Lietuvos konsulato Vilniuje steigimo aplinkybės (1938–1939 m.)

LTLietuvos generaliniu konsulatu Vilniuje 1939 m. istorikai susidomėjo 1994 metais. Tuomet siekta atsakyti į klausimą, kaip vertinti konsulato įsteigimą Vilniuje. Ar konsulato įsteigimas reiškia, jog Lietuva atsisakė savo teisių į Vilnių ir Vilniaus kraštą? 1994 m. pradėtą diskusiją 2008 m. pratęsė istorikai Arūnas Gumuliauskas ir šio straipsnio autorė. 2009–2010 m. pasirodę publikuoti URM dokumentai ir filmas „Lietuvos generalinis konsulatas Vilniuje 1939 metais“ iškėlė tyrėjams visiškai kitokius klausimus. Straipsnyje, remiantis naujausiais šaltiniais ir istoriografija, analizuojami, pagrindžiami ir vertinami Lietuvos generalinio konsulato Vilniuje steigimo motyvai. [Iš leidinio]Reikšminiai žodžiai: Antanas Trimakas; Birutė Verkelytė-Fedaravičienė; Generalinis konsulatas; Vilnius; Antanas Trimakas; Birutė Verkelytė-Fedaravičienė; Consulate general; Vilnius; Lithuania.

ENThe history behind the Consulate-General of Lithuania in Vilnius attracted the interest of Lithuanian society in 1994. TV programmes were broadcast, reports were made at conferences, a documentary film was released, scientific publications in foreign journals appeared. The importance of the study carried out by the author of the paper lies in presenting the most up-to-date versions of establishing the Consulate- General of Lithuania in Vilnius in 1939. They will help the academic community and the Lithuanian and Polish societies to take a closer look at the situation of that time and the development of Lithuanian–Polish consular relations in 1938–1939. The paper consists of three parts. The first part gives an evaluation of the sources and historiography and identifies the research problems. The author comes to a conclusion that two problems are still pending: first, how to evaluate the establishment of the Consulate of Lithuania in its historical capital; second what motives were taken into consideration by the Government of Lithuania in establishing a consulate in Vilnius. The second part of the paper focuses on the circumstances of establishing consular relations between Lithuania and Poland and reveals that Poland played the role of the initiator, which persistently urged Lithuania to sign a bilateral agreement on establishing the consulates. Driven by the trade in wood, Poland sought to establish a consulate in Klaipėda at the earliest possible opportunity.The third part of the paper discusses four versions of establishing the Consulate- General of Lithuania in Vilnius. The author assumes that the motives behind establishing the consulate in the summer of 1938 – spring of 1939 and in the summer– autumn of 1939 could be different. In the summer of 1938, it was important for Lithuanians in Vilnius Region to gather their forces and to ensure the political support of the Government of Lithuania (through the consul in Vilnius) of their activities, whereas in August 1939 they wanted to monitor the situation in Vilnius and, if required, to express the lawful claims of Lithuania to this territory. Three out of four versions of establishing the Consulate of Lithuania in Vilnius, discussed in the paper, are most likely: the objective to coordinate the political activities of Lithuanians in Vilnius Region, to ease the issue of visas for the goers to Lithuania, as well as to prevent other countries from capturing Vilnius Region in the event of Poland’s defeat. [From the publication]