Lithuanian schools in Vilnius in 1920–1939

Based on archival and historiographical materials, the article addresses the development of Lithuanian schools in Vilnius in the period 1920–1939; it reveals their situation in the context of education of other ethnic groups in the city and considers whether the situation of Lithuanian education was in any way exceptional; the article discloses the problems faced by Lithuanian schools in Vilnius. In the period in question the activities of schools in Vilnius can be divided into two stages: 1) 1920–1923 – a liberal period when the development of non-Polish schools was more or less independent as a result of the unsolved issue of the national belonging of Vilnius; 2) 1924–1939 – the radicalization of the situation of non-Polish schools when the establishment of such schools was restricted by simultaneously expanding the network of public schools. It did not take long for the consequences of such a reform to come to the fore. In 1920–1939 the number of private non- Polish schools in Vilnius and their pupils reduced; the control of such schools was tightened. In the case of Vilnius Lithuanians, several lower secondary and secondary schools were closed down. The Polish government undertook the program of assimilation of ethnic minorities in the country, with education playing an important role in the process. Education should contribute to the Polonization of residents in ethnically mixed eastern territories of the country, thus facilitating the integration of Vilnius and its region to Poland. In pursuit of these goals, the central and local government would often resort to the repressive method, i.e. non-Polish schools were closed down; the establishment of private schools was prohibited; non-Polish teachers were moved to the remote regions of the country or Polish schools. Due to complicated relations between Lithuania and Poland, the situation of the Lithuanian community in Vilnius differed from that of other communities. In order to normalize the Polish- Lithuanian relations, the situation of Lithuanian schools in Vilnius was not in any way burdened at the beginning of the period concerned. However, as the expectations ended in failure, a different tactic was employed by imposing restrictions on Lithuanian schools. The Polish central authorities were prone to take advantage of Vilnius Lithuanians in pursuance of political goals (to establish diplomatic relations with Lithuania; to ameliorate the situation of Lithuanian Poles)