Laisvės kovos Pasvalio krašte: žmonės ir faktai

Prasidėjus partizaniniam judėjimui, Pasvalys dar priklausė Biržų apskričiai. Čia nuo pat pirmųjų sovietinės reokupacijos dienų telkėsi gana dideli partizanų būriai. Laisvės kovos šiame krašte turėjo savo specifiką. Čia anksčiausiai sugrįžo „išvaduotojai“, su Aukštaitija siejamos ir pirmosios partizanų kovos. Biržų krašto partizanų struktūriniai daliniai veikė savarankiškai, nepriklausė 1949 m. įkurtam Lietuvos laisvės kovos sąjūdžiui (LLKS). Taip atsitiko dėl ryšių su aukščiausia pasipriešinimo vadovybe trūkumo. 1947 m. buvo įkurta Dariaus ir Girėno apygarda, kurioje kovojo ir Pasvalio krašto vyrai. Apygarda egzistavo labai neilgai. Joje veikę partizanai tik 1951 m. prisijungė prie LLKS Vyčio apygardos, buvo įkurta Sierakausko (vėliau pavadinta Pilėnų) tėvūnija. Daugiausia mūsų krašto vyrų būrėsi Algimanto (1950 m. įjungta į Vyčio) apygardos Žaliojoje rinktinėje, kuri veikė Žaliojoje girioje. Žymesnieji partizanų vadai Pasvalio krašte buvo kapitonas Petras Paltarokas (Joniškėlio partizanai), broliai Povilas ir Jonas Žiliai (Daujėnai), leitenantas Kazimieras Pažemeckas (Saločiai), Petras Tamošiūnas (Krikliniai), Jonas Alenčikas (Pasvalio valsčius). Šiuo metu nemažoje dalyje mūsų krašto kaimų yra paminklų, kuriuose įamžintos žuvusių kaimo kovotojų pavardės. Daugelis jų žuvo po vieną, mažomis grupelėmis, išduoti, susekti priešo, netekę galimybės pasislėpti. Pasvalio krašte nebuvo tokių galimybių kovai kaip Pietų Lietuvoje, tačiau keli didesni mūšiai įvyko ir mūsų žemėje arba arti jos. Tai buvo 1945–1946 m., kai partizaninis judėjimas buvo pats aktyviausias.In Biržai district, so also in Pasvalys region, the partisan structural units acted independently. In 1947 Darius and Girėnas Command was founded, but it acted for a short period. Only in 1951 the partisans of those lands joined the LLKS (Lithuanian Freedom Fighters’ Union) Vytis Command. Most of the men of Pasvalys region joined the Green Special team of Algimantas Command (which was incorporated into Vytis Command in 1950). In 1945-1946 there were several significant partisan battles in Pasvalys region. The battle at Leliškės site started when NKVD agents unexpectedly assaulted the partisans. The partisans managed to get out of the encirclement, but 25 men were killed, whose remains were desecrated in nearby villages and surrounding settlements. The partisans who acted near Joniškėlis town were attacked by the forces from Šiauliai, but the partisan fighters successfully repulsed the attack of the larger enemy forces and caused him considerable losses. The partisans suffered the biggest losses in the battle of Ažagai-Eimuliškis (Pušalotas region). The NKVD has concentrated huge internal forces and surrounded the forest. When partisans tried to break through the encirclement 80 partisans were killed. The enemies used military equipment, even the airplanes in the battle. Well-known collision took place in Jurge- niškės village. In the farmstead of this village NKVD agents captured the partisans brothers Pyragiai, who strongly resisted. Only when the house, where the brothers were defending, was burnt, the enemies managed to defeat them. The partisan bodies were desecrated at the Pasvalys Market Square, then buried in an unknown location, perhaps on the coast of the Lėvuo river. NKVD agents surrounded the farmstead of Uniūnai village, where a large group of partisans stayed. There were killed up to 23 men. Their remains were disgraced in Joniškėlis, then it was attempt to burn them in Girelė forest. Many of partisans remains were secretly taken away and buried by the relatives. The famous Lithuanian partisans were originated from Pasvalys. The writer, journalist Bronius Krivickas. Vilnius contributed to the underground press existence, prepared and edited publications. Bronius was appointed as the Head of the Public Section of the Eastern Lithuania headquaters. The NKVD was especially hunting after him. He was killed in a bunker, because he was betrayed by the Head of the Command. Vladas Juozokas-Petraitis graduated from a paratroopers’ school in Germany and returned to fight for his native land. He brought men to Kęstutis partisan squad. He shot himself dead when he got to the enemy’s ambush. The partisan commander Jonas Misiūnas-Žalias Velnias led the Great Combat Team, which later grew up into the Command. Jonas was the specialist of partisan reconnaissance, but unfortunately he did not escape the enemy trap himself - he was lured to the trap by Juozas Markulis-Erelis. Jonas Misiūnas was arrested, taken to Moscow imprisonment and killed there. The journalist, the resistant and the intellectual Julijonas Būtėnas-Stėvė worked for implementing the idea of the Lithuanian Activists Front when the war started in Berlin. He worked as the Head of the Information Office of the High Commetee for the Liberation of Lithuania. He was fighting non-weapon fight, but with the help of the press, publications. However, later he decided to fight with a weapon, he returned to Lithuania and died from an enemy’s bullet