Banknotų klastojimas ir platinimas nepriklausomoje Lietuvoje (1918-1940 m.) periodinės spaudos duomenimis

LTStraipsnyje rašoma apie popierinių pinigų – ostpinigių, dolerių ir litų – klastojimą bei platinimą Lietuvos nepriklausomybės laikotarpiu (1918–1940 m.) ir litų klastojimą valstybėse kaimynėse. Minimi tokie šių pinigų klastojimo centrai, kaip Jaunjelgava, Berlynas, Miunchenas, Tilžė, Vilniaus spaustuvės. Remiantis įvairiais to laiko spaudos pranešimais, atskleidžiami banknotų klastojimo ir platinimo mastai, būdai, nominalų įvairovė, klastotojų ir platintojų tautybė, profesija, išsilavinimas, už pinigų klastojimą ir platinimą skiriamų nuobaudų dydžiai, kita su pinigų klastojimu susijusi informacija. [Iš leidinio]Reikšminiai žodžiai: Banknotai; Klastotės; Doleriai; Litas; Banknote; Counterfeiting; Dollar; Litas.

ENPaper deals with counterfeiting and distribution of paper money — “Ost money”, dollars and litas — in Independent Lithuania (1918-1940) as well as counterfeiting of litas in the neighbouring countries. Based on various press statements of that time, the scope and ways of banknote counterfeiting and distribution, denominations, locations, persons, fines and other information related to money counterfeiting are revealed. Before 1 October 1922, until Lithuania’s own currency — the litas — was introduced, money counterfeiting was treated very leniently. While there are very few press statements on counterfeited Ostrubles and Ostmarks in circulation, isolated articles suggest that the number of counterfeits in circulation was large, but the militia did not have an order to fight holders of such money. Along with Ost money, an abundance of US dollars also circulated in Lithuania up to the 1930s. This money was not ignored by counterfeiters either, and was counterfeited in two ways. The first way — counterfeit banknotes were brought from abroad. The other, much more popular way, was when local counterfeiters used to turn 1 USD or 2 USD banknotes into 10, 50 or 100 USD banknotes. Once the litas was introduced on 1 October 1922, the first counterfeits also appeared. Banknotes from 50 cents to 100 litas were counterfeited. Only small change and the highest denomination banknotes — 500 and 1,000 litas — avoided counterfeiting. Banknote counterfeiting was both of high quality, done at printing houses or using clichés, and rather primitive — drawn by hand. Litas banknotes counterfeited at legal printing houses were produced in Berlin, Munich, Tilsit; illegally — in Vilnius, Jaunjelgava (Latvia) and using clichés produced by individuals in Lithuania or abroad.Money counterfeiters and distributors were varied. They included Lithuanians, Jews, Romany and foreign citizens — Poles, Latvians, Germans. Lithuanians distinguished themselves in the distribution of banknotes of lower denominations, whereas persons of Jewish nationality only distributed banknotes of higher value, and distributed their counterfeits in a much wider territory than Lithuanians. The age of money counterfeiters ranged from secondary school students to 60 year-olds, while 20 to 40 year-olds represented the majority. These persons were mainly engaged in agriculture and trading, but there were also unemployed or officials. They could be uneducated persons and with more than one education. Mainly men engaged in money counterfeiting; however, there were also women who more often played the role of distributors. The activity of money counterfeiters was widespread in Lithuania, however certain regions in particular were characterised by this. Statistically, the country’s capital city, Kaunas held first place. A lot of counterfeits spread also in the northern part of Lithuania — on the Latvian border and in the environs of Panevėžys and Šiauliai, Central Lithuania and West Lithuania — in the environs of Klaipėda, Šilutė, Tauragė. The fight of police officers against counterfeits and their distributors after the introduction of the litas was usually very successful. Both distributors and counterfeiters used to be cleared up relatively fast, because money counterfeiters distributed mostly close to their place of residence. Investigations when counterfeited banknotes were brought from abroad used to take much longer.[...]. [From the publication]