Skaisgirys (also spelled Skaisgiris) is a township in northern Lithuania, 18 km north-west of Joniškis. In World War One, Skaisgirys (like Joniškis) changed hands repeatedly during the two volatile battles for Šiauliai. It was reached as early as April 30, 1915 and held for a few days by fast-moving units of German cavalry, then reclaimed by the Russians, then conclusively passed through by 78. Reserve-Division on July 20.
During the German withdrawal from Russia at the end of 1918, units of the Red Army arrived in this area in January 1919 but were pushed out in mid-March by Detachement Yorck of the Grenzschutz. Later, in October – November 1919, Lithuanian self-adminstration in the area was hampered by Bermondt’s Westarmee, especially by aggressive requisitioning done by troops commanded by Virgolich (Wirgolitsch). The “bermontininkai” were evicted in late November 1919.
Apparently, Skaisgirys had no postal facility in the czarist period. A Lithuanian postal branch, probably an agentūra, was set up in 1921 (?). As yet, no details are available about its early location and personnel.
For stamps, Skaisgirys had Fourth Berlin Issue and may have had the Sėjėjas Issue etc. It had no formal postmarker to start with, so when the branch was supplied with a double-framed boxed cachet, it was used for cancelling as well. But it is possible that an earlier mode had been pen-cancelling. So far, no other provisional markings have been recorded.
A standard calendar-type postmarker was supplied in 1923 (?, earliest noted date April 1924) with the inscription “SKAISGIRYS”. In the late 1930s the place-name was amended to “SKAISGIRIS”. After the Second Wold War the name was changed once more and now for several decades has been “SKAISTGIRYS”.
Known provisional markings:
Cancelling by means of a boxed cachet:
No date single, Berlin IV 3a [colln. Liesis]