Klaipėda Revolt

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The Klaipėda Revolt took place during January 1923 in the Memel territory that had been detached from Germany after World War I. The status of the region as a mandated territory under temporary French administration was resolved after the event when it became part of Lithuania as Klaipėda region.

Contents

[edit] Situation

24 Prussian Lithuanian activists signed the Act of Tilsit on November 30, 1918, expressing their desire to unite East Prussia's region of Lithuania Minor with the newly independent state of Lithuania which had declared its independence from Russia on February 16, 1918. They tried to achieve the goal of unification for some time. According to Martynas Jankus, a chairman of the Supreme Salvation Committee of Lithuania Minor, up to 8,000 to 10,000 persons ( 5-7% of the population) were united around the Committee before January 10, 1923, as stated in the report commissioned by the Conference of the Ambassadors in March 1923.[1] This weak support was later confirmed by the election results of the Memelland where pro-German parties always gathered up to 80 per cent of the votes.

The Treaty of Versailles with effect of 10 January 1920 detached the lands north of the Neman River (Memel in German(y), Nemunas in Lithuania(n)), which since the Treaty of Melno (1422) had belonged to the Teutonic Order and subsequently to the Duchy of Prussia (1525), the Kingdom of Prussia (1701) and the German Empire (1871), and made it a mandated territory of the League of Nations. As Memel Territory (Memelland in German, later Klaipėda Region after the Lithuanian name), it was placed under French administration.

The part of Lithuania Minor south of the Memel river remained within East Prussia. In the Memel territory, however, an ethnic majority of Lithuanians (Lietuvininks) was claimed, and given as a significant reason for the revolt of 1923. In a census of 1925, a fragile 50.8% majority was made up by adding those who declared themselves Memellanders/Klaipėdians to those who declared themselves as Lithuanians. However in the rural areas region without the the city of Klaipėda, it is claimed that Lithuanians made a clear majority.[citation needed]

In contrast, Germans (without those who called themselves Memellanders), still made up 43.8% of the overall population in the region, mainly concentrated in the cities and the south. The German language remained dominant in local government, despite the fact that the region was no longer part of Germany.

Another reason for the revolt was the emergence of the new and independent Republic of Lithuania. It was not a landlocked country, having access to the Baltic at the sea resort of Palanga, but lacked a developed sea port of its own. Trading traditionally was done via the Neman River to the Curonian Lagoon and the major sea port of the city of Memel (later Klaipėda). Having a port was seen as a matter of vital importance to Lithuania so it could control its own exports and imports.

Poland had its own ambitions[citation needed] over the Klaipėda region and sought to assert control over the region in exchange for Danzig. After World War I, the Polish Corridor provided access to the Baltic Sea, but the Free City of Danzig was not granted to Poland, as the Poles had wanted. In addition, Poland and Lithuania did not have diplomatic relations during this interwar period, due to the dispute over the Vilnius region, and were at de facto state of war with one another. Lithuania wanted to do what was necessary to prevent the possibility of a Polish take-over of the Klaipėda region.

[edit] Before the revolt

Before the revolt, the fate of the Memel territory was to be decided by the League of Nations. The decision was made to extend the mandate, which was approaching the end of its designated time frame, for another 15 years. This effectively ruled out the possibility of uniting the region to Lithuania. The region would become a Freistadt (free city, like Free City of Danzig) after the period of the French administration ended. The newly formed Soviet Russia, was against the idea of a free city and requested that its interests be taken into account as well, when the question was considered. The Soviet army near Minsk was reinforced when they concluded that Poland might use force to achieve a favorable outcome for themselves, regarding the region.

On December 18, 1922, the Supreme Salvation Committee of Lithuania Minor (an organization that played a key role during the revolt) was established in Memel. The official purpose of this organization was to organize the inhabitants of the Memel territory into a single force, and become part of Lithuania. They supported linguistic, national, and cultural activities of Lithuanians in Lithuania Minor. They also wanted to garner support from their brethren who lived in Lithuania and from Lithuanians who lived in foreign countries as well.

The organisation "Deutsch-Litauischer Heimatbund" (German-Lithuanian homeland federation) promoted the idea of an Freistaat Memelland, which later should return back to Germany, with its 30 000 members, both ethnic German and/or Lithuanian, about 21% of the total population. Protests[citation needed] by ethnic Lithuanians against a Freistadt continued late into 1922.

[edit] Preparations for the revolt

There was substantial cooperation between the Lithuanians of Lithuania Minor (represented by the National Council of Prussian Lithuanians and the Supreme Salvation Committee of Lithuania Minor) and the government of the Republic of Lithuania in planning the revolt. On January 2, 1923, the date was set for the revolt at a meeting of various key people (including the leader of the National Council of Prussian Lithuanians Erdmonas Simonaitis and the Lithuanian Consul to Memel, Žilius). It was decided that three groups would be formed to carry out the revolt; the objective of the first one was to take over city and port of Memel, the second one was to safeguard the central part of the region against any possible concentration of enemy forces, and the third group was meant to control the south of the region to prevent interference from the German towns of Ragnit and Tilsit. The groups would also collect volunteers from the local population; the third group was permitted to take up to 300 local volunteers, and the second group - 40 to 50 volunteers; the rest of volunteers were meant to be sent to aid the first group in Memel, which was expected to encounter the fiercest resistance. Weapons for the Lithuanians were purchased from Reichswehr's commander Hans von Seeckt.[2] He, in the name of the German Army, assured Lithuania that they would not interfere with the Lithuanian intervention in the region.[2]

Local Lithuanian intelligence worked with diligence in the area, and found that the French planned to issue a permanent currency (pegged to the French Franc), in the entire Memel territory.

10 January 1923 was the third anniversary of the Versailles Treaty becoming effective, with several deadlines expiring. The Western part of Germany braced for the Occupation of the Ruhr by the French.

[edit] The revolt

Flag of Lithuania Minor
Flag of Lithuania Minor

[edit] The collection of forces

The revolt started on the January 9 1923. The Supreme Salvation Committee of Lithuania Minor issued a manifesto to the French soldiers stationed in the region, in which it repeated the principles that had been expressed in the Act of Tilsit and asked the soldiers not to interfere. On the same day, volunteers from Lithuania crossed the border into the Klaipėda region, (they were in civilian clothes, but armbands with letters "MLS" distinguished them). These volunteers used the national flag of Lithuania Minor as their flag as well, showing solidarity with the cause of the Lithuanians of Lithuania Minor. In addition to these volunteers, the revolt was supported from Lithuania by the Lithuanian Riflemen's Union and its members, as well as various civilian persons. Organizational activities were carried out by Steponas Darius and Vincas Krėvė among others. The plan for the revolt was created by Jonas Polovinskas-Budrys.

In light of these events, the temporary occupational government (directory) of the Memel territory declared a state of emergency in the region. The base of the Supreme Salvation Committee of Lithuania Minor was moved from Memel to Heydekrug in reaction to possible attempts by the temporary occupational government (French Directory) and the French soldiers to destabilise its work. The Committee issued the following declaration to the people of Memel territory (Klaipėda region):

  • The French Directory of the region and the Council of the state were dissolved (and restored)
  • The Supreme Salvation Committee of Lithuania Minor would take over all powers in the region
  • Erdmonas Simonaitis, a former member of the directory, was asked to establish the new directory in 3 days
  • The German and Lithuanian languages were given equal status as official languages of the region
  • All political prisoners were to be released
  • The public officials would continue to perform their duties
  • The salaries would be paid in gold currency
  • In order to guarantee calm, modified martial law was declared inside the region
  • Those who attempted to break public order would be punished

Thus, despite still having no actual power, the Supreme Salvation Committee of Lithuania Minor already issued these decrees, which indicated the future direction of the region.

In addition to this declaration, the Committee issued a French declaration to the French soldiers, in which they, as "fighters for noble ideas of freedom and equality" were asked not to fight against the "will and achievements of the Lithuanian nation".

At the same time, the French supreme commissioner Pestinė declared that he would fight against any attempts to change the status of Memel territory. Censorship began as well.

[edit] Most of region is overtaken by the revolt

By January 11, the revolt swept through the region as the region's second largest city Heydekrug was overtaken and Memel was reached. The leaders of the revolt told Pestinė that the actions were meant to overthrow the directory and not to fight the French soldiers, however the leader of the French soldiers said that the insurgents would not be permitted to enter Memel.

[edit] The battle for Memel/Klaipėda

When it was clear that Memel would not be taken peacefully, as there was a German majority in the city, and it was guarded by French troops as an important port, the insurgents started the attack on January 15 at 01:00. The base of the insurgents was in Ginduliai. By 03:00, Sendvaris was overtaken and various French officers (including Lieutenant Sulier), French soldiers, a policeman and German volunteers were taken prisoner. By 05:00, the insurgents entered Memel itself, and the French soldiers retreated. By 07:00, the River Dangė in the center of the city was reached. By noon, the French soldiers surrendered. During the fighting, 20 insurgents and 2 French soldiers were killed (according to other sources, 1 French soldier was killed and 2 were injured).

After these events, the whole Memel territory was overtaken by the Supreme Salvation Committee of Lithuania Minor, and Erdmonas Simonaitis assumed his duties as the leader of the new directory of the Klaipėda region, as it was called now.

[edit] Further events

In Germany, the Occupation of the Ruhr by the French had taken place simultaneously, distracting public attention and French military forces away from the Memelland events.

On January 16, the Polish ship "Komendant Pilsudski" entered the port of Klaipėda. One of the people on board was Mssr. Trouson, a member of the French military mission in Poland. His task was to put down the revolt, but after seeing that the Klaipėda region already had been overtaken, and the French troops interned, the ship departed.

On 17th-18th of January, British and French troop transports reached Klaipėda, but did not yet disembark.

On January 19, the directory of Klaipėda region asked for admission into Lithuania as an autonomous territory (where the Klaipėda region would have a separate parliament and government, two official languages, be the administrator of taxes, duties, cultural and religious affairs, would oversee the local judicial system, agriculture and forestry, and social security). Lithuania accepted this, and thus the Klaipėda Region became an autonomous part of Lithuania.

[edit] Reaction of Western Europe to the revolt

On January 10, the French and British governments asked Lithuania, through diplomatic channels, to use "all of its power" to ensure that there would not be any attacks against people and material things in the Klaipėda region and protested Lithuania's support for the uprising in Klaipėda. On January 11 the Prime Minister of Lithuania Ernestas Galvanauskas said that the question of Klaipėda can only be solved in an ethnographic way - the same way under which Klaipėda was detached from Germany. He said, however, that the Lithuanian Consul in Klaipėda would do everything possible to try to ensure that no civilians would be hurt. Later the leaders of these European powers continued to pressure the Lithuanian government to refuse to include the Klaipėda region as an integral part of Lithuania and, later, to allow the western powers to decide Klaipėda's fate. However, Lithuania and the local government (directory) of Klaipėda region resisted such actions, and eventually the status of Klaipėda region was established as that of an autonomous region inside Lithuania (the Memel Territory).

[edit] References

  1. ^ Clinchant, Aloisi, Fry : Bericht der nach Memel entsandten Sonderkommission an die Botschafterkonferenz, Gelbbuch F Vol. 1 Nr. 51, E Nr. L VII; CC S. 10 bis 14.), Paris, den 6. März 1923, [1]
  2. ^ a b Vytautas Kažukauskas. Visa Lietuvių tauta atsiėmė Klaipėdą
  • P. Čepėnas "Naujųjų laikų Lietuvos istorija" ("Dr. K. Griniaus fondas", 1996)
  • A.A. Gliožaitis "Tilžės akto reikšmė" ("Voruta", 1998, 1999 No 43-47)
  • R. Valsonokas "Klaipėdos problema" (Publishing house "Vaizdas", 1989)
  • Lietuvių enciklopedija volumes XII, XXIX (Boston, 1953-1969)
  • R. Žiugžda "Lietuva imperialistinių valstybių planuose 1917-1940" ("Mokslas", 1983)
  • A. Vitkus "Lietuvos istorijos įvykių chronologija 1918-1926" ("Varpas", Kaunas, 2000)
  • (German) German translation of the Commission Report to the Council of Ambassadors [2]
  • (German) German translation of Vygantas Vareikis' thesis Die Rolle des Schützenbundes Litauens bei der Besetzung des Memelgebietes 1923
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