June 1941 Uprising in Lithuania II World War II

On June 22, 1941, after the outbreak of the German-Russian war in Lithuania, the Lithuanian Activists Front uprising began to restore the state's independence. On June 23, 1941, after the radio announcement of the restoration of the independence of the state of Lithuania, LAF units began to fight, and resistance to the retreating USSR troops spread throughout Lithuania, but the most stubborn battles took place in Kaunas. Rebel units began their actions throughout the territory of Lithuania, operating in small groups: they protected property from looting, patrolled the city streets, fired on retreating Soviet military units, tried to acquire weapons, and provided medical aid. The uprising partisans were led by the spontaneously formed Local Security Headquarters. There were 26 partisan units operating in Kaunas, and another 16 in the city's surroundings; in total, they had about 3,400 fighters.

In Vilnius, the uprising was smaller in scale, because Lithuanians were a minority of the population. The fact that members of Bulvičius' group - the Vilnius headquarters of the LAF - were arrested also had an impact. However, before the Germans appeared, the rebels in Vilnius occupied the post office, police headquarters, radio station, and set up a guard at the goods station. In Vilnius, in Pabradė. In Varėna, Lithuanian soldiers serving in the USSR Army in the XXIX Corps, which was formed on the basis of the Lithuanian Army - from officers, also rebelled.

The June Uprising took place against the occupation authorities of the USSR and its retreating troops. At the same time, it was also directed against the interests of Nazi Germany: the independence of Lithuania was declared, the Provisional Government and local government institutions were formed, and the administration of Lithuania was partially taken over before the German occupation. On the other hand, the uprising was spontaneous, lacking organization, unified leadership, and discipline. This led to confusion, acts of arbitrariness – robbery, and the settling of personal accounts. Activists of the Lithuanian Communist Party and the Soviet occupation authorities were arrested, imprisoned, and sometimes shot without trial. During the uprising, intense anti-Semitic propaganda began in the LAF press, which had just begun to operate legally, due to Nazi influence, and the first Jewish pogroms (the Holocaust) occurred.