''Fighters for Freedom. Lithuanian Partisans Versus the U.S.S.R.'' is an autobiographical account of the struggles of the anti-Soviet
Lithuanian partisans written by
Juozas Lukša
Juozas Lukša (10 August 1921 – 4 September 1951), also known among other pseudonyms as Daumantas and Skirmantas, was a leader of the anti-Soviet
Anti-Sovietism, anti-Soviet sentiment, called by Soviet authorities ''antisovetchina'' (russia ...
(''
nom de guerre
A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...
''
Daumantas Daumantas ( Ruthenian: ''Dowmont'' or ''Domont''; be, Daǔmont; russian: Довмонт) is a given name and a surname.
It is the name of two early dukes of Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Because they were contemporaries, they are often confused with ...
), one of the leaders of the partisans. The book became one of the most important and well known accounts of Soviet crimes against the humanity in Lithuania and of the life of the partisans. The book was first published in Lithuanian in 1950 and has been translated to English, Swedish, German, and Ukrainian. The original Lithuanian book has been reprinted six times.
The book was written by Lukša under original title ''Partizanai už geležinės uždangos'' (''Partisans Behind the Iron Curtain'') during his stay in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
in 1948–1950. It is based on memories of Lukša and documents of the Lithuanian partisans and describes the first three years of the Soviet occupation (1944–1947). Lukša describes hard life of the partisans, the Soviet terror on Lithuanian people, and the crossing the Iron Curtain at the end of 1947 to the West. He along with fellow partisans Jurgis Krikščiūnas–Rimvydas and Kazimieras Pyplys–Mažytis crossed through the Iron Curtain as messengers to the West in hopes to attract support for the fighters and to establish contacts with Lithuanians in exile. They carried information collected by partisans about Soviet repressions, killings and deportations, also a letter to Pope Pius XII explaining the situation in occupied Lithuania and asking for support for struggling nation.
Lukša returned to Lithuania – he was parachuted to Lithuanian forests in 1950. For a year he was intensively searched for by the Soviet counterintelligence. Finally he was betrayed by fellow fighter Jonas Kukauskas and killed in fall 1951.
Editions
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*{{cite book , first=Juozas , last=Daumantas , script-title=ru:Браття лiсовії (Партизани Литви): документальнi спогади , year=2016 , pages=452 , location=Ternopil , publisher=Krok , language=uk , isbn=978-617-692-329-9
References
category:1950 books
Lithuanian books
Lithuanian partisans