Lithuanian minority in Poland

The Lithuanian minority in Poland (Lithuanian: Lenkijos lietuviai; Polish: Litwini w Polsce) consists of 8,000 people (according to the Polish census of 2011) living chiefly in the Podlaskie Voivodeship (mainly in Gmina Puńsk), in the north-eastern part of Poland. The Lithuanian embassy in Poland notes that there are about 15,000 people in Poland of Lithuanian ancestry.[1]

History

Lithuanians are an indigenous people of the territories of north-eastern Podlaskie Voivodeship in Poland, being the descendants of the various Baltic tribes of the region (Yotvingians), which merged into the Lithuanian ethnicity in the Middle Ages. Poland first[citation needed] acquired its Lithuanian minority after the Union of Lublin in 1569, which transferred the administration of the historical Podlaskie Voivodeship from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania to the Polish Crown (both entities then formed a larger, federated state, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth). During the next two centuries, the Lithuanian minority, faced with the dominant Polish culture in the region, was subject to Polonization. After the partitions of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in the late 18th century, the Polish cultural pressure in the region was replaced by that of the Russian Empire, until the end of the First World War resulted in the restoration of independent Polish and Lithuanian states.

20th century

Distribution of Lithuanian speakers in the Second Polish Republic

During the Interwar period of the 20th century (1920–1939) Lithuanian-Polish relations were characterised by mutual enmity. Starting with the conflict over the city of Vilnius, and the Polish–Lithuanian War shortly after the First World War, both governments – in an era when nationalism was sweeping through Europe – treated their respective minorities harshly.[2][3] When Poland annexed the town of Sejny and its surroundings back in 1919, repressions towards the local Lithuanian population started, including Lithuanian being banned in public, Lithuanian organizations (with 1300 members), schools (with approx. 300 pupils) and press being closed, as well as the confiscation of property and even burning of Lithuanian books.[4] Beginning in 1920, after the staged mutiny of Lucjan Żeligowski, Lithuanian cultural activities in Polish controlled territories were limited; newspapers were closed down and editors arrested.[5] One editor – Mykolas Biržiška – was accused of treason in 1922 and received the death penalty; only direct intervention by the League of Nations spared him this fate.[6] He was one of 32 Lithuanian and Belarusian cultural activists formally expelled from Vilnius on September 20, 1922, and given to the Lithuanian army.[5] When 48 Polish schools were closed in Lithuania in 1927, Józef Piłsudski retaliated by closing many Lithuanian educational establishments in Poland.[7] In the same year 48 Lithuanian schools were closed and 11 Lithuanian activist were deported.[2]

In 1931 there were about 80,000 Lithuanians in Poland, the majority of them (66,300) in Wilno Voivodeship.[8] Following Piłsudski's death in 1935, further Polonisation ensued as the government encouraged the settlement of Polish army veterans in disputed regions.[9] About 400 Lithuanian reading rooms and libraries were closed in Poland in 1936–1938.[3]

The Second World War put an end to the independent Polish and Lithuanian states. After the war, both former states fell under the sphere of influence of the Soviet Union. Poland was shifted westwards, thus giving up most of the disputed territories in the Second Polish Republic, those territories were mostly incorporated into the Lithuanian SSR, itself one of the Republics of the Soviet Union. At the same time, many Poles from the Kresy area were forcibly[dubiousdiscuss] repatriated west to the "Recovered Territories",[10] and the Polish minority in Lithuania (or Lithuanian SSR) was also significantly downsized.[citation needed] Under the eye of the Soviet Union, the various ethnic groups in the Eastern Bloc were to cooperate peacefully in the spirit of Proletarian internationalism, and that policy,[citation needed] coupled with the population migrations limiting the size of both minorities in the respective regions, resulted in a lessening of tensions between Poles and Lithuanians. However, in the Sejny and Suwałki districts the prohibition against speaking Lithuanian in public lasted until 1950 (and in phone calls until 1990) and it was not until the 1950s that the teaching of Lithuanian was introduced as a subject in schools.[11]

Modern times

Map illustrating the five historical ethnographic regions of Lithuania shows how parts of Lithuania Minor, Suvalkija, and Dzūkija are in the boundaries of modern Poland.

The modern Lithuanian minority in Poland is composed of 5,639 people according to the Polish census of 2002, with most of them (5,097) living in the Podlaskie Voivodeship (Suwałki Region), particularly in Gmina Puńsk where they form a majority (74.4% of population). According to the Lithuanian embassy there are about 15,000 people of Lithuanian ancestry in Poland.[12] 8,000 people declared Lithuanian identity in the Polish census of 2011 (including 5,000 who declared it as their only nationality, and 3,000 who declared it as the second one, after the Polish nationality).[13]

There are Lithuanian publications (over 80 books have been published, and there are several magazines, of which the largest is "Aušra" (= "Dawn"),[1] co-sponsored by the Polish Ministry of Internal Affairs). Lithuanian organizations are involved in organizing cultural life of the minority (with libraries, choirs, theatres, etc.). There are also Lithuanian-language programmes on local Radio Białystok [pl] and Telewizja Białystok.[12]

There are Lithuanian-exclusive schools in Puńsk, both on primary and secondary level, schools with Lithuanian as a teaching language in Sejny, and schools with Lithuanian as a foreign language in the wider region are common.[12] There are 17 Lithuanian schools, attended by over 700 students.[12][14] The most important of those schools is the liceum (Liceum 11 Marca w Puńsku); there are also three gymnasiums (Gimnazjum „Žiburys” w Sejnach, II Gimnazjum w Sejnach, I Gimnazjum w Sejnach).[12]

There are several Lithuanian cultural organizations in Poland.[15] The oldest one is the Stowarzyszenie Litwinów w Polsce (Association of Lithuanians in Poland), founded in 1992. Others include Wspólnota Litwinów w Polsce (Lithuanian Community in Poland, 1993), Stowarzyszenie Młodzieży Litewskiej w Polsce (Associations of Lithuanian Youth in Poland), Towarzystwo Kultury Etnicznej Litwinów (Association of Ethnic Culture of Lithuanians, 1997), Towarzystwo Nauczycieli Litewskich (Associations of Lithuanian Teachers). There are several buildings dedicated to Lithuanian minority, including the Lithuanian House and an ethnographic museum in Sejny.[12] Various Lithuanian cultural activities include the Lithuanian Meeting (Zlot) in Pszczelnik, and the Lithuanian Musical Festival Sąskrydis.[14] In 2006 the Lithuanian minority received 1,344,912 zlotys (~$450,000) from Polish government in 2006 (22 out of 27 requests were approved).[16]

However local Lithuanian World Community representatives claim there are problems with Lithuanian culture preservation in Sejny region.[17] They argue that Lithuanian heritage is ignored, as currently in Sejny there is not even one street name that would signify presence of prominent Lithuanians. They also note that for more than two years there is no accommodation regarding cemetery where Lithuanian soldiers are buried.[17] Another recent issue is the underfunding of the two Lithuanian gymnasiums in Sejny, which receives only 75% of promised funding.[18][19]

Lithuanian is recognized as a minority language in Poland, and is a supporting language in Gmina Puńsk in Podlaskie Voivodeship, where, by 20 February 2011, 30 Lithuanian place names were introduced alongside names in Polish (bilingual signs).[20][21] Lithuanian has been used in Gmina Puńsk as a second language since 2006.[clarification needed]

Ethnic Lithuanians control the administration in Gmina Puńsk, and they also have elected several representatives in Sejny County.[14]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "Lietuviai Lenkijoje". Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania (in Lithuanian). Archived from the original on February 27, 2016. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  2. ^ a b Żołędowski, Białorusini i Litwini..., p. 114
  3. ^ a b Makowski, Litwini..., pp.244–303
  4. ^ Lesčius, Vytautas (2004). Lietuvos kariuomenė nepriklausomybės kovose 1918–1920. Vilnius: Vilnius University, Generolo Jono Žemaičio Lietuvos karo akademija. p. 278. ISBN 9955-423-23-4.
  5. ^ a b Čepėnas, Pranas (1986). Naujųjų laikų Lietuvos istorija. Chicago: Dr. Griniaus fondas. pp. 655, 656.
  6. ^ "Professor Mykolas Biržiška". Lituanus. Retrieved 2007-09-10.
  7. ^ Alan Warwick Palmer. (2006). The Baltic: a new history of the region and its people. Overlook Press. p. 301.
  8. ^ "Drugi Powszechny Spis Ludności z dnia 9 XII 1931 r.". Statystyka Polski (in Polish). D (34). 1939.
  9. ^ Fearon, James D.; Laitin, David D. (2006). "Lithuania" (PDF). Stanford University. p. 4. Retrieved 2007-06-18. From 1936 till 1939, 266 Lithuanian schools were closed in the whole territory of the former Vilnius Territory. Activities of almost all Lithuanian cultural organizations were banned there. In the areas controlled by Poland, resentments grew as a new settlement of Polish army veterans with economic ties to Poland brought greater Polonization.
  10. ^ Stravinskienė, Vitalija (2004). "Poles In Lithuania From The Second Half Of 1944 Until 1946: Choosing Between Staying Or Emigrating To Poland (English Summary)". Lietuvos istorijos metraštis. 2. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-09-14.
  11. ^ Glanville Price (28 April 2000). Encyclopedia of the languages of Europe. Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 305–. ISBN 978-0-631-22039-8. Retrieved 1 March 2011.
  12. ^ a b c d e f (in Polish) Społeczność litewska w Polsce (Lithuanian community in Poland) on the official site of Lithuanian embassy in Poland
  13. ^ 2011 Census Archived 2012-12-21 at the Wayback Machine. Central Statistical Office (Poland). 2012. p. 106
  14. ^ a b c (in Polish) Mniejszości narodowe i etniczne w Polsce on the pages of Polish Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration. Retrieved on 9 September 2007.
  15. ^ (in Polish) Organizacje litewskie. Ich cele i warunki działania Archived 2007-03-29 at the Wayback Machine. Aušra
  16. ^ (in Polish) Protokół z IX posiedzenia Podzespołu ds. Edukacji Mniejszości Narodowych – Puńsk, 13 marca 2006 r.
  17. ^ a b Lankininkaitė, Rūta (2007-03-11). "Seinų lietuviai jaučiasi skriaudžiami" (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 2007-09-09. Lenkijos lietuvių bendruomenės vadovai sako, jog Seinų krašte viskas, kas susiję su lietuvių kultūros paveldo išsaugojimu, sunkiai skinasi kelią.
  18. ^ "Lietuviška mokykla Seinuose nesulaukia lėšų (Lithuanian school in Sejny do not receive funds)" (in Lithuanian). 2007-02-08. Retrieved 2007-09-16.
  19. ^ (in Polish) Zestawienie nieuwzględnionych uwag organizacji mniejszości narodowych i etnicznych oraz społeczności posługującej się językiem regionalnym
  20. ^ Maciej Zych. Minority place names in Poland. United Nations Group of Experts in Geographical Names. Twenty-sixth session. Vienna 2–6 May 2011. Working Paper no. 3. pp. 1–4.
  21. ^ List o minority place names in Poland according to Register of the communes where place-names in minority language are used provided by Ministry of Administration and Digitization as of March 8, 2012. pp. 18–19.

Bibliography

  • Ogonowski, Jerzy (2000). Uprawnienia językowe mniejszości narodowych w Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej 1918–1939 (in Polish). Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Sejmowe. ISBN 83-7059-404-2.
  • Żołędowski, Cezary (2003). Białorusini i Litwini w Polsce, Polacy na Białorusi i Litwie (in Polish). Warszawa: ASPRA-JR. ISBN 83-88766-76-7.
  • Skarbek, Jan (1996). Białoruś, Czechosłowacja, Litwa, Polska, Ukraina. Mniejszości w świetle spisów statystycznych XIX-XX w. (in Polish). Lublin: Instytut Europy Środkowo-Wschodniej. ISBN 83-85854-16-9.
  • Sławomir Łodziński; Lucjan Adamczuk, eds. (2006). Mniejszości narodowe w Polsce w świetle Narodowego Spisu Powszechnego z 2002 roku (in Polish). Warszawa: Scholar. ISBN 83-7383-143-6.
  • Makowski, Bronisław (1986). Litwini w Polsce 1920-1939 (in Polish). Warszawa: PWN. ISBN 83-01-06805-1..

Read other articles:

Untuk istana yang bernama sama di Malaysia, lihat Istana Negara, Jalan Duta. Istana NegaraIstana Negara ketika masih bernama Paleis te Rijswijk tahun 1925Informasi umumGaya arsitekturIndische Empire styleLokasiJalan Veteran, no. 17, Jakarta Pusat, IndonesiaMulai dibangun1796 Istana Negara merupakan Istana Kepresidenan Indonesia yang terletak di Jalan Veteran, Jakarta Pusat. Istana Negara juga terletak satu kompleks dengan Istana Merdeka yang letaknya di bagian selatan Istana ini. Dengan total...

 

Symphonic poem by César Franck This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources: Les Éolides – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (August 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) Les Éolides, (Op. 26), FWV 43, CFF 127,[1] is a symphonic poem by French composer César Franc...

 

السفارة السعودية في سريلانكا السعودية سريلانكا الإحداثيات 6°54′42″N 79°52′08″E / 6.91168°N 79.86877°E / 6.91168; 79.86877  البلد سريلانكا  المكان كولومبو العنوان كولومبو – حي كولومبو 7 – شارع 43 هورتون بليس السفير خالد بن حمود القحطاني الموقع الالكتروني سفارة المملكة العربية

2007 compilation album by Ricardo ArjonaQuién Dijo AyerCompilation album by Ricardo ArjonaReleased21 August 2007Recorded2006–07Miami, FL(Kirkos Beats, Hit Masters, Jet Wash, Pick & Hammers, The Tiki Room, The Hit Factory Criteria)Mexico City(Jocoteco Studios, La Chicken Station, Pyramid Sound Studio)New York City(Sony Music Studios, Barking Doctor Studios, Legacy Recording, Legacy Studios)Madrid(Studio Red-Led)Milan, Italy(Medanstudios)Los Angeles, CA(Conway Studios)San Diego, ...

 

Ngày xửa ngày xưa ở Xứ sở thần tiên(Once Upon a Time in Wonderland)Thể loạiTưởng tượngChính kịchPhiêu lưuLãng mạnHuyền bíSáng lậpEdward KitsisAdam HorowitzZack EstrinJane EspensonDiễn viênSophie LoweMichael SochaPeter GadiotEmma RigbyNaveen AndrewsLồng tiếngJohn Lithgow vai Thỏ TrắngNhạc phimMark IshamSoạn nhạcMark IshamQuốc giaHoa KỳNgôn ngữTiếng AnhSố mùa1Số tập13 (Danh sách chi tiết)Sản xuấtGiám chếEdward Kits...

 

Northern Irish actor Kristian NairnNairn at the 2017 San Diego Comic-ConBorn (1975-11-25) 25 November 1975 (age 48)Lisburn, Northern IrelandOccupationsActorDJmusicianYears active2011–presentHeight208 cm (6 ft 10 in) Kristian Nairn (born 25 November 1975) is an actor and DJ from Lisburn, Northern Ireland. He is best known for his portrayal of Hodor in the HBO fantasy series Game of Thrones.[1][2] More recently, he has played Wee John Feeney on the HBO...

Cảnh sát Hoàng gia Thái Lanตำรวจแห่งชาติCon dấu chính thứcCoat of Arms (cap badge)Tổng quan Cơ quanThành lập1933Quyền hạnQuốc giaTrụ sởBăng CốcNgân quỹ hàng năm62,510,611,700 baht (2008)Các Lãnh đạo Cơ quanPolice General Somyot Poompanmoung[1], Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai PolicePolice General Dr Pongsapat Pongcharoen, Deputy Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai PolicePolice General Aek Angsananont, Deputy C...

 

2005 video game 2005 video gameNBA 2K6Xbox 360 cover art featuring ShaqDeveloper(s)Visual ConceptsPublisher(s)2KSeriesNBA 2KPlatform(s)PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360ReleasePlayStation 2, XboxNA: September 27, 2005[1]EU: March 10, 2006Xbox 360NA: November 22, 2005[2]EU: April 28, 2006Genre(s)SportsMode(s)Single-player, multiplayer NBA 2K6 is a 2005 basketball simulation video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K. It is the seventh installment in the NBA 2K franc...

 

Private school in the United Statesde Toledo High SchoolLocationWest Hills, Los Angeles, CaliforniaUnited StatesCoordinates34°11′35″N 118°37′12″W / 34.193°N 118.620°W / 34.193; -118.620InformationTypePrivate schoolMotto Building community, one mind at a time Religious affiliation(s)JudaismDenominationpluralisticEstablished2002PrincipalEllen HowardHead of schoolMr. Mark H. Shpall, MA.Ed, J.D.[1]Faculty70Grades9-12Number of studentsabout 400[1]...

My Little Pony: Friendship is MagicMusim 1Sampul DVDNegara asal Amerika Serikat Kanada Jumlah episode26RilisSaluran asliThe HubTanggal tayang10 Oktober 2010 (2010-10-10) –6 Mei 2011 (2011-5-6)Kronologi MusimSelanjutnya →Musim 2Daftar episode My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic Musim pertama dari serial televisi animasi My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, dikembangkan oleh Lauren Faust, awalnya ditayangkan di The Hub di Amerika Serikat. Serial ini didasarkan pada lini ...

 

2000 Canadian comic horror film Ginger SnapsTheatrical release posterDirected byJohn FawcettScreenplay byKaren WaltonStory by Karen Walton John Fawcett Produced by Karen Lee Hall Steve Hoban Starring Emily Perkins Katharine Isabelle Kris Lemche Mimi Rogers CinematographyThom BestEdited byBrett SullivanMusic byMike ShieldsProductioncompanyOddbod ProductionsDistributed byMotion InternationalRelease dates August 1, 2000 (2000-08-01) (Munich Fantasy Filmfest) May 11, ...

 

Andrew LangFBASinh(1844-03-31)31 tháng 3 năm 1844Selkirk, Selkirkshire, ScotlandMất20 tháng 7 năm 1912(1912-07-20) (68 tuổi)Banchory, Aberdeenshire, ScotlandNghề nghiệpNhà thơtiểu thuyết gianhà phê bình văn họcnhà nhân loại họcHọc vấnĐại học St AndrewsCao đẳng Balliol, OxfordGiai đoạn sáng tácThế kỷ 19Thể loạiVăn học thiếu nhi Andrew Lang (31 tháng 3 năm 1844 – 20 tháng 7 năm 1912) là nhà thơ, tiểu thuyết ...

German novelist Nataly von Eschstruth (1860-1939) Nataly von Eschstruth. Xylography 1892. Nataly von Eschstruth (17 May 1860, Hofgeismar, Electorate of Hesse – 1 December 1939, Schwerin) was the pen name of the German novelist Nataly von Knobelsdorff-Brenkenhoff. Biography She was daughter of a Hessian officer and was educated in Berlin. In 1880, she married Captain Franz Knobelsdorff-Brenkenhoff, and after some travel lived at Schwerin. She started writing short stories and plays early in ...

 

Długość 6 km Dystrykty Północny północ-południe przebieg trasy Legenda w użyciu   projekt, budowa, konieczność modernizacji węzeł drogowy typu WA węzeł drogowy typu WB skrzyżowanie rondo przejście granicznepunkt poboru opłat (PPO) stacja poboru opłat (SPO) most / wiadukt / estakada prom rzeka – brak przeprawy przejazd kolejowo-drogowy tunel parking z bufetem stacja paliw restauracja hotel / motel lub inne miejsce noclegowe drogowy odcinek lotniskowy roboty budowlane ...

 

Super X-TionPresenterSarah SechanIndra BektiNegara asal IndonesiaBahasa asliBahasa IndonesiaProduksiDurasi120 menitRilis asliJaringan Trans TVRilis19 April 2011 –28 Agustus 2011 Super X-Tion merupakan sebuah acara televisi yang ditayangkan oleh Trans TV pada tahun 2011. Acara ini berisi tentang tantangan seperti adu lari melawan mobil dan menarik pesawat seberat puluhan ton. Acara ini berdurasi 120 menit. Super X-Tion merupakan bagian dari kampanye Extra Joss Laga Juara. Super X-T...

Television channel Sky Meteo 24ProgrammingPicture format16:9 (576i, SDTV)OwnershipOwnerSky Italia(Sky)Sister channelsSky TG24Sky TG24 Primo PianoSky NewsHistoryLaunched1 August 2004LinksWebsitemeteo.sky.it Sky Meteo 24 is the first Italian television channel dedicated exclusively to weather forecasts, it was launched on 1 August 2004, owned by Sky Italia. It airs quarter-hourly full forecasts. Products during bulletin Segment title Description Previsioni nazionali A look up at Italian weather...

 

Revolusi 1917–23Bagian dari Pasca Perang Dunia IPasukan Bolshevik difoto setelah Revolusi RusiaTanggal1917 – s.1923LokasiSeluruh dunia terutama Eropa dan AsiaSebab Perang Dunia I Revolusi Rusia Tujuan Komunisme dunia Revolusi dunia Pembebasan nasional Konstitusionalisme Irredentisme HasilKesuksesan Revolusi Rusia, Jerman dan Mongolia Revolusi 1917–23 adalah sebuah periode ketegangan politik dan pemberontakan di seluruh dunia yang terinspirasi oleh kesuksesan Revolusi Rusia dan peristiwa...

 

2009 graphic novel by American cartoonist David Mazzucchelli Asterios PolypDateJuly 2009Page count344 pagesPublisherPantheon BooksCreative teamCreatorDavid MazzucchelliISBN0307377326 Asterios Polyp is a 2009 graphic novel by American cartoonist David Mazzucchelli. Overview The title character, Asterios Polyp, is a professor and architect of Greek and Italian descent who teaches at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. After a lightning strike burns up his apartment, he leaves the city on a ...

Louise Angélique Motier de la Fayette (8 de noviembre de 1618-11 de enero de 1665), fue una cortesana francesa, además de amiga y confidente del rey Luis XIII de Francia. Louise de La Fayette Retrato de Louise de La Fayette (anónimo) (1840).Información personalNacimiento 8 de noviembre de 1618 Amathay-Vésigneux (Francia) Fallecimiento 11 de enero de 1665 (46 años)París (Reino de Francia) Nacionalidad FrancesaReligión Iglesia católica Información profesionalOcupación Monja y dama de...

 

У этого термина существуют и другие значения, см. Стокгольм (значения). СтолицаСтокгольмшвед. Stockholm Флаг Герб 59°20′ с. ш. 18°04′ в. д.HGЯO Страна  Швеция Лен Стокгольм Мэр Карин Вангорд История и география Основан 1187 Первое упоминание 1252 Прежние названия Агнафит П...

 

Strategi Solo vs Squad di Free Fire: Cara Menang Mudah!