In WWI, after the Germans had taken the Kaunas fortress on August 18,1915 and were anxious to take the communications centre Vilnius by outflanking, the river Nemunas (Njemen) had to be negotiated at several other points as well. At Prienai (Preny), … [Read more...] about Prienai 1919
Vilkija 1919-1920
In WWI, Vilkija (Vilki, Wilki) was taken by German troops during their preparations in the summer of 1915 to storm Kaunas (Kovna, Kovno, Kowno) whose formidable fortress endangered the German advance further east. At Vilkija, a bridge across the … [Read more...] about Vilkija 1919-1920
Kretinga 1919
In WWI, being on the border and thus in a kind of no man's land, the town of Kretinga (Kretingen, Krottingen) was immediately passed through by German troops when the push into Žemaitija and Courland started on April 27, 1915. By 2.30 a.m. that … [Read more...] about Kretinga 1919
Rietavas 1919
In WWI, Rietavas (Retovo, Retowo) after a brief fire-fight was passed through by German infantry units of the 12th res. brig. (6. Reserve-Division) at about midday on April 28, 1915 , that is, the day after the Germans embarked on a push into … [Read more...] about Rietavas 1919
The Vilnius Area in the Summer of 1920
One of the least known episodes in early Lithuanian postal history is the endeavour of the Lithuanian Pašto Valdyba to open, in the summer of 1920, Lithuanian post offices in in some localities in the Vilnius area which since April 1919 had been … [Read more...] about The Vilnius Area in the Summer of 1920