Sąjūdis Memorial to Lithuanian Freedom Fighters in Minaičiai (Minaičiai Bunker-Museum)
Bunker
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In the autumn of 1948, the farm of partisan supporters A. and S. Mikniai in the village of Minaičiai (Radviliškis district) was chosen as the wintering place for the Prisikėlimo Military District headquarters. The partisans dug a small bunker under the barn to house the staff of the district.
On 16 February 1949, the partisan commanders in Minaičiai finalised and published the declaration of the Lithuanian freedom struggle “Sąjūdis”. The main aim of the Declaration was to restore Lithuania to a parliamentary republic (as it was from 1920–1926). Eight people formally attended the meetings: Jonas Žemaitis- Vytautas, Juozas Šibaila-Merainis, Petras Bartkus-Žadgaila, Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas, Aleksandras Gribinas-Faustas, Vytautas Gužas-Kardas, Leonardas Grigonis-Užpalis, and Bronius Liesys-Naktis.
The bunker was also used later. A partisan pharmacist Izabelė Vilimaitė-Stirna treated partisan Laurynas Mingilas-Džiugas, who was seriously wounded in the Battle of Užpelkiai. In 1953, the unoccupied bunker caved in and the owners earth-filled it.
In 2010, the work on the restoration of the partisan bunker and barn, as well as the construction of the monument began. The monument, created by sculptor Jonas Jagėla, bears the names of the partisans who signed the Declaration. An authentic, glassroofed partisan bunker has been built in the barn, and the visitors are provided an opportunity to see it from above; there is also an exhibition in the barn.
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