Lithuanian Men in the Forced Soviet Army
The History of Compulsory Military Service
In the Fields of the Empire
Starting from 1950, based on the 1949 law, Lithuanian conscripts were taken into the army for three years, or into the navy for four years. In 1967, the military service was shortened to two years in land units, and to three years in sea units. Lithuanian men performed forced service in all military districts of the USSR.
Lithuanian men also “served” in Soviet units in the satellite states beyond the borders of the empire: Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia. They were involved in suppressing the Hungarian (1956) and Czechoslovakian (1968) revolutions.
Lithuanian soldier Kazys Abromaitis, wearing an unidentified uniform, with a Czechoslovakian rebel. The inscription on the back of the photo reads: “on the 11th of June, 1945. Prague. With my beloved friend. A Czechoslovakian. Death to the German invaders.”
Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic) (Prague), 1945. Photo author unknown
Personal archive of Eugenijus Peikštenis
Lithuanian soldier Kazys Abromaitis, wearing an unidentified uniform. On the back of the photo there is an inscription in Lithuanian and Russian, indicating the place where the photo was sent from – Siberia. Czech stamp.
Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic) (Prague), 1945. Photo author unknown
Personal archive of Eugenijus Peikštenis
A Polish soldier from Vilnius Region serving in Tambov labour camp. The inscription on the back of the photo is in Polish.
RSFSR (Tambov), 1953. Photo author unknown
Personal archive of Eugenijus Peikštenis
Lithuanian Jonas with his brothers in arms. The inscription on the back of the photo is to his mother: “A mement! Remember me, Mummy – your son serving in the Army!..”
Byelorussian SSR (Pruzhany), 1946. Photo author unknown
Personal archive of Eugenijus Peikštenis
Together with other soldiers, Jonas Griežė used to take care of polar bear cubs in the Arctic.
RSFSR (Novaya Zemlya), c. 1978–1980. Photo author unknown
Personal archive of Jonas Griežė
Soldier Jonas Griežė with his brothers in arms before a football match.
RSFSR (Novaya Zemlya), c. 1978–1980. Summer. Photo author unknown
Personal archive of Jonas Griežė
Soviet soldiers shovelling snow on an island of Novaya Zemlya in the summer.
RSFSR (Novaya Zemlya), c. 1978–1980. Photo author unknown
Personal archive of Jonas Griežė
Soldier Jonas Griežė (on the right) with his brothers in arms on a radar building in the Arctic.
RSFSR (Novaya Zemlya), c. 1978–1980. Summer. Photo author unknown
Personal archive of Jonas Griežė
Soldier Jonas Griežė (in the centre, wearing glasses) with his brothers in arms on a radar building in the Arctic.
RSFSR (Novaya Zemlya), c. 1978–1980. Summer. Photo author unknown
Personal archive of Jonas Griežė
Soldier Jonas Griežė (sitting on the tractor) with his brothers in arms and officers’ wives in the Arctic.
RSFSR (Novaya Zemlya), c. 1978–1980. Summer. Photo author unknown
Personal archive of Jonas Griežė
Lithuanian Konstantinas Nikitenka, a soldier in the Soviet Air Forces, in East Germany, on the wing of an aeroplane that is being repaired.
GDR, 1987. Photo author unknown
Personal archive of Konstantinas Nikitenka
Lithuanian Konstantinas Nikitenka (standing on the left) with his brothers in arms during off-duty time in East Germany.
GDR, 1987. Photo author unknown
Personal archive of Konstantinas Nikitenka
Lithuanian Konstantinas Nikitenka (sitting first on the left), a soldier in the Soviet Air Forces, with his brothers in arms and an officer in East Germany.
GDR (Potsdam), 1987. Photo author unknown
Personal archive of Konstantinas Nikitenka
Lithuanian Konstantinas Nikitenka (first on the left), a soldier in the Soviet Air Forces, with his brothers in arms during off-duty time.
GDR (Dresden), 1987. Photo author unknown
Personal archive of Konstantinas Nikitenka
Navy sailor Juozas. The inscription on the back of the photo is to a friend: “Let this little picture of mine remind you of me. So that you don’t completely forget me, look at it from time to time.”
Occupied Ukraine (Sevastopol), 1953. Photo author unknown
Personal archive of Raimundas Kaminskas
Soldier Algimantas wearing an MIA uniform (possibly served as a labour camp guard). The inscription on the back of the photo is to a girlfriend.
Komi ASSR (Vorkuta), 1957. Photo author unknown
Personal archive of Eugenijus Peikštenis
USSR officers, students of the neurology course, together with the lecturers.
Location unknown, 1954. Photo author unknown
Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights
Soldier Jonas Peikštenis, who served in Czechoslovakia. The inscription on the back of the photo is to his parents.
Vilnius, 1952. Photo author unknown
Personal archive of Eugenijus Peikštenis
Vytas Miškinis, a soldier in the internal troops of the USSR, guarding Komi labour camp.
Komi ASSR, c. 1950–1970. Photo author unknown
Personal archive of Eugenijus Peikštenis
Military ID of recruit Arvydas Rukšnaitis.
1968–1970
Personal archive of Tomas Rukšnaitis