Lithuanian Freedom Army
Encyclopedia
The Lithuanian Freedom Army ( or LLA) was a Lithuania
n underground organization established by Kazys Veverskis, a student at Vilnius University
, on December 13, 1941. Its goal were to re-establish independent Lithuania via political and military means. During the Nazi Germany occupation
it opposed German policies, but did not begin armed resistance. The armed struggle began in mid-1944 when Red Army
reached the Lithuanian borders after the Minsk Offensive. The LLA became the first wave of the Lithuanian partisans
, armed anti-Soviet guerrilla fighters. It attempted to became the central command of the armed struggle. However, the organization was liquidated by the Soviet security forces (NKVD
and KGB
) by the end of 1945. The remains of the organization were absorbed by other partisans. The guerrilla war continued until 1953.
and did not support creation of the Nazi-sponsored Lithuanian Territorial Defense Force.
Veverskis was in charge of the headquarters, personally oversaw writing of orders and directives, and published newspaper Karinės ir politinės žinios (Military and Political News), which targeted not the general public but members of LLA and its commanders. His right-hand man was lieutenant Adolfas Eidimtas. Veverskis also actively recruited new members, particularly targeting Lithuanians serving in the Schutzmannschaft
(Police Battalions). According to the testimony of Eidimtas to NKVD
, by mid-1944 LLA numbered up to 10,000 men, but that is likely an exaggeration. Among the recruits were twelve former colonels of the Lithuanian Army, who became commanders of LLA districts. The Army was organized in four regions (Vilnius
, Kaunas
, Šiauliai
, and Panevėžys
), which were further subdivided into districts based on the administrative divisions of Lithuania
. According to regulations, each district had to have headquarters with operational, reconnaissance, organizational, and personnel departments. It unsuccessfully planned to send troops to combat Polish Armia Krajowa
in the Vilnius Region
(see the Polish–Lithuanian relations during World War II
).
s. Nevertheless, men responded to the call starting the Lithuanian partisan movement. The LLA obtained limited amount of armament and munitions from Nazi Germany. The organization, possibly drawing from the experiences of the 1941 anti-Soviet uprising, envisioned a brief uprising followed by establishment of the independent Lithuanian state. However, the organization was not successful in fighting the Soviets. According to official statistics from NKVD
, the Soviets killed 659 and arrested 753 members of the LLA by January 26,1945. Founder Veverskis was killed in December 1944, Eidimtas was arrested in April 1945, the headquarters were liquidated in December 1945. This represented the failure of highly centralized resistance, as the organization was too dependent on Veverskis and other top commanders. Lower-level organization remained, especially in Samogitia
and Aukštaitija
, and was absorbed by the partisan movement. Remnants of its organizational structure survived until the end of the guerrilla war in 1953. One of the LLA members, Jonas Žemaitis
, became the commander of the Union of Lithuanian Freedom Fighters
.
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
n underground organization established by Kazys Veverskis, a student at Vilnius University
Vilnius University
Vilnius University is the oldest university in the Baltic states and one of the oldest in Eastern Europe. It is also the largest university in Lithuania....
, on December 13, 1941. Its goal were to re-establish independent Lithuania via political and military means. During the Nazi Germany occupation
Occupation of Lithuania by Nazi Germany
The occupation of Lithuania by Nazi Germany refers to the occupation of Lithuania by Nazi Germany from the start of the German invasion of Soviet Union to the end of the Battle of Memel . At first the Germans were welcomed as "liberators" from the repressive Soviet regime which occupied Lithuania...
it opposed German policies, but did not begin armed resistance. The armed struggle began in mid-1944 when Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
reached the Lithuanian borders after the Minsk Offensive. The LLA became the first wave of the Lithuanian partisans
Lithuanian partisans
The Lithuanian partisans can refer to various irregular military units in different historical periods active in Lithuania against foreign invaders and occupiers:...
, armed anti-Soviet guerrilla fighters. It attempted to became the central command of the armed struggle. However, the organization was liquidated by the Soviet security forces (NKVD
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
and KGB
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
) by the end of 1945. The remains of the organization were absorbed by other partisans. The guerrilla war continued until 1953.
Organization and German occupation
The LLA distanced itself from other political resistance organizations in Lithuania. It believed that various organizations and factions splintered Lithuanian unity for petty bickering. The LLA was supposed to be disciplined, military-based organization. It was one of the few organizations that did not rely on either Soviet Union or Nazi Germany for support and emphasized the determination of the Lithuanian people. It was the only sizable organization that did not participate in the activities of the Supreme Committee for the Liberation of LithuaniaSupreme Committee for the Liberation of Lithuania
The Supreme Committee for the Liberation of Lithuania or VLIK was an organization seeking independence of Lithuania. It was established on October 25, 1943 during the Nazi occupation. After World War II it moved abroad and continued its operations in Germany and the United States...
and did not support creation of the Nazi-sponsored Lithuanian Territorial Defense Force.
Veverskis was in charge of the headquarters, personally oversaw writing of orders and directives, and published newspaper Karinės ir politinės žinios (Military and Political News), which targeted not the general public but members of LLA and its commanders. His right-hand man was lieutenant Adolfas Eidimtas. Veverskis also actively recruited new members, particularly targeting Lithuanians serving in the Schutzmannschaft
Schutzmannschaft
Schutzmannschaft or Hilfspolizei were the collaborationist auxiliary police battalions of native policemen in occupied countries in East, which were created to fight the resistance during World War II mostly in the Eastern European countries occupied by Nazi Germany. Hilfspolizei refers also to...
(Police Battalions). According to the testimony of Eidimtas to NKVD
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
, by mid-1944 LLA numbered up to 10,000 men, but that is likely an exaggeration. Among the recruits were twelve former colonels of the Lithuanian Army, who became commanders of LLA districts. The Army was organized in four regions (Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
, Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
, Šiauliai
Šiauliai
Šiauliai , is the fourth largest city in Lithuania, with a population of 133,900. It is the capital of Šiauliai County. Unofficially, the city is the capital of Northern Lithuania.-Names:...
, and Panevėžys
Panevežys
Panevėžys see also other names, is the fifth largest city in Lithuania. As of 2008, it occupied 50 square kilometers with 113,653 inhabitants. The largest multifunctional arena in Panevėžys is the Cido Arena...
), which were further subdivided into districts based on the administrative divisions of Lithuania
Administrative divisions of Lithuania
-Grand Duchy of Lithuania :In the earliest stages of the formation of the Lithuanian state, there had been several lands , such as Nalšia, Deltuva and Lietuva, as well as others. They were ruled by regional dukes. When King Mindaugas unified the state, he killed, expelled, or subjugated most of...
. According to regulations, each district had to have headquarters with operational, reconnaissance, organizational, and personnel departments. It unsuccessfully planned to send troops to combat Polish Armia Krajowa
Armia Krajowa
The Armia Krajowa , or Home Army, was the dominant Polish resistance movement in World War II German-occupied Poland. It was formed in February 1942 from the Związek Walki Zbrojnej . Over the next two years, it absorbed most other Polish underground forces...
in the Vilnius Region
Vilnius region
Vilnius Region , refers to the territory in the present day Lithuania, that was originally inhabited by ethnic Baltic tribes and was a part of Lithuania proper, but came under East Slavic and Polish cultural influences over time,...
(see the Polish–Lithuanian relations during World War II
Polish–Lithuanian relations during World War II
The issue of Polish and Lithuanian relations during the World War II is a controversial one, and some modern Lithuanian and Polish historians still differ in their interpretations of the related events, many of which are related to the Lithuanian collaboration with Nazi Germany and the operations...
).
Soviet occupation and liquidation
On July 1, 1944, LLA declared the state of war and ordered all its able members to mobilize into platoons, stationed in forests. The departments were replaced by two sectors – operational, called Vanagai (Hawks or Falcons; abbreviated VS), and organizational (abbreviated OS). Vanagai were the armed fighters while the organizational sector was tasked with passive resistance, including supply of food, information, transport to Vanagai. The organizational structure was disrupted by the upheaval of the approaching front line. Many LLA members retreated to Germany, becoming the displaced personDisplaced person
A displaced person is a person who has been forced to leave his or her native place, a phenomenon known as forced migration.- Origin of term :...
s. Nevertheless, men responded to the call starting the Lithuanian partisan movement. The LLA obtained limited amount of armament and munitions from Nazi Germany. The organization, possibly drawing from the experiences of the 1941 anti-Soviet uprising, envisioned a brief uprising followed by establishment of the independent Lithuanian state. However, the organization was not successful in fighting the Soviets. According to official statistics from NKVD
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
, the Soviets killed 659 and arrested 753 members of the LLA by January 26,1945. Founder Veverskis was killed in December 1944, Eidimtas was arrested in April 1945, the headquarters were liquidated in December 1945. This represented the failure of highly centralized resistance, as the organization was too dependent on Veverskis and other top commanders. Lower-level organization remained, especially in Samogitia
Samogitia
Samogitia is one of the five ethnographic regions of Lithuania. It is located in northwestern Lithuania. Its largest city is Šiauliai/Šiaulē. The region has a long and distinct cultural history, reflected in the existence of the Samogitian dialect...
and Aukštaitija
Aukštaitija
Aukštaitija is the name of one of five ethnographic regions of Lithuania. The name comes from the relatively high elevation of the region, particularly the eastern parts.-Geography:...
, and was absorbed by the partisan movement. Remnants of its organizational structure survived until the end of the guerrilla war in 1953. One of the LLA members, Jonas Žemaitis
Jonas Žemaitis
Jonas Žemaitis was one of the leaders of armed resistance against the Soviet occupation in Lithuania and acknowledged as the Head of State of contemporary occupied Lithuania.Žemaitis was born in Jonas Žemaitis and Petronėlė Daukšaitė's family...
, became the commander of the Union of Lithuanian Freedom Fighters
Union of Lithuanian Freedom Fighters
The Union of Lithuanian Freedom Fighters or Movement for the Struggle for Lithuanian Freedom was a resistance organization of the Lithuanian partisans, waging a guerrilla war against the Soviet Union in the aftermath of World War II. The organization was established on February 10, 1949, during a...
.