Lithuanian Activist Front

Lithuanian Activist Front (Lithuanian: Lietuvos Aktyvistų Frontas), commonly abbreviated as LAF, was a short-lived organisation established in 1940, when Lithuania was occupied by the Soviets. The goal of the organization was to liberate Lithuania and re-establish its independence.

The organization was established in October 1940. Kazys Škirpa, former Lithuanian ambassador to Germany, is often credited as the founder. LAF was meant to unite people of various political beliefs, from hard-line leftists to hard-line rightists, who wanted to see Lithuania as an independent country, rather than as part of the Soviet Union or Nazi Germany. As time passed, local LAF units were formed in various Lithuanian cities.

The Berlin unit, formed by Kazys Škirpa, united mainly former Lithuanian expatriates and diplomats in Germany. At first it had quite a few leftist members, however with time the views shifted in favour of Nazism. LAF members were loyal to Lithuania and wanted to reform it in a similar way as Hitler reformed Germany. The local LAF units in Lithuanian cities maintained more democratic political views. Lack of correspondence between the Berlin unit and Lithuanian units prevented discussions of ideology.

In March LAF formed the Lithuanian underground government planning to take over the country when the Soviet army would be pushed out by the German army. The underground government was mainly formed out of Vilnius and Kaunas sections of LAF. However, two of its members, including the prime minister Kazys Škirpa, was to be out of the Berlin branch. Over time many people from this government, as well as other LAF members, were arrested, executed, or exiled by Soviet authorities.

Leadership of LAF thought that a good time to liberate Lithuania would be when Germany attacked the Soviet Union. They hoped that both powers would be busy fighting each other, and therefore would not take much interest in small Lithuania. Germany declared war on the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941, and the same day LAF started the June uprising. The next day, June 23, independence of Lithuania was declared. Short-handed LAF underground government took power on June 24. On June 21 four members of the government were arrested by the Soviet authorities, supposed prime minister Kazys Škirpa was put under house arrest in Berlin, and another minister was also unable to come. Juozas Ambrazevičius became the prime minister.

However, the negotiations with Germany over the recognition of Lithuania failed, as Nazi government had no interest in an independent Lithuania. The LAF government had strong support from Lithuanian people and the German authorities did not use brutal force against its members. Rather, they established their own structures and slowly ripped the government of its powers.

The government lost all of its power in a few weeks, and seeing no more reason to continue work, dissolved itself in August 1941. LAF as an organisation remained. In September it send a memorandum to Germany protesting against the occupation of Lithuania. In response on September 26, the Lithuanian Activist Front was banned; many of its leaders were arrested and sent to concentration camps.

LAF is a controversial organization because of its anti-semitic views. LAF members are accused of killing Jews after June 22, 1941 but before German troops arrived. Also, a number of LAF government acts discriminate Jews, most notable example is "Žydų padėties nuostatus" (English: Regulation on Status of Jews). Critics argue that this was in an attempt to win support of Germany or that the government was just a sock puppet of the Nazi authorities. In either case, it is clear that LAF ideology was very anti-communist.

References

• 1941 m. Lietuvos laikinosios vyriausybės atsiradimo aplinkybės, Doc. dr. Sigitas Jegelevičius, Voruta, No. 11 (557), June 11, 2004
• Lietuvių aktyvistų frontas, Laikinoji Vyriausybė ir žydų klausimas, Dr. Valentinas Brandišauskas, a presentation delivered during a seminar-discussion, March 23, 1999