Suchergebnisse

The attitudes of Western powers toward the Baltic states were in 1945-1990 steadily affected by how they perceived Baltic history: whether it even existed and if so, what did its most recent phase represent - occupation or voluntary union? The Baltic refugees were initially poorly prepared for the struggle about history, because they lacked not only English language skills but also understanding of democratic societies. Their books were printed by little-known publishers, and studies in scholarly journals were almost completely absent. A breakthrough took place in the 1960s. Major figures were Vytas Stanley Vardys, who was first to publish articles in top journals and books with major publishers, and J-nis Gaigulis, who initiated and kept going the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies (AABS) and its Journal of Baltic Studies. Support for scholars was strong in the Latvian exile community, while hesitant in the Estonian and Lithuanian ones. By the time of the 'Singing Revolution' the struggle for Baltic history had been won in the Western world. It had become widely accepted that the Baltic peoples and their histories existed, and Moscow's attempts to rewrite Baltic history could not take root in the West. Winning the struggle for the past helped in the struggle for the future of the Baltic peoples. © 2009 Journal of Baltic Studies.

The attitudes of Western powers toward the Baltic states were in 1945-1990 steadily affected by how they perceived Baltic history: whether it even existed and if so, what did its most recent phase represent - occupation or voluntary union? The Baltic refugees were initially poorly prepared for the struggle about history, because they lacked not only English language skills but also understanding of democratic societies. Their books were printed by little-known publishers, and studies in scholarly journals were almost completely absent. A breakthrough took place in the 1960s. Major figures were Vytas Stanley Vardys, who was first to publish articles in top journals and books with major publishers, and J-nis Gaigulis, who initiated and kept going the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies (AABS) and its Journal of Baltic Studies. Support for scholars was strong in the Latvian exile community, while hesitant in the Estonian and Lithuanian ones. By the time of the 'Singing Revolution' the struggle for Baltic history had been won in the Western world. It had become widely accepted that the Baltic peoples and their histories existed, and Moscow's attempts to rewrite Baltic history could not take root in the West. Winning the struggle for the past helped in the struggle for the future of the Baltic peoples. © 2009 Journal of Baltic Studies.

"In 1990, Lithuania became the first Soviet republic to break with the communist empire by declaring the restitution of political independence. Depicting a country at the crossroads of imperial designs, Vardys and Sedaitis trace the history, development, and ultimate triumph of the Lithuanian nation. In 1990, Lithuania became the first Soviet republic to break with the communist empire by declaring the restitution of political independence. Depicting a country at the crossroads of imperial designs, Vardys and Sedaitis trace the history, development, and ultimate triumph of the Lithuanian nation.They begin by exploring Lithuanias pagan ancestry and epochal struggles with Germanic and Russian states, with special emphasis on the first period of political independence between the two World Wars and on the effort to regain freedom in the wake of the perestroika reforms. The authors conclude by examining Lithuanias struggle with the legacy of Soviet rule as it strives to establish democracy and economic prosperity."--Provided by publisher.

Origin and scope of the movement for national liberation. Interaction of the Reconstruction Movement, the Communist Party of Lithuania, and the leadership of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.

Aus politischer Sicht + Aus US-amerikanischer Sicht

The story of armed resistance to Soviet rule in postwar Lithuania is of interest both to historians and to political scientists. On the one hand, it unveils an important period of modern Lithuanian history and offers a glimpse into the dilemma of East European nationalism, caught between Nazis and Communists in World War II. On the other, it allows an insight into the nature of a movement that seeks to produce political changes by the use of violence. In an age when political practitioners use guerrilla warfare and paramilitary tactics as basic means of struggle for power, justification of a study of partisan movements seems hardly necessary. By showing academic interest, the social scientist merely recognizes their growing practical importance.The Lithuanian partisan resistance to the Soviet regime now can be analyzed with the help of varied source material, including firsthand testimony of both nationalist and Communist origin.

Die Republik Litauen wurde 1940 im Zuge des Hitler-Stalin-Paktes in den Staatsverband der UdSSR eingegliedert. Nach einer kurzen Unterbrechung zwischen 1941 und 1944 aufgrund der deutschen Besatzung vollzog sich in der Republik eine systematische Sowjetisierung aller Lebensbereiche, die einherging mit blutigem Terror (in den bis 1948 andauernden Partisanenkämpfen kamen 60.000 Menschen ums Leben, über 300.000 wurden in dieser Zeit deportiert). Unter der Reformpolitik Gorbatschows gründete sich im Juli 1988 die Litauische Bewegung für Perestrojka, die seit November 1988 die Souveränität und eine eigene Staatsbürgerschaft für Litauen fordert. (SWP-Mzg)