Sejny Uprising
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Sejny Uprising (Polish: Powstanie sejneńskie) refers to a 1919 uprising by the Polish population in the area of the town of Sejny against Lithuanian authorities.
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[edit] Background
On May 8, 1919, administration of the town of Sejny was passed from the retreating Germans to the reborn Lithuania. This led to a conflict between Poland and Lithuania, as both sides claimed the area. Under pressure from the Conference of Ambassadors, which would later become the League of Nations, Poland initially backed down on the issue.
[edit] The uprising
On August 22, 1919, local Poles revolted against Lithuanian rule. After several days of fighting, Polish partisans, aided by the Polish army, forced the Lithuanians back. Six days later the uprising ended with a Polish success and the town became a part of Poland. Polish casualties numbered about 37; the number of Lithuanian casualties remains unknown.
[edit] Aftermath
Only a year later, the town was captured by Bolshevist Russia during the course of the Polish-Bolshevik War. To ensure the right of passage through Lithuanian territory, on July 12, 1920 Russian authorities signed the a treaty between Moscow and Lithuania, which granted Lithuania the rights to the area. On July 19 the Lithuanians attacked the Polish defenders and recaptured the town. The Lithuanian authorities were once again established in the area. After the Battle of Warsaw in 1920, the Bolshevik forces were defeated, and the Polish Army again entered the area under Lithuanian control. Since the Paris Peace Conference of 1919 had established the Polish-Lithuanian border on an ethnic basis, roughly correspondent to the status quo ante bellum, the Lithuanian forces were forced to withdraw from the town, and on August 31, 1920 the town was again attached to Poland. However, the Lithuanian authorities continued to claim the area, and on September 2 a Lithuanian offensive initiated the Polish-Lithuanian War. As the town was located only some 2 kilometres from the Lithuanian border, it was easily captured by Lithuanian forces. However, the assault was repelled with heavy losses on the Lithuanian side, and the Polish Army recaptured the town on September 9. On September 10th, the last of the Lithuanian units retreated to the other side of the border, and on October 7 a cease fire agreement was signed, leaving Sejny on the Polish side of the border.
