |location=Vilnius |isbn=ISBN 9955584874 }}</ref> boycotted the idea of a ] that would decide on the future of the region. Today, although ''po prostu'' (Belarusian) is the native language for Poles in ] and in some territory of ], they consider themselves to be Poles and believe ''po prostu'' language to be Polish <ref> Lietuvos rytai; straipsnių rinkinys ; V. Čekmonas, L. Grumadaitė "Kalbų paplitimas Rytų Lietuvoje" </ref>. ''Po prostu'' and its speakers ''tuteishians'' ("the locals") identity are considered to be of a low worth and shameful in comparison with "prestigious" Polish language and identity. This came in the aftermath of politics and the situation when Polish language was indetified as the only language of Catholicism in the area by the Polish priests and Polonized ]. | As most of the censae organised for the area prior to ] are disputed by Lithuanian historians{{Fact|date=February 2007}}, it is difficult to measure the exact ethnic and cultural pattern. According to the ] organised there by the German authorities Lithuanians constituted 18.5% of the population. The post-war Polish censae of 1921 and 1931, found 5% of Lithuanians living in the area, with several almost purely-Lithuanian enclaves located to the south-west of ] (Polish ''Wilno'') and to the north of ] (Polish ''Święciany''). The majority of the population was composed of Poles (roughly 60%) according the latter three censae. However, the Lithuanian government claimed that the majority of local Poles were in fact ] Lithuanians. In the 1920s, most Lithuanians, but also many Jews and Belarusians<ref>{{cite book |last=Kiaupa |first=Zigmantas |authorlink=Zigmantas Kiaupa |coauthors= |title=The History of Lithuania |year=2004 |publisher=baltos lankos |location=Vilnius |isbn=ISBN 9955584874 }}</ref> boycotted the idea of a ] that would decide on the future of the region. Today, although ''po prostu'' (Belarusian) is the native language for Poles in ] and in some territory of ], they consider themselves to be Poles and believe ''po prostu'' language to be Polish <ref> Lietuvos rytai; straipsnių rinkinys ]; V. Čekmonas, L. Grumadaitė "Kalbų paplitimas Rytų Lietuvoje" ] </ref>. ''Po prostu'' and its speakers ''tuteishians'' ("the locals") identity are considered to be of a low worth and shameful in comparison with "prestigious" Polish language and identity. This came in the aftermath of politics and the situation when Polish language was indetified as the only language of Catholicism in the area by the Polish priests and Polonized ]. | ||
| ==See also== | ==See also== | ||
Revision as of 22:09, 11 April 2007
Vilnius region (Lithuanian Vilniaus kraštas, Polish Litwa Środkowa) refers to a part of historical Grand Duchy of Lithuania that was disputed between Poland and Lithuania between Polish-Bolshevik War and World War II.
History
Most of the area was a part of the initial Grand Duchy of Lithuania, , referred to in Lithuanian historiography as a part of Lithuania Propria. After the Partitions of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in late 18th century it was annexed by Imperial Russia. In the effect of World War I it was seized by Germany and given to the civilian administration of the Ober-Ost. With the German defeat in the Great War and the outbreak of hostilities between various factions of the Russian Civil War, the area, while controlled by Poles became disputed by Lithuania and the short-lived Belarusian People's Republic.
After the outbreak of the Polish-Bolshevik War, during the summer offensive of the Red Army, the region got under Russian occupation. In exchange for military cooperation, the Bolshevist authorities signed a peace treaty with Lithuania on July 12 of 1920. According to the Soviet-Lithuanian Treaty of 1920, all area disputed between Poland and Lithuania, at the time controlled by the Bolsheviks, was to be transferred to Lithuania. However, the actual control over the area remained in Bolsheviks hands. After the Battle of Warsaw of 1920 it became clear that the advancing Polish Army would soon recapture the area. Seeing that they could not secure it, the Bolshevik authorities started to transfer the area to Lithuanian sovereignty. The advancing Polish Army managed to retake much of the disputed area before the Lithuanians arrived, while the most important part of it with the city of Vilnius / Wilno was secured by Lithuania.
Since the two states were not at war, diplomatic negotiations started. As Lithuanians made the second minority in number in the disputed area and Poles constituted approximately 60% of its inhabitants (the rest being mostly Jews and Belarusians), the Polish authorities demanded region to be transferred to Poland. On the other hand Vilnius neighbourhood was surrounded of the lands inhabited by the Lithuanian speakers and Poles didn't bordered the main Polish massive in Poland. Lithuanian government argued that the majority of those who declared Polish nationality were in fact Polonized Lithuanians and that the area historically belonged to Lithuania Propria part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The negotiations and international mediation led to nowhere and until 1920 the disputed territory remained divided onto Lithuanian and Polish part.
Finally, in 1920, after a staged coup, Polish general Lucjan Żeligowski seized the Lithuanian part of the disputed territory and created there a semi-independent state of Central Lithuania. Although the following year it voted to join Poland and the choice was later accepted by the League of Nations, the area granted to Lithuania by the Bolsheviks in 1920 continued to be claimed by Lithuania, with the city of Vilnius being treated as that state's official capital and the temporary capital in Kaunas, and the states officially remained at war. It was not until the Polish ultimatum of 1938, that the two states resolved diplomatic relations.
The Polish government never acknowledged the Russo-Lithuanian convention of July 12, 1920, that granted the latter state territory seized from Poland by the Red Army during the Polish-Bolshevik War, then promised to Lithuania as the Soviet forces were retreating under the Polish advance; particulary as the Soviets had previously renouced claims to that region in the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. In turn, the Lithuanian authorities did not acknowledge the Polish-Lithuanian border of 1918-1920 as permanent nor did they ever acknowledged the sovereignty of puppet Republic of Central Lithuania that was soon incorporated into Poland.
Terminology
Polish historians usually use the term Central Lithuania (Litwa Środkowa) to refer to that region. The term Vilnius region (Vilniaus kraštas) is prefered in Lithuanian historiography. In Western scholarly works both terms are used, although 'Central Lithuania' can in some context refer to the Republic of Central Lithuania as a state, not the geographical region.
Ethnography
As most of the censae organised for the area prior to 1991 are disputed by Lithuanian historians, it is difficult to measure the exact ethnic and cultural pattern. According to the 1916 census organised there by the German authorities Lithuanians constituted 18.5% of the population. The post-war Polish censae of 1921 and 1931, found 5% of Lithuanians living in the area, with several almost purely-Lithuanian enclaves located to the south-west of Vilnius (Polish Wilno) and to the north of Švenčionys (Polish Święciany). The majority of the population was composed of Poles (roughly 60%) according the latter three censae. However, the Lithuanian government claimed that the majority of local Poles were in fact Polonised Lithuanians. In the 1920s, most Lithuanians, but also many Jews and Belarusians boycotted the idea of a plebiscite that would decide on the future of the region. Today, although po prostu (Belarusian) is the native language for Poles in Šalčininkai district and in some territory of Vilnius district, they consider themselves to be Poles and believe po prostu language to be Polish . Po prostu and its speakers tuteishians ("the locals") identity are considered to be of a low worth and shameful in comparison with "prestigious" Polish language and identity. This came in the aftermath of politics and the situation when Polish language was indetified as the only language of Catholicism in the area by the Polish priests and Polonized szlachta.
See also
Footnotes and references
- Smetona, Antanas. "Lithuania Propria". Darbai ir dienos (in Lithuanian). 3(12): 191–234.
- Viduramžių Lietuva Viduramžių Lietuvos provincijos. Retrieved on 2007.04.11
- Čepėnas, Pranas. naujųjų laikų Lietuvos istorija. Chicago: DR. Griniaus fondas.
- Template:Pl icon Krajewski Zenon, Geneza i dzieje wewnętrzne Litwy Środkowej (1920-1922), Lublin 1996; ISBN 8390632101
- Kiaupa, Zigmantas (2004). The History of Lithuania. Vilnius: baltos lankos. ISBN ISBN 9955584874.
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: invalid character (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - Lietuvos rytai; straipsnių rinkinys The east of Lithuania; the collection of articles; V. Čekmonas, L. Grumadaitė "Kalbų paplitimas Rytų Lietuvoje" "The distribution of languages in eastern Lithuania"
External links
- Repatriation and Resettlement of Ethnic Poles Maps of Ethnic Groups
- Lithuanian-Belarusian language boundary in the 4th decade of the 19th century
- Lithuanian-Belarusian language boundary in the beginning of the 20th century