This article is about a former client state of Poland. For the geographical and historical region, see Vilnius Region.
Republic of Central Lithuania
Republika Litwy Środkowej(Polish)
1920–1922
Flag
Coat of arms
Anthem: Rota
Territory of the Republic of Central Lithuania (green).
Status
Puppet state of the Second Polish Republic
Capital
Vilnius
Common languages
Polish
Lithuanian
Belarusian
Russian
Yiddish
Religion
Catholicism
Eastern Orthodox
Judaism
Demonym(s)
Central Lithuanian
Government
Republic
Commander-in-chief
• 1920–1922
Lucjan Żeligowski
Chairman
• 1920–1921 (first)
Witold Abramowicz
• 1921–1922 (last)
Aleksander Meysztowicz
Legislature
Sejm
Historical era
Interwar period
• Żeligowski's Mutiny
12 October 1920
• General election
24 March 1922
• Incorporation into Poland
18 April 1922
Area
• Total
13,490 km2 (5,210 sq mi)
Currency
Polish mark
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Lithuania
Poland
Poland
Today part of
Lithuania
Belarus
54°30′N25°45′E / 54.500°N 25.750°E / 54.500; 25.750
The Republic of Central Lithuania (Polish: Republika Litwy Środkowej, Lithuanian: Vidurio Lietuvos Respublika), commonly known as the Central Lithuania, and the Middle Lithuania (Polish: Litwa Środkowa, Lithuanian: Vidurinė Lietuva, Belarusian: Сярэдняя Літва, romanized: Siaredniaja Litva), was an unrecognized short-lived puppet state of Poland, that existed from 1920 to 1922.[1] It was founded on 12 October 1920, after successful Żeligowski's Mutiny, during which the volunteer 1st Lithuanian–Belarusian Division under command of general Lucjan Żeligowski seized the Vilnius Region that Lithuania made claims to.[2] It was incorporated into Poland on 18 April 1922.
The region centered around Vilnius, the historical capital of Lithuania, had majority-Polish population with Lithuanian population of only 2–3%.[3] Despite this, the Lithuanian authorities decided that the region should belong to the newly-established Lithuanian state and attempted to implement this idea using military force, ignoring the Foch Line and taking advantage of the fact that Poland was absorbed in the Polish–Soviet War. Lithuanians believed that for this reason Poland was temporarily unable to protect Polish population in disputed areas, but despite this, Lithuania failed to maintain control over the region. This and Lithuanian support for the Soviets in the war against Poland, led to the Polish–Lithuanian War, of which the Żeligowski Mutiny is also considered a part, and consequently to the establishment of the Republic of Central Lithuania.[3]
The republic had features of a state administration, but actually was an imitation of a sovereign state which repressed Lithuanian organizations, education, censored and suspended Lithuanian publications.[4] After a variety of delays, a disputed election took place on 8 January 1922, and the territory was annexed by Poland. Several years later the Polish leader Józef Piłsudski confirmed that he personally ordered Żeligowski to stage a mutiny.
The Polish–Lithuanian border in the interwar period, was recognized by the Conference of Ambassadors of the Entente[5][6] and the League of Nations.[7] It was not recognized by Kaunas-based Republic of Lithuania[8] until the Polish ultimatum of 1938. In 1931 an international court in The Hague stated that the Polish seizure of the region had been a violation of international law, but there were no political repercussions.[7]
^Senn, Alfred Erich (1964). "On the State of Central Lithuania". Jahrbücher für Geschichte Osteuropas. 12 (3). Franz Steiner Verlag: 366–374. JSTOR 41042359. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
^Čepėnas, Pranas (1986). Naujųjų laikų Lietuvos istorija, vol. II (in Lithuanian). Chicago: Dr. Griniaus fondas. ISBN 5-89957-012-1.
^ abRauch, Georg von (1974). "The Early Stages of Independence". In Gerald Onn (ed.). The Baltic States: Years of Independence – Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, 1917–40. C. Hurst & Co. pp. 100–102. ISBN 0-903983-00-1.
^Nanevič, Beata (2004). "Imitavusi valstybę: "Vidurio Lietuvos" (1920-1922) vidaus politika". Darbai ir dienos (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 12 February 2023.
^Phipps, Eric; Romano Avezzana; Raymond Poincaré; Maurycy Zamoyski; M. Matsuda (1923). Decision taken by the conference of ambassadors regarding the eastern frontiers of Poland(PDF). League of Nations. Retrieved 11 March 2008.
^League of Nations, Treaty Series. Vol. 15. League of Nations. 1923. pp. 261–265.
^ abMiniotaitė, Gražina (1999). "The Security Policy of Lithuania and the 'Integration Dilemma'" (PDF). NATO Academic Forum: 21. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
^The Vilna problem. London: Lithuanian Information Bureau. 1922. pp. 24–25.
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