This cell contains all the information and expository material about the period between 1945 and 1958. Four themes are presented: the Resistance in Western Lithuania, Repressive Structures, Political Prisoners and Deportation. Each of them has two stands, various objects are displayed in the display cases, and photographs are shown on a video screen.
Resistance in Western Lithuania
In order to give a clearer picture of the post-war resistance fights in Lithuania, three stages of the movement are presented as well as a map of the partisan districts. The latter shows that the Klaipėda region looked like an “empty” area, not belonging to any district. The territory was almost devoid of residents and there was no base that would support the members of the resistance. In addition, a large number of Soviet armed forces as well as repressive structures were stationed here. The Lithuanian partisans met the characteristics of an army under international law: they had leadership, wore uniforms, openly carried weapons, and followed military traditions. They were the Lithuanian army in occupied Lithuania. Those joining the partisan forces had to take an oath, which had to be sacredly kept.
Freedom fighters resisted the occupation not only with weapons, but also with the written word, i.e. their publications.
The exposition includes a series of photographs from the Kęstutis District, Butigeidis Detachment, Darius Tėvūnija (a partisan unit), Rambynas (Pilis) and Geležinis Vilkas platoons. They operated in Klaipėda County, Šilutė, Šilalė and Priekulė surrounding districts. According to approximate data, about 800 fighters participated in the resistance movement within the Klaipėda surroundings and districts.
Repressive structures
One of the most important areas of activity of the Soviet repressive organs was the fight against armed Lithuanian resistance. The USSR internal troops were seen as the main force that helped to establish the government of the time and to crush armed resistance. It is believed that after the war in Lithuania, the number of Soviet soldiers who fought with the partisans reached about 60-70 thousands. The army was assisted by destruction battalions (istribitels), which from October 1945 were called People’s Defence Troops. These were separate paramilitary units formed from local residents. In Lithuania, up to 20,000 people, including about 17,000 Lithuanians, were involved in the activities of such units. They were abolished in 1954 after the defeat of the resistance movement. In addition, in the fight against the resistance, the repressive institutions made extensive use of agents, informers, special groups of hit men, often posing as partisans who had come from elsewhere.
The exposition features rare photographs of an operational group of Soviet soldiers in 1944 and so-called People’s Defenders with local people. The repressive structures included personnel of the internal prison and security.
Political prisoners
The terror of the Soviet government was primarily directed at the politicians of the independent state, the scientific, cultural and military elite and their families. It was started on 15 June 1940 and resumed in the second half of 1944. The terror was also carried out against partisans as well as other active residents. Detainees were accused of “betraying their homeland”, “counter-revolutionary activities” and undermining the socialist state. Special courts — special deliberations, military tribunals — imposed long prison sentences. Convicts were sentenced to prisons or forced labour camps.
In this exposition, a model of a forced labour camp made by the former political prisoner P. Mileris can be seen. Since 1948, there have been as many as 12 typical GULAG forced labour camps in the Soviet Union. Their security was reinforced and the internal regime was tightened: the territory was surrounded by armed guard posts, triple barbed wire barriers while barracks had bars and were locked. The prisoners had to wear special clothes marked with numbers.
Deportation
During the Soviet era, the people of Lithuania suffered greatly from deportations. This was a mass eviction of residents from their homes to the most remote areas of the Soviet Union. These illegal, unconstitutional actions were meant to eliminate groups of people opposed to the Soviet government, to deprive them of their property, and to intimidate and morally weaken them. People were allowed to return to their homeland in 1958.
The stands prepared by the museologists provide detailed information about the horrific statistics and numbers of deportations. 2 433 residents, including about 735 minor Lithuanians from Lithuania Minor, were evicted from the present-day Klaipėda district. This represents 30% of the total number of deportations in the district. In 1948-1952, 47 people were deported from Klaipėda city.
The photographs presented to the visitors show how deportees tried to support each other while living far away from their homeland, organised joint events and celebrated holidays. The handicrafts, personal belongings, rosary made from bread, etc., presented in the display cases eloquently show the longing for home.