Writers at the 20th congress of the Lithuanian Communist Party

Straipsnyje aptariama bendra LKP padėtis sovietmečiu, analizuojami dalies rašytojų stojimo į šią partiją motyvai, rašytojų komunistų požiūris į partiją Tautinio atgimimo laikotarpiu, ypatingas dėmesys skiriamas rašytojų komunistų vaidmeniui 1989 m. gruodžio 19–23 d. įvykusiame LKP XX suvažiavime, kuriame partija skilo į savarankišką LKP ir prosovietinę LKP-TSKP, kuri toliau liko Sovietų Sąjungos komunistų partijos sudėtine dalimiAfter living through a complicated period during the National Revival, at the 20th Congress of the Lithuanian Communist Party (LKP) held at the end of 1989 the LKP split into two parts: an independent LKP and a Moscow-dependent LKP. It was the moment which meant that Mikhail Gorbachev lost its main pillar – the support of the already independent LKP leader Algirdas Brazauskas (he was one of the most popular politicians among Lithuanian residents at that time) and the party under his leadership; the Kremlin had to rely on a small group of local communists which had not yet broken their ties with the CPSU but was not really popular in the Lithuanian society. On the scale of the Soviet Union the separation of the LKP was an unprecedented event in the whole USSR (a good example is contagious; it could have given rise to a fear that other union communist parties could have followed in the footsteps of Lithuania); it was a certain misdemeanour in the CPSU. The research revealed that the rapid Lithuanization of the LKP during the post-Stalin era was determined by a number of motives the main of which was the adjustment of its members to the Soviet system which enabled the communists to survive and opened the ways for active work in their own favour and often in favour of the Lithuanian nation. Whereas there was a number of Lithuanian patriots among the communists, including writers, in the face of the changing political circumstances they did not only choose to serve their nation and got involved in the processes of reform movement which began during the Lithuanian National Revival period but were also among the initiators of the reforms implemented at that time and the leaders of reform driving organisations (Writers’ Union) and the Reform Movement of Lithuania Sąjūdis. The membership in the communist party had a certain advantage over others as it protected its members from the potential repressions of the government during the National Revival. [...]Vytauto Didžiojo universitetasŠvietimo akademij