Klaipėdos universitetas

The article is devoted to the new results of underwater archaeological investigations of dugouts from the Lake Plateliai (Žemaitija, West Lithuania) and the cultural landscape of their sites. In this article we will discuss on three dugouts, found in the surroundings of Pilies Island (Castle Island) and peninsula of Šventorkalnis (Saint Mountain) in the western part of the lake. Dugout Nr. 1 was found not far from the remains of the bridge. Dugouts Nr. 1-2 distinguish for their decorative details – back parts are ‘gracefully’ raised, there are some other decorative as well as practical elements. Dugout Nr. 3 was found not far away from Pilies Island, southwards from the remains of the old bridge, which connected the island with the Šventorkalnis peninsula. The absence of the front part of the dugout and the stones inside it give us a hint that the dugout might have been sunk deliberately. Most probably, the dugouts were mainly used for communication between the peninsula (the manor) and the island (the castle). All three dugouts were found in the line, where the distance between the peninsula and the island is the shortest. These coinsides with safe sailing manner – to reach land choosing the shortest way.

The article is devoted to the new underwater archaeology research results on mediaeval bridges in Lithuania. Localization of the bridge in Plateliai had been known for a long time thanks to visible timbers on the surface of the lake, during the period of low water. In 1998 Vladas Žulkus, in cooperation with group of divers, defined the detailed localization of the bridge’s sequence, the condition of its relics and some details about the building’s structure also were defined. Further underwater surveys were made after taking up cooperation in a field of underwater researches between the Centre of History of Western Lithuania and Prussia (Institute of Baltic Sea Region History and Archaeology at present) at Klaipėda University and the Institute of Archaeology at the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. The relics of other late medieval bridges were also discovered in Dubingiai at the Asvejos Lake and in the place called Zarasai in the lake of the same name.

The article is devoted to the report on the underwater archaeological research, July 03-20, 2006, where relicts of the late medieval bridge at Kryžiavonės kalva and Lake Plateliai area, Lithuania were investigated. The research work team was formed from two institutions. The students of Underwater Archaeology specialization together with members of Academic Club of Underwater Research, Department of Underwater Archaeology, UMK took part from Polish side. Underwater archaeologist Prof. Vladas Žulkus (KU Rector at present), scientific workers of Institute of Baltic Sea Region History and Archaeology together with Archaeology specialization students, Department of History, KU, took part at this project from Lithuanian side. The main goal of the works was clear localization and schematization of the bridge, preparing visual information (photos, paintings) of its particular details. Members of the working group had to define the Kryžiavonės kalva placement contours of the shoal, also making the detailed charts and paintings of the underwater locality.

The article is devoted to the new historical research works on Polish reactions to the annexation of Klaipėda by Germany in 1939. Poland took into consideration the possibility of the German occupation of Klaipėda from the end 1938. The Foreign Minister J. Beck declared to the British ambassador in Warsaw H. Kennard that the government maintains a restrained attitude in case of a crisis caused by the issue of Klaipėda. Simultaneously, in interviews for the press, he categorically denied any possibility of Poland and German agreement at the expense of Lithuania. In spring and summer of 1939 the Polish government was very anxious to maintain good relationships with Lithuania. The policy of neutrality declared by Lithuania was received with great satisfaction.

The article is devoted to the results of the new historical investigations concerning the functions of Navy Forces on the Baltic Sea in interwar period. The military authorities of all particular states of Baltic region have had quite different conceptions of their own Navy Forces development at that time in case of some serious military conflict. Enough important influence of such differences may be certified to the objective reasons, concerning the state of Baltic Sea as close area sea, as well as to economic and military potential of each particular state in Baltic region.

The article is devoted to the military history research of Vilnius and Lithuanian rudiments of the Polish 13th Lancers Regiment. At the end of 1918 the situation with the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania was complicated as the German Army had left this area and the Red Army wanted to take it over. It is worth noticing that Polish society was willing to organize military self-defence to protect themselves from Bolshevik attacks. The most important moment of forming the Polish units was at the end of December 1918 at Pośpieszka estate where the 1st Lancers Regiment of Vilnius was formed. Then it fought the Bolsheviks at the end of 1918 and in January 1919. This way the new page of Polish military history was opened.

The year 1923 was a critical moment in the history of the Weimar Republic. Due to Germany’s delay in paying war reparations, French and Belgian forces occupied the Ruhr region in January. Shortly afterwards the Lithuanians seized Memel (now Klaipėda), which in the Treaty of Versailles had been declared a Free City with a French Governor and garrison. German public opinion was outraged by this situation. In the press, a campaign against Lithuania was started. The article is devoted to publish the results of research on the military potential of Reichswehr in East Prussia in January 1923. The hypothesis concerning the military Reichswehr impossibility to influence the Klaipėda events has to be examined in this article.

The article is devoted to the new historical investigations on the Klaipėda Rebellion 1923 in the light of documents of the Department II of the General Headquarters of the Polish Army. By the decision of the victorious Entente the Klaipėda region was separated from Germany and placed under French administration. In autumn 1922 the Lithuanian political and military leaders decided to organize a rebellion in Klaipėda. Poland had no intention as well to intervene military, nevertheless observed the course of events in Klaipėda very carefully. From 1921 there was a Polish mission established in Klaipėda, possessing the rank of a consular agency. The situation in the Klaipėda region was evaluated also by Polish diplomats. From the beginning of January 1923 they provided the Polish Ministry of International Affairs with information (cryptograms, reports) relating to the course of events in the Klaipėda region. This information is still preserved in Warsaw.

The article is devoted to the new historical investigations on Napoleon and formation of Lithuania’s authority during the campaign in 1812. Preparing for the confrontation with Russia in 1812, Napoleon hoped for a quick result of his campaign through fighting a decisive battle with the army of Alexander I on the territory of Lithuania. However, he also took into consideration another variant of the war progress and assumed the necessity of the wealth mobilization of the former Republic of Poland’s land which belonged to Russia. It is obvious that Napoleon did not have any final or the only plan for political course of action concerning the area of western gubernyas conquered by the French.

Curonian Spit played a key role in medieval transport for Teutonic Order in 13th – 16th C. It ought to be presented again, since last essays about this subject originate from before the Second World War. The given term ‘infrastructure’ should be explained as castles or hostels (German: nachtleger) and other important points of military activity and thus all problems that refer to their functionality. Those subjects cannot be properly described without referring to written administration sources. Also organization of the Church on Curonian Spit will be presented, as it will contribute greatly to final conclusions. This work does not cover Lithuanian achievements in this field of interest, with exclusion of Nijole Strakauskaites’ recent work about the Spit (2004), which however isn’t about this subject. It is not a widespread subject of scholarship nowadays and it is also hardly known in Poland. This article is also a leap to create a monograph about Curonian Lagoon and it’s similarities to Vistula Lagoon as well as Hel Peninsula in the future.