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| ==Background== | |||
| In the aftermath of WWI, the historical ] was divided onto 3 parts. | |||
| *The historical ], or 'Lithuania proper' was the westernmost part, with a mostly ] and ]-speaking population, with significant ], ] and ] ]. | |||
| *The easternmost part, consisting mostly of present-day ], was mostly populated by ] ]s with minorities of ] and ] inhabitating mostly the larger towns. | |||
| *Central Lithuania, with its capital at ] populated by Polish-speaking majority and Lithuanian and Belarusian speaking minorities. | |||
| The national composition of the latter area is difficult to measure as many Lithuanian historians claim that both Russian, Polish and Soviet censuses are not reliable. The only source acceptable for both Poland and Lithuania seems to be the German 1916 census and, to some extent, the ] ] census. According to the first census of the ], ], the inhabitants of the city of ] were distributed by nationality (determined basing on the declared native language) as follows. | |||
| *] — 20.9% | |||
| *] — 0.3% | |||
| *]s — 4.3% | |||
| *] — 30.1% | |||
| *] — 2.1% | |||
| *] — 1.4% | |||
| *] — 40.0% | |||
| *] — 0.5% | |||
| *Others — 0.4% | |||
| The population of the Wilno province was distributed as follows. (Keep in mind that the significant territory of thw province was purely Belarussian and as of today is included into ] (mostly into the ], but also into ] and ].) | |||
| *] — 4.9% | |||
| *] — 0.1% | |||
| *]s — 56.1% | |||
| *] — 8.2% | |||
| *] — 17.6% | |||
| *] — 0.2% | |||
| *] — 12.7% | |||
| *] — 0.1% | |||
| *Others — 0.1% | |||
| On the other hand the Lithuanian authorities argued that the majority of Poles living there were polonized ]s and that ] had the same right to create a multi-national country as ]. | |||
Revision as of 21:15, 7 February 2004
Background
In the aftermath of WWI, the historical Grand Duchy of Lithuania was divided onto 3 parts.
- The historical Samogitia, or 'Lithuania proper' was the westernmost part, with a mostly Roman Catholic and Lithuanian-speaking population, with significant Polish, Jewish and German minorities.
- The easternmost part, consisting mostly of present-day Belarus, was mostly populated by Orthodox Belarussians with minorities of Poles and Jews inhabitating mostly the larger towns.
- Central Lithuania, with its capital at Vilnius populated by Polish-speaking majority and Lithuanian and Belarusian speaking minorities.
The national composition of the latter area is difficult to measure as many Lithuanian historians claim that both Russian, Polish and Soviet censuses are not reliable. The only source acceptable for both Poland and Lithuania seems to be the German 1916 census and, to some extent, the Nazi 1942 census. According to the first census of the Russian Empire, 1897, the inhabitants of the city of Wilno were distributed by nationality (determined basing on the declared native language) as follows.
- Russians — 20.9%
- Ukrainians — 0.3%
- Belarussians — 4.3%
- Poles — 30.1%
- Lithuanians — 2.1%
- Germans — 1.4%
- Jews — 40.0%
- Tatars — 0.5%
- Others — 0.4%
The population of the Wilno province was distributed as follows. (Keep in mind that the significant territory of thw province was purely Belarussian and as of today is included into Belarus (mostly into the Hrodna voblast, but also into Minsk voblast and Vitsebsk voblast.)
- Russians — 4.9%
- Ukrainians — 0.1%
- Belarussians — 56.1%
- Poles — 8.2%
- Lithuanians — 17.6%
- Germans — 0.2%
- Jews — 12.7%
- Tatars — 0.1%
- Others — 0.1%
On the other hand the Lithuanian authorities argued that the majority of Poles living there were polonized Lithuanians and that Lithuania had the same right to create a multi-national country as Poland.