Klaipėdos universitetas

Personal testimonies of the Great War, revealed in memoirs, diaries and publications by Lithuanians, have already been used by historians seeking clarification of the reflection of the military experience in Lithuania. This article shows that a significant part of these testimonies appeared in the interwar period due to the intentional collection and publication of material on military history, and their publication was often not random, but also had a political aspect. Moreover, the article complements earlier knowledge of the fact that the Great War was referred to not only when mentioning the German occupation. The many references to the Great War in the writings of Lithuanian intellectuals, and in the writings and speeches of politicians in the interwar period, had much more varied reasons.

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.