Lietuvos sukarintų organizacijų ženklai ir ženkleliai (1918–1940 m.): istorija ir datavimas

ENMost of the information about badges described in this article was drawn from the catalogue "Orders, Medals and Badges of Lithuania, 1918–1940" (Vilnius, 1993) published by the collector Algimantas Astikas (1929–1990). However, in this catalogue, the issue dates of badges, their authors and possible circulation are rarely provided, some of them are not even precisely identified. Only the badges that were issued or distributed by a Lithuanian paramilitary organisation in 1918–1940 were discussed in this article. These were the badges of the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union (Lietuvos šaulių sąjunga), the Union of War Invalids of Lithuania (Lietuvos karo invalidų sąjunga), the Association of Reserve Officers (Atsargos karininkų sąjunga), the Union of Lithuanian Army Volunteer Developers (Lietuvos kariuomenės kūrėjų savanorių sąjungos), the Union of Jewish Soldiers (Žydų karių sąjungos), the Union of the Disabled of the Lithuanian Freedom Fights (Lietuvos laisvės karių invalidų draudijos), the Corporation of Reserve Officers of Vytautas Magnus University "Ramovė" (Vytauto Didžiojo universiteto atsargos karininkų korporacija "Ramovė"), Societies of Lithuanian soldiers of Klaipeda (Klaipėdos lietuvos karių draugijos), and the Lithuanian Army Sports Associations (Lietuvos kariuomenės sporto draugijos). The dates of badges, their producers, authors, and possible circulation are provided in this article on the basis of the inter-war Lithuanian press and the badges themselves. The identification of already well-known badges is also specified and the badges of paramilitary organisations that have been forgotten so far and not included in the catalogue are described. [From the publication]