Nazi resistance movement in Lithuania 1941-1944

ENAfter National Socialists released the Provisional Government of Lithuania, and introduced the occupational regime, underground Lithuanian organizations, which had fought for reinstatement of Independent Lithuania, began to form during the autumn of 1941. The Lithuanian anti-Nazi resistance movement had been splintered into several battle and political organizations until the Supreme Committee for Liberation of Lithuania was established. The most significant battle organizations are held to be the Lithuanian Freedom Fighters Union, Lithuanian Front, and Lithuanian Freedom Army. The political centers of leadership were the Highest Lithuanian Committee and National Council. As of November of 1943, when the Supreme Committee for Liberation of Lithuania formed, the anti-Nazi resistance movement was essentially centralized. The Lithuanian resistance movement of 1941-1944 held to the tactic of unarmed resistance. The most important method for struggle was - anti-Nazi agitation and propaganda in the underground press. This tactic of unarmed resistance protected the nation from massive Nazi repressions and huge losses in human lives. Differently than resistance movements of West European countries, the Lithuanian resistance had several enemies. It was directed, not only against Nazi Germany, but also against Communist Soviet Union and Polish Armia Krajowa in East Lithuania. Conditions for actions by the Lithuanian anti-Nazi resistance were especially difficult, due to not only the plentitude of strong enemies, but also due to the lack of political and military support from abroad. The most significant wins by the anti-Nazi resistance were.1. The attempted formation of a Lithuanian SS Legion in March of 1943 was prevented. 2. The occupiers were unable to form so much as one division in size of a Lithuanian military formation to fight for the German side on either the Eastern or the Western front due to widespread opposition by the public. The occupational regime was unable to execute a total mobilization for the army and work for the Reich, as had been accomplished in Germany and certain other German occupied countries, during the summer and autumn of 1943. Only half of the summoned youth ever registered at mobilization commissions, and only 10%-12% of summoned persons were actually sent to serve the Wehrmacht or to Germany for forced labor. Unified efforts by the anti-Nazi underground and patriotic youth succeeded in obstructing Hitler’s mobilization plans. 3. The occupational regime was more successful at mobilizing Lithuanian inhabitants for forced labor in Germany. The leadership of the Third Reich planned to take 10% of the entire population of the general area of Lithuania (about 100,000 people) during the autumn of 1943. However, the Nazis were only able to take some 75,000 people for work at the Reich over the course of 1941-1944.4. The occupiers were not successful at blinding the Lithuanian municipal self-government and making it succumb to implementing their will. Many disobedient officials (even including four general councilors) and police wound up in Nazi concentration camps and prisons. Nearly 30,000 inhabitants of Lithuania suffered at Third Reich concentration camps for various infractions of the “new order”. 5. The Germans did not succeed at using the Lithuanian Local Special Units to implement a mass mobilization to the Wehrmacht in the spring of 1944, or to convert the Special Units into SS divisions, and send them to the front. Some 80 Special Units officers became victims of Nazi vengeance. 6. The Lithuanian intelligentsia safeguarded schools, teacher seminaries, and universities that were operating (until March 17 of 1943), and even the Academy of Sciences. Lithuanian high school and university students were essentially taught in the national spirit, and protected from strong Germanization and Nazi indoctrination. 7. The occupational administration was unable to take out a contingency of required agricultural products from rural Lithuania. Hundreds of Lithuanian farmers paid for this by their lives and freedom. The most significant shortcomings and errors of the Lithuanian anti-Nazi resistance movement were.1. Much delayed political consolidation process (establishment of VLIK) that never was entirely completed. 2. VLIK was unable to form a unified central military leadership. 3. The level of conspiracy employed at VLIK was insufficient. The German Security Police and SD were able to clarify who the members of VLIK were and to apprehend them. 4. Leaders of the resistance that retained their freedom withdrew to the West at a critical time for the nation - the summer of 1944. The country and the underground were left without political leadership, and were disoriented during the upheaval and conditions of ever-changing occupations. Nonetheless, the aforementioned achievements of the antiNazi resistance movement markedly outweighed shortcomings and errors. The anti-Nazi resistance proved to be an important factor in the long term, and a link in the chain of resistance by Lithuanians. Organizational structures that were formed during the time of German occupation were employed in armed anti-Soviet resistance in the years following the war. [p. 208-210].