Republic of Central Lithuania Republika Litwy Środkowej (Polish) | |||||||||||
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1920–1922 | |||||||||||
Anthem: Rota | |||||||||||
Status | Puppet state of the Second Polish Republic | ||||||||||
Capital | Vilnius | ||||||||||
Common languages | |||||||||||
Religion | |||||||||||
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 | ||||||||||
12 October 1920 | |||||||||||
24 March 1922 | |||||||||||
• Incorporation into Poland | 18 April 1922 | ||||||||||
Area | |||||||||||
• Total | 13,490 km2 (5,210 sq mi) | ||||||||||
Currency | Polish mark | ||||||||||
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Today part of |
54°30′N 25°45′E / 54.500°N 25.750°E 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]