Freedom Prize 2018 awarded to the partisan group of the Movement of the Struggle for Freedom of Lithuania

Press release, 14 January 2019

Partisan group of the Movement of the Struggle for Freedom of Lithuania, winner of the Freedom Prize 2018; Viktoras Pranckietis, Speaker of the Seimas,  first on the left; and Radvilė Morkūnaitė-Mikulėnienė, Chair of the Freedom Prize Commission of the Seimas,  last on the right. Photo by Džoja Gunda Barysaitė, Office of the Seimas

 

Viktoras Pranckietis, Speaker of the Seimas, awards the Statuette of Liberty to the participants of the anti-Soviet resistance. Photo by Olga Posaškova, Office of the Seimas

 

At the solemn commemoration of the Day of the Defenders of Freedom on 13 January 2019, the Freedom Prize 2018 was awarded to the former partisans and members of the Movement of the Struggle for Freedom of Lithuania: Jonas Abukauskas, Vytautas Balsys, Jonas Čeponis, Juozas Jakavonis, Bronislovas Juospaitis, Jonas Kadžionis and Juozas Mocius. The statuette of the Freedom Prize was presented by Viktoras Pranckietis, Speaker of the Seimas.   

 

For the first time in history, the Seimas awarded the Freedom Prize to a group of seven people as a tribute to the Movement of the Struggle for Freedom of Lithuania, the major organisation of armed anti-Soviet resistance. The award is a token of appreciation to all the freedom fighters who dedicated their life to fighting for the free, independent, and democratic state of Lithuania.     

 

In her address to the winners of the Freedom Prize, Radvilė Morkūnaitė-Mikulėnienė, MP and Chair of the Freedom Prize Commission, said: ‘Seven partisans, members of the leadership of the Movement of the Struggle for Freedom of Lithuania, restored 25 years ago, coming from different partisan military districts, represent all the freedom fighters. They represent thousands of those who were and are of noble nature and free untamed spirit on a higher mission to inspire and protect us.’

 

Ms Morkūnaitė-Mikulėnienė stressed the contribution of the anti-Soviet fighters to the final liberation of Lithuania. ‘Yes, they were ordinary people, but their strong spirit has brought them glory. They represent the courageous, free and victorious Lithuania. They symbolise victory that was finally secured by the defenders of freedom on 13 January 1991,’ she said.        

 

‘Lithuania has a living legend. It is not a tale of titans, but rather a true legend and a narrative about the modern Lithuania with its real people that inspire our faith and trust,’ said Ms Morkūnaitė-Mikulėnienė.      

 

Jonas Kadžionis, a co-winner of the Freedom Prize 2018, spoke on behalf of the group and recalled that ‘the godless Bolshevik occupation brought tragic repercussions for Lithuania. It destroyed the body and soul of the nation. It demolished crosses, national monuments, and shrines. It destroyed the shrines in the hearts of our children and young people. Lithuania, though a small nation, resisted and led an unprecedented decade-long armed fight against this brutal, dismissive and evil empire.’

 

Mr Kadžionis also underlined that ‘men and women from villages brought up in Christian faith, young farmers, as well as the Catholic Church, were particularly heroic fighters.  It was the best part of the nation, which was trampled down by the occupation forces and collaborators on the dirty streets, in the forests, destruction battalions, and prisons.’              

 

 

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In the context of brutal terror, the decision of partisans Jonas Abukauskas codenamed Siaubas (Horror), Vytautas Balsys codenamed Uosis (Ash), Jonas Čeponis codenamed Vaidila, Juozas Jakavonis codenamed Tigras (Tiger), Bronislovas Juospaitis codenamed Direktorius (Director), Jonas Kadžionis codenamed Bėda (Trouble), and Juozas Mocius codenamed Šviedrys to sacrifice their personal interests by resolving themselves to an armed struggle for independence attests to their courage and genuine idealism     

 

During the armed anti-Soviet resistance they represented various military districts, including   Algimantas, Dainava, Kęstutis, Tauras, and Vytis. They joined the armed resistance effort at the age of 19 to 22 and over several years they went through the full drama of partisan warfare, specifically, baptism of fire, freezing cold in partisan bunkers, injuries, and, unfortunately, betrayals by former friends-in-arms.  They suffered the agony of interrogations at the hands of the repressive structures of the occupation forces and withstood the exile in the forced labour camps in Siberia. Despite the adversities and deportation, however, they never lost their trust in the prospect of freedom. Their individual life stories are different and each of them could well lend itself to a book or a film. Having reached a venerable age, the partisans are a living symbol of the Movement of the Struggle for Freedom of Lithuania. Their daily activities are a robust contribution to the historical memory of the national freedom cause. Their civic stance offers a true example of heroism for the Lithuanian society today.       

 

(Extract from Freedom Prize 2018 by Žydrūnas Mačiukas.)

 

The Freedom Prize, established on 15 September 2011, honours individuals and organisations for their achievements in and contribution to the defence of human rights, development of democracy, and promotion of international cooperation for the cause of self-determination and sovereignty of the nations in Eastern and Central Europe.

 

The former winners of the Freedom Prize include Sergei Kovalev (Freedom Prize 2011), human rights activist and fighter for freedom and democracy; Antanas Terleckas (Freedom Prize 2012) founder of the Lithuanian Freedom League, initiator of the Memorandum of 45 Baltic Nationals, a former political prisoner; Archbishop Sigitas Juozas Tamkevičius (Freedom Prize 2013), fighter for the freedom of Lithuania, human rights activist, active member of the unarmed resistance, former political prisoner, founder and editor of the underground periodical Chronicle of the Catholic Church in Lithuania, and member of the Catholic Committee for the Defence of the Rights of Believers; Adam Michnik (Freedom Prize 2014), a Polish public figure, former dissident, one of the leaders of the opposition movement Solidarity, journalist, essayist, political publicist and editor-in-chief of Poland’s daily ‘Gazeta Wyborcza’; President Valdas Adamkus and Vytautas Landsbergis (Freedom Prize 2016), President of the Supreme Council-Reconstituent Seimas and Signatory to the Act of Independence; Nijolė Sadūnaitė (Freedom Prize 2017) freedom fighter and former political prisoner.          

 

Nerijus Vėta, Chief Specialist, Public Relations Unit, Information and Communication Department,

tel. +370 5 239 6208, e-mail: [email protected]