Organization of Resistance to the Returning Occupant

Still during the war, Šiauliai city was involved in the resistance to the returning Soviet Army. The townsmen were glad for riddance of the yoke of the Nazi, but were not planning to return to the embrace of a new-old occupant. First of all, the resistance manifested itself among the studying youth. In 1943, students of Šiauliai Boys’ Gymnasium began to join the ranks of the Lithuanian Freedom Army. The underground press was distributed among partisans, proclamations were printed and distributed. Another resistance group consisted of the city’s intellectuals and teachers who protested against the new indoctrinating teaching system, the use of Soviet symbols in schools, the mandatory singing of the Soviet anthem, who did not obey the orders of the new government officials, etc. But the partisan struggle distinguished itself most. Many partisans came from Šiauliai. Such partisan troops as Lietuvos žalioji, Vytauto Didžiojo, Genio (Voverės, Kunigaikščio Žvelgaičio), Vytenio, Prisikėlimo district (later turned into Voverė troop) started to form in Šiauliai county. For example, in 1946, there were over 2000 underground fighters in Šiauliai, 500 of whom were partisans; others chose unarmed resistance methods and were most active in the activities of the Lithuanian Freedom Army and the unarmed resistance movement. Later many of them suffered greatly for this activity: lost their lives or were sent to Siberian forced labour camps.

1. warfare