In Baltic Resistance to Soviet Occupation, ‘There Were Forest Sisters Too,’ New Vilnius Exhibit Shows

Paul Goble

            Staunton, June 30 – Participants in the popular resistance movement to Soviet occupation during and after World War II have generally been called “The Forest Brothers,” and they have been the subject of numerous histories and films both produced in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and in the West.

            Over the years, the author of these lines both in the Window on Eurasia series and elsewhere has written and spoken about these remarkable heroes who provided inspiration there and elsewhere (windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2017/08/west-backed-forest-brothers-in-baltic.html  and windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2017/07/baltic-forest-brothers-did-in-1940s.html).

            But he, like almost all those who have dealt this subject, have made the mistake of assuming that “the forest brothers” in fact were all brothers.  In fact, as a new exhibit in Vilnius prepared by the KGB Documents Division of the Lithuanian Special Archive, “there were Forest Sisters too” and  their role deserves to be celebrated (virtualios-parodos.archyvai.lt/lt/virtualios-parodos/34/moterys-lietuvos-partizaniniame-kare-1944-1953-m.-lya/exh-137 and draugas.org/news/there-were-forest-sisters-too).

            Introducing this exhibit, the division’s director, Vilma Ektytė writes as translated into English by Draugas that “When the second Soviet occupation of Lithuania began in 1944, a partisan war lasting ten years ensued, seeking to restore an independent Lithuania. The traumatic experience of the first Soviet occupation, the repression and terror, deportations, and forced mobilization into the Red Army, energized the national resistance movement.

“Patriotism and love for the homeland and the belief in eventual Western aid led thousands to join the armed resistance. While most of the partisans were men, women were also actively involved in this struggle. They belonged to the armed resistance units, gave oaths of allegiance, carried weapons, and lived in the underground. Many of the female partisans were related to the men, who were their brothers or fiancées.

“Seeking to avoid arrest and deportation, or worse, the women partisans hid in the bunkers, in huts in the forest or at the homesteads of loyal friends. Women occupied important posts in the partisan military structure. Besides being involved in combat operations, they produced and disseminated printed materials, were responsible for collecting intelligence, managing economic affairs, finances, and were involved in uncovering spies and Soviet party activists.

“Many female partisans were killed during military operations conducted by the Soviet security. Some of them, not wanting to surrender to the Soviets when discovered in their hiding places, blew up their bunkers and themselves. Other women who joined the partisans did not participate directly in the armed struggle; instead, they prepared meals, washed and provided clothing, and worked as medical nurses. To protect the women partisans from persecution by the Soviet forces, the partisan leadership helped them acquire needed documents so that they could live legally.

“Many girls and women worked as partisan assistants – liaisons and supporters. Liaisons maintained contacts between partisan leadership, districts, units, and individual squads, organized meetings, transmitted intelligence and documents, distributed printed information, and sought out individuals who could provide needed secret information.

“Supporters of the resistance constructed underground shelters for the partisans on their farms and monitored the movements of the secret police, troops, and local collaborators, called stribai. The patriotic farmers provided partisans with food, clothing, medication, and helped distribute the partisan press.

“Over the course of almost a decade, 1944-1953, Soviet repressive structures killed more than 20,000 and arrested about 19,000 of them and 12,000 of their aides. Female partisans suffered the same hardships and atrocities of partisan warfare: arrests, torture, prison camps, exile, and death.

“Although the freedom fighters did not reach their most important strategic goal – they did not restore an independent democratic state of Lithuania – the significance of the resistance struggle is huge. In 1940, the freedom fighters proved that Lithuania was joined to the USSR against the will of the nation, and it left aspirations for the freedom of the nation for future generations.

“In 1990, after the restoration of the independence of Lithuania, the 1944-1953 partisan war was recognized as one of the historically significant foundations of the restored State. The women in the history of the partisan war left impressive examples of courage, endurance, and sacrifice. Many women partisans were awarded Lithuanian State Awards – Orders of the Cross of Vytis, Medals of Volunteers of the Lithuanian Armed Forces for their heroism and dedication to the freedom of their homeland.”

This exhibit corrects an important misunderstanding.  I will not refer to the resistance in the Baltic countries as the Forest Brothers in the future without noting that there were Forest Sisters as well. I want to express the hope that others will do the same and that those who follow this and other movements which resisted Soviet power do the same.