1959 m. sovietinis gyventojų surašymas Lietuvoje: Rytų ir Pietryčių Lietuvos atvejis

• Authors: Vitalija Stravinskienė

Abstracts

EN

The article, which is based on the materials from Lithuanian archives, statistical publications and historiographical studies, analyses the organization of the first Soviet population census in Lithuania (1959), the circumstances of its realisation and its outcome in East and Southeast Lithuania. Preparation for the census started in 1957 following the adoption of a corresponding decision by the highest authorities of the USSR. Arrangements for the population census, which were coordinated by the Central Bureau of Statistics in Moscow, can be divided into the following stages: 1) development of organizational structures; 2) preparation of necessary documentation; 3) recruitment and training of local staff. Due to the geographic peculiarities of East and Southeast Lithuania (distribution of villages and steadings in woodlands, poor transport infrastructure), ethnic composition of the region, etc. population census in the area manifested specific features. Still they did not impede with the smooth organization of the census. The collected information revealed that East and Southeast Lithuania was different from other regions of the country in ethnic and social respects. The following conclusions are presented at the end of the article: The population census of 1959 was the first Soviet census in Lithuania. It was organized in the period of political liberalization which reflected on the results. The authorities of the USSR were interested in impartial demographic statistics. In the course of the population census people would present requested information themselves and were not asked for written evidence (documents). Thus they had the opportunity to provide correct data which they might have had reasons to conceal before. Comparison of official data with the primary material of the census revealed minor discrepancies; however, they had little impact of the final results. The information received in the course of the census was considered objective. The results of the census confirmed ethnic and socio-cultural peculiarity of East and Southeast Lithuania which was predetermined by historic-political reasons. Multinationalism was characteristic of the region as the majority of its population was of Polish descent. In certain districts (e.g. Naujoji vilnia or šalčininkai) the Poles constituted the overall majority of the population. It can be stated that certain indicators (e.g. the standard of education) in East and Southeast Lithuania in fact were inferior to those suggested by the census as its broad-brush results did not reflect the standard of education of people aged 50 and above. There were quite a few illiterate and uneducated people among them. The census revealed that the standard of education of the Poles was lower compared to other ethnic minorities. There were cases of illiteracy among young people of Polish descent (20-40 years of age) which was unrepresentative of other ethnic groups. This situation was predetermined by post-war migratory processes and economic-social factors (the majority of the Poles in LSSR were country people who due to the bad circumstances in the post-war period had limited access to children’s education). The census revealed that the process of russification in East and Southeast Lithuania was more advanced in urban areas as the majority of state institutions were in operation there. The abundance of mixed families in the region can be considered a factor that intensified the process of russification.

• Publisher: Lietuvos istorijos institutas
• Journal: Lietuvos istorijos metraštis
• Year: 2010
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 113-130

Dates

published

2010

Contributors

author

Vitalija Stravinskienė

• Lietuvos istorijos institutas

Identifiers

Biblioteka Nauki

57628255