IŠ 1949 METŲ LIETUVOS PARTIZANŲ VADŲ SUSITIKIMO ISTORIJOS: LAIKAS IR VIETA
On the Lithuanian Partisans Commander Meeting 1949: Discovery of Date and Place

Summary/Abstract: The article focuses on the Lithuanian Partisans’ Commander Meeting in 1949. As a result of the Meeting, the Movement of the Struggle for Freedom of Lithuania was established, the statute and programme of the Movement were confirmed, the political declaration and several other documents were signed. Despite the fact the Meeting is the key point in the history of the Partisan War in Lithuania in 1944–1953 all the circumstances in which eight Lithuanian partisans’ commanders and their escort were gathered, both the date and place of the Meeting are under discussion so far. According to Jonas Žemaitis’ (codename Vytautas) investigation protocols written in 1953, theLithuanian Partisans’ Commander Meeting started at 1 February 1949 and lasted for 20 days. The representatives of South and Western Lithuania departed at 22 February. According to the report written by Adolfas Ramanauskas (codename Vanagas) in the 1950, the Meeting started at 6 February (A. Ramanauskas, accompanied by Aleksandras Grybinas, codename Faustas, and Vytautas Gužas, codename Kardas, met J. Žemaitis); commanders were in session up to the 18th, still they managed documents until 20 February and departed soon after the end. The contrasting data considering the beginning and duration of the Meeting might be a result of conspiracy which was agreed upon to keep by commanders themselves. J. Žemaitis, the chairman of the Presidium of the Council of the Movement of the Struggle for Freedom of Lithuania, mentioned this fact in the course of inquiry fulfilled by soviet investigators. Lithuanian partisans’ commanders came to the bunker of the headquarter of the Prisikėlimas unit located in Stanislovas Miknys’ farmstead in the Minaičiai village, Radviliškis district, in the evening of 6 February 1949. The latter newly established data supports J. Žemaitis’ evidence concerning the beginning of the Meeting on 1 February. According to the partisans’ liaison Marija Pranevičiūtė (codename Vaiva) investigation protocol, it took place in the Jaugėlai village nearby Radviliškis, although not a single fact shows that the owner of the farmstead Kemeklis mentioned by M. Pranevičiūtė was a historical person and not a fiction. Soon after, the commanders left the environs of Radviliškis and turned to Pašušvys, the land well known by four members of the headquarter of the Prisikėlimas unit. In the autumn of 1948, two bunkers, called Vandenynas and Ramovė, of the headquarter of the Prisikėlimas unit were established there. Managers of the Prisikėlimas unit covered the expenses related to staying of partisans during February 1949 to the owners of both bunkers Vandenynas and Ramovė (respectively 125 and 265 roubles). The proportion of expenses may reflect the different numbers of partisans or of days spent there.

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