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.
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