Inteligencja polska na Litwie w latach 1948-2004
ENThe Polish minority in Lithuania seems to be one of the most interesting group of Poles in the Eastern Europe. This is that group of Poles which became a minority beyond the borders of Poland in a result of political decisions, which were taken after World War II. The potential of the Polish community in Lithuania was noticed by communists, who – in years 1945-1947 and again in 1956-1959 – transferred most of Poles from Lithuania to Poland. In the effect of that process the vast majority of Polish intelligentsia left Lithuania. But there were still over 200 000 Poles, who stayed there, mainly in Vilnius Region. The most of them had only basic education, and they lived in the country. But the Polish minority showed unusual survivability. They fought against assimilation, lithuanization and sovietization. Polish minority in Lithuania was the strongest polish group in whole USSR. Small group of intelligentsia, who had stayed in Lithuania after World War II, fought for some privileges, which could help them to survive as Poles. It made the whole community stronger and ready to fight for their rights, when the communism fell down. In communist Lithuania Poles could use their language in schools, culture and press. These facts were main factors in process of rebuilding the intelligentsia and its strong position in polish society nowadays.
