The organization was formed in 1988, by Lithuanian cultural and
Sąjūdis activists and its primary aim was the preservation of the Lithuanian language and culture in Vilnius region. The organization is mostly composed of
ethnic Lithuanians although it was later joined by a token Polish organization, the Association of St. Zita (Stowarzyszenie Św. Zyty).[3] The organization was created by
Romualdas Ozolas and has been led for many years by
Kazimieras Garšva.[7][5][10] Its program, elaborated in a monograph by Garšva,[11] is based on the theory that the big part of the
Poles in Lithuania are in fact descendants of
PolonizedLithuanians and
Belarusians. According to Vilnija members, this made them "ethnic Lithuanians" who should be restored to the nation. To achieve that, organization proposed that they should be
forcibly assimilated by removing any trace of Polish textbooks, teachers, symbols and traditions.[1] The organization's goal is also to counter perceived growing Polish influence in Lithuania, which Vilnija sees as a threat to that nation.[1]
Controversies
Vilnija has been seen by Polish government and media to often organize or support
anti-Polish actions[8][3][10] and the academic works of its leader, the philologist
Kazimieras Garšva, have been negatively received by the Polish government[12][13] and media.[14][15]
Vilnija takes an interest in the political situation of the Lithuanians of the
Vilnius Region. It is critical of the
Election Action of Lithuania's Poles party, which it claims discourages the assimilation of the national minorities of Lithuania and constantly tries to present the Polish minority as prosecuted.[16]Valdemar Tomaševski, the leader of EAPL, describes Vilnija as nationalistic.[17][18]
Vilnija often voices concern about the situation of Lithuanian schools in the areas of Polish minority.[19][20] According to Vilnija, the local government propagates Polish schools at the expense of Lithuanian schools.[19][20] Vilnija is also active in the campaign against allowing members of the Polish minority in Lithuania to be able to spell their names with a Polish alphabet in official documents.[21]
During the 1980s and 1990s, the organization's most prominent activists were scientists
Zigmas Zinkevičius and
Alvydas Butkus [
lt], according to Polish historian Barbara Jundo-Kaliszewska.[24]
^Bielenin, Karolina; Tomasiewicz, Jarosław.
"Polish Minority in Lithuania". Stowarzyszenie na rzecz Wielości Kultur. Stowarzyszenie Wspierania Kultur Etnicznych. Retrieved 2007-01-13.
^
abcCieplak, Paweł.
"Polsko-litewskie stosunki" [Polish-Lithuanian Affairs]. Ambasada.lt (in Polish). UAB "Penki kontinentai". Archived from
the original on 2009-05-05. Retrieved 2007-01-13.
^Zuchowicz, Katarzyna (16 July 2003).
"Pół wieku z polskim słowem" [Half a Century With a Polish Word]. Rzeczpospolita (in Polish). Retrieved 2007-01-13 – via Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
^
abPolish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (October 2006).
"Ustawa o języku państwowym" [Statute on national language]. Media Zagraniczne O Polsce (Foreign Media on Poland) (in Polish). XV (200/37062). Retrieved 2006-01-20. Commentary on Vincas Urbutis' article "Debaty nad ustawą o języku" (Debates on the Language Act) in Lietuvos aidas.
^
abPolish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (October 2006).
"Antypolski tekst K. Garsvy" [Anti-Polish text by K. Garšva]. Media Zagraniczne O Polsce (Foreign Media on Poland) (in Polish). XV (200/37062). Retrieved 2006-01-20. Commentary on Garšva's article "Kiedy na Wileńszczyźnie będzie wprowadzone zarządzanie bezpośrednie?" (When Vilnius region will have direct self-government?)" in Lietuvos aidas.
^Garšva, Kazimieras (1990). Pietryčių Lietuvos autonomijos klausimai [Questions on the Autonomy of South-Eastern Lithuania] (in Lithuanian). Vilnius: Eksperimentinė technikos paminklų restauravimo įmonė.
OCLC311338314.
^Jundo-Kaliszewska, Barbara (2013).
"Etnolingwistyczna istota nacjonalizmu litewskiego i antypolonizm Litwinów na przełomie lat osiemdziesiątych i dziewięćdziesiątych XX w." [The ethnolinguistic essence of Lithuanian nationalism and the anti-Polonism of Lithuanians at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s]. Acta Universitatis Lodziensis. Folia Historica. 91: 236. Najwybitniejszymi działaczami Vilnii w omawianym okresie byli m.in. wspomniani wyżej naukowcy – Zigmas Zinkevičius i Alvydas Butkus (
lit.'The most prominent Vilnija activists during the period in question included the aforementioned scientists - Zigmas Zinkevičius and Alvydas Butkus')