Lithuania Minor Rapolas Henrikas Rimeika
Lithuania Minor Rapolas Henrikas Rimeika 2012
Around 10000 BC, when the last ice sheets retreated a reindeer-hunter culture arose. Later the Pamariai culture emerged on the coast of the Baltic Sea strongly influenced by the “Road of Amber” a trade route between the Baltic region and provinces of the Roman Empire. During the Iron Age the Baltic tribal unions formed which later were influenced by contacts with the Viking culture. For centuries Klaipeda and its environs were governed by Germans including the German Order, Prussian Principality, Prussian Kingdom and the German Empire. It was an distant region, having no natural economical hinterland and of little interest to Koenigsberg. Klaipeda, together with other towns and estates, was German with the majority of the people of Lithuanian origin, and were influenced for many years by German culture and Protestantism. The people of Lithuania Minor were obedient and loyal subjects of the Prussian and German governors. At the turn of the 20th century, industrious and dutiful landowners still maintained their language and traditions, but the younger generations were strongly influenced by the Germanization in the times of Bismark. The definition of the Klaipeda region appeared only after World War I when by the Peace Treaty of Versailles the territory on the right shore of the river Nemunas was
separated from Germany. This included the most Lithuanian part of Lithuania Minor. The Klaipeda region including the Curonian Spit covered the area of 2848 sq. km. with the population of approximately 141,000 in the 1920. For two years 1920–1922, under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, the French governed the region until in January Rebellion 1923 after which Klaipeda region was annexed to Greater Lithuania. 23 March 1939 – the arrival of Adolf Hitler to Klaipeda Lithuania was forced to give up the Klaipeda region after an ultimatum from Hitler’s Germany. The enthusiasm felt among the population of Klaipeda for the power and victories of fascist Germany did not last for long. The officials of the Lithuanian political institutions, Lithuanian organisations and patriots of Lithuania Minor hastily left the country. Those who did not leave were subject to the Gestapo police interrogations and beatings. They lived with limited civil rights under Gestapo police supervision. Active supporters of Lithuanian control in the country were sentenced to the death camps. The Nazi party controlled everything: introducing coupons for food and commodities and recruiting ten thousand men to the German army. With the approach of the war front line, Klaipeda was made a bridge-head and fortress (“Brueckenkopf Festung Memel”). In the beginning of October 1944 the late evacuation of East Prussia started and this was the beginning of the tragedy of Lithuania Minor. Approximately
100000–120000 Klaipeda region inhabitants from the total number of 150000 were forced to leave their native land. The evacuation operation of the German military units from Klaipeda was completed during the night of 27–28 January 1945. Special military demolition units that destroyed the remaining heavy armaments, warehouses, barracks and other buildings were the last to leave the town. At 4 o’clock on a very cold morning on 28 th January 1945 the last German soldier left Klaipeda. Whithin hours the first Soviet soldiers from the 16th Lithuanian Division entered the town. Which was on fire and only few dozens of local inhabitants were left. Klaipeda suffered severe air raids and artillery bombings destroying approximately 50% of the town. The local people who had retreated to villages were condemned to long years of exile in Siberia. Newcomers from Russia and settlers from other Lithuanian regions moved into the deserted region. A common event of the after-war period was the voluntary collective clearing of the ruins however up until 1947 Germans prisoners of war have been deployed for port clearing work. The new soviet arrivals built the Victory Monument and monuments to J. Stalin and M. Gorky. Meetings, parades and official celebrations followed, common things to Soviet people but unknown to the people of this region, were gaining popularity. Those who had managed to escape to the West also suffered the difficulties of
post-war Germany. Many who did not deny their Lithuanian origin were deported to camps, later to emigrate to the United States, Canada and Australia. The more active amongst the emigrants established the Council of Lithuania Minor. The majority of these forced emigrants, who called themselves “Memellanders”, established their organisation (“Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Memellandkreise”) in West Germany. On March 11, 1990, Lithuania was the first of the Soviet republics to declare independence. During January 1991 events there was a significant economic and political pressure form the soviet Russia. The Soviet authorities attempted to overthrow the elected government and forcibly took over the Vilnius TV Tower, killing 14 unarmed civilians and injuring 700. Moscow failed to act further to crush the Lithuanian independence movement and the Lithuanian government continued to work. During the national referendum on February 9, 1991, more than 90% voted in favor of an independent, democratic Lithuania. Lithuania received widespread international recognition and was admitted to the United Nations.
tranquillity and peace
An effort of a people
Lighthouse
against the elements of nature before influenced by cultures
A time
irrelevant quiet morning
A place where fortress stood
history Walkabout a distant land where tribes once formed trapped in amber culture
The future being built, the present that persists memories of people, exists Still cross the waters they
A place where forests planted
time can stop traces
lives of thousands empty space speaks of habitation
A desert, water sea and fresh
to settle and commit
migrating birds
Tribes that moved away
Exotic visitors
A net to catch birds
rebuilt and desolated
nets A trade route to the west
cast
and now
Nida
Joudkrante
Smiltyne
Klaipeda
Ventes Ragas
Photography and Design: Rapolas Henrikas Rimeika Thanks to: Allan F. Parker Kevin J. Clarke James Miller Ignasi Cunill 2012