От сражений с поляками к схватке с французами: пярлойские партизаны в Клайпедском "восстании" 1923 г

ENThe annexation of Klaipėda Region by Lithuania is one of the most important events of the 20th century in Lithuania. The annexation of Klaipėda or, as it is commonly known, the Klaipėda Uprising, was the result of the joint efforts of the whole Lithuania. The “rebels” fighting for Lithuania Minor were the Lithuanian military, volunteer students, peasants, civil servants, riflemen, and partisans from the Lithuanian frontline areas of Dzūkija, Aukštaitija, and Suvalkija. Prime Minister of Lithuania, Ernestas Galvanauskas used the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union, led by Vincas Krėvė-Mickevičius, to secure military support for the “uprising”. The participation of the riflemen in the Klaipėda “uprising” was represented as a response to the appeal to “Brothers Riflemen” for help made on 7 January 1923 by the Chief Rescue Committee of Lithuania Minor established by the local Lithuanians. The recruitment of the riflemen was carried out secretly all over Lithuania, especially in the frontline area. In Dzūkija, the southeastern region of Lithuania, part of which was occupied by the Poles, the largest group of “rebels”, the so-called “partisans”, was recruited in the village of Perloja. 49 partisans of Perloja who took part in the Klaipėda “uprising” have been identified on the basis of the analysis of archival documents. Not all of them were local residents of Perloja; some of them had moved to Perloja from the territories occupied by the Poles south of the Merkys river and joined the Perloja rifle squad.Documents show that in total 39 local residents of Perloja took part in the Klaipėda “uprising”. A special detachment was formed for the “uprising” under the command of Jonas Polovinskas (pseudonym Hansas Budrys). The residents of Perloja were assigned to Company 2 of Group 1, whose task was to take Klaipėda, which consisted of 103 fighters and was commanded by a young Captain of the Lithuanian Army, Eduardas Noreika. On 10 January 1923, more than a thousand of armed Lithuanians crossed the border and on the same day captured almost the entire region without resistance, except for the city of Klaipėda. The storming of the besieged Klaipėda began on 15 January. None of the residents of Perloja were injured in the “uprising”. One was captured by the French. During the storming of Klaipėda, the Commander of the Company, Eduardas Noreika was killed. Key words: Klaipėda Region, the annexation of Klaipėda by Lithuania, partisans, Perloja, Eduardas Noreika.