Lietuvos Respublikos kariuomenės generalitetas 1918–1940 m.: nežinomi istoriniai fragmentai

ENThe rank of General was the highest rank of an officer in the army of the Republic of Lithuania in 1919–1940. Such officers commanded different parts of the army. In 1919, two ranks of General – Lieutenant General and General were introduced, and from 1936 – three ranks, namely a Brigadier General, Division General and General. Only the officers of the land army and military aviation were promoted to general ranks in the Lithuanian army. The first generals of the Lithuanian army were the officers promoted to the rank of General in the local army and also the generals of the Tsarist army, of the Russian White Guards and of the British Army. However, not all of them were granted the ranks gained or were equated to the corresponding rank of General, or higher ranks of generals of the Lithuanian Army, as there were no military ranks until autumn 1919. Other reasons were the lack of professional competence, obscure facts of military biographies, national identity, political opinion, nationality, health problems, age, and ignorance of the Lithuanian language, death, and withdrawal from the army. Many of them were immediately assigned to high leadership positions and some of them – not, so they abandoned the service. Some of them were appointed as heads, instructors and inspectors of military departments, or freelance or special affairs officers (generals) to assist officers in high positions, until the tenure positions, corresponding to their rank, qualifications and experience, became available.In total, there were 60 generals on the list of military officers of which 54 officers were promoted to at least one rank of general of the Independent Army of the Republic of Lithuania, the ranks were not granted or not equated to the ranks of general held by four officers (K. Kondratovičius, B. K. Kreičmanas, R. Okulič-Kazarinas, V. D. Slaboševičius) and two officers (V. Otockis, V. N. Svorthutas) assumed the ranks of general themselves. [From the publication]