Sovietinė etninė politika 1944–1953 m.: Rytų ir Pietryčių Lietuvos lenkų padėtis

• Authors: Vitalija Stravinskienė

Abstracts

EN

The article, which is based on historiographical studies and archival materials, analyses the peculiarities of Soviet ethnic policy in East and Southeast Lithuania in 1944–1953, highlights the attitude that Lithuanian communists held towards the Polish and determines the reasons underlying the exceptional position of Lithuanian Poles as compared to the Polish minority in other Soviet republics. The following stages in the policy towards the Polish pursued by the authorities of LSSR are distinguished: 1) the period from 1944 to 1947 marked by attempts to minimize the influence of the Poles; 2) the period between 1948 and 1950 characterized by radical anti-Polish activities; 3) the period from 1950 to 1953 marked by the liberalization of the attitude towards the Polish. The following conclusions are presented at the end of the article: In 1944–1953 national policy of the USSR was dominated by repressive measures which were supposed to suppress all possible manifestations of ethnic tension. The said policy was also pursued in Lithuania striving for the elimination of certain ethnic groups with the help of migration processes. Key objectives of the repatriation of the Polish from Lithuania to Poland included minimization of the influence of the Polish in Lithuania and acceleration of the Sovietisation processes in East and Southeast Lithuania. A number of Russian speaking officials were assigned to the top-ranking administrative positions in the region thus assuring a stricter control of the republic and suppression of interethnic tension between Lithuanians and Poles in East and Southeast Lithuania. This resulted in the acceleration of the region’s Sovietisation and russification. Soviet Lithuanian administration implemented the national policy pursued by the USSR, however, when the situation allowed tried to adjust it in a more favourable for the republic way. It turned the repatriation campaign to advantage and attempted to eliminate the ‘Polish issue’ in East and Southeast Lithuania. Migration processes resulted in favourable circumstances for the Lithuanization of the region. However, due to the economic situation in the republic (threat of labour force shortage) and interests of the local authorities the situation was not fully availed. Owing to the radical changes in the ethnic composition of the citizens of vilnius and general tendencies in the development of the city (status of the capital, industrialization, etc.) the process of Lithuanization in vilnius was more tangible whereas the neighbouring districts saw the acceleration of russification. Assessment of the possibilities of various ethnic groups inhabiting LSSR to organize cultural-educational activities in their native language suggests that the Polish community was subjected to fewest restrictions and was granted the best possibilities to develop culture and education in the Polish language. Due to the variations in the strategy of the central leadership towards the Polish, their situation in Lithuania was exceptional as compared to the rest of the USSR. In Lithuania they had the possibility to sustain ethnic identity whereas in other Soviet republics the Polish underwent compulsory assimilation.

• Publisher: Lietuvos istorijos institutas
• Journal: Lietuvos istorijos metraštis
• Year: 2011
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 97-110

Dates

published

2011

Contributors

author

Vitalija Stravinskienė

• Lietuvos istorijos institutas

Identifiers

Biblioteka Nauki

57628900