Misplaced Pages

Polish–Lithuanian relations during World War II: Difference between revisions

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Browse history interactively← Previous editNext edit →Content deleted Content addedVisualWikitext
Revision as of 14:48, 4 February 2007 editM.K (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Pending changes reviewers13,165 editsm →Conflicting ideologies: de-orphaned← Previous edit Revision as of 17:27, 4 February 2007 edit undoLysy (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers21,125 edits Undid revision 105574579 by M.K (talk) - one image of Lithuanian victims is enoughNext edit →
Line 12: Line 12:


An underground union of Polish leftist parties, the ] (''Wileńska Koncentracja Demokratyczna''), partly because of the pro-Nazi stance of Lithuanian authorities, and partly influenced by the nationalist stance of Polish '']'' parties, declared in March 1942 that Lithuanians were not ready for the independence and cannot be considered as equal partner of Poland {{fact}}. It stated a plan to occupy Lithuania, submit it under the rule of Polish General Commissariat and to re-educate "corrupt" Lithuanians.<ref name="bubnys_beginnings"> {{lt icon}} Arūnas Bubnys. ''Armijos Krajovos ištakos ir ideologija Lietuvoje'' (Beginnings and ideology of Armia Krajowa in Lithuania). Armija Krajova Lietuvoje, pp. 6-13. A. Bubnys, K. Garšva, E. Gečiauskas, J. Lebionka, J. Saudargienė, R. Zizas (editors). Vilnius – Kaunas, 1995. </ref> On ], 1943, ] (''Rada Narodowościowa'') at envoy of Polish Underground Government in Warsaw<!--In Warsaw was a representative of underground government --> decided that in the nearest future Lithuania would be annexed by Poland {{fact}}. In 1943 a representative of Polish Government for Vilnius region prepared a document containing a plan of dealing with Lithuania.{{fact}} Only two options were envisioned – annexation or formal independence of Lithuania, but under military dominance of Poland{{fact}}. In the second version of the document only the formal autonomy of Lithuania as part of Poland was planned. <ref name="bubnys_beginnings"/> On ], 1944, ] issued declaration expressing preparation to fight for Eastern territories (Vilnius, ], ], ], ], and ]).<ref name="bubnys_beginnings"/> It must be noted, however, that such declarations of local Polish politicians differed significantly from the official statement and actions of the ], which was the only country among the anti-] coalition which declared its support for the cause of Lithuanian independence post-war<ref name="mfaL"> . Article from ] reprinted on the pages by Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.</ref>. An underground union of Polish leftist parties, the ] (''Wileńska Koncentracja Demokratyczna''), partly because of the pro-Nazi stance of Lithuanian authorities, and partly influenced by the nationalist stance of Polish '']'' parties, declared in March 1942 that Lithuanians were not ready for the independence and cannot be considered as equal partner of Poland {{fact}}. It stated a plan to occupy Lithuania, submit it under the rule of Polish General Commissariat and to re-educate "corrupt" Lithuanians.<ref name="bubnys_beginnings"> {{lt icon}} Arūnas Bubnys. ''Armijos Krajovos ištakos ir ideologija Lietuvoje'' (Beginnings and ideology of Armia Krajowa in Lithuania). Armija Krajova Lietuvoje, pp. 6-13. A. Bubnys, K. Garšva, E. Gečiauskas, J. Lebionka, J. Saudargienė, R. Zizas (editors). Vilnius – Kaunas, 1995. </ref> On ], 1943, ] (''Rada Narodowościowa'') at envoy of Polish Underground Government in Warsaw<!--In Warsaw was a representative of underground government --> decided that in the nearest future Lithuania would be annexed by Poland {{fact}}. In 1943 a representative of Polish Government for Vilnius region prepared a document containing a plan of dealing with Lithuania.{{fact}} Only two options were envisioned – annexation or formal independence of Lithuania, but under military dominance of Poland{{fact}}. In the second version of the document only the formal autonomy of Lithuania as part of Poland was planned. <ref name="bubnys_beginnings"/> On ], 1944, ] issued declaration expressing preparation to fight for Eastern territories (Vilnius, ], ], ], ], and ]).<ref name="bubnys_beginnings"/> It must be noted, however, that such declarations of local Polish politicians differed significantly from the official statement and actions of the ], which was the only country among the anti-] coalition which declared its support for the cause of Lithuanian independence post-war<ref name="mfaL"> . Article from ] reprinted on the pages by Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.</ref>.

]
Although Lithuanian and Polish resistance movements had the same enemies - Nazi Germany and Soviet Union - they never became allies. The main obstacle in forming an alliance was the question of Vilnius - the ] and the ] regarded Vilnius as part of Poland, while Lithuanian resistance regarded Vilnius as the capital of Lithuania and aimed for an independent Lithuania, which would include Vilnius. Lithuanian resistance saw Soviet Union as the main enemy and Nazi Germany as its secondary enemy. Polish resistance saw Nazi Germany as the main enemy and had no consensus on the Soviet Union. Only in 1944-1945, after the Soviet reoccupation, did Lithuanian and Polish resistance start cooperating in the fight against Soviet occupants and Soviet activists.<ref>{{lt icon}} ]. (Lithuanian and Polish resistance movements 1942-1945), ] 2004]</ref> Although Lithuanian and Polish resistance movements had the same enemies - Nazi Germany and Soviet Union - they never became allies. The main obstacle in forming an alliance was the question of Vilnius - the ] and the ] regarded Vilnius as part of Poland, while Lithuanian resistance regarded Vilnius as the capital of Lithuania and aimed for an independent Lithuania, which would include Vilnius. Lithuanian resistance saw Soviet Union as the main enemy and Nazi Germany as its secondary enemy. Polish resistance saw Nazi Germany as the main enemy and had no consensus on the Soviet Union. Only in 1944-1945, after the Soviet reoccupation, did Lithuanian and Polish resistance start cooperating in the fight against Soviet occupants and Soviet activists.<ref>{{lt icon}} ]. (Lithuanian and Polish resistance movements 1942-1945), ] 2004]</ref>


Revision as of 17:27, 4 February 2007

The issue of Polish and Lithuanian relations during the Second World War is a controversial one, and some modern Lithuanian and Polish historians still differ in their interpretations of the related events, many of which are related to the operations of Polish resistance organization of Armia Krajowa on territories inhabited by Lithuanians and Poles. In recent years a number of common academic conferences have started to bridge the gap between Lithuanian and Polish interpretations, but significant differences still remain.

Conflicting ideologies

Relations between Lithuanians and Poles were strained during most of the interwar period due to conflicts over the Vilnius region and Suvalkai region, areas whose population was mostly a mixture of Poles and Lithuanians. Germans relocated Lithuanian families to Vilnius region from Western parts of Lithuania by force, and this complicated situation. During the war these conflicts resulted in thousands of deaths, as groups on both sides used the opportunities offered by the war to commit violent acts against those they perceived as enemies.

Monument of Polish victims in Paneriai

A significant number of Lithuanians started collaborating with the German occupiers , a prominent example being the Lithuanian Activist Front party, many members of whom came from the National Unionists whose pre-war slogan was 'Lithuania for Lithuanians'. The Lithuanian government, encouraged by the Germans, and who hoped that the Germans would grant Lithuania as much autonomy as it has granted Slovakia. Even through LAF faded after 1941, and Germans never granted the Lithuanians the autonomy they desired, elements within the Lithuanian government, collaborating with Germans, engaged in the program of ethnic and racial purification, targeting Jews, Poles and other non-Lithuanian ethnic minorities. . One of the most infamous series of incidents took place in the town of Ponary, where from 1941 to 1943 Germans and Lithuanians massacred thousands of Jews and Poles.

An underground union of Polish leftist parties, the Democratic Union of Vilnius (Wileńska Koncentracja Demokratyczna), partly because of the pro-Nazi stance of Lithuanian authorities, and partly influenced by the nationalist stance of Polish endecja parties, declared in March 1942 that Lithuanians were not ready for the independence and cannot be considered as equal partner of Poland . It stated a plan to occupy Lithuania, submit it under the rule of Polish General Commissariat and to re-educate "corrupt" Lithuanians. On 15 November, 1943, Council of Nationalities (Rada Narodowościowa) at envoy of Polish Underground Government in Warsaw decided that in the nearest future Lithuania would be annexed by Poland . In 1943 a representative of Polish Government for Vilnius region prepared a document containing a plan of dealing with Lithuania. Only two options were envisioned – annexation or formal independence of Lithuania, but under military dominance of Poland. In the second version of the document only the formal autonomy of Lithuania as part of Poland was planned. On March 1, 1944, Polish Convent of Political Parties issued declaration expressing preparation to fight for Eastern territories (Vilnius, Hrodna, Lviv, Lida, Navahradak, and Pinsk). It must be noted, however, that such declarations of local Polish politicians differed significantly from the official statement and actions of the Polish government in exile, which was the only country among the anti-Nazi coalition which declared its support for the cause of Lithuanian independence post-war.

Although Lithuanian and Polish resistance movements had the same enemies - Nazi Germany and Soviet Union - they never became allies. The main obstacle in forming an alliance was the question of Vilnius - the Polish government in exile and the Polish resistance regarded Vilnius as part of Poland, while Lithuanian resistance regarded Vilnius as the capital of Lithuania and aimed for an independent Lithuania, which would include Vilnius. Lithuanian resistance saw Soviet Union as the main enemy and Nazi Germany as its secondary enemy. Polish resistance saw Nazi Germany as the main enemy and had no consensus on the Soviet Union. Only in 1944-1945, after the Soviet reoccupation, did Lithuanian and Polish resistance start cooperating in the fight against Soviet occupants and Soviet activists.

Armed conflict

File:Armia Krajowa killings.jpg
Lithuanian Vinslovai family killed by Armia Krajowa

Lithuanian authorities had been aiding Germans in their actions against Poles since the very beginning of German occupation in 1941, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of Poles. In autumn 1943 Armia Krajowa started operations against the Lithuanian collaborative organization, the Lithuanian Secret Police, which has been aiding Germans in their operation since its very creation. Soon a significant proportion of AK operations became directed against Germany-allied Lithuanian Police and local Lithuanian administration. During the first half of 1944 AK killed hundreds of mostly Lithuanian policemen, members of self-defence units, servants of local administration, soldiers of Lithuanian Territorial Defense Force, teachers, foresters and farmers, who were judged to be collaborators with the Nazi regime. In response, Lithuanian police, who had murdered hundreds of Polish civilians since 1941, increased it's operations against the Poles, executing many Polish civilians; this further increased the vicious circle and the previously simmering Polish-Lithuanian conflict over the Vilnius area deteriorated into a low-level civil war under German occupation.

Aleksander Krzyzanowski

In May of 1944, Aleksander Krzyżanowski, AK commander of Vilnius region, commanded over 9000 armed Armia Krajowa partisans. The relations between Lithuanians and Poles were detrimental. Thousands of Poles were killed by Lithuanian collaborators working with Nazis (like the German subordinated Lithuanian Security Police or the Local Lithuanian Detachment under the command of general Povilas Plechavičius, many more were deported into Germany as slave labour). In return, members of Armia Krajowa often terrorised or killed Lithuanians judged to be collaborators and looted their property in Vilnius region. From 1943 AK especially targeted Lithuanian elementary schools and already in 1943 successfully paralysed activity of schools

Zygmunt Szendzielarz

On June 23, 1944, in response to an earlier massacre on June 20 of 37 Polish villagers in Glitiškės (Glinciszki) by Lithuanian self defence battalion rogue AK troops acting against specific orders of Krzyżanowski which forbade reprisals against civilians but acting upon the order of commander of the 5th Vilnian Home Army Brigade Zygmunt Szendzielarz "Łupaszka" committed a massacre of Lithuanian civilians, at Dubingiai (Dubinki), where 27 Lithuanian civilians, including women and children were murdered. In total number of victims of Polish revenge action in the end of June of 1944 in Dubingiai and neighbouring towns of Joniškis, Inturkė, Bijutiškis, and Giedraičiai, was 70-100 Lithuanian civilians. Massacre at Dubingiai was the only known massacre carried out by units of AK, although even the connection of AK to that massacre is disputed as the involved Polish forces are considered extremists with connections to Narodowe Siły Zbrojne (although at that time closely allied to AK). AK forces in the region, in addition to "Łupaszka"'s group, consisted also of two other AK brigades, "Narocz" and "Brasławska", under Mieczysław Potocki "Węgielny", which Krzyżanowski recently ordered to enter the region to demonstrate their presence and discourage locals from any further anti-Polish actions.

The scale of other killings is a subject of disagreement. Tadeusz Piotrowski notes that thousands of Poles died at the hand of Lithuanian collaborators, and tens of thousands were deported. Polish historian Jarosław Wołkonowski, living in Lithuania, puts the number of the Lithuanians killed by rogue AK elements at under 100. An estimate by a Lithuanian investigator Rimas Bružas is that about 500 Lithuanian civilians were killed by Poles during the war. Estimates of Juozas Lebionka suggest even a higher number of 1000. On 14 July, 1993. The nationalist and extremist Lithuanian Vilnija organization claims that AK killed 4000 residents in ethnic Lithuanian lands. State commission was established by Government of Lithuania to evaluate activities of Armia Krajowa in Lithuania which had to present conclusions by 1 December, 1993. Commission published conclusions that Armia Krajowa was acting against integrity of Lithuania and in Eastern Lithuania committed crimes against humanity, terrorised and killed innocent civilians, mostly Lithuanians. Lithuanian General Prosecutor Office in 1999 established that "partisan units of AK, not recognising the return of Vilnius region in 1939, were performing genocide of the population of Lithuania, i.e. terrorised, robbed, murdered civilians of Lithuanian, Jewish and Russian ethnicities, hoping that these actions will help in the reoccupation of the area after the war.". Investigation of General Prosecutor Office did not end yet and despite the accusations, not a single member of Armia Krajowa, many veterans of which live in Lithuania, have been charged with any crimes as of 2001. A Lithuanian historian Arūnas Bubnys admits that there were no mass murders carried by AK (with the only exception being Dubinki), but that AK was guilty of some war crimes against individuals or selected families; he also notes that any accusations of genocide are false and have an underlying political motive, among them a counteraction to the accusations of widespread German-Lithuanian collaboration and crimes committed by units such as the Lithuanian Secret Police. Polish political and military underground cells were created all over Lithuania, Polish partisan attacks were usual not only in Vilnius region but across demarcation line as well.

In 1944 Polish underground published letter of AK commander of Vilnius region demanding all Lithuanians to leave region. During the battles for Vilnius, the fighting resulted in the death of many soldiers and civilians, including Lithuanians, Jews, Poles, Russians and Germans.

Another issue of the AK's operation in Lithuania is related to incidents of co-operation with Nazis against the common enemy, the Soviet partisans. While most historians agree that AK was largely untainted in collaboration with Nazis in the Holocaust, During the negotiations between AK and Germans on 10-12 February, 1944, AK leadership agreed not to attack Germans and to help them fight Soviet partisans in Rūdninkai forest. Germans armed several AK units operating in the Lithuanian area, in order to encourage them to act against the Soviets, just as they did with such Lithuanian forces as the Local Lithuanian Detachment. Germans also did not allow Lithuanian Security Police to arrest known commanders of AK and often released arrested AK commanders from prison .

The conflict continiued until Soviets effectively destroyed Armia Krajowa in the fall of 1945.

Postwar developments

The postwar assessment of AK's activities in Lithuania was a matter of controversy. In Communist Poland the actions of AK in general, and particularly the actions of commanders and units operating in Lithuania, were presented in a very negative light. The Communist regime executed or imprisoned commanders of the AK en masse after the war for political reasons, preventing any fair legal examination of crimes they may have committed during wartime. Thus Zygmunt Szendzielarz "Łupaszka", after several years in the postwar underground, was arrested by the Polish Communist authorities, sentenced to death and executed on February 8, 1951, in part for the crimes of his unit against civilians in the Vilnius region (thus including the massacre of Lithuanian civilians in Dubingiai) though the Communist indictment was much more broad and focused on his anti-communist activities. The assessment of his actions outside of Communist Poland was different, and in 1988 he was posthumously awarded the Virtuti Militari, the highest Polish military award, by the Polish government in exile. Similarly the Lithuanian general Povilas Plechavičius who was engaged in fighting the Polish and Soviet partisans received a medal from Lithuanian president. For these reasons, the AK, despite of its record in saving the Poles of Vilnius, are considered to be a controversial organisation in today's Lithuania in a manner somewhat similar to the view taken of Soviet partisans.

On 1993 Lithuanian Government established commission consisting from historians to evaluate Armia Krajowa activities in Lithuania. Commission pronounced conclusions that subordinate of Polish government in Exile, Armia Krajowa threatened to Lithuania’s territorial integrity, made crimes against humanity, terrorized and killed civilians, mostly Lithuanians. On 1999 the Prosecutor’s Office of Republic of Lithuania finished its investigation and concluded that Armia Krajowa made genocide of Lithuanian people, hoping to reoccupy Vilnius Region.

On 20 August 2004 Lithuanian government revoked the ban on using the name 'Armia Krajowa' in public spaces and allowed the renaming of Polish veterans organization to include the name of AK. On September 9 2004 veterans of AK and some veterans of Local Lithuanian Detachment signed a Declaration of Peace. This initative was encouraged by president of Lithuania, Valdas Adamkus, prime minister of Lithuania, Algirdas Brazauskas and president of Poland, Aleksander Kwaśniewski, whose representative, Andrzej Majkowski, together with Lithuanian president and prime minister, was present at the reconciliation ceremony. Veterans of Local Lithuanian Detachment who signed the declaration did so without approval of Union of Soldiers of Local Lithuanian Detachment (Template:Lang-lt).

References

  1. Dovile, Budryte (Sep 30, 2005). Taming Nationalism?. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 0-7546-4281-X.
  2. ^ Piotrowski, 1998, p.163
  3. ^ Timothy Snyder, Yale University Press, 2003, ISBN 030010586X, The Reconstruction of Nations: Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Belarus, 1569-1999
  4. Kazimierz Sakowicz, Yitzhak Arad, Ponary Diary, 1941-1943: A Bystander's Account of a Mass Murder
  5. Piotrowski, 1998, p.168
  6. ^ Template:Lt icon Arūnas Bubnys. Armijos Krajovos ištakos ir ideologija Lietuvoje (Beginnings and ideology of Armia Krajowa in Lithuania). Armija Krajova Lietuvoje, pp. 6-13. A. Bubnys, K. Garšva, E. Gečiauskas, J. Lebionka, J. Saudargienė, R. Zizas (editors). Vilnius – Kaunas, 1995.
  7. Antypolski film w litewskiej telewizji. Article from Rzeczpospolita reprinted on the pages by Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
  8. Template:Lt icon Arūnas Bubnys. Lietuvių ir lenkų pasipriešinimo judėjimai 1942–1945 m.: sąsajos ir skirtumai (Lithuanian and Polish resistance movements 1942-1945), 30 January 2004]
  9. ^ ] Gazeta Wyborcza, 2001-02-14, Litewska prokuratura przesłuchuje weteranów AK (Lithuanian prosecutor questioning AK veterans), last accessed on 7 June 2006] Cite error: The named reference "GW_2001" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  10. ^ Template:Pl icon Gazeta Wyborcza, 2004-09-01, W Wilnie pojednają się dziś weterani litewskiej armii i polskiej AK (Today in Vilnius veterans of Lithuanian army and AK will forgive each other), last accessed on 7 June 2006
  11. ^ Tadeusz Piotrowski, Poland's Holocaust, McFarland & Company, 1997, ISBN 0-7864-0371-3. Google Print, p.168, p.169
  12. Template:Lt icon Arūnas Bubnys. Armija Krajova Rytų Lietuvoje (Armia Krajowa in Eastern Lithuania). "Atgimimas", 9 June 1989, No. 22 (35)]
  13. Template:Lt icon Stanislovas Buchaveckas. Rytų Lietuvos Mokyklos ir Armija Krajova 1941-1944 m. (Schools in Eastern Lithuania and Armia Krajowa in 1941-1944). Armija Krajova Lietuvoje, pp. 40-56. A. Bubnys, K. Garšva, E. Gečiauskas, J. Lebionka, J. Saudargienė, R. Zizas (editors). Vilnius – Kaunas, 1995.
  14. ^ Template:Lt icon Kazimieras Garšva. Armija krajova ir Vietinė rinktinė Lietuvoje (Armia Krajowa and Local Detachment in Lithuania). XXI amžius, No.61 (1264), 18 August 2004 Cite error: The named reference "KG" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  15. ^ Template:Lt icon Rimantas Zizas. Armijos Krajovos veikla Lietuvoje 1942-1944 metais (Acitivies of Armia Krajowa in Lithuania in 1942-1944). Armija Krajova Lietuvoje, pp. 14-39. A. Bubnys, K. Garšva, E. Gečiauskas, J. Lebionka, J. Saudargienė, R. Zizas (editors). Vilnius – Kaunas, 1995.
  16. Template:Lt icon Rimas Bružas, R.Bružas: Mano tikslas buvo sukelti istorikų diskusiją (R.Bružas: My aim was to initiate a discussion of historians), ELTA, 14 March 2005
  17. Template:Lt icon Juozas Lebionka. Vilniškės AK bendradarbiavimo su vokiečiais pirmtakas (The start of cooperation between Vilnian AK and Germans), Atgimimas, 1996, No. 8(372), p. 15
  18. Cas Mudde, Racist Extremism In Central And Eastern Europe, Routledge, 2005, ISBN 0-415-35593-1, Google Print, p.151
  19. Template:Lt icon Government of the Republic of Lithuania. Potvarkis dėl komisijos Armijos Krajovos veiklai Lietuvoje įvertinti (Decision to establish commission for evaluating Armia Krajowa activities in Lithuania), No. 526p, 14 July, 1993]
  20. ^ Template:Lt icon Vilnijos draugija. Kodėl negalima sakyti tiesos apie Armiją krajovą ? (Why the truth about Armia Krajowa cannot be said?), „XXI amžius“ No.61(1264), 18 August 2004]
  21. Tadeusz Piotrowski, Poland's Holocaust, McFarland & Company, 1997, ISBN 0-7864-0371-3. Google Print, p.88, p.89, p.90
  22. Template:Lt icon Arūnas Bubnys (2004). Vokiečių ir lietuvių saugumo policija (1941–1944) (German and Lithuanian security police: 1941-1944). Vilnius: Lietuvos gyventojų genocido ir rezistencijos tyrimo centras. Retrieved 2006-06-09. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  23. Template:Pl icon Przewodnik Katolicki (10/2004) by Grzegorz Górny. Awantura o generała (Quarrel about a general). Last accessed on 7 June 2006.
  24. ^ Template:Lt icon Voruta. Kodėl negalima sakyti tiesos apie Armiją krajovą? 2005
  25. Template:Lt icon A. Bubnys, K. Garšva, E. Gečiauskas, J. Lebionka, J. Saudargienė, R. Zizas (editors). Armija Krajova Lietuvoje. Vilnius-Kaunas, 1995 p.3
  26. Template:Lt icon Romas Bacevičius. Dievo pagalba išvengęs mirties (Saved from death by God). Sidabrinė gija, 11 February 2005, No. 1 (11)
Categories: