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Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (1918–1919)
Encyclopedia
The Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (LSSR) was an early short-lived Soviet republic
declared on December 16, 1918 by the provisional revolutionary government, led by Vincas Mickevičius-Kapsukas
. It ceased to exist on February 27, 1919, when it was merged with the Socialist Soviet Republic of Byelorussia
to form the Lithuanian–Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, commonly referred to as Litbel. While efforts were made to represent LSSR as a product of a socialist revolution supported by local residents, it was largely Moscow-orchestrated entity to justify the Lithuanian–Soviet War
. As a Soviet historian, adhering to official propaganda, put it: "The fact that the Government of Soviet Russia recognized a young Soviet Lithuanian Republic unmasked the lie of the USA and British imperialists that Soviet Russia allegedly sought rapacious aims with regard to the Baltic countries
." Lithuanians generally did not support Soviet causes and rallied for their own national state, declared independent on February 16, 1918, by the Council of Lithuania
.
and signed the Compiègne Armistice
on November 11, 1918. German military started retreating from the former Ober Ost
territories. Two days later the government of the Soviet Russia renounced the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
, which had assured Lithuania's independence. Soviets launched a westward offensive against Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine in order to spread the global proletarian revolution
and replace national independence movements with Soviet republics. Their forces followed retreating German troops and reached Lithuania
by the end of December 1918.
In Lithuania the communists were not active until late summer 1918. The Communist Party of Lithuania
(CPL) was organized between October 1–3, 1918, during the first Congress of the CPL in Vilnius, attended by 34 delegates. Pranas Eidukevičius was elected as the first chairman. The party decided to follow examples set by the Russian Communist Party (bolshevik) and organize a socialist revolution in Lithuania. The plans were instigated and financed by Moscow, supervised by Adolph Joffe
and Dmitriy Manuilsky. Already on December 2, Vincas Mickevičius-Kapsukas
sent a reliable person to bring 15 million rubles to finance the "revolution". On December 8, CPL formed the eight-member provisional revolutionary government, led by Mickevičius-Kapsukas. Other members were: Zigmas Aleksa-Angarietis, Pranas Svotelis-Proletaras, Semyon Dimanstein, Kazimierz Cichowski
, Aleksandras Jakševičius, Konstantinas Kernovičius and Yitzhak Weinstein (Aizikas Vainšteinas). Modern historians doubt if the provisional government really met in Vilnius as claimed by the Soviet sources. It is more probable that the government followed the advancing Red Army. Between December 16, 1918 and January 7, 1920, the government resided in Daugavpils
.
The government issued a manifesto, printed with December 16 date, declaring establishment of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic. The manifesto was first published in Russian in Izvestia
on December 19 and then announced on the radio. The manifesto was published in Vilnius only on December 24. A draft of the manifesto, prepared by Kapsukas, stressed the need of close ties with communist Russia and ended with a slogan "Long live the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
with incorporate Soviet Lithuania!" The final version, edited by Stalin and the Russian Communist Party, eliminated references to the union with Russia and replaced the slogan with "Long live freed Soviet Lithuanian Republic!" Kapsukas did not want to establish an independent Soviet republic as he had campaigned for many years against social-patriotism, separatism, and Lithuanian independence. He accepted ideas of Rosa Luxemburg
and rejected the right of self-determination
.
The newly-formed LSSR asked for assistance from the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
(RSFSR or Soviet Russia). RSFSR officially recognized LSSR as an independent state on December 22. The same day Red Army
took over Zarasai
and Švenčionys
. It seems that the provisional government split up and did not attempt to gain wider recognition. The Lithuanian Army was in its infant stages and could not offer resistance to the Soviet advance. On January 5, Red Army captured Vilnius. By the end of January 1919, Soviets controlled about ⅔ of the Lithuanian territory. Similar republics were established in Latvia (Latvian Socialist Soviet Republic
) and Estonia (Commune of the Working People of Estonia
).
LSSR was new, weak, and had to rely on Russian assistance. The Soviets were generally supported by the industrial working class, but it was too small in Lithuania. On January 21, RSFSR granted a loan of 100 million rubles to the provisional government. LSSR did not form its own army. In February 1919, Kapsukas sent a telegram to Moscow arguing that conscription of local Lithuanians to the Red Army would only encourage Lithuanians to volunteer for the Lithuanian Army. In the occupied territory the Soviets created revolutionary committee
s and soviets
based on structures developed in Russia. The Soviets demanded large war contributions from captured cities and villages. For example, Panevėžys was required to pay 1,000,000, Utena – 200,000, villagers – 10 rubles. They nationalized commercial institutions and large estates. The land was to be used for collective farming
instead of being redistributed to small farmers. Economic difficulties and cash shortage was illustrated by a decree published in January 1919 prohibiting financial institutions to pay out more than 250 rubles in one week to any resident. The Soviet propagated internationalism and atheism
in a country of staunch Catholics and determined nationalists. Such policies alienated local population and contributed to the eventual defeat of the Soviets.
, the temporary capital of Lithuania
. At the end of February, Germans started an offensive in Latvia and northern Lithuania. Faced with military difficulties and unreceptive locals, the Soviets decided to combine weak Lithuanian and Byelorussian SSRs into the Lithuanian–Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic or Litbel, led by Kapsukas. The communist parties were also merged into the Communist Party (bolsheviks) of Lithuania and Belorussia. However, that had little effect and Polish forces took Vilnius in April
and Minsk in August 1919
during the Polish–Soviet War. Litbel was also dissolved.
When the tide turned in the Polish–Soviet War, the Soviets captured Vilnius on July 14, 1920. They did not transfer the city to the Lithuanian administration, as agreed in the Soviet–Lithuanian Peace Treaty
, signed just two days before. Instead Soviets planned a coup to overthrow the Lithuanian government and re-establish a Soviet republic as they did with the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic. However, Soviets lost the Battle of Warsaw
and were pushed back by the Poles. Some historians credit this victory for saving Lithuania's independence from the Soviet coup.During the interwar years, Lithuanian–Soviet relations were generally friendly, but at the outbreak of World War II
the Soviet Union
occupied Lithuania in July 1940. Official Soviet propaganda described the occupation as "restoration of the Soviet power by revolutionary masses."
Republics of the Soviet Union
The Republics of the Soviet Union or the Union Republics of the Soviet Union were ethnically-based administrative units that were subordinated directly to the Government of the Soviet Union...
declared on December 16, 1918 by the provisional revolutionary government, led by Vincas Mickevičius-Kapsukas
Vincas Mickevicius-Kapsukas
Vincas Mickevičius-Kapsukas was a Lithuanian political activist, one of the founders and leaders of the Communist Party of Lithuania and the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic ....
. It ceased to exist on February 27, 1919, when it was merged with the Socialist Soviet Republic of Byelorussia
Socialist Soviet Republic of Byelorussia
The Socialist Soviet Republic of Byelorussia or Soviet Socialist Republic of Belarus was an early republic in the historical territory of Belarus after the collapse of the Russian Empire as a result of the October Revolution....
to form the Lithuanian–Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, commonly referred to as Litbel. While efforts were made to represent LSSR as a product of a socialist revolution supported by local residents, it was largely Moscow-orchestrated entity to justify the Lithuanian–Soviet War
Lithuanian–Soviet War
The Lithuanian–Soviet War or Lithuanian–Bolshevik War was fought between newly independent Lithuania and the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic in the aftermath of World War I. It was part of the larger Soviet westward offensive of 1918–1919...
. As a Soviet historian, adhering to official propaganda, put it: "The fact that the Government of Soviet Russia recognized a young Soviet Lithuanian Republic unmasked the lie of the USA and British imperialists that Soviet Russia allegedly sought rapacious aims with regard to the Baltic countries
Baltic states
The term Baltic states refers to the Baltic territories which gained independence from the Russian Empire in the wake of World War I: primarily the contiguous trio of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania ; Finland also fell within the scope of the term after initially gaining independence in the 1920s.The...
." Lithuanians generally did not support Soviet causes and rallied for their own national state, declared independent on February 16, 1918, by the Council of Lithuania
Council of Lithuania
The Council of Lithuania , after July 11, 1918 The State Council of Lithuania , was convened at the Vilnius Conference that took place between September 18 and 23, 1917. The council was granted the executive authority of the Lithuanian people and was entrusted to establish an independent...
.
Background
Germany lost World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and signed the Compiègne Armistice
Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)
The armistice between the Allies and Germany was an agreement that ended the fighting in the First World War. It was signed in a railway carriage in Compiègne Forest on 11 November 1918 and marked a victory for the Allies and a complete defeat for Germany, although not technically a surrender...
on November 11, 1918. German military started retreating from the former Ober Ost
Ober Ost
Ober Ost is short for Oberbefehlshaber der gesamten Deutschen Streitkräfte im Osten, which is a German term meaning "Supreme Commander of All German Forces in the East" during World War I. In practice it refers not only to said commander, but also to his governing military staff and the district...
territories. Two days later the government of the Soviet Russia renounced the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was a peace treaty signed on March 3, 1918, mediated by South African Andrik Fuller, at Brest-Litovsk between Russia and the Central Powers, headed by Germany, marking Russia's exit from World War I.While the treaty was practically obsolete before the end of the year,...
, which had assured Lithuania's independence. Soviets launched a westward offensive against Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine in order to spread the global proletarian revolution
World revolution
World revolution is the Marxist concept of overthrowing capitalism in all countries through the conscious revolutionary action of the organized working class...
and replace national independence movements with Soviet republics. Their forces followed retreating German troops and reached Lithuania
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...
by the end of December 1918.
Formation
Communist Party of Lithuania
The Communist Party of Lithuania was a communist party in Lithuania, established in early October 1918. The party was banned in December 1926.-History:...
(CPL) was organized between October 1–3, 1918, during the first Congress of the CPL in Vilnius, attended by 34 delegates. Pranas Eidukevičius was elected as the first chairman. The party decided to follow examples set by the Russian Communist Party (bolshevik) and organize a socialist revolution in Lithuania. The plans were instigated and financed by Moscow, supervised by Adolph Joffe
Adolph Joffe
Adolph Abramovich Joffe was a Communist revolutionary, a Bolshevik politician and a Soviet diplomat of Karaim descent.-Revolutionary career:...
and Dmitriy Manuilsky. Already on December 2, Vincas Mickevičius-Kapsukas
Vincas Mickevicius-Kapsukas
Vincas Mickevičius-Kapsukas was a Lithuanian political activist, one of the founders and leaders of the Communist Party of Lithuania and the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic ....
sent a reliable person to bring 15 million rubles to finance the "revolution". On December 8, CPL formed the eight-member provisional revolutionary government, led by Mickevičius-Kapsukas. Other members were: Zigmas Aleksa-Angarietis, Pranas Svotelis-Proletaras, Semyon Dimanstein, Kazimierz Cichowski
Kazimierz Cichowski
Kazimierz Cichowski was a Polish-Soviet communist activist and politician.Cichowski joined the Social Democracy of the Kingdom of Poland and Lithuania in 1907...
, Aleksandras Jakševičius, Konstantinas Kernovičius and Yitzhak Weinstein (Aizikas Vainšteinas). Modern historians doubt if the provisional government really met in Vilnius as claimed by the Soviet sources. It is more probable that the government followed the advancing Red Army. Between December 16, 1918 and January 7, 1920, the government resided in Daugavpils
Daugavpils
Daugavpils is a city in southeastern Latvia, located on the banks of the Daugava River, from which the city gets its name. Daugavpils literally means "Daugava Castle". With a population of over 100,000, it is the second largest city in the country after the capital Riga, which is located some...
.
The government issued a manifesto, printed with December 16 date, declaring establishment of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic. The manifesto was first published in Russian in Izvestia
Izvestia
Izvestia is a long-running high-circulation daily newspaper in Russia. The word "izvestiya" in Russian means "delivered messages", derived from the verb izveshchat . In the context of newspapers it is usually translated as "news" or "reports".-Origin:The newspaper began as the News of the...
on December 19 and then announced on the radio. The manifesto was published in Vilnius only on December 24. A draft of the manifesto, prepared by Kapsukas, stressed the need of close ties with communist Russia and ended with a slogan "Long live the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic , commonly referred to as Soviet Russia, Bolshevik Russia, or simply Russia, was the largest, most populous and economically developed republic in the former Soviet Union....
with incorporate Soviet Lithuania!" The final version, edited by Stalin and the Russian Communist Party, eliminated references to the union with Russia and replaced the slogan with "Long live freed Soviet Lithuanian Republic!" Kapsukas did not want to establish an independent Soviet republic as he had campaigned for many years against social-patriotism, separatism, and Lithuanian independence. He accepted ideas of Rosa Luxemburg
Rosa Luxemburg
Rosa Luxemburg was a Marxist theorist, philosopher, economist and activist of Polish Jewish descent who became a naturalized German citizen...
and rejected the right of self-determination
Self-determination
Self-determination is the principle in international law that nations have the right to freely choose their sovereignty and international political status with no external compulsion or external interference...
.
The newly-formed LSSR asked for assistance from the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic , commonly referred to as Soviet Russia, Bolshevik Russia, or simply Russia, was the largest, most populous and economically developed republic in the former Soviet Union....
(RSFSR or Soviet Russia). RSFSR officially recognized LSSR as an independent state on December 22. The same day 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...
took over Zarasai
Zarasai
Zarasai is a city in northeastern Lithuania, surrounded by many lakes and rivers: to the southwest of the city is Zarasas, north – Zarasaitis, southeast – Baltas, and east – Griežtas. Zarasaitis and Griežtas are connected by Laukesa rivulet....
and Švenčionys
Švencionys
Švenčionys is a city located north of Vilnius in Lithuania. It is the capital of the Švenčionys district municipality. As of 2005, it had population of 5,658 of which about one-third is part of the Polish minority in Lithuania.- Name :...
. It seems that the provisional government split up and did not attempt to gain wider recognition. The Lithuanian Army was in its infant stages and could not offer resistance to the Soviet advance. On January 5, Red Army captured Vilnius. By the end of January 1919, Soviets controlled about ⅔ of the Lithuanian territory. Similar republics were established in Latvia (Latvian Socialist Soviet Republic
Latvian Socialist Soviet Republic
The Latvian Socialist Soviet Republic was a short-lived socialist republic formed during the Latvian War of Independence. It was proclaimed on 17 December 1918 with the political, economic, and military backing of Vladimir Lenin and his Bolshevik government in the Russian SFSR...
) and Estonia (Commune of the Working People of Estonia
Commune of the Working People of Estonia
The Commune of the Working People of Estonia was an unrecognised government claiming the Bolshevik-occupied parts of Republic of Estonia as its territories during the Estonian War of Independence and the Russian Civil War...
).
Policies
| Members of the Council of People's Commissars | ||
|---|---|---|
| Position | As of January 6, 1919 | As of January 22, 1919 |
| Commissar of Foreign Affairs | Vincas Mickevičius-Kapsukas Vincas Mickevicius-Kapsukas Vincas Mickevičius-Kapsukas was a Lithuanian political activist, one of the founders and leaders of the Communist Party of Lithuania and the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic .... (also Chairman) |
|
| Commissar of Internal Affairs | Zigmas Aleksa-Angarietis (also Deputy Chairman) | |
| Commissar of Food | Aleksandras Jakševičius | M. Slivkin |
| Commissar of Labor | Semyon Dimanstein | |
| Commissar of Finance | Kazimierz Cichowski Kazimierz Cichowski Kazimierz Cichowski was a Polish-Soviet communist activist and politician.Cichowski joined the Social Democracy of the Kingdom of Poland and Lithuania in 1907... |
|
| Commissar of Transport | Pranas Svotelis-Proletaras | Aleksandras Jakševičius |
| Commissar of Agriculture | Yitzhak Weinstein-Branovski | Vaclovas Bielskis |
| Commissar of Education | Vaclovas Biržiška Vaclovas Biržiška Vaclovas Biržiška was a Lithuanian attorney, bibliographer, and educator.He was a member of a notable Lithuanian family; his great-grandfather Mykolas Biržiška was a representative in the Sejm when the Constitution of 3 May was accepted in 1791; his grandfather Leonardas Biržiška was an active... |
|
| Commissar of Communications | - | Pranas Svotelis-Proletaras |
| Commissar of Military Affairs | - | Rapolas Rasikas |
| Commissar of the People's Economy | - | Yitzhak Weinstein-Branovski |
| Commissar of Trade and Industry | - | Yitzhak Weinstein-Branovski |
LSSR was new, weak, and had to rely on Russian assistance. The Soviets were generally supported by the industrial working class, but it was too small in Lithuania. On January 21, RSFSR granted a loan of 100 million rubles to the provisional government. LSSR did not form its own army. In February 1919, Kapsukas sent a telegram to Moscow arguing that conscription of local Lithuanians to the Red Army would only encourage Lithuanians to volunteer for the Lithuanian Army. In the occupied territory the Soviets created revolutionary committee
Revolutionary committee
Revolutionary committees or revkoms were Bolshevik-led organizations in Soviet Russia and in areas of its activities established to serve as provisional governments and temporary Soviet administrations in territories under the control of the Red Army in 1918-1920, during the Russian Civil War and...
s and soviets
Soviet (council)
Soviet was a name used for several Russian political organizations. Examples include the Czar's Council of Ministers, which was called the “Soviet of Ministers”; a workers' local council in late Imperial Russia; and the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union....
based on structures developed in Russia. The Soviets demanded large war contributions from captured cities and villages. For example, Panevėžys was required to pay 1,000,000, Utena – 200,000, villagers – 10 rubles. They nationalized commercial institutions and large estates. The land was to be used for collective farming
Collective farming
Collective farming and communal farming are types of agricultural production in which the holdings of several farmers are run as a joint enterprise...
instead of being redistributed to small farmers. Economic difficulties and cash shortage was illustrated by a decree published in January 1919 prohibiting financial institutions to pay out more than 250 rubles in one week to any resident. The Soviet propagated internationalism and atheism
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
in a country of staunch Catholics and determined nationalists. Such policies alienated local population and contributed to the eventual defeat of the Soviets.
Dissolution and aftermath
Between February 8 and 15, 1919, Lithuanian and German volunteers stopped Soviet advance and prevented them from taking KaunasKaunas
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...
, the temporary capital of Lithuania
Temporary capital of Lithuania
The temporary capital of Lithuania was the official designation of the city of Kaunas in Lithuania during the interwar period. It was in contrast to the declared capital in Vilnius , which was under Polish control from 1920 until 1939...
. At the end of February, Germans started an offensive in Latvia and northern Lithuania. Faced with military difficulties and unreceptive locals, the Soviets decided to combine weak Lithuanian and Byelorussian SSRs into the Lithuanian–Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic or Litbel, led by Kapsukas. The communist parties were also merged into the Communist Party (bolsheviks) of Lithuania and Belorussia. However, that had little effect and Polish forces took Vilnius in April
Vilna offensive
The Vilna offensive was a campaign of the Polish–Soviet War of 1919–1921. The Polish army launched an offensive on April 16, 1919, to take Vilnius from the Red Army. After three days of street fighting from April 19–21, the city was captured by Polish forces, causing the Red Army to...
and Minsk in August 1919
Operation Minsk
Operation Minsk refers to the Polish offensive and capture of Minsk from the Bolshevik control in early August 1919.In the summer of 1919 after the Polish successes in several Polish-Russian skirmishes, the two combatants have been near the limits of their capabiity to wage warfare with each...
during the Polish–Soviet War. Litbel was also dissolved.
When the tide turned in the Polish–Soviet War, the Soviets captured Vilnius on July 14, 1920. They did not transfer the city to the Lithuanian administration, as agreed in the Soviet–Lithuanian Peace Treaty
Soviet–Lithuanian Peace Treaty
The Soviet–Lithuanian Peace Treaty, also known as the Moscow Peace Treaty, was signed between Lithuania and Soviet Russia on July 12, 1920. In exchange for Lithuania's neutrality and permission to freely move its troops in the recognized territory during its war against Poland, Soviet Russia...
, signed just two days before. Instead Soviets planned a coup to overthrow the Lithuanian government and re-establish a Soviet republic as they did with the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic. However, Soviets lost the Battle of Warsaw
Battle of Warsaw (1920)
The Battle of Warsaw sometimes referred to as the Miracle at the Vistula, was the decisive battle of the Polish–Soviet War. That war began soon after the end of World War I in 1918 and lasted until the Treaty of Riga resulted in the end of the hostilities between Poland and Russia in 1921.The...
and were pushed back by the Poles. Some historians credit this victory for saving Lithuania's independence from the Soviet coup.During the interwar years, Lithuanian–Soviet relations were generally friendly, but at the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
occupied Lithuania in July 1940. Official Soviet propaganda described the occupation as "restoration of the Soviet power by revolutionary masses."