The story of the Battle of Kalniškė
It tells the story of one of the largest Lithuanian partisan battles, presenting the causes, course and consequences of the battles.
Battle of Lithuanian partisans with NKVD troops on May 16, 1945 in the Kalniškės forest near the village of Gudeliškės in Krosna rural municipality.
About 60–80 partisans, led by Jonas Neifalta Lakūnas, fought to surround the several times larger 220th Regiment of the NKVD Border Troops (commander Major K. Jacenka). As the number of fighters increased before the battle, Lakūnas' company was divided into 6 sections of 12–20 partisans each, originating from the same or neighboring villages.
On the eve of the battle, when the partisans camped in the Kalniškė forest received a report that a large number of NKVD soldiers were concentrated in Simne, the fighters of three sections of the J. Neifalta-Lakūnas company left the camp to protect the local population - it was believed that deportations would take place. Some of the partisans returned home for a short time, but in the morning they were caught by NKVD soldiers in the forest as they were returning to the camp. A battle began in a large forest area; some of the partisans died or were scattered while trying to reach the Kalniškė camp. More than half of the Lakūnas company returned to the camp. When partisan scouts clashed with NKVD soldiers near the Krosna-Lazdijai highway, it became clear that the Kalniškė forest was surrounded by large enemy forces, with ambushes set up along the roads. The partisans, mainly from the units led by Antanas Aleškevičius-Ateitis and Kostas Kliučinskas-Kovas, took up defensive positions on the highest forest hill in Meškakalnis and prepared for a ring defense. They repelled several enemy attacks, but in the evening, when ammunition ran out, the partisans were ordered to retreat. Having divided into 2 groups, the fighters led by J. Neifalta-Lakūnas and his deputy, brother-in-law Albinas Senkaus-Vanagas, broke out of the encirclement.
Universal Lithuanian Encyclopedia, available online: https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/kalniskes-musis/ .
Related timeline
Related topics
Related objects
Kalniškė Battle Site and Educational Trail
On May 16, 1945, the Battle of Kalniškės took place. This was one of the largest battles of the Lithuanian partisan war, in which the partisans led by Jonas Neifalta-Lakūnas and Aleksandras Padimanskas-Šarūnas participated. The partisans fought surrounded by several times more numerous soldiers of the 220th Border Regiment of the NKVD and broke out of the encirclement. The losses of the NKVD forces were several hundred killed and wounded. Albina Neifaltiė-Pušelė, the wife of one of the commanders, also fought bravely in the battle, causing great losses to the enemy with accurate light machine gun fire, but she herself was hit by an enemy bullet.
The Battle of Kalniškės was a defensive battle, in which the partisans failed to break out of the encirclement and were forced to defend themselves on Meškakalnis Hill against the NKVD forces that were combing the forest and surrounding the partisans. After intensive shelling by NKVD units, the partisan resistance weakened, the NKVD assault groups tried to push the partisans out of their positions and completely destroy them, but about 20 men broke through the encirclement ring. About 44 partisans and several times more NKVD forces were killed in the fighting.
In 1990, Jurgis Nevulis from Marijampole erected a monument to the fallen partisans in the Kalniškė forest, at the site of the battle. The monument was unveiled on May 13, 1990. During the event, the Alytus paratroopers of the Russian army were conducting military exercises very close by and soon, on the night of May 21 to 22, the monument on the mountain was blown up. Only the memorial plaque remained intact. On May 29, J. Nevulis, with the help of D. Krakauskas, A. Akelis and K. Savičius, rebuilt the monument. Every year, a number of events are organized to commemorate the battle, and the battle memorial and its surroundings become an attraction for people, where people come not only to official events, but also organize various educational events for young people, and often families come here simply to spend their free time and be surrounded by a wonderful spirit. A cognitive trail has also been installed at the site of the battle.
