Summary

Armed resistance of partisans and its suppression in Kupiškis Valsčius in 1944-1953

Edita Jankauskienė

The paper deals with the armed resistance and its suppression in 1944–1953. The main attention is paid to the Kupiškis partisans, which operated within the area of this rural district called valsčius; at the same time, commanders and fighters of neighbouring districts are mentioned, since they acted often in Kupiškis district as well, and Kupiškis dwellers used to take part in these fighting groups. The activities of partisans in the neighbouring districts were closely linked, the groups were within the same brigades and were lead by general commanders and had the same goal - the independence of Lithuania.

Based on archive and literary data, the paper reveals how the partisan fights had been organised in 1944–1946, and how the occupants acted. The fights of Kupiškis area partisans of the Šarūnas Brigade in 1947–1949 are described. The battles of last partisans in Kupiškis area in 1950–1953 are reviewed. The paper is illustrated with the schemes of bunkers, photos of partisans and a monument created by the sculptor Henrikas Orakauskas to commemorate the partisans; it was unveiled on 1996 in Kupiškis.