Antazavė Battle Site and Partisan Dugout Shelter at Lake Vincežeris
Bunker

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LKTA rinkinys
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 Antazavės sen., Zarasų r., Lithuania
148

The site can be accessed from the town of Antazavė by forest roads.
At the end of 1944, the Lokio Unit of Lithuanian partisans was formed in the area of Antazavė in north-eastern Lithuania. It was led by a former Lithuanian Army officer, Captain Mykolas Kazanas. The unit established five dugout shelters at Lake Vinčežeris, in the uplands of the dense spruce and pine forests of Antazavė.
On 26 December 1944 (27 December according to other sources), the Battle of Antazavė Forest took place here. It was one of the largest partisan battles in eastern Lithuania. The partisan camp was surrounded by Soviet Army units from Utena and Zarasai, as well as soldiers stationed in Antazavė Parish. After a day-long struggle, 85 partisans managed to break the siege and successfully retreated. One partisan died during the retreat.
Currently, two partisan dugouts have been built on the site of the partisan camp, and battle positions, a cross, a memorial plaque, and benches for visitors to the camp have been installed at the site. The partisans’ dugouts are outstanding in terms of their size – they are relatively large and massive underground structures and differed significantly from partisan bunkers that were later built in the forests of Lithuania.

Used sources and references:

"Passengers of Twilight: The Vytautas County Lokis Detachment of Lithuanian Partisans 1944–1958", compiled by Klaudijus Driskius, Gintaras Dručkus, Vilnius, 2011.

Antazaves Silo Battles, Lithuanian Universal Encyclopedia. Online access: https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/antazaves-silo-kautynes .