Post on 23-Jul-2020
Lithuanian Collector Coins
Movement for the Struggle for Freedom of Lithuania
Denomination: €50 On the edge of the coin: Minaičiai 1949 metų vasa rio 16-oji (16 02 1949)
Gold Au 999 Quality: proof
Diameter: 22.30 mm Weight: 7.78 g
Mintage: 3,000 pcs Coin designed by Eglė Ratkutė
Issued in 2019
Information at
the Bank of Lithuania:
+370 5 268 0316
gpd@lb.lt
www.lb.lt
Purchase at: www.coins.lb.lt
Lithuanian Collector Coins
© Lietuvos bankas, 2019
Coins photographed by Arūnas Baltėnas
Designed by Liudas Parulskis
Photo credits: the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights
(the Genocide and Resistance Research Centre of Lithuania),
the Offi ce of the Chief Archivist of Lithuania (digital copy of the
Declaration of the Council of the LLKS of 16 February 1949),
Andrius Ufartas (BFL)
Printed by INDIGO print
www.indigoprint.lt
Published by the Bank of Lithuania
Gedimino pr. 6, LT-01103 Vilnius
Coins minted at
the Lithuanian Mint
www.lithuanian-mint.lt
In 1949, Bartkus was appointed Secretary
of the Presidium Council of the LLKS. He
perished on 13 August 1949 in Užpelkiai
forest, Radviliškis County.
Leonardas Grigonis-Užpalis was born
on 14 December 1905 in Pužonys Village,
Rokiškis Volost. Grigonis graduated from
pedagogy in Marijampolė and worked
as a teacher at Sėlynė Primary School in
Rokiškis County. He was a member of the
Lithuanian Rifl emen’s Union. In 1941, he
avoided deportation, but his mother was
deported to Siberia. From 1945, Grigonis was
a partisan in the Šiauliai District. From 1947,
he served as Chief of the Atžalynas Brigade
Staff of the United Kęstutis Military District.
In 1948, he was appointed Commander
of the Prisikėlimas (“Resurrection”) Military
District. In 1949, Grigonis was appointed Third
Deputy of the Presidium Council of the LLKS.
He perished on 22 July 1950 in Daugėliškiai
forest, Ariogala District.
Aleksandras Grybinas-Faustas (“Faust”)
was born on 20 September 1920 in Lukšiai
Village, Šakiai County. In 1941, Grybinas
graduated from Marijampolė Teachers’
Seminary and later worked as a teacher. In
1945, he served in the German Army. He
became a partisan in the same year. In 1948,
Grybinas was appointed Chief of the Žalgiris
Brigade Staff of the Tauras Military District. He
was awarded the rank of Commander of the
Tauras Military District in the same year. He
perished on 28 September 1949 in Šunkariai
forest, Šakiai County.
Vytautas Gužas-Kardas (“Sword”) was
born on 2 January 1920 in Sičiūnai Village,
Rokiškis County. During the years of the Nazi
occupation, Gužas worked as an accountant
at Pienocentras, a company based in Taujėnai.
From 1945, he was engaged in partisan
activities. In 1947-1948, Gužas was Chief of the
Operative Section of the United Kęstutis District
Headquarters. In 1948, he served as Chief of
the West Lithuanian Regional Headquarters.
Gužas perished on 11 June 1949 in Smaidriai
Village, Jurbarkas County.
Bronius Liesis-Naktis (“Night”) was born
on 16 April 1922 in Ramygala. In 1941, his
parents and sisters were deported to Siberia.
Liesis studied journalism at Vytautas Magnus
University. He was a member of the LLA. In
1944, following an instruction from the LLA,
Liesis enrolled in the German Intelligence
School. In 1945, he returned to Lithuania and
became a partisan. From 1948, Liesis acted as
Chief of Staff of the Prisikėlimas (“Resurrection”)
Military District. In 1949, he was Chief of the
National Unit of the Public Section of the LLKS.
Liesis wrote poems which were published
under the pseudonym Ėglis. He perished on
13 August 1949 in Užpelkiai forest, Radviliškis
County.
In 1949-1950, pursuant to the acts of the
Chairman of the Presidium Council of the LLKS
Jonas Žemaitis-Vytautas, all the signatories
were awarded the Freedom Struggle Cross
and a partisan rank. In 1998-1999, they were
awarded the Order of the Cross of Vytis
and a military rank. In 1999, the Seimas of
the Republic of Lithuania recognised the
Declaration of the LLKS as a legal act.
Dr. Darius Juodis
Mikniai-Petrėčiai Memorial commemorating the eight Lithuanian partisan district commanders. Commemoration of the 67th Anniversary of the Declaration of the Council of the LLKS in Minaičiai
The Movement for the Struggle for Freedom
of Lithuania (Lithuanian: Lietuvos Laisvės Kovos
Sąjūdis, commonly referred to by its Lithuanian
acronym LLKS) was a military-public organisation
that unifi ed Lithuanian partisans. The organisation
was established in February 1949, during a
meeting of partisan representatives. The LLKS
brought together all partisan units that were
active in the country at the time. The founding of a
united movement resulted from an underground
organisational mission of nearly fi ve years.
The armed anti-Soviet resistance in Lithuania
started in the summer of 1944 and soon spread
nearly across the entire territory of Lithuania,
except for the Vilnija region and part of
the Klaipėda region. The beginning of the
anti-Soviet resistance was both organisational
and spontaneous in nature. Underground
organisations had already been forming during
the Nazi occupation years, making preparations
for the armed struggle (they were engaged in
the organisation of structural units, development
of communication systems, and accumulation
of weaponry). The Lithuanian Freedom Army
(Lithuanian: Lietuvos Laisvės Armija, commonly
In 1944-1945, the partisans suff ered the
most tremendous loss of human lives. In
1945-1946, Soviet security structures managed
to liquidate the underground organisations
that were planning or attempting to unify
the anti-Soviet resistance movements. This,
however, did not put a stop to the unifi cation
process, but merely made it more complex and
lengthy. In 1944-1948, three partisan regions,
uniting nine districts, were formed, namely: the
South Lithuanian Region (including the Dainava
and Tauras Districts), the East Lithuanian
Region (including the Algimantas, Didžioji Kova
(“Great Struggle”), Vytis, and Vytautas Districts),
and the West Lithuanian Region (including
the Kęstutis, Prisikėlimas (“Resurrection”),
and Žemaičiai (“Samogitians”) Districts). For a
while, the attempts to set up a joint command
were of little avail. In 1946, the Soviet security
structures managed to infi ltrate their agents
into partisan groups, unleashing destructive
activities that were ended only in 1947. That year,
on the initiative of the fi ghters from the Tauras
referred to by its Lithuanian acronym LLA) is
known to have been among the most sizeable
organisations of such kind. It was established
in 1941 and aimed to be the central command
of the resistance. The LLA made a strong
contribution to the developments in the
partisan movement in Aukštaitija and Žemaitija,
while in Suvalkija and Dzūkija it had a more
subdued impact. The documents of the LLA
provided considerable knowledge to post-war
members of the resistance, who took it into
practical action. The Kęstutis underground
organisation, which was established in 1943,
was pursuing similar goals. The armed struggle
was a spontaneous response to the policies
implemented by the Soviet authorities, such
as forced mobilisation and repressions, which
led to signifi cant increases in the number of
partisans in Lithuania in 1944-1945. All partisan
organisations had a common goal of restoring an
independent Republic of Lithuania with the aid
of the Western Allies. More insightful participants
of the resistance understood the signifi cance of
a unifi ed fi ght and therefore aimed to centralise
the resistance.
result of their proactive work, a gathering of the
representatives of the partisans was convened
in February 1949. Adolfas Ramanauskas-
Vanagas, Commander of the Dainava
District, and Aleksandras Grybinas-Faustas,
Commander of the Tauras District, together
with other two partisans, made it to the
gathering by tackling the longest and riskiest
path. There is speculation concerning the place
and exact time of the fi rst gathering of the
partisan representatives, yet it is known that
they convened in the middle of February 1949
in a hideout under the barn of the farmstead
belonging to Stanislovas and Antanina Mikniai
and based in Minaičiai Village, Radviliškis
County. This was where the partisans adopted
the most fundamental decisions. The
gatherings addressed various issues related to
the partisan struggle, e.g. the statute, ideology
of the organisation, and tactics. On 16 February
1949, eight representatives of the partisans
signed the Declaration of the Council of the
LLKS, which stated that the Council of the
LLKS “shall be the supreme political body
of the Nation, in charge of the political and
military fi ght for the liberation of the Nation.”
The document laid down the guidelines
for the future of Lithuania as a democratic
republic and socially-oriented state. The
gathering established the supreme governing
body of the LLKS. Following the gathering,
The Movement for the Struggle for Freedom of Lithuania
in 1954 and executed by shooting at Butyrka
Prison in Moscow on 26 November of the same
year.
Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas (“Hawk”)
was born on 6 March 1918 in New Britain, USA.
In 1921, he returned to homeland together with
his parents. In 1939, Ramanauskas graduated
from Panevėžys Pedagogical Institute. In
1936-1940, he studied at the Lithuanian Military
School. In 1940-1942, he worked as a primary
school teacher. He was a participant of the
1941 June Uprising. In 1942-1945, Ramanauskas
taught at Alytus Teachers’ Seminary. From 1945,
Ramanauskas was engaged in the partisan
struggle, holding a leadership position. In 1947,
Ramanauskas was elected Commander of
the Dainava Military District. In 1948, he was
appointed Commander of the South Lithuanian
(Nemunas) Partisan Region, in 1949 –
Commander of the Defence Forces of the LLKS
and First Deputy Chairman of the Presidium
Council of the LLKS. In 1956, Ramanauskas
was taken prisoner. He was sentenced in
1957 and executed by shooting in Vilnius on
29 November of the same year.
Juozas Šibaila-Merainis was born on
18 March 1905 in Vadėnai Village, Alytus
County. After graduating from Alytus Teachers’
Seminary, Šibaila worked as a teacher in Alytus
and Ukmergė counties. Šibaila was a member
of the Lithuanian Rifl emen’s Union. In 1941, he
evaded deportation, but his wife and children
were deported to Siberia. He was a participant
of the 1941 June Uprising. In 1944, Šibaila joined
the Lithuanian Territorial Defence Force. He
was a member of the LLA. In 1944, Šibaila
became a partisan. From 1946, he acted as
Chief of the Brigade B Staff of the Didžioji Kova
(“Great Struggle”) Military District and editor
of the brigade’s publication Tėvynė Šaukia
(“Motherland Calls”). From February 1949, he
acted as Chief of the Public Section of the LLKS
and editor of the publication Prie Rymančio
Rūpintojėlio (“By the Pensive Christ”). In the
same year, he was appointed Second Deputy
Chairman of the Presidium Council of the LLKS.
He perished on 11 February 1953 in Dovydai
forest, Ramygala County.
Petras Bartkus-Žadgaila was born on
30 May 1925 in Pakapurnis Village, Raseiniai
County. He studied at Kaunas Technical
Vocational College. In 1943, Bartkus became
a member of the LLA. From 1944, he was
involved in partisan activities. From 1946,
he served as Chief of the Organisational
Section of the United Kęstutis Military District
Headquarters. From 1948, he, together with
other partisans, was involved in the formation
of the Prisikėlimas (“Resurrection”) Military
District and served as its commander. He wrote
poems which were published in the partisan
periodicals under the pseudonym Alkupėnas.
Gathering of the Kazimieraitis Brigade, Dainava District. District Commander Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas granting an award (Ribbon of Courage) to Sofi ja Budėnaitė-Ramunė, while District Adjutant Lionginas Baliukevičius-Dzūkas reads out the order. April 1948
Jonas Žemaitis-Vytautas (1909-1954)
Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas (1918-1957)
Juozas Šibaila-Merainis (1905-1953)
District, the Presidium of the General Democratic
Resistance Movement (Lithuanian: Bendrasis
Demokratinio Pasipriešinimo Sąjūdis, commonly
referred to by its Lithuanian acronym BDPS) was
established. The Presidium was supposed to
serve as the central command of the resistance,
yet throughout the year the organisation’s most
active members were either killed or captured.
The unifi cation process took place simultaneously
with the development of the political thought of
partisanship. The 1946 declaration of the partisans
of South Lithuania proclaimed that the structure
of the future State of Lithuania was that of a free
democratic state. This idea was further enshrined in
ensuing declarations. On 28 May 1947, Declaration
No 2 of the BDPS was drafted. Its content was later
conveyed in the Declaration of the LLKS.
In 1948, the task of unifying the partisan
movements was undertaken by Jonas Žemaitis-
Vytautas, Commander of the West Lithuanian
Region. Together with his comrades, he contacted
the commanders of other regions in a joint eff ort
to formulate normative partisan documents. As a
Petras Bartkus-Žadgaila (1925-1949)
Leonardas Grigonis-Užpalis (1905-1950)
Aleksandras Grybinas-Faustas (1920-1949)
Vytautas Gužas-Kardas (1920-1949)
Bronius Liesis-Naktis (1922-1949)
its participants strived to maintain contact and
coordinate their activities, yet harsh conditions of
the underground, which were aggravating with each
passing year (continuing loss of lives of members
of the resistance and relentless arrests), and the
withering resistance movement made it impossible
to implement all of their plans. In 1953, the organised
partisan resistance was crushed. Only some random
individual fi ghters were involved in partisan activities
in subsequent years.
SIGNATORIES OF THE DECLARATION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE LLKS Jonas Žemaitis-Vytautas was born on 15 March
1909 in Palanga. In 1929, Žemaitis graduated from
Kaunas Military School. In 1937, he was promoted
to the rank of captain. In 1944, he became the
commander of the 310th Battalion of the Lithuanian
Territorial Defence Force. After the Nazis dissolved
the Battalion, he went into hiding for a period of
time. In 1945, he became a member of the LLA
where he assumed a leadership position. In 1947,
Žemaitis was elected Commander of the United
Kęstutis Military District. In 1948, he was appointed
Commander of the West Lithuanian (Sea) Partisan
Region. In February 1949, he was elected Chairman
of the Presidium Council of the LLKS and granted
the rank of partisan general. In December 1951, due
to his failing health, he was no longer able to carry
on with his duties for a certain period of time. In 1953,
Žemaitis was taken prisoner. He was sentenced