General Povilas Plechavičius
I Wars of Independence, I WW1, Independence of the Baltic States, II WW2

Povilas Plechavičius was born on February 1, 1890, in the Bukončiai farmstead (now Bukančiai), Židikų rural municipality. He was the second child in a large family – he had five brothers and six sisters. His mother, Konstancija Bukontaitė, came from an old Samogitian noble family, and his father, Ignas Plechavičius, was a simple peasant. Although the children were raised in a peasant and pragmatic manner, all of them were given an education.

Having started his education in Lithuania, in 1908 he graduated from the gymnasium in Moscow, in 1911 from the commercial institute, and in 1914 from the Orenburg cavalry military school. Together with his brother Alexander, he voluntarily chose to serve in the cavalry unit of the Russian army. During the First World War, he fought on the Austro-Hungarian front, participated in battles with the German, Austro-Hungarian and Turkish armies, and was wounded three times.

In 1918, having returned to Lithuania with his brother Aleksandrs, he became involved in the struggle for independence. At that time, Lithuania was in turmoil – the country was being plundered by soldiers returning from the fronts, Bermontists, Bolsheviks and local criminals. P. Plechavičius formed partisan units in the Seda, Mažeikiai and Telšiai areas. In 1919, he received the authorization of the Minister of Internal Affairs and was appointed commandant of Seda, and later of Mažeikiai city and county.

After the independence struggle, P. Plechavičius was tried for alleged cruel treatment of enemies. In court, he uttered a historic phrase: "Your Honor, if it had not been for me or another person like me, you would not be sitting here today." He was acquitted.

In interwar Lithuania, P. Plechavičius continued his military career: in 1924 he graduated from the Higher Officer Courses in Kaunas, in 1926 – from the Academy of the General Staff of Czechoslovakia. In 1926 he became one of the commanders of the December 17th Coup. After the coup, he held high positions: he was appointed Chief of the General Staff of the Army, Chief of the Cavalry. In 1929 he was awarded the rank of Lieutenant General, but in the same year he was released into the reserve.

During World War II, P. Plechavičius again became a significant figure. In 1944, he founded the Local Squad, which was to defend the territory of Lithuania from Soviet partisans. His call received a huge response - about 20 thousand young men registered. When the Germans tried to transform the squad into SS units, P. Plechavičius resisted and was arrested and sent to the Salaspils concentration camp.

After the war, P. Plechavičius fled to Germany, and in 1949 emigrated to the USA. In Chicago, he actively participated in the activities of the Lithuanian community, and in 1950-1959 he headed the Lithuanian Veterans' Union "Ramovė". He died on December 19, 1973 in Chicago, and was buried in St. Casimir's Cemetery.

For his services to Lithuania, P. Plechavičius was awarded the Orders of the Cross of Vytis, 5th degree (1923) and the Order of Gediminas, 2nd degree (1928), and in 2004 he was posthumously awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of the Cross of Vytis.