text:
Partisan commander general
 UDK 355.42(474.5)(084)
 Compiler of the album Auksutė Ramanauskaitė-Skokauskienė
 Į anglų kalbą išvertė Teresė Aleknavičiūtė
 Translated into English by Teresė Aleknavičiūtė
 Redagavo A. Ramanauskaitė-Skokauskienė
 Editor A. Ramanauskaitė-Skokauskienė
 Leidinyje panaudotos nuotraukos iš asmeninio A. Ramanauskaitės-Skokauskienės archyvo.
 The album includes photos from A. Ramanauskaitė-Skokauskienė
 Ketvirtame viršelio puslapyje paminklas Lietuvos kariuomenės generolui A. Ramanauskui jo vardo kovinio rengimo centre, Nemenčinėje (autorius T. Gutauskas).
 The monument on the fourth cover page is built for A. Ramanauskas, the general of Lithuanian armed forces, in the tactical training centre, called by his name, in Nemenčinė (photo by T. Gutauskas).
 © Sudarymas A. Ramanauskaitė-Skokauskienė, 2007
 © Vertimas į anglų kalbą, Teresė Aleknavičiūtė, 2007
 ISBN 978-9955-03-424-7 © „Naujasis lankas", 2007
 Antrasis pasaulinis karas Lietuvai prasidėjo 1939 metų rugpjūčio 23 dieną, kai fašistinė Vokietija pasirašė sutartį su Sovietų Sąjunga. 1945 metų gegužės 8-ąją pasaulis šventė Vokietijos kapituliaciją, bet mums karas nesibaigė, nes kaip tik tuomet Lietuvoje prasidėjo nacionalinis karas. Sovietų Sąjungai antrą kartą okupavus Lietuvą, didžioji lietuvių tautos dalis pati nusprendė priešintis okupacijai ir siekti atstatyti Lietuvos valstybingumą. Ištisą dešimtmetį Lietuvoje vyko partizanų laisvės kovos, miestelių aikštėse gulėjo išniekinti partizanų kūnai, o į Rytus riedėjo tremtinių vagonai. Pokario partizanų kovos - vienas tragiškiausių ir herojiškiausių Lietuvos istorijos laikotarpių. Pilietiniu požiūriu - vienas ryškiausių, palikęs žmogaus pareigos savo tautai, savo valstybei supratimo ir jo realizavimo pavyzdį.
 Istorijos tyrinėtojai nustatė, kad ginkluotame pasipriešinime dalyvavo daugiau kaip 50000 partizanų, žuvo jų daugiau kaip 20000. Sovietų Sąjungos represinis aparatas buvo sutelkęs visą savo patirtį kovai prieš partizanus.
 Okupacinė valdžia ne tik fiziškai susidorojo su laisvės kovotojais, bet ir sistemingai klastojo istorinę tiesą, siekdama sumenkinti laisvės kovas, ištrinti iš žmonių atminties partizanų kovų tikslus - laisvės, valstybingumo siekius.
 Laikas nusineša metus, o su jais ir tų metų istorinius įvykius bei žmonių, buvusių tų istorinių įvykių pagrindiniais dalyviais, biografijas.
 Lietuvos Laisvės Kovų Sąjūdžio Gynybos pajėgų vadas Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas rašė: „Lietuvos Laisvės Kovos Sąjūdis iki paskutinės išsilaisvinimo kovos veikia slaptai, karo padėtyje. Dėl šios priežasties išlaikyti paslaptį yra vienas iš pagrindinių reikalavimų, kurio turi būti laikomasi net ir kiekvieno paskiro partizano gyvenime ir veikloje. Tuo būdu kiekvieno partizano įneštas indėlis Lietuvos laisvinimo kovon su to partizano išgyvenimais partizanavimo laikotarpiu sudaro atskirą paslaptingą istoriją. Tos paslaptingos istorijos lapai, kuriuose įrašyti kiekvieno partizano nuveikti darbai, nueitas nepaprastai sunkus laisvės kovos kelias ir legalų gyvenimą gyvenančiam žmogui dažnai net neįsivaizduojami ir neįtikėtini išgyvenimai, - o jie bemaž be išimties pabaigoje užantspauduojami to paties partizano krauju ir gyvybe, - yra nusinešami amžinybėn, iš kurios jie nebus visiškai visi sugrąžinti..." (iš A. Ramanausko-Vanago knygos ,,Daugel krito sūnų.")
 Kaip tik artėjant partizanų vado Adolfo Ramanausko-Vanago sušaudymo 50-sioms metinėms, kilo mintis per jo biografiją pažvelgti į tą laikotarpį, kuriame pagrindinis laisvės kovotojų moto buvo: „Atiduok Tėvynei, ką privalai."
 Partizanai buvo dori, savo Tėvynę mylintys Lietuvos sūnūs ir dukros. Iki okupacijos jie turėjo savo namus, mėgiamus darbus, įprastą gyvenimą, bet, Tėvynei praradus laisvę, viską paliko ir stojo jos ginti.
 Biografijai pailiustruoti panaudotos nuotraukos susilieja į albumą, kuriame kaip ir kiekvieno žmogaus gyvenime - vaikystė, mokslo metai, profesinis darbas, - o pagrindinė dalis - partizaninio karo metai. Šiose nuotraukose Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas su bendražygiais įvairiais laisvės kovų metais. Visose jų giedri, taurūs partizanų veidai, kuriuose ryžtas, pasiaukojimas, nepalaužiamas tikėjimas laisvos Lietuvos ateitimi. Šalia ginkluotos kovos partizanų vadas didelį dėmesį skyrė ideologinei kovai. Leidinyje pateikiama keletas partizaninių laikraščių ir dokumentų nuotraukų. Albumą užbaigia istoriko, habilituoto daktaro, profesoriaus Antano Tylos apibendrinamasis straipsnis.
 Žinios apie Lietuvos partizanų pasipriešinimą okupacijai, siekį atkurti Lietuvos nepriklausomybę sovietinio režimo metu pro geležinę uždangą beveik neprasiskverbdavo. Gal todėl net ir dabar apie Vengrijos, Lenkijos, Čekoslovakijos sukilimus prieš sovietinį režimą pasaulyje žinoma daugiau negu apie pasiaukojamas partizanų laisvės kovas Lietuvoje.
 Tikimės, kad šis leidinys, išleistas dviem kalbomis, suteiks galimybę didesniam žmonių skaičiui susipažinti su Lietuvos partizanų laisvės kovomis.
 WWII for Lithuania started on August 23, 1939 when fascist Germany signed a treaty with the Soviet Union. On May 8, 1945 the world celebrated the capitulation of Germany; however, the war did not end for us because the national war started at that time in Lithuania. After the second Soviet occupation, the big part of the Lithuanian nation decided to resist the occupation by itself and strive to reestablish the Lithuanian statehood. The partisan freedom fights were taking place for the whole decade, the violated bodies of the partisans were lying in the squares in towns, while the trucks with the deportees were wheeling to the East. The postwar partisan fights are one of the most tragic and the most heroic periods in Lithuanian history. From the civil point of view, it is one of the most distinct periods, as it showed the example of the understanding and fulfillment of a person's duty to his/her nation and state.
 The researchers in history found that more than 50 000 partisans took part in the armed resistance; more than 20 000 of them perished. The repressive bodies of the Soviet Union used all their experience in fighting against the partisans.
 The authorities of the invaders not only disposed of the freedom fighters physically but also systematically falsified the historical truth in order to understate the freedom fights and to fade from people's memories the aims of the partisan fights, i.e. the striving for freedom and statehood.
 The years go by and the historical events, as well as the biographies of the people, who were the main participants of these events, pass away.
 The partisan commander, the commander of the Union of Lithuanian Freedom Fighters'defense forces Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas emphasised that "The Union of Lithuanian Freedom Fighters operates underground and under war conditions untill the last fight for liberation. For this reason, one of the main requirements is to keep the secret; this has to be fulfilled by every partisan in his life and his actions. This way the contribution by every partisan to the Lithuanian liberation fight and his experience during the years of his partisanship makes a different and secret history. The pages of this secret history contain the works done by every partisan, the chosen incredibly difficult life of a freedom fighter and the experiences, that are inconceivable and unbelievable for the people who live legally. They, however, are sealed by the partsan's blood and life almost without exceptions in the end and are taken away to the eternity, from which not all of them will be restored..." (from the book (Many Sons Have Fallen Dead) by Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas ).
 Soon we will commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the partisan commander Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas' fusillade. Thus the idea generated to look more closely at the period when the main motto of the freedom fighters was "Give to your homeland everything what you can" in the light of his biography.
 Partisans were honest sons and daughters of Lithuania who loved their homeland. Until the occupation they had their home, the jobs that they liked and led ordinary life but after Lithuania lost its independence, they left everything and fought to protect it.
 In order to illustrate the biography, a lot of photos were used, which make an album. It reflects the usual aspects of a person's life, childhood, education years, job, while the main part is the years of partisan war. In these photos Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas is with his brothers-in-arms during different years of freedom fights. In all photos one may note radiant and noble faces of the partisans, in which resolution, dedication and steadfast faith in the future of free Lithuania are glowing. In addition to the armed fighting, the partisan commander paid much attention to the ideological fight. In this book one will find some photos of partisan newspapers and documents. Finally, the summing up article by historian, habilitated doctor, professor Antanas Tyla is included.
 The information about the partisan resistance against the occupation and the striving for the reestablishment of Lithuanian independence almost could not penetrate through the Iron Curtain during the years of Soviet occupation. Maybe that is why even now the world knows more about the rebellions against the Soviet regime in Hungary, Poland or Czechoslovakia rather than the selfless partisan freedom fights in Lithuania.
 We hope that this bilingual album will provide the possibility to get acquainted with the freedom fights of Lithuanian partisans for a larger number of people.
 Adolfas Ramanauskas matė ir aiškiai suprato, kad okupantas siekia dvasiškai ir fiziškai sunaikinti lietuvių tautą, Lietuvos valstybingumą, tad paliko namus, mėgiamą darbą, visa, kas širdžiai buvo brangu, ir išėjo kovoti už Lietuvos Laisvę - tapo partizanu. 1945 metų pavasarį užmezgė ryšius su Alovės miškuose veikusiais partizanais ir netrukus įstojo į Nemunaičio apylinkėje veikusį partizanų būrį. Jau pirmąją dieną buvo išrinktas partizanų būrio vadu. Pasirinko „Vanago" slapyvardį. Partizaninis judėjimas stiprėjo. Būdamas puikus organizatorius A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas subūrė Merkinės ir Alovės valsčiuje išsibarsčiusius partizanų būrelius į 140 vyrų kuopą. 1945 metų rudenį kuopa, kuriai vadovavo A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas, buvo įtraukta į Dzūkų grupę. Vėliau kuopa buvo performuota į batalioną (įėjo 8 būriai), o A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas buvo paskirtas jo vadu. 1945 07 01 jis pakeltas ir į Merkio rinktinės, kuriai dar priklausė Marcinkonių bei Druskininkų batalionai, vado pareigas. Būdamas Merkinės bataliono ir Merkio rinktinės vadu A. Ramanauskas aktyviai dirbo ginkluoto pogrindžio centralizavimo darbą Dzūkijoje. 1946 04 23 dieną buvo paskirtas Dainavos apygardos vado pirmuoju pavaduotoju. Nuo 1947 rugpjūčio laikinai ėjo Dainavos apygardos vado pareigas. 1947 09 24-25 dienomis Dainavos apygardos vadų sąskrydyje per surengtus slaptus rinkimus Vanagas buvo išrinktas Dainavos apygardos partizanų vadu. Tapęs kovojančios Dzūkijos vadu, A. Ramanauskas pradėjo vizituoti visus Dainavos apygardos kovojančius vienetus, stengėsi susitikti ir atvirai pakalbėti su visais kovotojais, sužinoti ir įvertinti eilinių karių ir jų vadų veiksmus ir tik po to priimti reikalingus sprendimus. Partizanai gerbė Vanagą už kuklumą, draugiškumą, nuoširdumą, visišką atsidavimą laisvės kovai. Savo darbštumu ir principingumu jis rodė gerą pavyzdį kitiems kovotojams, buvo tikras idealistas. Jo veikloje atsispindėjo ir pedagogo, ir karininko savybės. A. Ramanauskas gerai suprato, kad norint išlaikyti tautos sąmonėje valstybingumo atkūrimo siekius, šalia ginkluoto pasipriešinimo reikalinga ir politinė idėjinė kova. Jis daug dėmesio skyrė pogrindžio spaudai - organizavo jos leidybą, redagavo ir pats rašė straipsnius į įvairius partizanų laikraščius: 1945 m. rudenį - Merkio bataliono laikraštį „Trečias skambutis", 1946-1947 m. - Merkio laikraštį „Mylėk Tėvynę", 1947-1949 m. - Dainavos apygardos laikraštį „Laisvės Varpas", 1947-1949 m. - laikraštį „Svobodnoje slovo" (skirtą okupacinės kariuomenės kariams), 1949-1950 m. - Pietų Lietuvos partizanų srities laikraštį „Partizanas", 1951-1952 m. - laikraštį „Miško Brolis", 1948-1952 m. leido informacinius užsienio politinių žinių biuletenius.
 1948 metais A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas buvo išrinktas Pietų Lietuvos partizanų srities vadu. 1949 02 2-22 dienomis A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas dalyvavo visos Lietuvos vyriausiųjų partizanų vadų suvažiavime Žemaitijoje, kur buvo įkurtas Lietuvos Laisvės Kovos Sąjūdis, sudaryta vyriausioji partizanų vadovybė - LLKS prezidiumas ir LLKS prezidiumo taryba. A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas tapo LLKS prezidiumo ir prezidiumo tarybos nariu. Suvažiavimas jį išrinko Lietuvos Laisvės Kovos Sąjūdžio prezidiumo tarybos pirmininko J. Žemaičio pirmuoju pavaduotoju, taip pat patvirtino Pietų Lietuvos srities partizanų vadu. A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas yra 1949 m. vasario 16-osios LLKS Tarybos Deklaracijos signataras. Suvažiavimo metu A. Ramanauskui-Vanagui buvo suteiktas laisvės kovotojų partizanų majoro laipsnis, 1949 metų rudenį - partizanų pulkininko laipsnis, be to, A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas paskirtas Lietuvos Laisvės Kovos Sąjūdžio Vyriausiuoju Gynybos Pajėgų vadu. Po kelių mėnesių LLKS prezidiumo tarybos pirmininkas pasiūlė A. Ramanauskui-Vanagui suteikti partizanų generolo laipsnį. 1952 m. dėl ligos atsistatydindamas LLKS prezidiumo pirmininkas J. Žemaitis vietoj savęs pirmininko pareigoms užimti prezidiumo nariams pristatė savo pirmąjį pavaduotoją A. Ramanauską-Vanagą.
 A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas dalyvavo daugelyje kautynių. 1946 04 09 už organizacinį darbą pasipriešinimo sąjūdyje apdovanotas Uolumo Juostele, už vadovavimą Merkinės puolimui - Narsumo Juostele. Už narsumą ir nuopelnus sąjūdžiui 1949 m. A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas apdovanotas II laipsnio Laisvės Kovos Kryžiumi su kardais. 1950 m. LLKS tarybos prezidiumas už drąsą, pasiaukojimą, sumanų vadovavimą ir organizacinio darbo nuopelnus A. Ramanauską-Vanagą apdovanojo I ir II rūšies I-ojo laipsnio Laisvės Kovos Kryžiais. Pagal tai, vadovaujantis Lietuvos Respublikos įstatymais, 1998 metų kovo 6 dieną LR prezidento dekretu A. Ramanauskui-Vanagui suteiktas Vyčio Kryžiaus 2-ojo laipsnio ordinas (po mirties), o 1999 metų vasario 1 dieną LR prezidento dekretu - Vyčio Kryžiaus 1-ojo laipsnio ordinas (po mirties). A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas yra 1-ojo ir 2-ojo laipsnių Vyčio Kryžiaus ordinų kavalierius. 1998 metų sausio 26 dieną LR prezidento dekretu Nr. 1506 patvirtintas brigados generolo laipsnis. Jam yra suteiktas Alytaus miesto ir Lazdijų rajono garbės piliečio vardas.
 Dar partizanavimo pradžioje A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas susituokė su Birute Mažeikaite, Alytus mokytojų seminarijos absolvente (1945 10 07). Toliau abu ėjo partizaninės kovos keliu. Ji buvo jo bendražygė ir bendramintė - partizanė, slapyvardžiu „Vanda". 1948 m. jiems gimė dukra Auksutė.
 Nuslopinus ginkluotą pasipriešinimą, A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas ir jo šeima slapstėsi. Tuo metu jis parašė trijų dalių atsiminimus „Partizanų gretose". Juose Dainavos apygardos, Pietų Lietuvos srities, iš dalies - visos Lietuvos Laisvės Kovų sąjūdžio istorija. Jų rašymas tuo metu liudija nepalaužiamą A. Ramanausko-Vanago tikėjimą, kad Lietuva ateityje vis tiek bus laisva ir tikroji laisvės kovų istorija bus reikalinga. Atkūrus nepriklausomą Lietuvos valstybę, A. Ramanausko-Vanago atsiminimus išleido jo dukra Auksutė Ramanauskaitė-Skokauskienė knyga „Daugel krito sūnų..."
 A. Ramanausko-Vanago paieškai ir likvidavimui KGB skyrė ypač daug dėmesio. Iš kvalifikuočiausių KGB darbuotojų buvo sudaryta nuolatos veikianti operatyvinė grupė, kuriai talkino daugybė KGB agentų. Vien tik 1956 m. užverbuota 30 agentų, iš naujo užmegztas ryšys su 20 agentų, anksčiau išbrauktų iš agentūrinio tinklo. A. Ramanausko-Vanago paieškai vadovavo Rainių budelis, KGB 4-osios valdybos vadovas Petras Raslanas ir KGB 4-osios valdybos 2-ojo skyriaus mjr. Nachmanas Dušanskis. 1956 metų spalio 11 dieną, buvęs bendramokslis Kauno karo mokykloje, KGB agentas Antanas Urbonas (slapyvardis „Žinomas"), išdavė A. Ramanauską-Vanagą ir jo žmoną Birutę Mažeikaitę. Slapta, netikėtai suimtas ir nuvežtas į Vilniaus KGB kalėjimą, partizanų vadas KGB požemių kameroje buvo iš karto sadistiškai kankinamas. Supjaustytas, išpjaustytas, išdurta akim po kelių kankinimo valandų A. Ramanauskas buvo nugabentas į kalėjimo ligoninę: saugumiečiai bijojo, kad tardomasis neišgyvens. Kalėjimo gydytojų pateiktame medicininiame apžiūros akte rašoma: „Į klausimus neatsakinėja, be sąmonės, periodiški veido, viso kūno galūnių raumenų traukuliai. Pulsas vos juntamas, minkštas 60/40, ligonis visas kruvinas." Toliau akte išvardintos žaizdos. Tokių barbariškų kankinimų, apie kuriuos liudija Lietuvos ypatingame archyve saugomi dokumentai, nėra buvę nuo Europoje siautėjusios inkvizicijos laikų. Kalėjimo ligoninėje A. Ramanauskas buvo operuotas, atgavo sąmonę. Kalėjimo ligoninės dokumentuose liko įrašyta ciniška pooperacinė diagnozė: „Trauminis šokas. Savęs sužalojimas." Komisija dar užrašė, kad sėkmingai gydant tardymas galimas po 2-3 savaičių. Apgydytas A Ramanauskas buvo kankinamas fiziškai ir moraliai beveik metus.
 Partizanų laikraštis „Prie rymančio Rūpintojėlio" 1952 m. rašė: „Ateities istoriką, kuris atskleis dabartinio mūsų tautos gyvenimo puslapius, labiausiai stebins du dalykai. Pirmiausiai jis turės stebėtis neregėtu dabartinės vergijos baisumu, pavyzdžio neturinčiu žiaurumu ir ta taip nepaprastai ištobulinta komunistinės vergijos sistema, kuri, rodos, turėtų užslopinti paskutinįjį laisvo žmogaus alsavimą, paversti visišku vergu ne tik fiziniu, bet ir dvasiniu atžvilgiu. Tačiau dar labiau ateities istoriką stebins tai, kad tauta po šios vergijos jungu nesuklupo, bet sugebėjo vesti tokią nepaprastai sunkią ir didžią kovą. Ir klaus anas istorikas, iš kur sėmėsi sau ištvermės ir jėgos dešimtys tūkstančių partizanų, kurie geriau pasirinko mirtį negu baisiąją priešo vergiją, iš kur sėmėsi sau jėgų pavergtieji. Ir ieškodamas atsakymo į tuos klausimus jis su tylia pagarba turės nulenkti savo galvą prieš mūsų tautos nepaprastą dvasinę didybę."
 1957 09 25 A. Ramanauskas LTSR aukščiausiojo teismo nuteistas mirties bausme. 1957 m. lapkričio 29 d. sušaudytas. Kur budeliai padėjo palaikus, nežinoma.
 (1918 03 06-195711 29)
 The first deputy of the Union of Lithuanian Freedom Fighters
 (Lietuvos Laisvės Kovų Sąjūdis (LLKS)),
 the chairperson of the LLKS council of the presidium,
 the commander in chief of the LLKS defense forces, brigadier general
 Adolfas Ramanauskas was born on March 6, 1918 in New Britain (USA). He came back to Lithuania with his parents Liudvikas and Elena in 1921. The family lived in the village of Bielėnai, Rudamina district, Seinai county. Adolfas Ramanauskas went to Galiniai primary school; he was a bright and studious pupil. He finished the primary school in 1930, independently prepared for the preliminary examination and entered the second form in Lazdijų "Žiburio"secondary school (gymnasium). As he was a very good pupil, his tuition fees were waived; this made the life of the poor family much easier. He successfully finished the secondary school in 1937 and went away to study in the Pedagogical Institute in Klaipėda. Here he not only studied very well, but also had time for amateur art, theatre coterie and interest in the political events in Lithuania and in the world. In 1939 the Pedagogical Institute in Klaipėda, where Adolfas Ramanauskas was studying, was transferred to Panevėžys; therefore, he graduated from Panevėžys Pedagogical Institute in 1939. In the same year, he entered Kaunas Military School; his crop, the fifteenth, was the last one. He started working as a teacher in Druskininkai region in the autumn of 1940.
 In 1941, when the war started, Ramanauskas took part in the revolt and was a commander of the partisan troop in Druskininkai region. During the German occupation he moved to Alytus and worked in the Teachers' Seminary. He enjoyed and valued this job; besides, he was loved and respected by his colleagues and pupils for his competence, highmindedness, friendliness and ability to communicate. He also played the accordion very well, could sing beautifully. In the Teachers' Seminary, Ramanauskas taught the teaching methodology of Lithuanian and mathematics, led physical and military exercises, as well as pedagogical practice. He was very happy about his profession; however, all his plans were abandoned by the second soviet occupation.
 Adolfas Ramanauskas understood very clearly that the invaders seek to destroy the Lithuanian nation both physically and psychologically, as well as the statehood of Lithuania; therefore, he left his home, his job, which he liked so much, and everything what was near and dear to his heart and went away to fight for the independence of Lithuania, that is, he became a partisan. In the spring of 1945 he found some connection with the partisans who resided in the forests of Alovė, soon joined the partisan platoon in Nemunaitis and was at once elected the commander of the platoon. He chose the pseudonym "Vanagas", "The Hawk". The partisan movement was developing. As Ramanauskas-Vanagas was a good organizer, he unified the little single partisan troops, which acted in the districts of Merkinė and Alovė, into the company of 140 men. In the autumn of 1945 the company, commanded by Ramanauskas-Vanagas, was incorporated into the Dzūkų group. Later on the company was reformed into a battalion (it consisted of eight squads); Ramanauskas-Vanagas was appointed as its commander. On July 1, 1945 he was promoted as the commander of the Merkys brigade, to which also belonged the battalions of Marcinkonys and Druskininkai. Ramanauskas-Vanagas, as the commander of Merkinės battalion and Merkys brigade, put a lot of efforts in order to centralize the armed underground. On April 23, 1946 he was appointed as the first deputy of the Dainava command, while since 1947 he temporarily held the office of the commander of Dainava command. During the assembly of Dainava command commanders on September 24-25, 1947, he was elected the partisan commander of Dainava command by secret vote. Afterwards he started visiting all the fighting units in Dainava command and tried to meet and talk openly to all fighters, to find out and evaluate the actions of the private soldiers and their commanders and only then to produce any necessary solution. The partisans respected him for his modesty, friendliness, sincerity and his total dedication for the freedom fight. He, as a hard-working, high-minded and idealistic person, was a very good example for other fighters. In his activity he combined the qualities of an educator and an officer.
 Ramanauskas-Vanagas understood that despite the armed resistance, political and ideological fight is necessary in order to retain the idea of the restoration of statehood in people's consciousness. Thus he paid a lot of attention to the underground press, i.e. organized its print, wrote and edited articles in various partisan newspapers: in the autumn of 1945 in the newspaper of the Merkys battalion, "Trečias skambutis" ("The Third Ring"), in 1946 and 1947 in the newspaper of Merkys brigade "Mylėk Tėvynę" ("Love your Homeland"), in 1947-1949 in the newspaper of Dainava command "Laisvės varpas" ("The Bell of Freedom"), in 1947-1949 in the newspaper "Svobodnoje slovo" devoted for the soldiers of the invaders, in 1949-1950 in the newspaper of South Lithuania region „Parti-sanas" ("The Partisan"), in 1951-1952 in the newspaper "Miško brolis" ("The Forest Brother"), in 1948-1952 Ramanauskas-Vanagas published news bulletins on politics abroad.
 In 1948 Ramanauskas-Vanagas was elected as the commander of the South Lithuania region. On February 2-22, 1949 Ramanauskas-Vanagas took part in the meeting of all Lithuanian partisan chief-commanders in Žemaitija, where The Union of Lithuanian Freedom Fighters (Lietuvos Laisvės Kovų Sąjūdis (LLKS)) was established, the chief partisan leadership, i.e. LLKS presidium and LLKS council of the presidium, was formed. Ramanauskas-Vanagas became the member of LLKS presidium and the LLKS council of the presidium. In the meeting he was elected as the first deputy of Žemaitis, the chairperson of the LLKS council of the presidium; besides, he was also acknowledged as the commander of South Lithuania region. Ramanauskas-Vanagas is also a signatory of the Declaration of the Union of Lithuanian Freedom Fighters council, which was signed on February 16, 1949. During the meeting he also achieved the mayor rank of freedom fighters partisans. In the autumn of 1949 he became the partisan colonel; besides, he was appointed as the commander in chief of LLKS defensive forces. After several months the chairperson of LLKS council of presidium proposed Ramanauskas-Vanagas to rise to the rank of partisan general. The chairman of the presidium resigned in 1952 because of an illness and introduced to the members of the presidium his first deputy Ramanauskas-Vanagas as the candidate for his post.
 Ramanauskas-Vanagas took part in many battles. He was awarded with the Zeal Stripe (Uolumo Juostelė) for his organizational job in the resistance movement on April 9, 1946; for the attack of Merkinė he was awarded with the Bravery Stripe (Narsumo Juostelė). In 1949 Ramanaus-kas-Vanagas achieved the award of the 2nd class of Freedom Fight Cross with swards. In 1950 the council of the LLKS presidium honored him with the 1st and the 2nd class Freedom Fight Crosses for his bravery, dedication, skillful commanding and organizational work. Consequently, following the laws of the Lithuanian Republic, according to the president's of the Lithuanian Republic decree, he was honored with the posthumous 2nd class Order of the Vytis Cross on March 6, 1998; on February 1, 1999, according to the president's of the Lithuanian Republic decree, he was honored with the posthumous 1st class Order of Vytis Cross. Thus Ramanauskas-Vanagas is the cavalier of Vytis Cross Order of the first and second degree. On January 26, 1998, according to the president's of the Lithuanian Republic decree No. 1506, his brigadier general rank was approved. He is appointed the Citizen of Honour of Alytus and Lazdijai district.
 When Ramanauskas-Vanagas only had started his partisanship, he married Birutė Mažeikaitė, the graduate of Alytus Teachers' Seminary on October 7, 1945. Further on, they both went the way of partisan fighting. They shared the same ideas and struggles, as she was also a partisan (pseudonym "Vanda"). In 1948 their daughter Auksutė was born.
 After the armed resistance was suppressed, Ramanauskas-Vanagas and his family were hiding. During this time he wrote a three-part memoirs "Partizanų gretose" ("In the Rows of Partisans"). This is the history of Dainava command, South Lithuania region and, partly, LLKS history. The fact that he was writing the memoirs at this time, shows his strong belief that Lithuania will be free in the future and that the true history of the freedom fight will be necessary. After regaining the Lithuanian independence, Ramanauskas-Vanagas' memoirs were published as a book "Daugel krito sūnų..." (Many Sons Have Fallen Dead...) by his daughter Auksutė Ramanauskaitė-Skokauskienė.
 The KGB paid a lot of attention for Ramanauskas-Vanagas search and liquidation. A permanent operational group was formed of the most qualified workers of KGB; besides, a lot of agents also worked to reach this goal. Only in the year 1956, thirty agents were crimped and the cooperation was anew asked for from twenty agents who had been deleted from the agent network. The leader of Ramanauskas-Vanagas search was Petras Raslanas, the butcher of Rainiai and the chief of the fourth KGB board, and Nach-manas Dušanskis, the major of the second department of the fourth KGB board. The KGB agent Antanas Urbonas (pseudonym "Žinomas" ("The Known")), who was learning in Kaunas Military School with Ramanauskas-Vanagas, betrayed Ramanauskas-Vanagas and his wife Birutė Mažeikaitė on October 11, 1956. The partisan commander was arrested suddenly and secretly, brought to the KGB prison in Vilnius and sadistically tortured in the underground ward. After several hours of torturing with the whole body cut and with one eye put out, Ramanauskas-Vanagas was brought to the prison hospital, as the KGB workers were afraid that he would not survive the investigation. The act of the inquest by prison doctors indicates that "(he) does not answer to the questions, is not conscious, the face and the limbs of the whole body periodically go into convulsions. The pulse is very faint 60/40, the patient is bloody". Then the act enumerates his wounds. Such barbaric tortures, which are recorded in the documents kept in Lithuanian Special Archives, have not been inflected since the times of inquisition in Europe. Ramanauskas was operated in the hospital and regained his consciousness. The documents of the prison hospital contain the cynical postoperative diagnosis: "Traumatic shock. Self-injury". The commission also noted that in the case of successful treatment the investigation is possible after two or three weeks. After some treatment Ramanauskas was tortured physically and psychologically for about a year.
 In 1952 the partisan newspaper "Prie rymančio Rūpintojėlio" ("By the Leaning Cross") emphasised that "The future historian who will investigate our present life will be mostly surprised by two things. First, he will have to wonder at the awfulness of the present slavery, unprecedented cruelty and the well-developed system of communist slavery, which, as it seems, aims at choking the last breathing of a free person and make him a slave both physically and psychologically. However, the future historian will be even more surprised by the fact that the nation did not give up in this slavery and was able to fight an enormously difficult and grand fight. Thus the historian will ask where from is the endurance and power of tens of thousands partisans who better chose to die rather than live in the awful slavery of the enemy, where from is the power of the subdued ones. Thus in search for the answer to these questions he will have to droop his head in quiet respect for the striking inner majesty of our nation".
 Ramanauskas-Vanagas was sentenced to death by the Supreme Court of LTSR on September 25, 1957 and shot on November 29, 1957. It is unknown where his body was placed.
 1918 03 06-1957 11 29
 Mes, žemiau pasirašę gydytojų komisija, kurios sudėtyje LTSR MVD kalėjimo Nr. l chirurginio skyriaus vedėja vyr. Itn. E. A. Lagoiskaja, chirurgas konsultantas V. S. Vorobjov, san. dalies viršininkas kpt. Kuzmin surašėme aktą apie tai, kad:
 Kalinys Ramanauskas Adolfas, Liudviko g. 1918 m. pristatytas į kalėjimo Nr. l chirurginį skyrių 1956 m. spalio 12d. 16 val. 30 min. itin sunkioje būklėje.
 MVD kalėjimo Nr. l skyriaus vedėja vyr. Itn. Lagoiskaja
 MVD kalėjimo Nr. l san. dalies viršininkas kpt. Kuzmin
 *** l. Generolas A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas - vienas iš žiauriausiai nukankintų Laisvės kovotojų.
 *** 2. Atkreipti dėmesį į KGB diagnozę - „savęs sužalojimas".
 The first deputy of the chairman of the Union of Lithuanian Freedom
 Fighters and the commander in chief of the Union of Lithuanian Freedom Fighters defense forces.
 03-06-1918-11-29-1957
 We, the undersigned medical board, consisting of Head of the surgical department of prison No l, VS Vorobjov of MIA, LSSR, consulting surgeon Sr. Lieutenant E. A. Logoiskaja, and the Chief of the Medical section, Capt. Kuzmin, have drawn up the following report:
 Prisoner Adolfas Ramanauskas, son of Liudvikas, born 1918, was brought to the surgical department of prison No.l on October 12, 1956 at 16:30 hrs in critical condition.
 After the patient recovered from shock, he was immediately given an injection of glucose (40%-40), morphine, cordial drugs.
 After this treatment his blood pressure rose to 120/80, pulse was satisfactory, stili indistinct consciousness. The patient was taken to the operating room. On the genitals were seen: on the right part of the organ a lacerated wound, and on the left side there were no testicles, no testicular channels.
 There were no complications during the operation. Although the patient reacted to pain during the operation, he was unconscious. He regained consciousness on Oct.13, 1956 and after that was treated with antibiotics, cordial medication and dressings.
 Because of prisoner Ramanauskas's many stab wounds on the left eyelid, eye and the right eye optical nerve, he was referred to an oculist. Diagnoses: eye hemorrhage. Treatment was prescribed. Recovery was normal, without any complications, although not much time has past... The patient is recovering.
 *** Post operational diagnosis: Traumatic shock. Broad lacerated wounds, wounds of scrotum. Acute hemorrhage. Lacerated right eye. Self - injury.
 MIA, prison l, Head of the department, Sr. Lieutenant Lagoiskaja
 Consulting surgeon Vorobjov
 Head of the Medical part of MIA prison No. l, Capt. Kuzmin
 Literai translation from Russian: S.: LVYRA. Op. b.f. -B. 6656.-T.6. -T.6-I.369-370.
 *** 2. Notice the statement that his wounds were self - inflicted.
 Adolfas Ramanauskas vaikystėje. JAV New Britain, 1920 m. Adolfas Ramanauskas in his childhood. USA New Britain, 1920.
 Adolfas Ramanauskas - Lazdijų „Žiburio" gimnazijos VII klasės gimnazistas. Adolfas Ramanauskas, the seventh - form pupil at Lazdijai "Žiburio" secondary school.
 Lazdijų „Žiburio" gimnazistai medelių sodinimo šventėje.
 Kraštinėje eilėje A. Ramanauskas penktas iš priekio.
 The pupils of Lazdijai "Žiburio" secondary school during the festival of planting saplings. Adolfas Ramanauskas is the fifth from the front of the side row.
 Adolfas Ramanauskas (pirmoje eilėje vidurinis) su Klaipėdos pedagoginio instituto bendramoksliais, 1938 m. Adolfas Ramanauskas (in the middle of the first row) with his school fellows in Klaipėda Pedagogical Institute, 1938.
 A. Ramanauskas (stovi pirmas iš dešinės) su Klaipėdos pedagoginio instituto studentais, 1938 m. Adolfas Ramanauskas (stands the first on the right) with the students of Klaipėda Pedagogical Institute, 1938.
 Adolfas (stovi iš kairės pirmas) greta kitų Kauno karo mokyklos kursantų, 1939 m. Adolfas (stands the first one on the left) with other students of Kaunas Military School, 1939.
 Kauno Karo mokyklos kursantai. A. Ramanauskas priekinėje eilėje pirmas iš kairės, 1939 m. Students of Kaunas Military School. Adolfas Ramanauskas is the first on the left in the front row, 1939.
 Adolfas Ramanauskas Alytaus mokytojų seminarijos mokytojas, 1944 m. Adolfas Ramanauskas, the teacher in Alytus Teachers' Seminary, 1944.
 Birutė Mažeikaitė, būsimoji A. Ramanausko žmona apie 1942 m. Birutė Mažeikaitė, the future-be A. Ramanauskas' wife, around 1942.
 Alytaus mokytojų seminarijos pedagogai A. Ramanauskas priklaupęs iš kairės pirmas, 1943 m.
 The teachers of Alytus Teachers' Seminary. Adolfas Ramanauskas is the first on the left, half-kneeling, 1943.
 Mokytojas A. Ramanauskas su kolegomis (stovi iš kairės pirmas), 1944 m. Teacher Adolfas Ramanauskas (stands the first on the left) with his colleagues, 1944.
 A. Ramanauskas prieš išeinant į partizaninį karą Adolfas Ramanauskas before going to the partisan war
 Birutė Mažeikaitė, 1943 m. Birutė Mažeikaitė, 1943.
 Birutė Mažeikaitė, 1944 m. Birutė Mažeikaitė, 1944.
 partizaninio karo metais during the years of partisan war (1945-1955)
 „Mes visi teturime vieną troškimą: iškovoti Lietuvai laisvę." "We all have only one desire - to win freedom for Lithuania."
 (Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas)
 Partizanų šeima. Dzūkijos miškai. 1947 m.
 The family of partisans. The forests of Dzūkija. 1947.
 Su laisvės kovų broliu A. Perminu-Jūrininku. Dzūkijos miškai. 1947 m.
 With his brother of freedom fights A. Perminas-Jūrininkas.
 The forests of Dzūkija. 1947.
 Su ištikimaisiais draugais vanagėliais. Varėnos šilai. 1947 m. With the true friends, little hawks. The pine forest of Varėna. 1947.
 Varėnos miškai. 1947 m. vasara.
 The forests of Varėna. The summer of 1947.
 Partizanai su vanagėliais. 1947 m. vasara. Partisans with the little hawks. The summer of 1947.
 Su laisvės kovų draugu L. Baliukevičiu-Dzūku. 1947 m. With his friend of freedom fights L. Baliukevičius-Dzūkas. 1947.
 Poilsio valandėlė. Dzūkijos miškai. 1947 m. A snatch of rest. The forests of Dzūkija. 1947.
 Atokvėpio minutės. Dzūkija. 1947 m. Moments of rest. Dzūkija. 1947.
 Pietų Lietuvos partizanai (A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas ketvirtas iš kairės).
 The partisans of South Lithuania (Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas is the fourth on the left).
 Dainavos apygardos vadų sąskrydis Punios šile 1947 04 23-26. (A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas stovi penktas iš kairės). The meeting of Dainava command leaders in the pine forest of Punia on April 23-26, 1947.
 (Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas stands the fifth on the left).
 Dainavos apygardos štabas darbo metu 1948 m. liepos 6 d.
 (A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas sėdi iš kairės)
 The staff of the Dainava command at work on July 6, 1948. (Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas sits on the left).
 Dzūkijos partizanai (A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas trečias iš kairės).
 The partisans of Dzūkija. (Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas is the third on the left).
 Pietų Lietuvos partizanai (A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas stovi trečias iš kairės).
 The partisans of South Lithuania (Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas stands the third on the left).
 Kazimieraičio rinktinės DLK Vytauto grupės partizanų sąskrydžio metu (A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas ketvirtas iš kairės)
 During the partisan meeting of Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas group, Kazimieraitis brigade (Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas is the fourth on the left).
 A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas (stovi trečias iš kairės) su laisvės kovos broliais, 1948 m.
 Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas (stands the third on the left) with his brothers of freedom fights, 1948.
 Dainavos apygardos partizanai. 1948 m. vasara. A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas stovi ketvirtas iš kairės.
 The partisans of Dainava command. The summer of 1948. Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas stands the fourth on the left.
 Partizanų sąskrydis miške prie Palkabalio kaimo. 1948 m. Partisan meeting in the forest near the village of Palkabalis. 1948.
 Apdovanojimų iškilmės partizanų sąskrydžio metu. 1948 m. Award ceremony during the partisan meeting. 1948.
 Dainavos apygardos partizanai. 1948 m. pavasaris. (A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas stovi trečias iš kairės.)
 The partisans of Dainava command. The spring of 1948. (Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas stands the third on the left).
 Pietų Lietuvos srities vadas A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas vizituoja Šarūno rinktinės Vytenio grupės partizanus. 1948
 Adolfas Ramanauskas - Vanagas, the commander of South Lithuanian region, visits the partisans of Vytenis group, Šarūnas brigade. 1948.
 Dainavos apygardos Geležinio Vilko grupės partizanai su vadais. 1948 m.
 The partisans and their commanders of Geležinis Vilkas (Iron Wolf) group, Dainava command. 1948.
 Pietų Lietuvos partizanai pakeliui į Žemaitiją (A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas priklaupęs antras iš kairės).1948 m. gruodis.
 The partisans of South Lithuania on their way to Žemaitija. Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas is the second on the left, half-kneeling. December, 1948.
 Pakeliui į LLKS steigiamąjį suvažiavimą. A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas priklaupęs trečias iš kairės. Šimkaičių giria. 1948 m. gruodis.
 On the way to the LLKS (The Union of Lithuanian Freedom Fighters) constitutive meeting. Adolfas Ramanauskas- Vanagas is the third on the left half-kneeling. Šimkaičiai forest. December, 1948.
 Vykstant į visos Lietuvos vyriausių vadų suvažiavimą Žemaitijoje. A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas stovi ketvirtas iš kairės. 1948 m.
 On the way to the meeting of all Lithuanian partisan chief-commanders in Žemaitija.
 Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas stands the fourth on the left. 1948.
 Pietų Lietuvos partizanai. 1949 m. vasara.
 The partisans of South Lithuania. The summer of 1949.
 Ramanauskų šeima apie 1953 m.
 The family of Ramanauskai around 1953.
 Generolas Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas su dukra Aukse 1953 m.
 General Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas with his daughter Auksė in 1953.
 The last photo of Adolfas Ramanauskas when he is in freedom, 1955.
 L. P. A. Apygardos štabas. Partizanų dalinių rikiuotė ir vadovavimas (partizanų leidinys, 1945 m.).
 Staff of the A district of Lithuanian partisans. Formation and command of partisan units (partisan publication, 1945).
 Merkio Rinktinės Vado Įsakymas. 1947 m. rugsėjo 5 d.
 (pasirašė rinktinės vadas A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas)
 The order of the chief of Merkys brigade. September 5, 1947. (signed by Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas, the chief of the brigade)
 Lietuvos Laisvės Kovos Sąjūdžio Tarybos Deklaracija. 1949 m. vasario 16 d. ( vienas iš signatarų A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas)
 Declaration of the Council of the Union of Lithuanian Freedom Fighters. February 16, 1949.
 (one of the signatories was Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas)
 LLKS Tarybos Prezidiumo x Sekcijos 1950 m. gruodžio mėn. 31 d. nutarimas Nr. 5 (Pasirašė A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas)
 Act Nr 5 By x Section of the Presidium of LLKS Council, December 31, 1950 (signed by Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas)
 Pažymėjimas, liudijantis, kad šeima rėmė partizaninį judėjimą 1955 m. pavasaris Okupuotoji Lietuva (pasirašė LLKS Gynybos pajėgų vadas A. Ramanauskas-Vanagas) Certificate, indicating that the family supported the partisan movement Spring of 1955. The occupied Lithuania (signed by the chief of LLKS Defensive forces Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas)
 Partizanų laikraštis „Laisvės varpas" 1946 m.
 Partisan newspaper "Laisvės varpas" ("The Bell of Freedom"), 1946.
 Partizanų laikraštis „Mylėk Tėvynę" 1947 m.
 Partisan newspaper "Mylėk Tėvynę" ("Love Your Homeland"), 1947.
 Partizanų laikraštis „Už Tėvų Žemę" 1947 m.
 Partisan newspaper "Už Tėvų Žemę" ("For Parents' Land"), 1947.
 Partizanų laikraštis „Aukuras" 1947 m. Partisan newspaper "Aukuras" ("Altar"), 1947.
 Partizanų laikraštis „Laisvės varpas" 1949 m.
 Partisan newspaper "Laisvės varpas" ("The Bell of Freedom"), 1949.
 Partizanų laikraštis „Partizanas" 1949 m. Partisan newspaper "Partizanas" ("The Partisan"), 1949.
 Antanas Tyla Istorikas,
 Mes turime ilgą ir labai turiningą Lietuvos istoriją. Greitai minėsime tūkstantmetį nuo pirmojo rašytiniuose šaltiniuose Lietuvos vardo paminėjimo. Per tą tūkstantmetį istoriją kūrė ir kuria daugybė Lietuvos žmonių ir tik jų dėka mes turime epochas, kurios virsta legendomis apipintų didvyrių laikmečiu. Daugeliui sąmoningų Lietuvos piliečių tokia epocha yra Lietuvos partizanų karas prieš sovietinius okupantus 1944-1953 m. Tai Laisvės kova, be galo sunki ir dramatiška, kurioje kovėsi tūkstančiai partizanų.
 Lietuvos valstybė skaičiuoja aštuntą amžių. Jos tarpvalstybinis pripažinimas siejasi su Karaliaus Mindaugo vainikavimu. Kiek reikėjo Mindaugui valios ir pastangų, kad šį vainiką jam uždėtų ant galvos? Tiek, kiek suprato tikslo prasmę ir reikšmę, kiek turėjo drąsos ir valios apginti Lietuvą nuo tų jėgų, kurios gniuždė jo idėją. Jis ją apgynė ir sulaukė aukščiausių Europos universalių siuzerenų Lietuvos valstybės pripažinimo. Mindaugo sukurta ir subrandinta valstybė savarankiškai ir dualistinėje sąjungoje išbuvo 545 metus.
 Po 120 metų Rusijos priespaudos 1918 m. atkurtoji Lietuvos valstybė -Lietuvos Respublika - valstybiniu gyvenimu džiaugėsi 22 metus. Trejų metų 1918-1920 m. karas dėl Lietuvos Valstybės įtvirtinimo Europoje, pasaulyje ir savų piliečių sąmonėje pareikalavo nemažiau pastangų ir ryžto kaip tuomet Mindaugui. Kiekvienas Lietuvos Tarybos narys, pasirašęs 1918 m. Vasario 16 Nepriklausomybės paskelbimo aktą, kiekvienas Lietuvos 1918-1919 metų savanoris ar pašauktas į kariuomenę jaunuolis buvo savo laiko Mindaugas. Tik buvo toks skirtumas, kad jie patys nesi-vainikavo, o karūną dėjo ant visų Lietuvos piliečių galvos. Jie įpareigojo visiems laikams lietuvių tautą ir visus Lietuvos gyventojus saugoti, ginti ir plėtoti naująją Lietuvos valstybę. Naująją Lietuvos valstybę kūrė visų kartų lietuviai, bet joje brendo jaunoji Lietuva, Lietuvos jaunimas, Lietuvos valstybės piliečiai. Tas brandumas tuomet atrodė natūralus ir sunkiai išmatuojamas. Jo egzaminas prasidėjo čekistinės Sovietų sąjungos okupacijos metais. Tuomet ištikimi piliečiai okupantų išvijimą ir Lietuvos Valstybės atkūrimą laikė savo asmeniniu gyvenimu. Ši lietuvių pilietinė nuostata ypač išryškėjo Lietuvos partizanų karo 1944-1953 m. prieš sovietinius okupantus laikotarpiu.
 Ilgoje ir turiningoje Lietuvos istorijoje Lietuvos partizanų karas buvo, yra ir išliks kaip mūsų tautos pilietinės raiškos ir kartu universali vertybė. Tai buvo Laisvės kova, be galo sunki ir dramatiška, kurioje kovėsi tūkstančiai partizanų. Tyrinėtojai tvirtina, kad 1945 m. vasarą buvo apie 15 000 ginkluotų partizanų. Vėliau į žuvusiųjų vietas stojo nauji. Kare dėl laisvės 1944-1953 m. žuvo apie 20 000 partizanų. Bandė pereiti iš pogrindžio ir legalizuotis 43,8 tūkst. partizanų. Daug jų buvo ištremta į Rusijos konclagerius. Už partizanų ginamų idėjų tiesioginį ar netiesioginį rėmimą buvo ištremta 118 tūkst. Lietuvos gyventojų. Suimta ir įkalinta 186 tūkst.1
 Tautos kova dėl savo laisvės ir Lietuvos valstybės nepriklausomybės yra amžina vertybė ir kiekvienas tos kovos dalyvis yra vertas pasididžiavimo. Sunkus Lietuvos partizanų karas iškėlė ypač įsimintinų asmenybių - vadų, kurie virto tos kovos, visų dorų partizanų, kritusių ir save vardan priesaikos sunaikinusių simboliais. Mes su pasididžiavimu minime ir gerbiame žymų partizanų karo vadą, brigados generolą, Vyčio Kryžiaus kavalierių Adolfą Ramanauską-Vanagą. Prieš 50 metų jis buvo okupantų sušaudytas. Lietuvos partizanų ginkluotas karas vyko 10 metų. Tame dešimtmetyje subrendo Adolfo Ramanausko, kaip organizatoriaus, sąmoningo kovotojo ir vado talentas. Ne tik talentas, bet ir tvirtas įsitikinimas pasirinkto sunkaus ir pavojingo laisvės kovotojo kelio tikslingumu, teisingumu ir teisėtumu. Jo redaguojamame Pietų Lietuvos srities partizanų laikraštyje „Partizanas" 1950 m. rugsėjo 28 d. numeryje, straipsnyje „Pogrindžio prasmė" rašoma: „Pogrindis yra visos tautos teisingiausias valios reiškėjas pasaulio akyse, pogrindžio veikimas, kova su priešu yra lyg demonstravimas visam pasauliui, jog Lietuva nesutinka būti bolševikinė, jog ji pasiryžusi kautis žūtbūtinę kovą, norėdama išsivaduoti iš okupacijos jungo. Pogrindis - tai organizuota geriausių tautos sūnų ir dukrų kova ir protestas prieš smurtą"2. Išbūti vieną dieną sunkaus partizaninio karo fronte buvo sunku ir rizikinga. Tad ką kalbėti apie 10-ties metų tokią kovą. Visus sunkumus ir nuolatinių pavojų grėsmę galėjo palengvinti tik be galo stiprus tikėjimas tuo tikslu, dėl kurio kovojama. Adolfas Ramanauskas savo tikslu neabejojo net tuomet, kai jau dalis patikėjo, kad Sovietinė imperija stabili ir iš jos išsiveržti bus labai sunku. 1955 m. partizanas Adolfas Ramanauskas savo knygoje „Daugel krito sūnų..." prisimindamas žuvusio tauraus bendražygio partizano Taugirdo-Vlado Baranausko iš Kaščiūnų kaimo jam prieš dešimtmetį rodytą jo sodintą eglynėlį, rašė: „Praėjo nuo tos nakties apie dešimt metų, kai aš vienas, dar vis partizanaudamas, keliavau per tą patį miško ruoželį. Tuo metu man vėl sugrįžo anoji naktis ir Taugirdas... Pušelės jau buvo nemaži medeliai, o Taugirdas. Nei aš, nei jo motina nežinom, nei kas toliau su juo buvo, nei vietos, kur jo išniekintą kūną rusai nutrenkė... Laisvės vis dar nėra ir net nesimato jos auštančio ryto. Ji, žinoma, ateis ir pušelės dar gal nebus iškirstos, bet kur būsiu aš".
 Kaip partizanas ir pavyzdingas vadas jis principingai laikėsi abstinencijos. „Alkoholis yra vienas iš baisiausių sąjūdžio priešų" - rašė jis savo knygoje. Kitu, dar pavojingesniu partizanų priešu jis laikė šnipus: „Šnipų veikla - rašė jis toje pat knygoje, - visuomet buvo ir tebėra pragaištingiausia tiek pačiam sąjūdžiui, tiek visiems tauriems lietuviams"3. Tai buvo pranašiški Partizanų vado žodžiai. Jei ne šnipai, kurių per visą sovietmetį okupantai priverbavo apie 120 tūkst., jie nebūtų įveikę mūsų partizanų armijos, nebūtų jos suskaldę iš vidaus.
 Stebint partizano A. Ramanausko gyvenimą ir veiklą, skaitant jo partizaninių kovų dienoraštį, kuris išleistas pavadinimu „Daugel krito sūnų...", taip pat jo redaguotus partizanų leidinius matyti jo svarbiausios nuostatos bei uždaviniai:
 1. Siekti partizanų centralizuoto vadovavimo, ruošti juos išsilaisvinimo partizaniniam karui;
 2. Priešintis okupaciniam režimui, trukdyti jam vykdyti represijas prieš Lietuvos piliečius, saugoti gyventojų pilietinę savimonę ir laisvės siekio vertybę ir
 3. Kaip šeimos galvai jam nuolatos teko rūpintis apsaugoti ją nuo šnipų ir kagebistų.
 A. Ramanauskas buvo baigęs Klaipėdos mokytojų institutą ir Lietuvos Karo mokyklą. Kvalifikuotas pedagogas, kadrinis Lietuvos kariuomenės karininkas Adolfas Ramanauskas partizanų kare kaip vadas kilo kartu su visą Lietuvą apėmusiu partizanų vienijimusi. Jo partizaniškas kelias prasidėjo 1945 m. balandį Nemunaičio apylinkėje veikusio partizanų būrio vadu, toliau tęsėsi per Dzūkijos partizanų veiklos centralizavimą. Po kpt. Dominyko Jėčio - Ąžuolio žūties jis išrenkamas Dainavos apygardos vadu [1947 IX 24-25], kitais metais [1948] - Pietų Lietuvos partizanų srities vadu, 1949 m. vasario 2-22 d. vykusiame Lietuvos vyriausiųjų partizanų vadų suvažiavime, kuriame buvo įkurtas Lietuvos Laisvės Kovos Sąjūdis, jis buvo išrinktas šio Sąjūdžio prezidiumo tarybos pirmininko Jono Žemaičio-Vytauto pirmuoju pavaduotoju. Tų pačių metų rudenį jis buvo paskirtas Lietuvos Laisvės Kovos Sąjūdžio vyriausiuoju Gynybos Pajėgų vadu, jam suteiktas partizanų generolo laipsnis. 1952 m. Jonas Žemaitis dėl ligos savo pareigas pasiūlė savo pirmajam pavaduotojui gen. A. Ramanauskui.
 Į Lietuvos partizanų vyriausiųjų vadų suvažiavimą, kuris vyko Minaičių kaime, esančiame tarp Radviliškio ir Baisogalos, Stasio Mikniaus sodyboje, bunkeryje, A. Ramanauskas iš Dzūkijos pėsčiomis per kelis mėnesius keliavo, kaip kažkada Simonas Daukantas pėsčias ėjo į Vilniaus universitetą semtis mokslo ir šviesos. A. Ramanauskas į šį pavojingą kelią leidosi vedinas pagrindinių savo tikslų - suvienyti pasipriešinimo jėgas ir pajusti bendražygių paramą ir tiesiog jų buvimą. Čia jis susitiko su kitu Lietuvos karininku, žymiu partizanų vadu ir politiku Jonu Žemaičiu-Vytautu. Pasitarimo metu per 10 dienų kartu su kitais diskutavo dėl Sąjūdžio ideologijos, kovos taktikos, Lietuvos nepriklausomybės atkūrimo strategijos, paruošė „Lietuvos Laisvės Kovos Sąjūdžio Tarybos Deklaracijos" projektą. A. Ramanauskas buvo vienas iš šios Deklaracijos signatarų. Deklaracija buvo drąsus iššūkis sovietiniams okupantams ir jų rėmėjams. Deklaracijoje buvo skelbiama, kad visos Lietuvos partizanų sričių, apygardų vyriausiųjų vadų sudaryta Lietuvos Laisvės Kovos Sąjūdžio Taryba okupacijos metu yra aukščiausias tautos politinis organas, vadovaująs politinei ir karinei tautos išlaisvinimo kovai, kad Sąjūdžio tikslas atstatyti laisvą nepriklausomą demokratinę Lietuvos Respubliką. Ji kvietė visus, nepaisant įsitikinimų skirtumų, įsijungti į aktyvų tautos išlaisvinimą. Signatarai žinojo apie Jungtinių Tautų
 Organizacijos 1948 m. gruodžio 5 d. priimtą Visuotinę žmogaus teisių deklaraciją ir todėl savo Deklaracijoje prašė visą demokratinį pasaulį pagalbos savo tikslams įgyvendinti.
 Okupantai nuo pat antrosios sovietinės okupacijos pradžios siekė sunaikinti ginkluotą pasipriešinimą. Jau nuo 1944 m. rudens okupacinė valdžia iš savo pavaldinių reikalavo, kad per trumpą laiką būtų sunaikintas lietuvių pasipriešinimas. Tokie įpareigojimai, daugiausia besiribojantys dviem-trim mėnesiais, buvo duodami nuolatos. Tačiau ilgą laiką jie pasirodė neįvykdomi. Okupantai prieš partizanus sutelkė dideles karines ir čekistų pajėgas. 1944 m. rugpjūčio mėn. specialiai karui prieš partizanus į Lietuvą buvo permesta 4-oji NKVD divizija [vadas gen. majoras Pavelas Vetrovas], prieš tai dalyvavusi tremiant Kaukazo tautas. Ji 1949 12 27 padalinta į dvi - 2 ir 4-ją divizijas. Abi jos siautė Lietuvoje partizaninio karo metu. 1944 metų pabaigoje į Lietuvą dar buvo atkelti keli gen. Iljos Pijaševo vadovaujamos 63 NKVD divizijos pulkai. Čia buvo dislokuoti keli pasieniečių pulkai4. Kurį laiką [1944-1945] Lietuvoje buvo dislokuota 12 fronto užnugario apsaugos NKVD pulkų. 1946 m. kovo mėn. sovietinės įgulos buvo išdėstytos 163 miestuose ir miesteliuose. Vėliau visoje Lietuvoje buvo įkurta 200 pastovių baudėjų įgulų5. Nuo 1949 m. baudėjų punktai buvo pradėti stambinti. Juozo Starkausko tvirtinimu, 1951 m. daugiausia rusų įgulų buvo Dzūkijoje, kur veikė Adolfo Ramanausko ir jo bendražygių vadovaujami partizanai. Okupantų siautėjimas skaudžiai atsiliepdavo partizanų kariuomenei. Jei per tris Nepriklausomybės karų metus [1918-1920] Lietuvos kariuomenė neteko 1,4 tūkst. karių, tai dabar kasmet krisdavo po kelis tūkstančius partizanų. Iš viso per Lietuvos partizanų karą krito, kaip aukščiau minėta, apie 20 tūkst. laisvės kovotojų. Pagal okupantų pateiktus duomenis buvo tokie kasmetiniai žuvusių partizanų armijos nuostoliai: 1944 m. 2436, 1945 m. 9777, 1946 m. 2143, 1947 m. 1540, 1948 m. 1135, 1949 m. 1018, 1950 m. 635, 1951 m. 590, 1952 m. 457, 1953 m. 188.
 Tarp žuvusiųjų buvo geriausi A. Ramanausko bendražygiai: pulk. Juozas Vitkus-Kazimieraitis, kapitonas Dominykas Jėčys-Ąžuolis, maj. Sergejus Staniškis-Litas, maj. Zigmas Drunga, ltn. Antanas Baltūsis-Žvejys, Aleksandras Grybinas-Faustas, kpt. Jonas Žemaitis-Vytautas, ltn. Juozas Kasperavičius, Vladas Baranauskas - Taugirdas ir daugelis kitų.
 Okupantai buvo bejėgiai įvykdyti iš Maskvos ar vietos kolaborantų duodamas direktyvas iki vieno ar kito laikotarpio sutriuškinti partizaninį sąjūdį. Jis rėmėsi tauta, kol ji nebuvo ištremta, o vietoje persekiojama, įbauginta ir suskaldyta, jis buvo neįveikiamas. Tik tuo galima paaiškinti, kodėl generolas Adolfas Ramanauskas 11,5 metų išbuvo partizanų fronte, o paskui dar gyveno nelegaliai. Kagebistai tuo tarpu šėlo ieškodami gen. A. Ramanausko buveinės. Savo atsiminimuose jis rašo, kaip pirmaisiais partizanavimo metais nevykusiais čekistų spąstais buvo bandoma išsiaiškinti jo buvimo vietą ar susitikti, kaip vėliau nuolatos jam tekdavo susidurti ne tik su okupantų kareiviais, skrebais, bet ir su įvairaus plauko išdavikais6. Tai tęsėsi iki pat tragiškų 1956 m. rudens įvykių Kaune. 1954 m. balandžio mėn. kagebistų komiteto Lietuvoje pirmininkas K. Liaudis savo viršininkams į Maskvą pranešė, kad komiteto operatyvininkai ir rajonų įgaliotinių aparatai yra sutelkę dėmesį į Ramanausko, Labanausko ir stambių partizanų grupių paiešką. A. Ramanauską sekė net 6 rajonų - Alytaus, Daugų, Druskininkų, Prienų, Simno ir Varėnos - kagebistų šnipai7.
 Partizanų vadas A. Ramanauskas gyvendamas nelegaliai visą laiką buvo glaudžiai susijęs su tauta ir stengėsi palaikyti ištikimybę vilčiai sulaukti Laisvės. Jis organizavo leidybą, redagavo ir pats rašė partizanų spaudoje: „Trečias skambutis" [1945 m. rudenį], „Mylėk Tėvynę" 19461947], „Laisvės Varpas" [1947-1949], „Partizanas" [1949-1950], „Miško Brolis" [1951-1952]. Tie leidiniai ėjo nuo 1945 m. rudens iki 1952 m.
 Partizano, brigados generolo biografija - tai biografija nepaprasto, atkaklaus Lietuvos patrioto ir valstybės piliečio, net sunkiausiu metu nepraradusio vilties, kad sovietinis okupacinis režimas, palaikomas didžiulės visokių rūšių karinės jėgos ir kagebistų tinklo, yra tik laikinas, kad amžinas yra laisvos Lietuvos gyvenimas. Tai patvirtina jo veikla, jo pasirašyta Lietuvos Laisvės Kovos Sąjūdžio Deklaracija, jo rašomi partizaninės kovos atsiminimai „Daugel krito sūnų...". Jo biografija, jo veikla ir pasišventimas tikslui, kuris buvo toli nuo asmeninių patogumų, turi būti žinoma kiekvieno moksleivio, kario, šaulio, ir ypač kiekvieno valstybės piliečio. Jo partizano kelias ir bendražygių taurumas ir ištikimumas Lietuvos valstybei rodo, kokie menki ir maži visi tie, kuriems laisvė nėra vertybė, kurie šūkalioja, kad Lietuvos partizanų karas buvo beprasmis.
 Jokie išpuoliai Laisvės kovos nesumenkins. Jie yra skrebų ir čekistų ideologijos palikimas. Jis mums svetimas, nes net žemiausio visuomeninio intelekto tautelės gerbia laisvės kovotojus. Lietuvos rašytojų tarpe buvo Stalino ir bolševizmo garbintojų. Jų yra ir dabar.
 Partizanų vadas gen. Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas nesulaukė Kovo 11-sios, kuria jis tvirtai tikėjo ir dėl kurios kovojo. Tačiau jo nepalaužiama laisvės viltis padarė jį mūsų amžininku ir jis yra su mumis. Atkurtoji nepriklausoma Lietuvos valstybė su pagarba įvertino jo nuopelnus ir patvirtino partizanų jam suteiktus apdovanojimus bei laipsnį.
 Mūsų ateities kelias, kuris apsaugos mus nuo tokio naikinimo, kokį patyrėmė sovietinės blogio imperijos gniaužtuose ir prieš kurį kovojo A. Ramanauskas, yra jungimasis į ES ir NATO. Gerbiant gen. Adolfo Ramanausko-Vanago atminimą, mes turime saugoti mūsų tautos vertybes, valstybės laisvę, gerbti savo kalbą, jos kultūrinį paveldą, dorą, suprasti laisvės kovotojų vertę, jų patriotizmą ir jų įnašą mūsų visų laisvei.
 1 Arvydas Anušauskas. Lietuvių tautos sovietinis naikinimas 1940-1958 metais, Vilnius: Mintis, 1996, p. 403.
 2 Partizanai apie pasaulį, politiką ir save: 1944-1956 m. partizanų spaudos publikacijos, sudarė Nijolė Gaškaitė - Žemaitienė, Vilnius, 1998, p. 667
 3 Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas. Daugel krito sūnų.. .Partizanų gretose, Vilnius, 1999, p.85-86, 315.
 4 Nijolė Gaškaitė. Pasipriešinimo istorija 1944-1953 metai, Vilnius: Aidai, 1997, p. 21.
 5 Juozas Starkauskas. Čekistinė kariuomenė Lietuvoje 1944-1953 metais, Vilnius, 1998, p. 389, 390
 6 Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas. Daugel krito sūnų... Partizanų gretose, Vilnius, 1999, p. 8890 ir kt.
 7 Lietuvos partizanų kovos ir jų slopinimas MVD - MGB dokumentuose 1944-1953 metais. Sudarė Nijolė Gaškaitė, Algis Kašėta, Juozas Starkauskas, Vilnius, 1996, p.627-628.
 BINDING REMEMBRANCE OF THE PARTISAN COMMANDER
 Historian, prof. habil. dr. Antanas Tyla
 We have a long and a very colourful Lithuanian history. Soon we are going to commemorate the thousand-year anniversary of the first mention of Lithuania in written sources. A lot of people in Lithuania have created its thousand-year history; thanks to them we have epochs, which become the time of legendary heroes. Such an epoch for many conscious citizens of Lithuania is the Lithuanian partisan war (1944-1953) fought against the Soviet invaders. It is a very difficult and dramatic fight for freedom, in which thousands of partisans were fighting.
 The beginning of Lithuanian statehood dates back to the 13th century. Its international recognition is closely related to Mindaugas' coronation. How much efforts and strength did Mindaugas need in order to have the crown put on his head? As much as he understood the meaning and importance of this goal and had the bravery and will to protect Lithuania from the forces which were stifling his idea. He succeeded in protecting it and achieved the recognition of Lithuania by the most important universal European suzerains. The state, created and matured by Mindaugas, existed independently and in commonwealth for 545 years.
 After 120 years of Russian oppression, the state of Lithuania, the Lithuanian Republic, enjoyed the national life for 22 years. The war in 19181920 for the establishment of Lithuania in Europe, in the world and in the consciousness of its citizens, required as much efforts and strength as it did for Mindaugas in his time. Every member of the Lithunian Council who signed the Act of Independence of Lithuania on February 16, 1918, every Lithuanian volunteer in 1918-1919 or every boy who was recruited to the army was Mindaugas of his time. The only difference was that they did not put the crown on their own heads but put it on the heads of each citizen of Lithuania. They bound the Lithuanian nation and its people to protect, defend and develop the new state of Lithuania forever. The new state of Lithuania was being created by Lithuanians of all generations, but the new Lithuania, the young people of Lithuania, the citizens of the state of Lithuania, were maturing here. The maturity seemed to be natural at the time and it was difficult to measure it. Its exam started during the occupation of Soviet Union. Then loyal citizens viewed the expelling of the invaders and the reestablishment of the state of Lithuania as the aim of their private life. This political attitude was especially prevailing during the years of Lithuanian partisan war against the Soviet invaders in 1944-1953.
 In the long and colourful Lithuanian history, the partisan war has been and will be the expression of the public-spirited ideas of our nation, as well as a universal value. This was the fight for freedom, which was very difficult, dramatic and the one, in which thousands of partisans were fighting. The researchers maintain that there were 15 thousand armed partisans in the summer of 1945. The places of the ones who perished were occupied by the new partisans. In the war for freedom in 1944-1953, about 20 thousand partisans perished. 43.8 thousand partisans tried to leave the underground and act legally. A lot of them were deported to the concentration camps in Russia. 118 thousands Lithuanian habitants were deported because of the direct or indirect support for partisans' ideas. 186 thousands were arrested and imprisoned. 8
 The fight of the nation for its freedom and for the independence of Lithuania is a lasting value and every participant of the fight is worth pride. The difficult partisan war in Lithuania developed a lot of prominent personalities, the commanders, who are seen as the symbols of the fight, of all the honest partisans who perished and ruined themselves in the name of the oath. We mention with pride and respect Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas, a well-known partisan commander, brigadier general, cavalier of Vytis Cross Order. He was shot 50 years ago by the invaders. The armed Lithuanian partisan war lasted for ten years. During this decade Adolfas Ramanauskas developed his talent as an organizer, aware fighter and commander. He developed not only his talent but also the strong belief in the purposeful, right and just choice of being a fighter. The South Lithuanian region partisan newspaper "Partizanas" ("The Partisan"), which was edited by Ramanauskas-Vanagas, on September 28, 1950 in the article "Pogrindžio prasmė" ("Significance of the Underground") indicated that "The underground expresses the will of the whole nation in the eyes of the world; its actions and fighting with the enemy demonstrates for the whole world that Lithuania does not want to be Bolshevik, that it is resolved to fight a fight to the death in order to struggle free from the iron heel of occupation. The underground is the organized fight of the best sons and daughters of the nation and the protest against violence"9. Even one day in the front of the difficult partisan war was difficult and risky, not to mention ten years of such a fight. Only the strong belief in the purpose of the fight could make all the difficulties and constant danger easier. Adolfas Ramanauskas had no doubts about his goal, even though some people already believed that the Soviet empire is stable and it was very difficult to leave it. In 1955 partisan Adolfas Ramanauskas in his book "Daugel krito sūnų..." (Many Sons Have Fallen Dead...) describes his memories about the little fir wood, which was planted by his comrade-in-arms partisan Vladas Baranauskas-Taugirdas from the village of Kaščiūnai and shown for him ten years ago. He wrote: "About ten years have passed since the night when I, still being a patisan, was travelling through the same stretch of woods. The memories of that night and of Taugirdas revived in my head at that time... The pines were already quite tall, but what happened to Taugirdas... Neither me, nor his mother know what happened to him afterwards, which is the place where his violated body was thrown away by the Russians. We still don't have freedom and we cannot even see it dawning. Of course we will have it and the pines maybe still won't be cut down. But where am I going to be?"
 As a partisan and exemplary commander, he was a strict abstainer. "Alcohol is one of the main enemies of the union", Ramanauskas-Vanagas wrote in his book. According to him, another, even a more dangerous enemy, is spies. He wrote in the same book that "The work of spies has been the most ruinous both for the union and for the noble Lithuanians"10. These were the predictive words of the partisan commander. Without spies, the number of whom reached about 120 thousands during the whole Soviet period, they would not have defeated the partisan army and would not have disunited it from the inside.
 When we analyse the life and activities of Ramanauskas - Vanagas, when we read his diary of partisan fights, which was published as a book "Daugel krito sūnų...", as well as the publications, which were edited by him, we can note his main attitudes and goals:
 1. To seek for the centralized partisan command and to prepare them for the partisan war of liberation;
 2. To oppose the occupation regime, to hinder repressions against the citizens of Lithuania, to foster the public self-awareness of the inhabitants and the value of freedom;
 3. To try and protect it from spies and KGB workers.
 Ramanauskas finished Teachers' Institute in Klaipėda and Lithuanian Military School. Ramanauskas Vanagas, a qualified educator, a regular officer of Lithuanian army became eminent as a commander because of the unification of the partisan movement in the whole Lithuania. He took the path of a partisan, when he became the commander of a partisan platoon in Nemunaitis in April, 1945. Then he continued his career while centralizing partisan activities in Dzūkija. After captain Dominykas Jėčys-Ąžuolis had perished, he was elected as the commander of Dainava command on September 24-25, 1947; the following year he became the commander of the South Lithuania region, while during the meeting of all Lithuanian partisan chief-commanders on February 2-22, 1949, where The Union of Lithuanian Freedom Fighters (Lietuvos Laisvės Kovų Sąjūdis (LLKS)) was established, he was elected as the first deputy of Jonas Žemaitis, the chairperson of the LLKS council of the presidium. In the autumn of the same year, he was appointed as the commander in chief of LLKS defensive forces and achieved the partisan general rank. In 1952 Jonas Žemaitis suggested his post for his first deputy general Adolfas Ramanauskas because he himself was seriously ill.
 The meeting of Lithuanian partisan commanders took place in the village of Minaičiai, which is between Radviliškis and Baisogala, in the bunker made in Stasys Miknius' house. Ramanauskas-Vanagas travelled from Dzūkija to this place by foot, the same way as Simonas Daukantas travelled to Vilnius University to gain knowledge and brightness. Ramanauskas made this dangerous trip because of his main goals - to unify the resistance forces and to feel the support of the fold and their existance on the whole. Here he met another Lithuanian officer, well-known partisan chief and politician Jonas Žemaitis-Vytautas. During the ten-days meeting, the ideology of the Union was discussed, as well as fight tactics, the strategies of the reestablishment of Lithuanian independence and the project of Declaration of the Council of the Union of Lithuanian Freedom Fighters was prepared. Ramanauskas was one of the signatories of this declaration. It was a brave challenge for the Soviet invaders and their supporters. The Declaration proclaimed that the council of the Union of Lithuanian Freedom Fighters, formed by the chief commanders of all Lithuanian partisan regions and commands is the highest political body of the nation during the years of occupation. It leads the political and military fight for the liberation of the nation; the aim of the Union is to establish the free, independent and democratic Republic of Lithuania. The Declaration asked everybody to join the active liberation of the nation despite differences in beliefs. The signatories knew about the Declaration of Universal Human Rights enacted by the Organization of the United Nations on December 5, 1948; therefore, in their Declaration, they asked all the democratic world for help in order to achieve their goals.
 The invaders tried to overcome the armed resistance since the beginning of the second Soviet occupation. The occupation authorities demanded from their subordinates to overcome the Lithuanian resistance in a short period of time, usually in two or three months, since the autumn of 1944. Such obligations were imposed constantly. However, it appeared that it is impossible to fulfill them. The invaders assembled large military and ČK forces against the partisans. In August, 1944, the fourth NKVD division, the commander of which was general major Pavelas Vetrovas, was sent to Lithuania with the purpose to fight against the partisans. Before that it took part in the deportation of the nations in Caucasus. On December 27, 1949, it was divided into two, the second and the fourth, divisions. Both of them rampaged in Lithuania during the partisan war. At the end of 1944, some more troops of the 63rd NKVD division, commanded by general Ilja Pijaševas, were sent to Lithuania. Here several frontier troops were also stationed11. Twelve rearward protection NKVD troops were also stationed in Lithuania for some time (1944-1945). In March, 1946 Soviet garrisons were stationed in 163 towns. Later on 200 permanent punishment garrisons were stationed in Lithuania12. Since 1949 the punishment garrisons were started to be unified. According to Juozas Starkauskas, most of the Russian garrisons in 1951 were in Dzūkija, where the partisans commanded by Adolfas Ramanauskas and his brothers-in-arms were acting. The rampage of the invaders had serious consequences on the partisan army. In comparison, during the Independence war (1918-1920) the Lithuanian army lost 1.4 thousand soldiers, while during the partisan war, several thousands partisans perished each year. The total number of the partisans who perished, as it was already mentioned, is 20 thousands. According to the data of the invaders, the numbers of the perished partisans are the following: 2436 in the year 1944, 9777 in 1945, 2143 in 1946, 1540 in 1947, 1135 in 1948, 1018 in 1949, 635 in 1950, 590 in 1951, 457 in 1952, 188 in 1953.
 Among those who perished, were the best Ramanauskas' fold: colonel Juozas Vitkus-Kazimieraitis, captain Dominykas Jėčys-Ąžuolis, major Sergejus Staniškis-Litas, major Zigmas Drunga, lieutenant Antanas Baltūsis-Žvejys, Aleksandras Grybinas-Faustas, captain Jonas Žemaitis-Vytautas, lieutenant Juozas Kasperavičius, Vladas Baranauskas-Taugirdas and many others.
 The invaders were unable to comply with the directives issued by Moscow or local quislings to dissolve the partisan union. It founded on the nation; therefore, it was invincible until the nation was not deported; however, it was persecuted, frightened and divided. Only this can explain why general Adolfas Ramanauskas spent eleven and a half years in the partisan front and later lived illegally. At the time the KGB workers rampaged while looking for his residence. In his memoirs Ramanauskas writes that special troops set him traps unsuccessfully during the first years of being a partisan, while trying to find his residence or to meet with him. He also describes his encounters not only with the soldiers of the invaders, quislings (skrebai) but also with various traitors13. This continued until the tragic events in the autumn of 1956 in Kaunas. In April, 1956, K. Liaudis, the chairperson of the KGB committee in Lithuania, informed his superiors in Moscow that the squad of the committee and the proxies of the districts attentively look for Ramanauskas, Labanauskas and large partisan groups. Ramanauskas was spied even in six districts: Alytaus, Daugų, Druskininkų, Prienų, Simno and Varėnos14.
 Even though partisan commander Ramanauskas lived illegally but he was always closely attached to the nation and tried to cherish its hope to attain freedom. He organized the publishing, edited and wrote himself in the following partisan newspapers: "Trečias skambutis" ("The Third Ring"), [in the autumn of 1945], "Mylėk Tėvynę" ("Love your Homeland") [in 1946-1947], "Laisvės Varpas" ("The Bell of Freedom") [in 1947-1949], "Partizanas" ("The Partisan") [in 1949-1950], "Miško Brolis" ("The Forest Brother") [in 1951-1952]. These newspapers were published from the autumn of 1945 until 1952.
 The biography of the partisan brigadier general is the biography of an exceptional and persistent patriot and citizen of Lithuania, who did not lose hope that the Soviet occupation regime is temporary, even though supported by a great variety of military force and KGB network, that the existance of the free Lithuania is eternal. This is proved by his actions, by the Declaration of the Union of Lithuanian Freedom Fighters and by his memoirs of partisan fighting "Daugel krito sūnų..." (Many Sons Have Fallen Dead...). His biography, his actions and dedication to the goal without paying attention to personal comfort has to be known by every pupil, soldier, rifle and every citizen of the state. His life as a partisan and the nobility and faithfulness of his folds to Lithuania show the insignificance and smallness of those for whom freedom is not a value, who bawl that Lithuanian partisan war was meaningless.
 Any act of disrespect will not degrade the fight for freedom. This is the heritage of quislings (skrebai) and ČK workers' ideology. It is alien for us because even the small nations of low social intellect respect the fighters for freedom. There were some admirers of Stalin and Bolshevists among Lithuanian writers. There are some of them in present days as well.
 Partisan commander general Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas did not attain the 11th of March, in which he strongly believed and for which he was fighting. However, his tenacious hope of freedom made him our contemporary; therefore, he is together with us. The reestablished independent state of Lithuania respectfully assessed his merits and approved his partisan awards and rank.
 Our future is the joining of EU and NATO, which will protect us from such destruction as we experienced in the grip of the Soviet empire and against which Ramanauskas-Vanagas was fighting. With respect to the memory of Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas, we have to cherish the values of our nation and the freedom of the state, to respect our language, its cultural heritage, to honour and to understand the value of freedom fighters, their patriotism and contribution to the freedom of all of us.
 8 Anušauskas, Arvydas. Lietuvių tautos sovietinis naikinimas 1940-1958 metais, Vilnius: Mintis, 1996, p. 403.
 9 Gaškaitė-Žemaitienė, Nijolė (compiler). Partizanai apie pasaulį, politiką ir save: 1944-1956 m. partizanų spaudos publikacijos, Vilnius, 1998, p. 667
 10 Ramanauskas-Vanagas, Adolfas. Daugel krito sūnų... Partizanų gretose, Vilnius, 1999, p.85-86, 315.
 11 Gaškaitė, Nijolė. Pasipriešinimo istorija 1944-1953 metai, Vilnius: Aidai, 1997, p. 21.
 12 Starkauskas, Juozas. Čekistinė kariuomenė Lietuvoje 1944-1953 metais, Vilnius, 1998, p. 389, 390
 13 Ramanauskas-Vanagas, Adolfas. Daugel krito sūnų... Partizanų gretose, Vilnius, 1999, p. 8890 ir kt.
 14 Gaškaitė, Nijolė, Kašėta, Algis, Juozas Starkauskas (compilers). Lietuvos partizanų kovos ir jų slopinimas MVD - MGB dokumentuose 1944-1953 metais. Vilnius, 1996, p. 627-628.
 Pratarmė.............................................................................................3
 Preface................................................................................................5
 Biografija............................................................................................7
 Biography.........................................................................................12
 Aktas.................................................................................................17
 Report...............................................................................................19
 Adolfas Ramanauskas (1920-1945)...............................................21
 Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas partizaninio karo metais
 during the years of partisan war (1945-1955)............................37
 Įpareigojantis partizanų vado atminimas..................................81
 Binding remembrance of the partisan commander..................88
 The publishing of the book sponsored by:
 Municipality of Alytus district
 Municipality of Varėna district
 Municipality of Lazdijai district
 2007 04 12. 6 sp. l. Tiražas 500 egz. Užsakymas 7-010.
 Leidykla „Naujasis lankas".
 Spaustuvė „Morkūnas ir Ko", Draugystės 17, LT-51229 Kaunas.


type: caselaw

jurisdiction: EU

text:
 28.8.2010
 LV
 Eiropas Savienības Oficiālais Vēstnesis
 C 234/4
 Tiesas (trešā palāta) 2010. gada 1. jūlija spriedums (Verwaltungsgerichtshof (Austrija) lūgums sniegt prejudiciālu nolēmumu) — Susanne Gassmayr/Bundesminister für Wissenschaft und Forschung
 (Lieta C-194/08) (1)
 (Sociālā politika - Direktīva 92/85/EEK - Pasākumu ieviešana, lai veicinātu drošības un veselības aizsardzības darbā uzlabošanu strādājošām grūtniecēm, sievietēm, kas strādā pēcdzemdību periodā, vai strādājošām sievietēm, kas baro bērnu ar krūti - 5. panta 3. punkts un 11. panta 1.–3. punkts - Tieša iedarbība - Strādājoša grūtniece, kurai piešķirts atvaļinājums uz grūtniecības laiku - Strādājoša grūtniece grūtniecības un dzemdību atvaļinājumā - Tiesības uz atlīdzību par dežūrām)
 2010/C 234/06
 Tiesvedības valoda — vācu
 Iesniedzējtiesa
 Verwaltungsgerichtshof
 Lietas dalībnieki pamata procesā
 Prasītāja: Susanne Gassmayr
 Atbildētāja: Bundesminister für Wissenschaft und Forschung
 Priekšmets
 Lūgums sniegt prejudiciālu nolēmumu — Verwaltungsgerichtshof — Padomes 1992. gada 19. oktobra Direktīvas 92/85/EEK par pasākumu ieviešanu, lai veicinātu drošības un veselības aizsardzības darbā uzlabošanu strādājošām grūtniecēm, sievietēm, kas strādā pēcdzemdību periodā, vai strādājošām sievietēm, kas baro bērnu ar krūti (OV L 348, 1. lpp.), 11. panta 1., 2. un 3. punkta interpretācija — Tieša iedarbība — Darbinieces tiesības laikposmā, kad pastāv nodarbinātības aizliegums grūtniecēm, un/vai grūtniecības un dzemdību atvaļinājuma laikā saņemt piemaksu par dežūru veikšanu ārpus parastajiem darba laikiem (“Journaldienstzulage”)
 Rezolutīvā daļa:
 1)
 Padomes 1992. gada 19. oktobra Direktīvas 92/85/EEK par pasākumu ieviešanu, lai veicinātu drošības un veselības aizsardzības darbā uzlabošanu strādājošām grūtniecēm, sievietēm, kas strādā pēcdzemdību periodā, vai strādājošām sievietēm, kas baro bērnu ar krūti (desmitā atsevišķā direktīva Direktīvas 89/391/EEK 16. panta 1. punkta nozīmē), 11. panta 1.–3. punktam ir tieša iedarbība un ar to tiek piešķirtas tiesības privātpersonām, uz kurām tās var atsaukties attiecībā pret dalībvalsti, kura nav transponējusi šo direktīvu valsts tiesībās vai ir transponējusi to nepareizi, — tiesības, kuras jānodrošina valsts tiesām;
 2)
 Direktīvas 92/85 11. panta 1. punkts ir jāinterpretē tādējādi, ka ar to netiek aizliegts valsts tiesiskais regulējums, kurā ir paredzēts, ka strādājošai grūtniecei, kurai uz laiku piešķirts atvaļinājums sakarā ar grūtniecību, ir tiesības uz darba samaksu, kas atbilst vidējai algai, ko viņa saņēma atsauces laikposmā pirms grūtniecības sākuma, izņemot atlīdzību par dežūrām;
 3)
 Direktīvas 92/85 11. panta 2. un 3. punkts ir jāinterpretē tādējādi, ka tas neaizliedz valsts tiesisko regulējumu, kurā ir paredzēts, ka darbiniecei grūtniecības un dzemdību atvaļinājumā ir tiesības uz darba samaksu, kas atbilst vidējai algai, ko viņa saņēma atsauces laikposmā pirms šī atvaļinājuma sākuma, izņemot atlīdzību par dežūrām.
 (1) OV C 197, 02.08.2008.