The 2nd (Vilnius) and 252nd Lithuanian police battalions (1941-1944)
ENThe activities of the Lithuanian police battalions (also known as “self-defense battalions” or “security units”) during World War II have become of increasing interest to military historians in recent years. This is evidenced by recently published monographs and articles. The monograph by the German historian Knut Stang about the 1st TDA Battalion in Kaunas and the monograph authored by Petras Stankeras entitled “The Lithuanian Police: 1941–1944” are particularly of note. Detailed and critical reviews of the aforementioned books have been published by Dr. Arvydas Anušauskas and Dr. Valentinas Brandišauskas, who both have a Ph.D. in the Humanities. The books by former battalion soldiers Jonas Abraitis and Jonas Laucė are important to the history of their individual units. The article by Dr. Rimantas Zizas (Ph.D. in Humanities) in Lietuvos Archyvai is also of great value. The author of this article has written on the police battalions as well. At first glance, it might seem that the topic under investigation has been fairly well examined. Lithuanian and foreign historians are relatively familiar with the organizational structure of the Lithuanian police battalions, as well as the deployment of their troops and their relations with the Nazi occupying authorities; they also know about the specific activities of certain battalions. However, the history of most of the Lithuanian police battalions has not yet been thoroughly investigated. In mid-1942, there were 20 Lithuanian police battalions in operation. The majority of them were sent outside of Lithuania’s borders (to Ukraine, Belarus, Poland) at that time. What exactly did each battalion do and what happened to them in the end?.The issue of the accountability of some battalion soldiers for war crimes and crimes against humanity, as well as the question of their participation in the Holocaust, remains relevant even now. As of today, the history of the 1st (13th), 5th, 253rd, 254th, and 257th Battalions has been thoroughly investigated. Information regarding the other battalions remains very fragmented. Only by knowing the history of all of the battalions will we be able to make objective conclusions and assessments regarding the activities and accountability of the Lithuanian self-defense units. [p. 393].
