Šaulys-partizanas Juozas Šlavikas (1904-1922)

LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Juozas Slavikas, Šauliai, Biografijos; Juozas Šlavikas; Kapčiamiestis; Lenkai; Lenkijos–Lietuvos karas; Lietuvos nepriklausomybė; Šaulių sąjunga; Juozas Slavikas, Lithuanian Riflers, Biographies; Juozas Šlavikas; Kapčiamiestis; Lithuanian independence; Poles; Polish–Lithuanian War; Union of Riflemen.

ENJuozas Šlavikas was born in 1904 in a peasant family in Budiškės village (Liubavas district), Marijampolė County. At the beginning of the formation of the Independent State of Lithuania he joined the partisans and fought against the Polish aggressors. Later, he joined the Union of Lithuanian Riflemen (Lietuvos šaulių sąjunga) and was a partisan of the 2nd Division of Headquarters, the 1st Group of Arms which was stationed in Šventežeris and operated in the neutral zone. Juozas Šlavikas died on June 17, 1922 during the military expedition directed against Polish partisans in the village of Varviškė, Kapčiamiestis district. On June 23, he was buried in the parish cemetery in Šventežeris. During the celebrations of the Union of Lithuanian Riflemen on June 24, 1931, the resolution was declared: To honour riflemen and partisans killed in the struggle for the independence of Lithuania, who had contributed to the defence of the homeland and created the Union of Lithuanian Riflemen. Juozas Šlavikas was honoured with the Star of Riflemen.In 1938, the name of Juozas Šlavikas was written on the marble memorial plaque, located in the Museum of War and placed in the crypt of those who died for Lithuanian independence. Over the years, the stone statue tilted and cracked. There are not any information plates or designations of riflemen. The burial place of Juozas Šlavikas was finally destroyed in the 1980s, when others were buried in the same grave. In November, 2014 at the initiative of the Union of Lithuanian Riflemen in Alytus, the granite plaque was placed on the monument commemorating Juozas Šlavikas. On May 18, 2015 the Council of Cultural Heritage decided to enrol the grave of Juozas Šlavikas into the Register of Objects of Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Lithuania. The grave was given the rank of the national importance. [From the publication]