Litvinism
Litvinism(Belarusian:Літвінізм,romanized:Litvinizm;Russian:Литвинизм,romanized:Litvinizm) is a branch ofnationalism,philosophyandpolitical currentinBelarus,which bases the history of its state on the heritage of theGrand Duchy of Lithuaniaand emphasizes the Baltic component of theBelarusian ethnic group.[1]According to this branch ofBelarusian nationalism,the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (they refer to this state asВялікае Княства Літоўскае,Vialikaje Kniastva Litoŭskaje,and to modernLithuaniaasЛетува,LetuvaorЖмудзь,Žmudź) was aSlavicor Belarusian state, the medieval Lithuanians were Belarusians, and modernLithuaniais a consequence of a falsification of history.[2][3][4]On the other hand, someRussianLitvinists refer to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania as a SlavicRussianstate.[2][5][6]
The ideas of Litvinism claiming that the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a "Belarusian state" and that the Belarusians have "historical rights" to the Lithuanian capitalVilniuswere expressed byinterwar periodBelarusians,[7]Belarusian communists,[8][9]long-term Belarusian PresidentAlexander Lukashenko,[10][11]members of theBelarusian oppositionto Lukashenko,[12][13][14][15]and modern Belarusian scientists.[16][17][18][19][20]Moreover, Lukashenko claimed that the Polish city ofBiałystokis also historically Belarusian.[21]
Opponents of Litvinism consider it a fringepseudohistoricaltheory.[22][23][24][25][26]The usage of the word "Letuva" when referring to modern Lithuania in Belarusian language was also criticized among Belarusians themselves who deemed it "unacceptable" and "monstrous" and stressed that in the early 1990s there was an agreement between Belarusian and Lithuanian intellectuals to stop using termsЛету́ва,Letuvaandлетувíсаў,letuvísaŭin Belarusian publications.[27]Belarusian political activistSviatlana Tsikhanouskayadescribed Litvinism as "marginalcases "which seek to artificially set at variance Lithuanians and Belarusians, and claimed that Belarusians respect the integrity and heritage of Lithuania.[28][29]Litvinism was also described as a form offascismwithexpansionisticterritorial claims to neighboring countries of Belarus.[30]
Some Litvinists reject their Belarusiannational identity[31]and affiliation with theRepublic of Belarus,[31]in favor of a reconstructedBalticCatholic[31]Litvin( "Lithuanian" ) identity, based on the history and legacy of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. According to national censuses, only a few dozen residents of Belarus state their ethnic identity as Litvin rather than Belarusian.[32]
History
According to the Lithuanian authorTomas Baranauskas,who claims to have coined the term,[2]"Litvinism" is the synthesis of two different historiographies: theTsarist Russian,which claimed that the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a Russian state, and theinterwar Polishhistoriography, which deemed thePolonizedLithuanians of easternLithuania properas "Litwins"(i.e." real Lithuanians "), in contrast to the" Lietuvisy "of theRepublic of Lithuania.[2]
Litvinism began following thePartitions of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth,due to the Russian Empire's needs to change the old Grand Ducal Lithuanian identity into a new one that would better suit the Empire's interests.[1]ProfessorOsip SenkovskyfromSt. Petersburg University,originally from theVilnius Region,collaborated with the Tsarist administration and developed the theory that the Lithuanian state's origin was Slavic and that it was allegedly created by theRuthenianswho had moved westwards due to Mongol attacks.[1][33]Furthermore, his contemporary, the pseudo-historian I. Kulakovskis, propagated theses that Lithuania was Slavic before the creation of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.[1]
After theFirst World War,Józef Piłsudski's plans to restorePoland-Lithuaniawere shattered by Lithuanian desires for an independent state, manifested in an independent Lithuanian republic.[1]For propaganda purposes, theories about how the inhabitants of the Republic of Lithuania arelietuvisai,who were unrelated to the "right" and "historical" Lithuanians, theLitvins,appeared.[1]The Polish historianFeliks Konecznyused the termsletuwskije,Letuwaandletuwinito describe the "fake Lithuanians" in his bookPolska między Wschodem i Zachodem,'Poland between East and West', and other works.[1]He also wrote about how Vilnius should belong to the Litvins and thus be a Polish-owned city, instead of alietuvisaione.[1]GeneralLucjan Żeligowski,who supportedPan-Slavismand commanded the Polish forces which captured Vilnius from the Lithuanians during theŻeligowski's Mutinyin 1920, claimed that "Lithuania was the heart of theSlavs"and strongly opposed to what he considered to be a" German ploy forSamogitianLithuania ".[35]Żeligowski in his youth only spoke in theTutejszy language,which is aBelarusianvernacular,and identified himself as a Litvin, not a Belarusian, but was very positive towards the Belarusian movements.[36]In contrary, Żeligowski referred to the Baltic-Lithuanians only as Samogitians and personally staunchly denied their right to use theethnonym"Lithuanians".[34]Subsequently, being in exile in 1943 following theinvasion of Poland,Żeligowski wrote: "Why did we, the eternal inhabitants of Lithuania, have to avoid that dear name for us, and other people who have nothing in common with Lithuania shamelessly call themselves Lithuanians?" and criticized the world-wide politicians and scientists whose point of view did not match with his.[34]
Thedissolution of the Soviet Unionled to these ideas being taken over by some Belarusian nationalists seeking a national identity.[1]The amateur Belarusian historianMikola Yermalovichstated that Lithuania began in the territory betweenNovogrudokandMinsk,i.e. in modern Belarusian lands, which allegedly occupied parts of modern Lithuania.[1]M. Yermalovich considersSamogitiaas the country's soleBalticterritory, whileAukštaitijais an artificially conceivedethnographic regionoccupying a part of the Belarusian lands.[1]Litvinism's theories were developed even earlier byPaviel Urbanin theBelarusian diaspora,who presented his pseudo-scientific theories in his writings "On the National Nature of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Historical Term of Lithuania" (1964), "In the Light of Historical Facts" (1972), "Ethnic belongings of Ancient Litvins" (1994) and "Ancient Litvins. Language, origin, ethnicity".[1]By the end of the 20th century, there were more disseminators of Litvinism's ideas: Vitovt Charopko popularized the concept of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania being a Belarusian state with Belarusian leaders, while Alexander Kravtsevich tried proving that the Lithuanian state's old capital and that the city where KingMindaugashad been crowned wasNovogrudok,Belarus.[1]
In recent years, the number of followers of Litvinism in Belarus has been growing, and there is a division into even smaller, often marginal historical and ideological directions.[1]
Litvinism is mostly espoused in books published in Belarus and on the Internet, as well as in English, which target a foreign audience in an attempt to disseminate M. Yermalovich's "discoveries" and the "real" history of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.[37]However, experts say that Litvinism is not widespread as it is marginal and sometimes associated withpro-Russianideas.[38]The Belarusian academia is dominated by a variety of ideas, e.g. ancient historians guided by Soviet guidelines and methodology, although there certainly is a number of Litvinist scholars.[1]
Identity
The motivation behind some Belarusian cultural activists adopting the Litvin identity is a rejection of theSoviet ideology,theSoviet-imposedPan-Slavismand simultaneously the Belarusian national identity which the Litvin activists claim to be Soviet-related.[31]The Litvinists underline their closeness toLithuanians,PolesandUkrainians(Ruthenians) viewing theGrand Duchy of Lithuaniaas a common heritage of the nations that live on its former territory.[31]Previously an idea exclusive to some intellectuals, after thedissolution of the Soviet Unionin the 1990s, "Litvinism" gained popularity among some Belarusian civilians.[31][32]
Litvinists consider theGrand Duchy of Lithuaniaas being a joint Baltic and Eastern Slavic state.[citation needed]Litvinists claim this duality due to the significantRussianinfluence on the state.[39]
Language
The Belarusian historian Jan Lyalevich, who self-identifies as Litvin, cited medievalMuscovitesources referring to the"Old Belarusian" languageas the "Lithuanian language".[32]He also describes the medieval Litvins as a "proto-nation that existed approximately since the 14th century to the late 19th century, when its remainders, represented by mostly Catholicszlachtaandintelligentsia,disappeared ".[32]
The theory of Jan Lyalevich coincides with the opinion of some historians of the 19th and 20th century.
In 1988, Polish literary historian and linguistAleksander Brückneremphasized that "when [Nikolai Ray] later described the Rusyns, they spoke" Lithuanian "(i.m, Belarusian; Litvin was always only Belarusian for him, never Ukrainian)".[40][relevant?]
Some Litvin activists are reported to teach their children altered forms of theBelarusian languageconsidered more traditional and de-russified,or asking that theirpassportstates theirLitvinethnicity.[31]This may also extend to theBelarusian state,one example of this being the Belarusian historian Jan Lyalevich, who stated in 2017:"Personally, I am still convinced that it is not too late for returning to our state its real name: Lithuania"(Літваin Belarusian).[32]
Nevertheless, 19th-century poetWładysław Syrokomla,who titled himself as "Litwin", whose writings were mainly dedicated to the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania and who wrote his publications in the Polish (mostly) and Belarusian languages, in his own texts was clearly disappointed by his inability to speak theLithuanian language:"z powodu nieznajomości Litewskiéj wymowy, ducha Litewskiego schwycić mi było niepodobna"(English:Due to my ignorance of Lithuanian pronunciation, it was impossible for me to capture the Lithuanian spirit).[41]Moreover, Syrokomla described his experience talking with a Lithuanian villager nearKernavėas follows: "tu kiedym się chciał wieśniaka o cóś rozpytać, niezrozumiał mię i zbył jedném słowemne suprantu.Litwin, na ziemi czysto Litewskiéj, nie mogłem się rozmówić z Litwinem!"(English:Here, when I wanted to ask the villager something, he didn't understand me and answered me with one word "ne suprantu"[I don't understand]. I, a Lithuanian on purely Lithuanian soil, couldn't talk to a Lithuanian!).[41]
Assessment
In Belarus
Litvinism does not have a relevant impact onBelarusian politics,with its supporters focusing more on areas such as education. It has been at times both tolerated and opposed by the state narrative of theGovernment of Belarus,[31]and has found some support among theBelarusian oppositionas a part of broader effort to express pre-Russian Belarusian culture.[12]According to the Belarusian Litvinists, the Republic of Lithuania without theVilnius RegionisSamogitiaand according to them the name of Lithuania was historically used for the entire state or exclusively Belarusian territories by clearly separatingBalticSamogitia during the existence of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania until 1795 when it waspartitioned together with Polandand subsequentlyannexedby theRussian Empire.[42]The Belarusian Litvinists claim that the Belarusian lands were the core and the main part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.[42]Nevertheless, some of patriotic Belarusians criticize the idea of Litvinism considering it as a form of national separatism.[43]
On 20 February 1918, theRada of the Belarusian Democratic Republicformed a government, announced theBelarusian Democratic Republicin 9 March 1918, and on 25 March 1918 declared its independence, but these were mostly symbolic acts, as the state's development was restricted by theBolsheviks,Germans,and later Poles.[44]In 1918, the Republic of Lithuania was one of the first countries to recognize the independence of the Belarusian Democratic Republic; however, the Belarusian territories were captured by theRed Armyin December 1918 and the Belarusiangovernment in exilemoved to the Lithuanian temporary capitalKaunas,whileJazep Varonkabecame a minister of theLithuanian Ministry for Belarusian Affairs.[45]The Belarusians and Lithuanians agreed to attachGrodnoto the Republic of Lithuania and to form Belarusian military units there (e.g.1st Belarusian Regiment).[45]In November 1920, the Government of the Belarusian Democratic Republic and the Government of Lithuania signed mutual recognition treaties.[46]During theGenoa Conferencein 1922Vaclau Lastouski,a Prime Minister of the Belarusian Democratic Republic, andAlaksandar Ćvikievič,a Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic, recognized the Republic of Lithuania's rights to the Vilnius Region, but this was evaluated negatively by other members of the Belarusian Rada and Vaclau Lastouski resigned.[46]In November 1923, the leadership of the Belarusian Rada departed toPraguedue to the worsened relationships with the Government of Lithuania.[46]In October 1926, Vaclau Lastouski presented to the Soviet Embassy in Kaunas a concept where he argued that the Lithuanians are "living with a foreign passport" because the Republic of Lithuania "illegally appropriated Belarusian state legacy" and that the "realLietuviai"[a word in the Lithuanian language meaningLithuanians] areSamogitians.[47]
According to Polish historianDaniel Boćkowski,Arkadź Smolič,a Minister of Education of the Belarusian Democratic Republic, wrote in 1919 that if the Bolsheviks will "restore real borders" and will create a united Belarus (according to Smolič such Belarus must include Vilnius,Białystok,Gomel), then "we [Belarusians]" should join the defenders of such an order and to "fight even with the entire world", despite the fact that Smolič also acknowledged that the Bolsheviks do more harm to Belarus than they bring benefits.[48]
According to Belarusian historianHienadź Sahanovič,in the early years of theByelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic,national Belarusians mainly supported Lastouski's ideas that the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was "their own", were explaining incorporation of Belarusian territories into it as "voluntary" and valued it positively, whileRussiawas then evaluated as "alien" to the Belarusians, therefore such national Belarusians facedSoviet political repressions.[49]Subsequently, according to Sahanovič, there was a major shift in the 1930s and 1940s when historians in the Byelorussian SSR presented Russia positively, while the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was then described as "predatory" and "alien" country for the Belarusian statehood.[49]
In 1938,Mikalaj Škialionak,a Belarusian historian, military and political figure, published an article "Падзел псторы! Беларус! на перыяды"(English:Partition of space! Belarus! On periods) in which he claimed that the Lithuanian KingMindaugas'Kingdom of Lithuaniawas Belarusian from its formation, as it consisted ofNovogrudok,Grodno,Slonim,andVawkavysklands, while the Lithuanian regionsAukštaitijaand Samogitia were only later "conquered" by the Belarusians from these lands, and then other Belarusian territories (e.g.Principality of Polotsk,Principality of Turov,Principality of Minsk,Principality of Vitebsk) voluntarily and willingly joined the newly established state – the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.[50]
In September 1939,Vilnius was capturedby the Red Army and theBelarusian revivalists(e.g.Anton Luckievich) publicly welcomed the accession of the Vilnius Region to the Byelorussian SSR, while theCommunist Party of Byelorussia(e.g.Ivan Klimov) inMinskalso were positive about the possible attachment ofVilniusto the Byelorussian SSR.[8][19][48]The CPB considered the Vilnius Region as a part ofWestern Belorussiaand theNKVDof the Byelorussian SSR also claimed that the Vilnius Region should be annexed by the Byelorussian SSR.[9][48]Provisionally, the Vilnius Region was administrated by envoys from Minsk, while the chairman of the provisional administration was the BelarusianJakim Žylianin.[8][9][51]On 24 September 1939, an official ceremony was organized in theBelarusian Gymnasium of Vilniato commemorate the accession of Vilnius to the Byelorussian SSR "forever and ever".[19]On 7 October 1939, a rally of 75,000 people was held in theLukiškės Squarewhich demanded to attach the Vilnius Region to the Byelorussian SSR.[8][9][19]Furthermore, pro-attachment rallies were also held in other towns of the Vilnius Region during which its participants also demanded to attach the Vilnius Region to the Byelorussian SSR.[9]Moreover, Byelorussian SSR central newspapers proclaimed that "Vilnius is Byelorussian again", additionally arguing that it was a "historical justice" and discussing plans forBelarusizationof the Vilnius Region.[8][9]Articles in Soviet publications (in the Byelorussian SSR and outside of it) narrated that the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a "Belarusian state", therefore according to them the Belarusians had "historical rights" to the Vilnius Region.[9]The publishing of theVilienskaja praŭda(English:Vilnius' Truth) newspaper was started in the Vilnius Region and other regional centres of the Byelorussian SSR which regularly promoted ideas about the Belarusians' "historical rights" to the Vilnius Region.[9][51]Panteleimon Ponomarenko,a First Secretary of the Communist Party of Byelorussia, issued authorizations to Ivan Klimov to declare Vilnius as the capital of Western Belorussia.[48]The preparations for theelections to the People's Assembly of Western Belorussiawere started in the Vilnius Region and there even were ideas to move the Byelorussian SSR capital from Minsk to Vilnius.[9][51][19]Nevertheless, none of the Soviet Union's documents in 1939 officially stated that Vilnius belongs to the Byelorussian SSR.[48]
The Byelorussian administration of the entire Vilnius Region lasted for only 40 days and subsequently, according to theSoviet–Lithuanian Mutual Assistance Treatyof 10 October 1939, a part of the Vilnius Region, including the city of Vilnius, was attached to the Republic of Lithuania, which was soon converted into theLithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic.[8][9]The Soviets blackmailed the Lithuanians that if they will not accept the Mutual Assistance Treaty, Vilnius will be attached to the Byelorussian SSR.[52]The Byelorussian SSR also transferred to the Lithuanian SSR cities and surroundings ofŠvenčionys,Dieveniškės,Druskininkaithat were mostly inhabited by Lithuanians.[45]According toUładzimir Arłou,a Belarusian historian and politician, the 1939 transfer of the Vilnius Region to "Letuvy" (Летувы) was a "criminal conspiracy" ofJoseph Stalin's Soviet Union andNazi Germany,while Arłou refers to the Vilnius Region and the city of Vilnius as "ethnic Belarusian territory".[9]Arłou claims that the Vilnius Region was historically and ethnically Belarusian since the earlyMiddle Agesand that for centuries the Belarusians-Lićviny (Беларусы-ліцьвіны) composed the majority of its population.[19]
In the early 1960s,Paval Urban,a historian ofBelarusian diaspora,claimed that from the beginning the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a Slavic–Belarusian state and completely rejected the possibility of other conclusions and concepts, thus he denied that modern Lithuania ( "Летувой [Letuvoj]") and Lithuanians ("Летувісамі [Letuvisami]") has any exclusive connection to the national character of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and blamed Soviet historians for such conclusions.[53]In 1972, Urban published a bookIn the light of historical facts(У сьвятле гістарычных фактаў) where he equated Lithuania ( "Litva" ) and Litvins ( "ліцьвіны [Lićviny]") to Western Baltic Slavs.[54]
The theories of Škialionak were further developed in the late 20th century byMikola Yermalovich,who also denied the Baltic origin of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.[55]Subsequently,Alexander Kravtsevichalso argued that the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was from the beginning a "Baltic–Eastern Slavic state" in which the Slavs "dominated", followed by the assimilation of Balts by the Slavs; a new Belarusianethnic groupappeared in the 13th century.[55]According to Kravtsevich, the Samogitians (who he also describes as "Letuvisy", not equal to "Litviny" ) have appropriated the name of Lithuania during theLithuanian National Revivaland in 1918 attached it to the Republic of Lithuania (which he calls "Lituva" ).[56]
In 1990, following the adoption of theAct of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuaniaby theSupreme Council – Reconstituent Seimas,the Presidium of theSupreme Soviet of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republicon 29 March 1990 adopted an official statement, signed by chairmanMikalay Dzyemyantsyey,which claimed that upon the withdrawal of the Lithuanian SSR from the Union with the Byelorussian SSR, the Byelorussian SSR will not consider itself bound by all laws, decrees and other acts regarding the transfer of part of the Belarusian lands to Lithuania.[8]On 24 October 1991Vytautas LandsbergisandStanislav Shushkevichin Vilnius signed a declaration regarding the principles of good neighborly relations between the Republic of Lithuania and the Republic of Belarus.[57]However, in 1992Piatro Kravchanka,the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, told theReuterscorrespondent that theVilnius Regionshould belong to Belarus (the ministry later apologized for these words), whileZianon Pazniak,the founder and leader of theBelarusian Popular Front,spoke about possible Belarusian claims to the territories of the Republic of Lithuania during his visit to theSupreme Council of the Republic of Lithuaniain Vilnius.[57][58]Moreover, in the early 1990s,Belarusian mass media(e.g.Sovetskaya Belorussiyaon 25 August 1990,Nasha Nivain 1992) considered the issue of the transfer of Vilnius to Belarus or granting anindependent citystatus to Vilnius, while an assembly namedSlavic Soboron 20 February 1992 adopted a statement that Belarus had legal and historical rights to inherit the Vilnius Region.[59]Consequently, the agreement between the Republic of Lithuania and the Republic of Belarus on good neighborliness and cooperation was signed only on 6 February 1995.[60][59]
WhenAlexander Lukashenkowas elected president in 1994, he altered government historiography to be closer to Soviet historiography, claiming that the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a Lithuanian state while Belarus was created during theRussian Revolution.This marked a change from the Belarusian position before 1994, which regarded the Grand Duchy as jointly Belarusian and Lithuanian. In 2005, the state narrative returned to this position. According to Lithuanian historian Rūstis Kamuntavičius, this could have possibly been caused by a rapproachment between Lukashenko and the opposition or an effort by the former to distance Belarus from Russia. After the2020–2021 Belarusian protests,Lukashenko began persecuting historians and changed textbooks and university curricula to remove references to Belarusian involvement in the Grand Duchy.[61]
The Belarusian regime does not follow a coherent historical narrative and juggles conflicting facts to pursue unclear goals. Kamuntavičius states that "There is complete chaos. They write textbooks for schools, and before publishing, they rewrite them in a different way. History is taught according to one logic in the earlier grades, and according to another logic in the older grades." and argues that "Belarusian authorities don't have the intellectual capacity to control the narrative."[61]
On 20 May 2000, a group of mostly Belarusian Litvinists inNovogrudoksigned the Act of Proclamation of the Litvin nation, while its members consider that in 1900-1922 the Old Lithuania died and the name "Lithuanians" was assigned to the Samogitians.[62]Subsequently, the leaders of the Congress of the Litvin League ( "Ліцвінскай лігі,Licvinskaj lihi") and the authors of the Act of Proclamation of the Litvin nation were arrested in Poland as agents ofFederal Security Service.[43]
In February 2005,Viačaslaŭ Rakicki,a Belarusian writer and journalist, publicly discussed withAlieh Trusaŭ,a Belarusian archaeologist and publicist, and mutually agreed that the "ancient Belarusian state" – Grand Duchy of Lithuania had twocolonies:theDuchy of Livoniaand theDuchy of Courland and Semigallia(both of which were primarily presented as the former "Belarusian colonies" near theBaltic Sea).[63]According to Trusaŭ, the Belarusian nation and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania were created fromEast Slavs,[64]thus the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since the Middle Ages was a predominantly Belarusian state with Lithuanian ( "[літоўскія] / litoŭskija") and Ukrainian elements.[65]
Following his departure from Belarus in fear of repressions, Belarusian nationalist Zianon Pazniak complained in the June 2004 edition of the newsletterBelarusian NewsthatBelarus was a victorious state in World War II,but instead of territorial gains like othervictorious statesit "lost its territories and even its historical capital".[9]In February 2005, Arłou expressed his agreement to such Pazniak's statements about World War II.[9]In 2005, Pazniak wrote that the task of the Belarusian intelligentsia, education, educational and national literature is to "return the historical consciousness of the people to their native home – to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania" and in the next stage "return the official name of the state" which according to him should be named in theConstitution of Belarusas the Grand Duchy of Lithuanian Belarus (Belarusian:Вялікае Княства Літоўскае Беларусь) and abbreviated as Belarus to solve political and historical-ethnic questions.[66]Pazniak's suggestion to change the name of Belarus to the Grand Duchy of Lithuanian Belarus received only partial support among the Belarusians and also was criticized.[67]According to Pazniak, theBelarusian language,cultureand other attributes were destroyed by the Russian occupation policy (tsaristandcommunist), which instead tried to tie the historical consciousness of Belarusians to thehistory of Russia,while Lukashenko's government is a "pro-Muscovite regime".[66]The 2019 census demonstrated that the Belarusian language is perceived as a native language of Belarus by ~60% of its population, however only ~25% use it in their everyday life.[68]
On January 22, 2009, a public organizing committee Lithuania Millennium was formed to commemorate the first mentioning of the name of Lithuania in written sources in 1009 (its chairman was professorAnatol Hrytskievichand it also included: writerVoĺha Ipatava,historian Alexander Kravtsevich, professorAlieś Astroŭski,biologistAliaksiej Mikulič,archeologistEdvard Zajkoŭski,painterAliaksiej Maračkin,priest Lieanid Akalovič, writerZdzislaŭ Sićka).[69]According to members of the committee Lithuania Millennium, the name of Lithuania refers to the ancient territory of Belarus because the Grand Duchy of Lithuania "arose in our [Belarusian] lands" and its first capital was in Novogrudok, while the current Belarusians called themselves Lithuanians ( "літвінамі [Litvinami]") until the beginning of the 20th century, thus Belarus is the" main successor "of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.[69]
In September 2009, Belsat TV published a video where Belarusian historians, including Hienadź Sahanovič and Alexander Kravtsevich, narrated that under the reign of Grand DukeVytautasthe "Belarusian state" became the largest inEurope.[70]
In October 2009, Vadim Deruzhinskiy andAnatoĺ Taras(scientific editor) published a 560 pages bookSecrets of Belarusian History(Тайны белорусской истории) where in itsprefaceit was stated that the Belarusians were previously called Litvins and Belarus did not exist in the Middle Ages, however instead there was Lithuania to which the Republic of Lithuania ( "Республика Летува [Respublyka Letuva]") has no relation because in ~1220 Lithuania appeared in Western Belarus due to the migration ofPolabian Slavs.[71]
On 23 April 2017, it was stated in the official website of the Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic that the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was always considered as the previous embodiment of Belarusian statehood by the leadership of the Belarusian Democratic Republic.[72]
In September 2015, Zianon Pazniak claimed that the Russian propaganda is trying to use some "Belarusian marginals" who dream about the revival of Greater Lithuania.[74]Later, in December 2016, Pazniak stated that "the state was called Grand Duchy of Lithuania (now Belarus), Ruthenia (now Ukraine) and Samogitia (now Letuva)" and that "fantastic history of Letuva is based on a twisted real history of Belarus (historical Litva)".[73]However, according to Pazniak the agenda of "returning to the name Літва [Litva]" would be fruitless for Belarus because it is 150 years too late and a new Belarusian nation was created over this time.[73]Nevertheless, by describing etymological terms, he continued to claim that the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (Belarusian:Вялікае Княства Літоўскае) corresponds to today's Belarus (according to him, the term was also favorable for theRussian EmpireforRussificationpurposes, but was later banned by theGoverning Senatein 1840 and the Belarusians were then treated as a "branch of the Russian tribe" ), while the current Lithuania isSamogitia(Belarusian:Жамойцкае), and that in the 17th century the Belarusian language was noted inMuscovyas "Litvinskaya" (Belarusian:ліцьвінскай), "Lithuanian" (Belarusian:літоўскай), "Lithuanian writing" (Belarusian:літоўскае пісьмо).[73]Also, according to Pazniak, due to struggle in theBelarusian–Russian relationsduring thenational revivalin the 19th century, the Samogitians (Belarusian:Жамойць), who according to him allegedly did not even have their own writing system, benefited by choosing the name "Літва [Litva]" and built a fantastic state ideology.[73]
In recent times, open declarations have been published in Belarus, stating that Vilnius is a "non-Lithuanian" city and should supposedly belong to the "historical Lithuanians" – Belarusians.[75]For example, since 2013, during annualZapad(English:West) exercises in which theRussian Armed ForcesandArmed Forces of Belarusjointly participate, the narrative that the Vilnius Region should supposedly belong to Belarus is openly repeated.[76]In 2018, Alexander Lukashenko stated during an interview with theEcho of Moscowthat "we are not the heirs ofKievan Rus',we are the heirs of Vilnius ".[77][11][78]Russian right-wing politicianVladimir Zhirinovskyalso publicly called on Belarusians to "take back" Vilnius.[79]
On 1 March 2021,Belsat TVpublished a program in which Alexander Kravtsevich, a Belarusian professor, Doctor of History, argued that Vilnius was founded, built and named by the Belarusians and that history does not know cities built byLithuanians.[17]According toAlvydas Nikžentaitis,the director ofLithuanian Institute of History,this theory is not new, but has been known for a long time and has its fans and followers in Belarus; however, even some Belarusian historians regard Alexander Kravtsevich as a radical and refuse to cooperate with him.[17]Nevertheless, Belsat TV actively promotes the Litvinist narrative in various programs it shows: movies, discussions of historians and scientists in the TV studio, and the main narrator of the Litvinist movies is Litvinism propagator Alexander Kravtsevich.[80][81][82]Belsat TV show where historians gather and promote Litvinism is calledIntermarium,which is named afterJózef Piłsudski's post-World War Igeopolitical plan of a futurefederal stateinCentralandEastern Europedominated by Poland.[80][83][84]Since June 2022 Belsat TV is being broadcast in Belarusian and Russian languages in Southeastern Lithuania.[85]On 19 November 2022, Belsat published an article where it was stated that Vilnius is "our lost capital" of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.[86]In October 2023, Belsat TV published a show during which the events ofŻeligowski's Mutinywere justified when, according to the host of this show, Vilnius was captured by theLithuanians–Belarusians,led by generalLucjan Żeligowski,who until his death "hated three things: the Bolsheviks, Germans and Lithuanians" and was separating Litvins from Lithuanians.[87]
Moreover, Alexander Kravtsevich also seeks to segregate the terms "Lietuviai"(a word in the Lithuanian language meaning Lithuanians, but according to Kravtsevich"Lietuviai"were Catholic Samogitians (жамойты) in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania), "Lietuva"(a word in the Lithuanian language meaning Lithuania) from"Litovcy"(a word in someSlavic languages,including Belarusian, meaning Lithuanians), "Litva"(a word in the Slavic languages, including Belarusian, meaning Lithuania) and accuses Lithuanians (Lietuviai) that they assigned the whole history of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania for themselves afterproclaiming the restoration of an independent State of Lithuaniain 1918 andmaintainingit.[88]According to Kravtsevich, the usage of the words "Litva" (Літва), "Lićviny" (ліцьвіны) when describing a historical country and "Letuva" (Летува), "Letuvisy" (летувісы) when describing a modern country is "completely justified and even necessary", because according to him, the historical Lithuania was created in the middle of the 13th century in territories which mostly are "ethnically Belarusian" (Grodno Region,Vilnius Region,Novogrudok Region,and westernMinsk Region) and the "Letuvisy" (летувісы) made up only a small percentage of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania's population, but during theSoviet periodthe legacy of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was attributed to the Lithuanians and now it is almost exclusive to aBaltic statewith the endonym of "Letuva".[89]
According toŹmicier Sańko,a Belarusian linguist and publisher, the ancient history of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was "changed" by manipulations of the 20th-century dictators and if Joseph Stalin had assigned Vilnius to Belarus, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania would have been "indisputably interpreted as a Belarusian state".[18]Sańko also stated that the Lithuanians want to preserve the equality between historical and modern Lithuania, therefore, according to him, there is an urgent requirement to terminologically demarcate historical Lithuania and modern Lithuania.[18]Furthermore, according to Sańko,Moscowmade two "expensive gifts" to Lithuania when it "gave Vilnius from us [Belarus]" in 1939 and "organized" the1995 Belarusian referendumto change the national state symbols.[18]
"The words" Litva "," Litvin "," Litoŭski "in the Old Belarusian language from the beginning meant the Baltic union of tribes, its representatives and their language. (...) For modern Belarusians, Lithuania is the name of today's neighboring country. (...) Every Belarusian should know that Lithuania is also his ancient country and" childish complexes "about it should be discarded."
In February 2020,Vincuk ViačorkaandSergei Šupatogether wrote an article arguing that Lithuania should be called "Litva", rather than "Letuva".[27]Viačorka and Shupa argued that "Litva" is "our [Belarusian] ancient word" and "Litva" as well as Baltic "Lietuva"areetymologicalequivalents, while the usage of a word "Letuva" is unacceptable because it contradicts the nature of the Belarusian language and that such an approach was incompetentlinguistically.[27]Moreover, from the early periods the Old Belarusian language words "Litva", "Litvin", "Litoŭski" describedBaltic tribes,their language and representatives, and this approach was continued by theinterwar classical orthography traditionlinguists (e.g.Valiancina Paškievič).[27]According to Viačorka and Šupa, every Belarusian should know that Lithuania is also his ancient country and "childish complexes" about it should be discarded, while the imposition of a word "Letuva" is "monstrous" and instead there is a necessity of historical education.[27]Viačorka and Šupa also reminded that in the early 1990s there was an agreement between the Belarusian and Lithuanian intellectuals to stop using the terms "Letuva" and "Letuvísaŭ" [летувíсаў] in Belarusian publications.[27]
On 23 April 2020, the official account inTwitterof the Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic stated that the political ideal of Belarusians was the revival of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania as a federation of Belarus and Lithuania ( "[Летувы [Letuvy]").[90]
In December 2021, Belarusian politicianValery Tsepkalo,one of the denied candidates of the2020 Belarusian presidential election,stated online that the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was created in the current Belarusian territory in the 13th–14th centuries and later expanded, while the spoken language in the state was the Ruthenian/Russian language ( "Russkiy jazyk" ), not the current Lithuanian language.[14][91]
According to Aleś Čajčyc, the Information Secretary of the Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic,[92]the Litvinism article on English Wikipedia was written by "Lithuanian marginals".[93]However, the same year after secretary's statement the official Twitter account of the exiled government tweeted that the coat of arms is "a symbol of centuries of friendship between Belarusians and Lithuanians".[94]
In September 2021, Alexander Lukashenko claimed that the Lithuanian capital Vilnius and Polish cityBiałystokare Belarusian lands.[21]In January 2022, the official website of theUnion Statepublished an explanation by Lukashenko which claims that "Lithuania and Poland deny the contribution of the Belarusian people to the development of historical forms of statehood on Belarusian soil" and that the "modern Lithuanians" (whose ancestors previously "lived in the darkness of paganism and led a primitive economy", while the "PolotskandTurovprincipalities thundered throughout Europe as centers of spirituality and enlightenment ") privatized the heritage of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, but according to Lukashenko historically the language of this state was" ours [Belarusian] "," the people are 80% ours – Slavs ", the dominant faith wasEastern Christianity (Orthodoxy)and the state mainly constituted of modern Belarusian, Ukrainian, and Russian territories.[95]In July 2022, during theIndependence Daycelebration, Lukashenko claimed that the Belarusian ethnos was the "backbone"of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania which was" the first Belarusian country "and" a defensive alliance with the Baltic tribes, where the Slavs taught them to read, introduced them to the philosophy of Christianity ".[10]However, the same month the statues of Grand DukesVytautasandJogaila,who were called "Polish occupiers", were removed from theBelarusian National History Museum.[61]Furthermore, there were cases in 2022 when people in Belarus were arrested or even sentenced to multiple years in prison for the usage ofPahonia(one of the historical names of the coat of arms of Lithuania, alternative unofficial coat of arms of Belarus with a horse rider closely resembles it and bears the same name) when they publicly painted it or left a sticker featuring it.[96][97]
In March 2023, Zianon Pazniak stated that "in our history and our culture Vilnius is our head, the loss of Vilnius turned out to be very disadvantageous for us", and further claimed that the Lithuanians have no rights to Vilnius, provided propositions how Vilnius could be separated from Lithuania by granting Vilnius an "independent city" status, a "special status" or a "common city" status or making it "Belarusian", and used term "Letuvisy" when describing Lithuanians.[13][98]While in one of his earlier published articles Pazniak wrote that "in 1939, 'Letuvisy' accepted Stalin's offer to take Vilnius (...) lost their independence (...) but historically (at least for today) they won. Vilnius remained in Letuva".[99]
On 18 March 2023,Íhar Marzaliúk,a Belarusian historian, archaeologist and politician, known for his support of Lukashenko's policies,[100]claimed in his television show that Vilnius was not established by Baltic-Lithuanians [балты-літоўцы] at all but byKrivichs,who he equated to "our [Belarusians] ancestors" and stressed that despite Vilnius currently not being part of the Republic of Belarus, it must "remain in our [Belarusians] historical memory and hearts".[20]In October 2023, Marzaliúk, acting as the Chairman of the Commission on Education, Culture and Science of theHouse of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus,publicly presented in the premises of theBelarusian State Universityhis newly published book about the history of Belarus titledSymbols of the Belarusian Eternity: Historical Symbols of the Belarusian Eternity[Сімвалы беларускай вечнасці: гісторыя сімвалаў беларускай дзяржаўнасці].[101]This Marzaliúk's book was published by theBelarus Publishing House,which is controlled by theMinistry of Information of the Republic of Belarus,while its content is based on Marzaliúk's television showSymbols of Belarusian Eternity[Сімвалы беларускай вечнасці], but is also supplemented with additional content.[102]
"This problem is artificially created, I am absolutely sure that 99 percent of Belarusians have never heard of Litvinism. This is created here now so that Lithuanians and Belarusians would be set against each other, just to provoke people and this discussion. This is only talked about in Lithuania, there are no such discussions in Belarus at all. We will never question the integrity of Lithuania. Vilnius is a Lithuanian city. I don't understand why people talk about it at all, because it is only intended to set Lithuanians and Belarusians against each other. (...) There is not even such an idea in Belarusian society. Call the historians and talk. Belarusians respect the integrity and heritage of Lithuania."
On 23 August 2023, Belarusian opposition leaderSviatlana Tsikhanouskayastated that the theory of Litvinism was put forward in order to set at variance Lithuanians and Belarusians, that Belarus would never question the integrity of Lithuania, and that Vilnius was a city of Lithuania.[28]Moreover, Tsikhanouskaya claimed that Belarusians generally do not talk about Litvinism and that these are isolated, marginal cases.[29]On the other hand, according to Lithuanian military historian Karolis Zikaras, Litvinist attitude prevails in the society of Belarus, but there is an increase of Belarusian historians who look more objectively at the history of their country.[11]
According to Lithuanian scientistArtūras Dubonis,theethnogenesisof Belarusians is still in process and its community is divided into two unequal groups: pro-Moscow (larger) and pro-Western (smaller), however both of these groups seek to find or create historical ethno-cultural supports and the pro-Moscow ones also do not want to become Russians/Muscovites.[103]During a poll conducted in 2021, 86% of Belarusians evaluated Russia positively, Russian President Vladimir Putin received 60% support and about two-thirds supported the development of theUnion State.[104]
In April 2023, Belarusian oppositionistSiarhei Kavalenkawith others organized apolitical demonstrationnear the Embassy of Lithuania in Warsaw, which by them was described as "Samogitian Embassy" ( "[амбасады Жмудзі [ambasady Žmudzi]"), and its participants narrated that the" Samogitian Government "(" [жамойцкага ўраду [žamojckaha ŭradu]") laws are discriminatory towards the" Belarusian–Lithuanians "(" [беларусаў ліцьвінаў [bielarusaŭ lićvinaŭ]") and suggested to do not use" our name "in the future.[105]
On 14 August 2023, Vladislav Zhivitsa (who previously fled from Russia) and Yan Rudzik held a press conference where they announced that they are planning to recreate independent Smolensk statehood in a close union with Belarus and other countries whose territories were part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania because "Smolensk is a Belarusian land which is under Moscow occupation".[106]
On 26 August 2023, Aleś Čajčyc, a Member of the Presidium at the Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic, claimed that "we [Belarusians]" are the descendants of the historical Litvins ( "літвінаў [litvinaŭ]") and Lithuanians ("летувісы [letuvisy]") are also their descendants.[107]Also in August 2023 Čajčyc stated that the discussion on a topic of territorial claims of Belarusians to the Republic of Lithuania is "heating up more and more actively", as well that the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was the "golden age of Belarusian statehood" and that identifying modern Lithuanians with historical Lithuanians is an "unforgivable simplification".[108]Furthermore, Čajčyc claimed that modern Lithuania ( "сучаснай Летувой [sučasnaj Letuvoj]") should be clearly linguistically separated from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ("Вялікім княствам Літоўскім [Vialikim kniastvam Litoŭskim]") and historical Lithuania ("істарычнай Літвой [istaryčnaj Litvoj]") because according to him the usage of the same word [Летува / Letuva] "creates confusion" which is "useful for Lithuanian ("летувіскага [letuviskaha]") nationalist historical myth".[107]Nevertheless, according to Čajčyc, the term Samogitia ( "Жмудзь [Žmudź]") is not suitable because the Republic of Lithuania is more than that [Samogitia].[107]In the same post Čajčyc also stated by using ahashtagthat he is a proud Litvinist.[107]On 26 October 2023, Čajčyc criticized the usage of the name Vilnius ( "Вільнюс") when referring to the" ancient Lithuanian capital "("старадаўняй літоўскай сталіцы [staradaŭniaj litoŭskaj stalicy]") in Belarusian because according to him such a name is a" word from the colonial Soviet dictionary ".[109]On 27 October 2023, Čajčyc suggested to make Belarusian, Lithuanian ( "летувіскую [letuviskuju]") and Polish as semi-official languages in the region compromising of Białystok, Vilnius, and Grodno.[110]
In November 2023, a discussion of Belarusian opposition was held inWarsawduring which Belarusian historian Cimoch Akudovič (Цімох Акудовіч) narrated that for the Belarusians the concept that Vilnius is "theirs" is important and that the monoethnic Vilnius is "some kind of nonsense", therefore Belarusian elements in Vilnius should be "restored".[15][111]Soon afterwards, also in November 2023, Cimoch Akudovič sent a letter of apology to the Lithuanian news portalDELFIwhere he narrated that he said a "disappointing stupidity".[112]
On 19 November 2023,Alexei Dzermant,a Belarusian philosopher, journalist and political observer, stated that Vilnius is a "Belarusian city" and criticized emigrated Belarusian politicians who according to him "favor Lithuanian chauvinists" and do not defend Belarusians interests, thus he claimed that theBelarusian national movement in Lithuaniamust be organized and led by other leaders.[113]On the other hand, Dzermant previously advocated the banning of the white-red-white flag in February 2021.[114]
In Lithuania
Numerous Lithuanian authors view "Litvinism" as potentially dangerous or harmful for the modern Lithuanian state.[38][123][124][125]In 1952–1953,Lithuanian AmericansnewspaperDraugasandLithuanian BraziliansjournalMūsų Lietuvapublished articles why the Belarusians are embezzling Lithuania and concluded that it is because their leaders for a long-time were and still are under the influence ofRussian Marxism–Leninismwhich further developed theRussian imperialismtheory about Lithuania as "Russian land" which was "recovered" byCatherine the Greatin 1795.[126][127]In 1996, Lithuanian historianEdvardas Gudavičiuscriticized Mikola Yermalovich's theories by providing scientific counterarguments.[128]Furthermore, Lithuanian scientists deny thatNovogrudokanytime in its history was the capital of Lithuania and tractate it is as a "parasitic myth" in Belarusian historiography.[118]
According to Lithuanian scientistZigmas Zinkevičius,somepatrioticBelarusian nationalists presents the Belarusians historical affiliation with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in an anti-historical way because they claims that the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was created by the Slavic Litvins (who according to them are the current Belarusians ancestors), while they describe the current Lithuanians as "lietuvisai" who according to them were previously called Samogitians (not "lićviny") and did not participate in the creation of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.[129]Zinkevičius also explained that the most reliable theory how the name "White Ruthenia"was established is that the White Lands ("белая земля") or White Ruthenia ("Белая Русь") did not paytributeto the Lithuanian Dukes, unlike the Black Lands ( "белая земля") orBlack Ruthenia( "Черная Русь") which had to pay tribute, while the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was created by the Lithuanian-speakers.[129]Moreover, Zinkevičius pointed out that the Belarusian historian, professorJakaŭ Traščanokin 2003 acknowledged that there was no large preponderance of Slavs over the Balts in the early years of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania's existence (compared to the contemporary times because Western Ruthenian principalities were very scarcely populated), territories inhabited by the Balts were previously vaster than are currently and the ethnic Lithuanian units formed the basis of Lithuanian military power, while the German chroniclers wrote by strictly distinguishing the Lithuanians from Slavs.[129][130]
According to Lithuanian scientists, part of the ethnic eastern and southeastern Lithuanian territories, which historically used to be part of theLithuania proper(considered as a state foundingBaltic-origin core of theGrand Duchy of Lithuaniaby Lithuanian scientists), wereSlavicizedin the 16th–19th centuries throughBelarusization,Russification,andPolonization,therefore they are no longer dominated by Lithuanians or Lithuanian-speakers (e.g.Lida,Kreva,Ashmyany,Smarhon,Vidzy,Braslaw).[119][131][132][133][134]In the 1338 Peace and Trade Agreement, concluded between GediminidsGediminas,Algirdas,Narimantasand theLivonian Order,there is a clear distinction between the Lithuanians and theRus' people[Ruthenians] as well as Lithuania fromRus'[Ruthenia] as these were recorded as separate entities.[135]Furthermore, a relevant historical source illustrating Lithuania in the 15th century is Lithuanian Grand DukeVytautas the Great's 11 March 1420 letter toSigismund, Holy Roman Emperor,in which he wrote thatSamogitiais the same land of Lithuania and that Lithuanians inAukštaitijaandSamogitians(who also call themselves only as Lithuanians) are the same people with one language.[136][11]In 1501,Erazm Ciołek,a priest of theVilnius Cathedral,explained to thePopethat the Lithuanians preserve their language and ensure respect to it (Linguam propriam observant), but they also use theRuthenian languagefor simplicity reasons because it is spoken by almost half of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.[137]The exact territory of Lithuania proper is known since the 1566 reform of theadministrative divisions of the Grand Duchy of Lithuaniaand it was constituted of theVilnius VoivodeshipandTrakai Voivodeship(includedGrodnoCounty in 1413–1793), however, the Lithuanians themselves also considered theDuchy of Samogitiaas part of Lithuania proper, while other six voivodeships (out of nine voivodeships since 1569) of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania were called "Lithuanian Ruthenia" (Litovskaja Rus).[138][119][120][45]Moreover, the importance ofLithuanian languagefor Lithuanian-speaking population within the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth also remained in the later years as during theKościuszko Uprisingin 1794Tadeusz Kościuszko's appeals were written in Lithuanian andPolish languages.[11][139]In the first half of the 20th century, despite the restoration of Lithuanian statehood in 1918, a part of historical Lithuania proper, including the cities of Grodno, Lida, Braslaw, Kreva, Ashmyany and their surroundings, became a part ofPolandand later a part of theByelorussian SSR,and in the late 20th century (1989) only 7606 people in the Byelorussian SSR considered themselves Lithuanians.[120][121][122][131]
According to Lithuanian publications, terms which start with the traditional Lithuanianroots"Let" and "Liet" have a significant and historical usage.[140]For example, in early German chronicles thename of Lithuaniawas spelledLettowenand inLatinasLethovia,Lettovia,Lettavia,[140]Lithuanian monarchGediminasin the 14th century titled himself in LatinlettertoPope John XXIIas "Gedeminne, letwinorum et multorum ruthenorum rex"(which literally translates to English as" Gediminas, by the grace of God, King of the Lithuanians and many Ruthenians "), hissonAlgirdasafter becoming the Lithuanian monarch appeared as "rex Letwinorum"(English:King of Lithuania) in theLivonian Chronicles,and Algirdas' sonJogaila,being a Lithuanian monarch since 1377, used a seal in 1377–1386 with a Latingothic minuscule"*ia ‚ gal * - dey * gracia * r - ex - in * lettow"(which literally translates to English as" Jogaila, by the Grace of God, King in Lithuania "), while the name of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the Lithuanian language publications even in the mid-17th century was still written"dides Kunigiſtes Lietuwos",etc.[141][142][143]Furthermore, Lithuanian (Lietuviai)ethnicityconsists not only of Samogitians (Žemaičiai), but also ofAukštaitians(the largest Lithuanian ethnic group) and the region ofAukštaitijais known in the written sources since the late 13th century whenPeter of Dusburgdescribed it as "Austechia, terra regis Lethowie"(English:Aukštaitija, the land of Lithuanians King), while some German sources also titled Lithuanian monarch Gediminas as "Rex de Owsteiten"(English:King of Aukštaitija).[144][145][146][147]Thepatrilinealdescendants of Gediminas from theGediminidsdynasty had continuously ruled the Grand Duchy of Lithuania until the death ofSigismund II Augustusin 1572.[148]
According to Lithuanian sources, the name of Vilnius is of Lithuanian-origin and it comes from aVilniaRiver which flows through the city and historically was an important element of theVilnius Castle Complex's defensive system.[149][150][151]Thehydronym"Vilnia" is linked with the Lithuanian words "vilnia","vilnis"(English:a water mound or a wave), while the Lithuanianverb"vilnyti"in English means" to wave [water] ".[149][152][153][154]The name of the city "Vilnius" was established in the ~15th-century when in the Lithuanian language it replaced form "Vilnia" and form "Vilnius" is used in the 17th-century Lithuanian language written sources, however form "Vilna" remained inLatintexts.[149][150]The ruler of theDuchy of Vilnius(did not includeDuchy of Trakai), which is known since the second quarter of the 14th century, also was the Grand Duke of Lithuania, but in 1392 Vytautas the Great transformed it into the Vilnius Voivodeship.[155]
TheAct of Independence of Lithuania,signed by theCouncil of Lithuaniaon February 16, 1918, proclaimed that "the Council of Lithuania, as the sole representative of the Lithuanian nation, based on the recognized right tonational self-determination,and on theVilnius Conference's resolution of September 18–23, 1917, proclaims the restoration of the independent state of Lithuania, founded on democratic principles, with Vilnius as its capital, and declares the termination of all state ties which formerly bound this State to other nations ".[156]In thepreambleof the most recentConstitution of Lithuania,adopted during the1992 Lithuanian constitutional referendum,the continuity of Lithuanian statehood is also stressed with the words "the Lithuanian Nation, having created the State of Lithuania many centuries ago, having based its legal foundations on theLithuanian Statutesand the Constitutions of the Republic of Lithuania, having for centuries staunchly defended its freedom and independence, having preserved its spirit, native language, writing, and customs, embodying the innate right of the human being and the Nation to live and create freely in the land of their fathers and forefathers – in the independent State of Lithuania, fostering national concord in the land of Lithuania, striving for an open, just, and harmonious civil society and a State under the rule of law, by the will of the citizens of the reborn State of Lithuania, adopts and proclaims this Constitution ".[157]
According to Lithuanian historianArtūras Dubonis,the theories of Mikola Yermalovich and Alexander Kravtsevich have nothing in common with the science ofhistory,distort the past of the Lithuanian nation and arepoliticallymotivated to strengthen the Belarusians' self-awareness and their statehood.[158]
In 2013,Lithuanian Ministry of National Defencestated that the Belarusians attempt to presentLithuanian monarchsas Belarusians in aninformation warfarepart of Russian attempts to discredit Lithuania's efforts to restore its independence.[159]
In 2014, Lithuanian historianAlfredas Bumblauskasclaimed that the relations with the Belarusians should be reconsidered (e.g. by establishingcounterpropagandainstitutions) because the Belarusians spread heritage propaganda and have appropriated the history of Lithuania.[160]Furthermore, Bumblauskas said that to him theimperialistic-minded Belarusians remindAdolf Hitler's aspirations in theSudetenland.[160]Moreover, Bumblauskas recalled that already 15 years ago there were messages in the internet claiming that Vilnius will see Belarusian tanks with the symbolism of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.[160]Bumblauskas stressed that historically Lithuanian monarchAlgirdaswas the creator of the Lithuanian Empire who annexed through conquests and marriages large parts of the currentBelarusianandUkrainian territories.[160]
In September 2022, public institutionLitvinaiwas established in Lithuania.[161][162]Reportedly members of the clubLitvinai(Lićviny) train militarily and strives to preserve internal relations and self-identification ofBelarusians in Lithuania,however they train withairsoftweaponry as citizens of Russia and Belarus are prohibited to own combat weaponry in Lithuania since late 2022 and theLithuanian Riflemen's Unionterminated cooperation with them.[161]According to Siarhei Shalyhin, leader of the clubLitvinai,they do not have plans to overthrow Lukashenko's government.[161]
In August 2023, Laurynas Kasčiūnas, the Chairman of the National Security and Defense Committee of Seimas, said that Litvinism is a threat to Lithuania because it is a concept where, on the one hand, Belarusians appropriate the tradition of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, on the other hand, they push us aside, saying that the national state of Lithuania is a Russian project.[163]According to Kasčiūnas, Lithuania cannot tolerate an ideology of Litvinism that denies Lithuania's identity and memory and appealed to theBelarusian oppositionregarding the issue.[164]In November 2023, Kasčiūnas said that identical restrictions should be applied to the Belarusians like to the citizens of the Russian Federation.[15]Another member of the National Security and Defense Committee of Seimas, Raimundas Lopata, urged Lithuanian institutions to create a strategy of Lithuania's policy towards hostile Belarus by including measures to completely close theBelarus–Lithuania border,strengthened border protection and measures to combat Litvinism which he described asKremlinhybrid warfare.[165]Petras Auštrevičius,Member of the European Parliament,also named Litvinism as a hybrid warfare designed to antagonize nations, create mistrust and historicalrevanchism.[166]In November 2023, Lopata said that the Belarusians often deviates into the theories of Litvinism and seeks to deprive a part of history of Lithuania for themselves, however the Belarusians should concentrate to the independence of Belarus, not the conquests of Vilnius.[167]
TheState Security Department of Lithuania(VSD) stated in August 2023 that the supporters of the radical Belarusian nationalist ideology of Litvinism claims that modern-day Belarusians are the true heirs to the legacy of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, thus they are making territorial claims to other countries surrounding Belarus, including Lithuania and its capital city Vilnius; however, their activities do not pose a real threat to the sovereignty, constitutional order and territorial integrity of the Republic of Lithuania at the moment, but may increase inter-ethnic tensions and negative attitudes towards Belarusian community in Lithuania.[168][169]The VSD also stated that the Litvinists are against thegovernments of BelarusandRussiaand do not support narrative that Russians and Belarusians are "one people", thus part of the Litvinists departed toEU countriesamid repressions against them.[168][169]Also, in August 2023, it was announced that 910 Belarusians and 254 Russians were recognized as a threat to thenational securityof Lithuania and all these 1164 foreigners were prohibited to arrive in Lithuania.[170]
According to Lithuanian politician Vytautas Sinica, Litvinism is especially characteristic of the opponents of Alexander Lukashenko's rule and the denial of Lithuanian historical statehood by them is a serious issue, which is incompatible with the national security of Lithuania, therefore he suggested to inquire Belarusians, who want to live in Lithuania, who founded the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Vilnius.[171]According to Sinica, Belarus was highlysovietizedduring the Soviet period and currently it lacksnational identity,thus attempting to solve this issue the theory of Litvinism is employed and is becoming more popular.[172]
In September 2023, members of theSeimasunanimously voted for the proposed amendment to the Lithuanian Law on the State Flag and other flags which consist of allowance to raise thehistorical flag of Lithuania(withVytis) atborder checkpointsand encourages residents to raise it near their homes during historicalpublic holidays,while the initiator of the changes, Andrius Kupčinskas, pointed out Litvinism from the Belarusian-side as one of the reasons for these changes.[173]
On 30 September 2023,Dainius Gaižauskas,a Deputy Chairman of the National Security and Defense Committee of the Seimas, told that a topic of Litvinism must be legally included in a questionnaire of the Lithuanian Migration Department to determine person's opinion about Litvinism, and drew parallels between Litvinism and Russian propaganda which justified theRussian invasion of Ukrainewith "falsified facts".[174]According to Justinas Dementavičius, a scientist of the Vilnius University Institute of International Relations and Political Science, Litvinism is aromanticorradicalform of Belarusian nationalism, which questions the fact that historically the Lithuanians created the State of Lithuania.[174]
On 2 October 2023 a discussion was held inSeimas Palacewith Lithuanian, Polish, Belarusian scientists, writers and politicians about the origin of Litvinism, its influence and challenges in Belarusians and Lithuanians relations.[175]One of the members of the Lithuaniancoalition government,Liberals' Movement,announced that the purpose of the discussion in Seimas Palace was searching for ways to stop the radical Litvinism ideology.[176]Soon afterwards, also in October 2023, a video was published online where three armed men standing in front of the Belarusianwhite-red-white flagsissued threats to Lithuanian politicians, demanded to stop persecuting Belarusians and explained that the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a Belarusian, not a Lithuanian state.[91]
In April 2024 Auksė Ūsienė, a Lithuanian historian and analyst of the Department of Strategic Communication of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, drew parallels between the Litvinists' statements and Russia's denial of Ukrainian statehood and stated that the Belarusian Litvinists become the executors of theRussian worldgoal, she also pointed out to the fact that in Belarusian school history programs it is still claimed that the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a Belarusian state with its initial capital in Novogrudok and later in Vilnius.[177]
In July 2024 a dozen of Belarusian organizations which are operating in Lithuania (e.g. public organization Dapamoga, Belarusian Council for Culture, public organization Litvinai, etc.) signed a declaration with which they distanced themselves from the ideology of Litvinism and denied any territorial claims to Lithuania, while Mikalai Kvantaliani, a member of the Belarusian National Platform, stated that Litvinism is "a harmful rhetoric prepared by the Kremlin's special services and the Lukashenko's regime".[178]
In Russia
Tomas Baranauskasclaims that Litvinism also has some supporters inRussia,although it is much less popular than in Belarus. Some Russian Litvinists refer to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania as a Russian state.[2]According to Belarusian historianAlieś Biely,Litvinism is the frontier ideology ofRussian civilization.[179]According toVirginijus Savukynas,a Lithuanian historian and journalist, Litvinism is the Belarusian variant of the ideology ofRussian imperialismand the beginning of Litvinism lie in theRussian Empirewhen it annexed the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1795 and then Russian EmpressCatherine the Greatclaimed that she just "restored historical truth".[6]Moreover, Savukynas pointed out to the fact that in the early 20th century a monument was unveiled in Vilnius dedicated to the Russian Empress Catherine the Great with inscription "separated to recover".[6]
In an interview held byLietuvos rytas,the Belarusian journalist Alesis Mikas stated that theRussian Governmentcould be using the new phenomenon of Litvinism in Belarus as a form ofhybrid warfareagainst Lithuania.[180]
Lev Krishtapovich claims that:
In fact, under the guise ofBelarusian nationalism,or the so-called Litvinism, aPolish gentryclique stands aimed at transforming Belarus intoPoland's eastern frontiers.[181][182]
In response to the Belarusian nationalism and unable to erase the importance of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (GDL) for the formation of theBelarusian nation,Russian propagandaseek toslavicizeGDL and itsrulers.[75]Additionally, Russia actively denyoccupation of the Baltic statesand tractateBaltic statesstatehood of 1918 and 1990 as temporary and accidental formations resulting from crises in Russia.[183]Since GDL, which has existed for more than 500 years, prevents such a narrative in relation to Lithuania, several strategies are used in Russia to rewrite GDL history.[183]According to one of the strategies, it is aimed to present the GDL as a "historical misunderstanding" in the area ofRussian civilizationthat allegedly gravitated towards Poland, and in some publications the entireBaltic regionis named as the historical area of Russia since the 10th–12th centuries.[183][184]According to another strategy, it is claimed that the GDL also supposedly was a Russian (Ruthenian) state ( "more democratic" ), which has nothing to do nor with the 20th century "Samogitian" statehood of Lithuania, nor withUkraineandBelarusas historical entities.[183][185]Even in Russian sources that emphasize the subjectivity of the history of the GDL, the "Russian" aspects are treated as phenomena of thehistory of Russia,notUkraineorBelarus.[183]
Russianfar-rightpolitical philosopherAleksandr Duginclaims that after theGolden Hordethere was not one Russia (Rusj Moskovskaja–Grand Duchy of Moscow), but two – also a "Lithuanian Russia" (Rusj Litovskaja– GDL), which had a majority population (80%) ofOrthodoxSlavswho also were the elites of the state and at the same time deny theBalticorigin of the GDL and claim that the rulers of the GDL wereRussians.[79][186][5][75]Other Russian historians (for example, Michail Kojalovich, Nikolai Ustrialov, Matvei Liubavskii) in their publications consider the GDL as a state of Western Russia, and the expansion of the GDL to the east and south was supposedly a process of unification of Russian lands in which Western Russia (GDL) and Eastern Russia (Muscovy) competed.[187]Also, Russian historians often call the vicegerents of the GDL rulers as Russian dukes because they supposedly spoke Russian and claims that the GDL was a Slavic state because its written language was Slavic.[75]According to these Russian historians, precisely because of the majority of Orthodox Slavs in the population of the GDL, the GDL was supposedly a "non-Baltic" or "non-Lithuanian" state.[75]These Russian paradigms are taken from the 19th century and are intended to justify thedestruction of the GDL.[183]From such Russian points of view, the partitions of thePolish–Lithuanian Commonwealthand GDL were essentially a "restoration" of the separated Russian lands.[188]These assumptions are also actively echoed by Litvinists, who claim that the Slavic (Litvin) origin of the GDL can be judged from the fact that its political elite allegedly spokeOld East Slavic language(Litvin language), however actually in the GDL it was only one of the written languages, not a spoken language.[75]Moreover, historically only the Slavicvoivodeships of the GDL(six out of nine) were referred to as "Lithuanian Ruthenia" (Litovskaja Rus).[45]
A number of Russian historians considerRuthenian languageto be a "Western dialect ofRussian language"or" Western Russians language ".[183][189]For propaganda purposes, the ancient Eastern Slavs are equated with Russian speakers or even modern Russians.[75]However, actually during the time of the GDL there was no such nationality as Russian and there was no standardized Russian language as different Ruthenian dialects were spoken.[75]Slavic-speakers of the GDL and Muscovites could understand each other, but letters received from the GDL, before being presented to the addressee, were translated into the Muscovite variant of the written language in theGrand Dukes of Moscowchancellery which proves their separateness.[75]Moreover, the separateness of GDL Orthodox and Muscovite Orthodox is proved by the OrthodoxMetropolis of Lithuaniawhich using the favor of thePatriarch of Constantinopleand seeking church power was liquidated by theMetropolitans of Moscow.[75][190][191]When the Muscovites took control of theleft-bank Ukraine,Metropolitan Methodius of Kiev refused to swear an oath to Moscow, stating that "If a Muscovite Metropolitan is sent to us, we will shut ourselves up in monasteries, and let them drag us out of them by our necks and legs. We would rather die than accept a metropolitan from Moscow."[75]Until then Orthodox Christians of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth massively switched to theRuthenian Uniate Church,and in the 18th century onlyMstsislawandMogilevremained Orthodox in the territory of the Commonwealth.[75]In 1790, Catholics of the "Latin" and "Greek" rites made up 77.8% of the total population of the GDL.[192]
A lot of anti-Lithuanian propaganda is directed at Grand DukeAlgirdasbecause he used war and diplomatic means to unite Ruthenian lands into the GDL.[75]Also, many dukes of Slavic lands gave priority to their own positively evaluated GDL rather than theTatarGolden Horde and their negatively evaluated money collectors ‒ the Muscovites.[75]These circumstances destroy the authority of Moscow as the "unifier of all Russian lands", so the aim of such claims is toRussifyGrand Duke Algirdas or at least convert him to Orthodoxy.[75]The first attempts to do this can be seen already in the 16th–17th centuriesBychowiec ChronicleandHustyn Chroniclewhich describe Algirdas supposedly Orthodoxbaptismafter his first or second marriage in an anti-Catholic context.[75]Also already in the 16th century annals of the Moscow state it was stated that Algirdas was allegedly an Orthodox believer, this way aiming to undermine the rulers of Lithuania and show their subordination to the rulers of Moscow.[193]Later this narrative, which contradicts the CatholicChristianization of pagan Lithuaniain 1387 and the history of themartyrs of Vilnius,was being repeated by the propagandists of the Russian Empire.[193]For example, Russian historiographer and writer sentimentalistNikolay Karamzinin the 18th century "discovered" another date of Algirdas alleged baptism and put into use, claiming that Algirdas, who was ordained as a monk on his deathbed, was buried according to Orthodox rites.[75]However, German and old Ruthenian chronicles mention that Algirdas died as a "pagan fire-worshipper, an enemy of the cross and faith" and was burned.[75]Some Litvinists claim that Lithuanian KingMindaugasalso adopted Orthodoxy inNovogrudok.[194]
In 2011,Belarusian Exarchate of the Moscow Patriarchateinitiated thecanonizationof the former Metropolitan of VilniusJoseph Semashkowho was the primary organizer of the Synod ofPolotskin 1839 during which the 1596Union of Brestwas abolished.[195]Consequently, Lithuanian and Belarusian Uniates became part of theRussian Orthodox Churchand Joseph Semashko assisted to formulate ethnopolitical ideology of "Western Russia".[195]Proponents of canonization identify this event as the "return" of the lands of Lithuania and Belarus to the sphere of influence of Eastern Christian civilization and the restoration of the self-awareness of the Russian Orthodox people of Belarus.[195]In Belarus, the 1839 Synod of Polotsk is commemorated in celebrations.[196]
The Institute of Russian Civilization operating in Moscow has published the encyclopediaHoly Russia. The Great Encyclopedia of the Russian Nation(Russian:Святая Русь. Большая энциклопедия русского народа) which is full of historical forgeries as in it the GDL is called an artificial and unviable state that existed from the 13th to the 18th century.[186]In this encyclopedia it is stated that already in the 10th–12th centuries the territories of the Baltic states were supposedly part of the Russian state.[186]Also, in this encyclopedia the Baltic states are named aspuppet states,and their occupation in 1940 is seen as the collapse of pro-Western regimes allegedly ruled by German agents and political adventurers and a "legal return" to Russia.[186]It also states that in 1991 the "puppet" Baltic states were led by representatives of the USCentral Intelligence Agencyand other Western special services, and in this way they allegedly becameWesterncolonies.[186]
However, there is also an unofficial narrative in Russia that emphasizes the civilizational space determined by the GDL together with Poland, thus Lithuania is considered the main obstacle for Russia to implement theEurasian strategyin thepost-Soviet states.[183]Every year on 4 November Russia celebrates a national holiday called the National Unity Day which marks theexpulsion of the Polish–Lithuanian military crewfrom theMoscow Kremlinon 4 November 1612.[183][197][198]According to historians, Lithuania was the generalized symbol of an enemy or a foreign country in the consciousness of 17th-century Russians, and it became established in folklore as well (for example, about a stubborn person they said: "Fight him like with Lithuania", and an unfamiliar guest was asked: "What kind of horde are you? What kind of Lithuanian are you?" ).[198]Russian PresidentVladimir Putinexplains theconflict with the Ukrainiansby the fact thatLithuaniansandPolescreated a "divide and conquer" strategy in "historical Russian lands" in the 15th century and developed it in the 16th–18th centuries.[199]According to Putin, both Lithuanian Russia and Muscovite Russia could have had united "Old Russia", but it happened that Moscow allegedly became the "center of unification" and after the partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth the Russian Empire allegedly "regained" the old lands of Western Russia (Little RussiaandNovorossiya,where supposedly only Russians lived).[199]Putin has also publicly stated that "Russia's borders do not end anywhere".[200]In 2022,Dmitry Medvedevwrote on hisTelegramaccount that "after liberating Kyiv and all the territories of Little Russia from the nationalist gangs, Russia will become united again" and that "We will embark on another campaign to restore the borders of our Motherland, which, as we know, do not end anywhere."[201]Also, Russia seeks to escalate conflicts inLithuania–Poland relations.[183]
By international sources
Litvinism is not supported by notable information sources such asEncyclopædia Britannica,which states that the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was exclusively created byLithuanians,[202]that Lithuania in the past ruled territories of present-day Belarus[203]and that the Belarusians had no state and no national symbols until 1918.[204]Notable historians such asArnold J. ToynbeeandTimothy D. Snyderalso support the approach that the Lithuanians (Balts) conquered/gatheredRuthenianterritories, incorporating them into their state.[205][206]
Multiple international scientists made conclusions that theLithuanian-speakingterritory was larger in the past. By studying place names of Lithuanian origin, linguistJan Safarewiczconcluded that the eastern boundaries of the Lithuanian language used to be in the shape of zigzags throughGrodno,Shchuchyn,Lida,Valozhyn,Svir,andBraslaw.[207]Such eastern boundaries partly coincide with the spread ofCatholicandOrthodoxfaith, and should have existed at the time of theChristianization of Lithuaniain 1387 and later.[207]Safarewicz's eastern boundaries were moved even further to the south and east by other scholars (e.g.Mikalay Biryla,Jerzy Ochmański,and others).[207]
According to Polish linguistLeszek Bednarczuk,Belarusian ethnosandlanguagewere formed due to the dependence on theGrand Duchy of Lithuania.[208][209]Moreover, according to the Encyclopædia Britannica, during this epoch ofLithuaniandomination, the Belarusian language and nationality began to take shape.[203]
According to Polish professorJan Otrębski's article published in 1931, the Polish dialect in the Vilnius Region and in the northeastern areas in general are very interesting variant of Polishness as this dialect developed in a foreign territory which was mostly inhabited by theLithuanianswho wereBelarusized(mostly) orPolonized,and to prove this Otrębski provided examples ofLithuanianismsin theTutejszylanguage.[210][211]In 2015, Polish linguistMirosław Jankowiakattested that many of the Vilnius Region's inhabitants who declarePolish nationalityspeak a Belarusian dialect which they callmowa prosta('simple speech').[212]
In 2023,Crimean TatarjournalistAyder Muzhdabaevcriticized Zianon Pazniak, Litvinists, their claims to Lithuania's history and capital Vilnius and concluded that such Litvinists should be deported from Lithuania withwolf's tickets.[213][214]
See also
- Coat of arms of Lithuania
- Belarusian nationalism
- Belarusian national revival
- Lithuanian national revival
- Russification of Belarus
- History of Belarus
- History of Lithuania
- Ethnographic Lithuania
- Lithuanians in Belarus
- Belarus–Lithuania relations
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Mainly the last paragraph below "* * *" symbols
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Section "Літва-ліцьвіны - заходнепрыбалтыцкія славяне"
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pasakiau apmaudžią kvailystę
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Juk pirmiausia Jūs padarėte ir paskelbėte sprendimą dėl Žemaičių žemės, kuri yra mūsų paveldėjimas ir mūsų tėvonija iš teisėtos prosenolių bei senolių įpėdinystės. Ją ir dabar nuosavybėje turime, ji dabar yra ir visada buvo viena ir ta pati Lietuvos žemė, nes yra viena kalba bei tie patys gyventojai. Bet kadangi Žemaičių žemė yra žemiau negu Lietuvos žemė, todėl ir vadinama Žemaitija, nes taip lietuviškai yra vadinama žemesnė žemė. O žemaičiai Lietuvą vadina Aukštaitija, t. y. iš Žemaičių žiūrint, aukštesne žeme. Taip pat Žemaitijos žmonės nuo senų laikų save vadino lietuviais ir niekada žemaičiais, ir dėl tokio tapatumo (sic) savo rašte mes nerašome apie Žemaitiją, nes viskas yra viena, vienas kraštas ir tie patys gyventojai.
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