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Lithuanian Relations with Germany, 1939

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2018

Julius P. Slavenas
Julius P. Slavenas*
Affiliation:
State University College at Buffalo
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Extract

The ultimate course of Lithuanian history was determined at the outbreak of the Second World War by the provisions of the secret protocols to the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact of 1939. In the original agreement of August 23, Lithuania was placed within the German sphere of influence with both powers recognizing Lithuania's interest in the Vilnius area which since the 1920 coup by General Lucjan Żeligowski had been under Polish sovereignty — to Lithuania's constant chagrin. In this same treaty, Latvia and Estonia were allotted to the Soviet Union. On September 28, however, this agreement received significant alterations, and Lithuania was now placed within the Soviet sphere with only one strip of land in the Southwest of Lithuania to be left for Germany. In exchange for this, the province of Lublin and parts of the province of Warsaw were transferred to the German sphere.

Type
Articles
Information
Nationalities Papers , Volume 6 , Issue 1 , Spring 1978 , pp. 1 - 8
Copyright
Copyright © 1978 by the Association for the Study of the Nationalities (USSR and East Europe) Inc. 

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References

Notes

1. The pertinent documents are published by Kaslas, Bronis J., ed., The USSR-German Aggression against Lithuania (New York: Robert Speller & Sons, 1973), pp. 103–51.Google Scholar

2. Ibid.Google Scholar

3. Audėnas, Juozas, Paskutinis Posėdis (New York: Romuva, 1966), p. 127.Google Scholar

4. Germany, Auswärtiges Amt, Akten zur deutschen auswärtigen Politik: 1918–1945, Series D (1937–1945), V, Unterredung zwischen dem Reichsminister des Auswärtigen und dem litauischen Aussenminister Urbšys, am 20. Marz 1939, Doc. 399, pp. 435–36.Google Scholar

5. Text of the treaty in ibid., pp. 440–41.Google Scholar

6. Germany, Foreign Office, Documents of German Foreign Policy: 1918–1945, Series D (1937–1945), VI, Doc. 295, Berlin, April 29, 1939, p. 369.Google Scholar

7. Raštikis, Stasys, Kovose dēl Lietuvos (Los Angeles: Lietuvių Dienos, 1956), 1: 565.Google Scholar

8. Ibid., p. 567.Google Scholar

9. Ibid., p. 560.Google Scholar

10. Mitkiewicz, Leon, Wspomnienia Kowiénskie (London: Veritas, 1968), pp. 188–203.Google Scholar

11. Germany, Foreign Office, Documents, Series D, VI, Memorandum by the Head of Political Division VI, Doc. 311, Berlin, May 2, 1939, p. 402.Google Scholar

12. Ibid., Memorandum by Grundherr, Doc. 328, Berlin, May 4, 1939, pp. 423–24.Google Scholar

13. Ibid., Memorandum by an Official of the Economic Policy Department, Doc. 421, Berlin, May 22, 1939, p. 554.Google Scholar

14. Ibid., VII, Foreign Minister to the Legation in Lithuania, Doc. 410, Berlin, August 29, 1939, p. 404.Google Scholar

15. Ibid., The Minister in Lithuania to the Foreign Ministry, Doc. 419, pp. 411–12.Google Scholar

16. Ibid., The State Secretary to the Legation in Lithuania, Doc. 115, Berlin, August 29, 1939, p. 448.Google Scholar

17. Ibid., The State Secretary to the Legation in Lithuania, Doc. 120, Berlin, August 30, 1939, p. 450.Google Scholar

18. Ibid., The Minister in Lithuania to the Foreign Ministry, Doc. 481, Kaunas, August 31, 1939, p. 467.Google Scholar

19. Ibid. Google Scholar

20. Merkelis, Aleksandras, Antanas Smetona (New York: Lietuvių Tautinē Sąjunga, 1964), p. 534.Google Scholar

21. Raštikis, , Kovose, 1: 591.Google Scholar

22. Germany, Foreign Office, Documents, VIII, Memorandum by an Official of the Dienststelle Ribbentrop, Doc. 41, Berlin, Sept. 9, 1939, p. 38.Google Scholar

23. Merkelis, , Smetona, p. 534.Google Scholar

24. Ibid. Google Scholar

25. Germany, Foreign Office, Documents, VIII, Memorandum by Kleist, Doc. 57, Berlin, Sept. 12, 1939, pp. 54–55.Google Scholar

26. Raštikis, , Kovose, 1: 591.Google Scholar

27. Germany, Foreign Office, Documents, VIII, The Minister in Lithuania to the Foreign Ministry, Doc. 158, Kaunas, Sept. 13, 1939, pp. 55–56.Google Scholar

28. Ibid., Minister in Lithuania to the Foreign Ministry, Doc. 65, Sept. 14, 1939, pp. 62–63.Google Scholar

29. Ibid., An Official of the Foreign Minister's Secretariat to the Legation in Lithuania, Doc. 76, Berlin, Sept. 16, 1939, p. 75.Google Scholar

30. Ibid., Memorandum by the Director of the Political Department, Doc. 84, Berlin, Sept. 17, 1939, pp. 83–84.Google Scholar

31. Kaslas, , Aggression, Outline of a Proposed Defense Treaty between the German Reich and the Republic of Lithuania, Doc. 31, pp. 125–26.Google Scholar

32. Merkelis, , Smetona, p. 536.Google Scholar

33. Ibid. Google Scholar

34. Brügel, J. W., ed., Stalin and Hitler (Vienna: Europaverlag, 1973), Doc. 138, Moscow, Sept. 28, 1939, pp. 135–37.Google Scholar

35. Merkelis, , Smetona, p. 533.Google Scholar

36. Ibid. Google Scholar

37. Ibid.; Raštikis, Kovose , 1: 592.Google Scholar

38. Škirpa, Kazys, Sukilimas (Brooklyn: Franciscan Fathers, 1973), p. 66.Google Scholar

39. Raštikis, , Kovose, 1: 593.Google Scholar

40. Brügel, , Stalin, pp. 135–37.Google Scholar