Act of Tilsit

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Act of Tilsit

The Act of Tilsit ( lithuanian : 'Tilžės aktas') was a manifesto that on thirtieth November 1918 in Tilsit (of two dozen Prussian-Lithuanian intellectuals on behalf of the National Council Kleinlitauischen lithuanian : 'Mažosios Lietuvos Taryba Tautinė'), on the template the Versailles Conference.

This separated Lithuania Minor and Prussian-Lithuania, where the Lithuanian-speaking population was undoubtedly large - whether minority or majority depends on how bilingualism (German and ...) and how the other Baltic languages ​​(Kurish, Latvian) were counted ; the Lithuanian argument put them together - demanded by the German Reich and affiliation to the then newly emerging state of Lithuania . This was justified by the fact that "we Lithuanians who live here in Prussian-Lithuania form the majority of the inhabitants of this country and, in accordance with Wilson's right to self-determination of the peoples", demand this affiliation.

After the Treaty of Versailles only separated Memelland from Germany in 1920 and placed it under international administration, this manifesto served Lithuania, or insurgents sent by the Lithuanian government, as a justification for taking control of the mandate area in January 1923 and for the annexation of Memelland in 1924.

The signatories of the act, however, only represented a minority opinion. In all elections to the Memelland Landtag from 1924 onwards, the pro-German parties were able to maintain a majority of more than 80% of the votes over the pro-Lithuanian parties, even though almost half of the population spoke Lithuanian. This was due on the one hand to the very long (more than 600 years) state affiliation with Prussia or its predecessor states ( Deutscher Orden ) and on the other hand to a cultural and denominational contrast: the Prussian "Lithuanians" were over 95% Protestant, the residents Central Lithuania, however, is over 95% Catholic.

The signatories

The signatories were citizens of Germany whom the Prussian state allowed as romantic enthusiasts because it did not attach any political importance to them.

  1. Jonas Vanagaitis (Johann Wannagatis from Pabuduppen )
  2. Mikelis Deivikas (Michael Deiwick from Rucken, teacher in Memelland)
  3. Mikas Banaitis (Michael Bannat from Paskallwen )
  4. Kristupas Kiupelis (Christoph Kiupel from Cullmen Wiedutaten)
  5. Jurgis Lėbartų (Jurgis Lebarts from Schlappschill)
  6. Jurgis Gronavas (Jürgen Gronau from Aglohnen or Oszkarten)
  7. Mikelis Mačiulis (Michel Matschullis from Memelland)
  8. Jokūbas Juška (Jakob Juschka, perhaps from Pezaiten)
  9. Viktoras Gailius (Viktor Gailus from Groß Bersteningken)
  10. Arnas Smalakys (Arno Smalakys from Memel )
  11. Mikelis Lymantas (Michael Limant from Memel)
  12. Danielius Kalniškys (Daniel Kalnischkies from Plaschken)
  13. Enzys Jagomastas (Hans Jagomast from Lompönen )
  14. Liudvikas Deivikas (Ludwig Deiwick from Rucken, brother of Michael)
  15. Emilis Bendikas (Emil Bendiks from Ballgarden, suburb of Tilsit)
  16. Mikelis Klečkus (Michael Kletczkus from Sucking)
  17. Martin Jankus (Martin Jankus from Bittehnen )
  18. Kristupas Paura (Kristoph Paura from Darzeppeln)
  19. Fridrikas Zūbaitis (Friedrich Subat from Tilsit)
  20. Jurgis Arnašius (Jurgis Arnaszus from Wannaggen)
  21. Jonas Užpurvis (Jons Uszpurwies from Kukoreiten)
  22. Martynas Reidys (Pastor Martin Reid from Skuldeinen / Elchniederung)
  23. Valteris Didžys (Walter Magnus from Angerburg )
  24. Jurgis Margys (Jurgis Margies from Wersmeningken)

See also

literature

  • AA Gliožaitis: Tilžės akto reikšmė In: Vorut. 1998, 1999 No. 43-47.
  • Algis A. Regis: Tilžės aktas Lietuvių diena No. 1 (361), 1986.
  • Petras Cidzikas: Tilžės aktas - vilties aktas In: Vorut. No. 23 (521), 2002.
  • Romualdas Ozolas: Tilžės aktas: alternatyvos ir imperatyvai In: Donelaičio žem. No. 1-2, 2004.

Web links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ On the history of its origins, see from the more recent Lithuanian historiography: Vasilijus Safronovas (University of Klaipeda): The connection of the Memel area to Lithuania - The Tilsit Act and the "uprising" as a legitimation myth ( PDF, online )
  2. ↑ The definition of "Lithuania Minor" envisaged by the signatories is somewhat uncertain. In today's Lithuanian literature it usually includes the seven East Prussian districts Gumbinnen, Heydekrug, Insterburg, Labiau, Memel, Ragnit and Tilsit
  3. ↑ kleinlitauen.de.vu ( Memento of the original dated August 30, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.kleinlitauen.de.vu
  4. ↑ So only the parts of Lithuania Minor north of the Memel.
  5. ↑ On the questionable "Little Lithuanian uprising" of 1923, see from the very critical recent Lithuanian literature: Vygantas Vareikis (University of Klaipeda): Historical controversies about the Lithuanian "uprising" in the Memel region in 1923 ( PDF, online )