Виленский вопрос и еврейская община Каунаса в межвоенный период

ENOne of the most prominent and at the same time the most complicated storylines of Lithuanian history between two world wars - the conflict between Lithuania and Poland for Vilnius. It is important to note that dramatic events occurred in Vilnius and around it, which essentially determined the democratic relations between Lithuania and Poland in the interwar period, influenced not only Lithuanians and Poles, but also national minorities living there for many centuries, first of all - the most numerous and influential Jewish communities. Geopolitical changes, the loss of historical capital and proclamation of Provisional capital affect the new search of coexistence of Vilnius and Kaunas Jewish communities with the dominant nation and directly affects cultural, political development. This paper attempts to present how the Vilnius question influenced the positions and choices of the Kaunas Jewish community in interwar years. Kaunas Jews have survived the crisis of identity in a provisional capital. In this period, Kaunas Jews began to create a new system - the alternative “Jerusalem of Lithuania”. Furthermore, Kaunas Jews joined the Vilnius liberation campaign in 1930s together with Lithuanians. Keywords: Jews, Vilnius, Kaunas, interwar. [From the publication]