Lithuanian Liberty Army

It was part of the anti-Nazi resistance during the German occupation of Lithuania during World War II as it opposed German policies, but did not begin armed resistance. The armed struggle began in mid-1944 when the Red Army reached the Lithuanian borders after the Minsk offensive.

The LLA became the first wave of the Lithuanian partisans. It attempted to become the central command of the armed struggle. However, the organization was liquidated by the Soviet security forces (NKVD and MGB) by April 1946. The organization's remnants were absorbed by other partisans. The guerrilla war continued until 1953.

Organization and German occupation

The LLA distanced itself from other political resistance organizations in Lithuania. It believed that various organizations and factions splintered Lithuanian unity by petty bickering. The LLA was supposed to be a disciplined, military-based organization. It was the only sizable organization from the Lithuanian resistance that did not participate in the activities of the Supreme Committee for the Liberation of Lithuania (created in 1943) and did not support the creation of the Plechavičius-led Lithuanian Territorial Defense Force because it thought that ultimately the Lithuanian soldiers would be needlessly sacrificed, but the LLA did not dare to speak concretely and directly against it. The organization also strictly prohibited its members from leaving Lithuania (i.e. retreating with the Wehrmacht).

Veverskis was in charge of the headquarters, personally oversaw writing of orders and directives, and published newspaper Karinės ir politinės žinios (Military and Political News), targeting members of LLA and its commanders, and Karžygys (Warrior), targeting general public. The LLA operated an illegal printing press in Vilnius which published the Military and Political News every ten days, with a circulation of 500 to 1,000 copies.

His right-hand man was lieutenant Adolfas Eidimtas (codename Žybartas, Vygantas). Veverskis also actively recruited new members, particularly those serving in the Lithuanian Auxiliary Police. Among the recruits were twelve former colonels of the Lithuanian Army, who became commanders of LLA districts. The Army was organized in four regions (Vilnius, Kaunas, Šiauliai, and Panevėžys), which were further subdivided into districts based on the administrative divisions of Lithuania. According to regulations, each district had to have headquarters with operational, reconnaissance, organizational, and personnel departments. It unsuccessfully planned to send troops to combat the Polish Home Army in the Vilnius Region (see the Polish–Lithuanian relations during World War II).