Polish National-Territorial Region
Encyclopedia
The Polish National-Territorial Region was an autonomous region in Lithuania
, self-proclaimed by the local Poles on 6 September 1990. The region included areas surrounding Vilnius
, capital of Lithuania, where Poles formed the majority (60–90%). This Eastern part of Lithuania had been part of Poland
(from 1922) before being attached to Lithuania under the Mutual Assistance Treaty
with the Soviet Union
in 1939. The autonomy region with capital in Naujoji Vilnia
included 4,930 km² and population of 215,000 (66% of them Poles
). The Polish autonomist movement (the leaders of which included Jan Ciechanowicz
) was related to the Yedinstvo
movement and had tacit support from Moscow (thus, when following the Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania
the Soviets applied a blockade against Lithuania, the areas of Eastern Lithuania with significant minority population were mostly spared of the blockade, with the aim of gaining minorities' support for Moscow). In the region, the Polish Red-and-White flags were used as official flag and Rota
was used as an anthem in the region.
The Lithuanian government declared the formation of the Polish autonomous district in Lithuania unconstitutional. After the August Coup of the Soviet hardliners had failed, the Lithuanian parliament suspended on 3 September 1991 the democratically elected local councils that had sought autonomy or secession from Lithuania.
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, self-proclaimed by the local Poles on 6 September 1990. The region included areas surrounding Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
, capital of Lithuania, where Poles formed the majority (60–90%). This Eastern part of Lithuania had been part of Poland
Kresy
The Polish term Kresy refers to a land considered by Poles as historical eastern provinces of their country. Today, it makes western Ukraine, western Belarus, as well as eastern Lithuania, with such major cities, as Lviv, Vilnius, and Hrodna. This territory belonged to the Polish-Lithuanian...
(from 1922) before being attached to Lithuania under the Mutual Assistance Treaty
Soviet–Lithuanian Mutual Assistance Treaty
The Soviet–Lithuanian Mutual Assistance Treaty was a bilateral treaty signed between the Soviet Union and Lithuania on October 10, 1939. According to provisions outlined in the treaty, Lithuania would acquire about one fifth of the Vilnius Region, including Lithuania's historical capital, Vilnius,...
with the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in 1939. The autonomy region with capital in Naujoji Vilnia
Naujoji Vilnia
Naujoji Vilnia is a neighborhood in eastern Vilnius, Lithuania situated along the banks of the Vilnia River. It has eldership status. The district has a population of about 32,800...
included 4,930 km² and population of 215,000 (66% of them Poles
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
). The Polish autonomist movement (the leaders of which included Jan Ciechanowicz
Jan Ciechanowicz
Jan Ciechanowicz ; born 2 July 1946 in Worniany) is a politician of the Polish minority in Lithuania...
) was related to the Yedinstvo
Yedinstvo (Lithuania)
Yedinstvo was a pro-Moscow and anti-Sąjūdis movement in the Lithuanian SSR during the Perestroika era. The goals of the movement were similar to those of the Latvian and Estonian Internationalist Movements, e.g. opposition to disintegration of the Soviet Union...
movement and had tacit support from Moscow (thus, when following the Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania
Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania
The Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania or Act of March 11 was an independence declaration by the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic adopted on March 11, 1990...
the Soviets applied a blockade against Lithuania, the areas of Eastern Lithuania with significant minority population were mostly spared of the blockade, with the aim of gaining minorities' support for Moscow). In the region, the Polish Red-and-White flags were used as official flag and Rota
Rota (poem)
Rota is an early 20th-century Polish poem and anthem, once proposed to be the Polish national anthem.-History:Rotas lyrics were written in 1908 by Maria Konopnicka...
was used as an anthem in the region.
The Lithuanian government declared the formation of the Polish autonomous district in Lithuania unconstitutional. After the August Coup of the Soviet hardliners had failed, the Lithuanian parliament suspended on 3 September 1991 the democratically elected local councils that had sought autonomy or secession from Lithuania.
See also
- Polish minority in LithuaniaPolish minority in LithuaniaThe Polish minority in Lithuania numbered 234,989 persons, according to the Lithuanian census of 2001, or 6.74% of the total population of Lithuania. It is the largest ethnic minority in the country and the second largest Polish diaspora group among the post-Soviet states...
- Republic of Central LithuaniaRepublic of Central LithuaniaThe Republic of Central Lithuania or Middle Lithuania , or simply Central Lithuania , was a short-lived political entity, which did not gain international recognition...
- Vilnius RegionVilnius regionVilnius Region , refers to the territory in the present day Lithuania, that was originally inhabited by ethnic Baltic tribes and was a part of Lithuania proper, but came under East Slavic and Polish cultural influences over time,...
- Ethnic history of the Vilnius region