Self-Defence of Lithuania and Belarus (Polish: Samoobrona Litwy i Białorusi) were voluntary military formations created during the reconstitution of sovereign Poland towards the end of World War I in the Kresy macroregion, formerly the Western Krai of the Russian Empire. Self-Defence units were composed mostly of Poles loyal to the nascent Second Polish Republic, formed after a century of Partitions.^[1] Their areas of operation were centered around Vilnius (Wilno), Minsk (Mińsk) and Grodno. In January 1919, the Polish Self-Defence was officially organized as the 1st Lithuanian–Belarusian Division; the division took part in the Polish–Soviet War of 1919–1920.^[1]

History

Grodno

Wilno

Location of Wilno and Grodno on the map of Partitioned Poland overlaid (in gray) with the reconstituted sovereign Poland of 1919

The local Self-Defence units were formed in 1918. They were primarily involved in protecting residents from the Russian Army deserters and other threats. The Self-Defence quelled robbery by peasants and fought the Bolsheviks, who followed the retreating German forces.^[1]

On 8 December 1918 General Władysław Wejtko, formerly of the Imperial Russian Army and one of the organizers of the Self-Defence, arrived in Warsaw, the capital of Poland. Polish Chief of State Józef Piłsudski confirmed his military rank of Lieutenant general in the newly-formed Polish Army and nominated him to be the leader of all Polish voluntary forces in the area of present-day Lithuania and Belarus.^[1] Wejtko received 375,000 marks from the Kresy Defense Committee for the current needs of the Self-Defence, including provisions, allowances, firearm purchase, and horses.^[2]

The militias were soon overwhelmed by numerically superior Bolshevik armies. In December 1918 in Minsk, a group of 1,500 Poles and Belarusians under the Self-Defence banner rose to arms to defend the city against the advancing forces of Soviet Russia.^[1] However, due to the Russian numerical superiority and the lack of ground support from the short-lived Belarusian National Republic, they withdrew toward Poland.

In early January 1919, a 2,500 men-strong Self-Defence force was created in the Vilnius Region to defend it against the Red Army. As a result of the four-day-long battle for Vilnius (Wilno) which lasted until 5 January, the Polish forces were pushed back near Naujoji Vilnia (Nowa Wilejka) and retreated in the southern direction, toward what used to be Regency Poland.^{[1] [Part 1]} The area changed hands several times in the following months, during the Vilna offensive of 19–21 April 1919 and Operation Minsk of early August.^[1]

In January 1919, most of the Self-Defence forces were joined into the 1st Lithuanian–Belarusian Division under the command of General Wejtko.^[3] They officially became part of the Polish Army.

Citations

References

• "1. Samoobrona kresów (IX 1918 – I 1919)." Archived 2017-12-30 at the Wayback Machine Koło Kombatantów przy AGH. Kraków, 2017.
• "2. Początkowy etap wojny polsko-bolszewickiej (II - XII 1919)." Archived 2017-12-30 at the Wayback Machine Koło Kombatantów przy AGH. Kraków, 2017.
• Short entry from Encyklopedia Interia (in Polish)