27-28 OCTOBER 2022
Annual Baltic Military History Conference
Armed Resistance in the Baltic States during and after the Second World War
The Forest Brothers movement in the Baltic states is significant around the world in the context of the resistance operating concept. The aim of the conference is to summarize the history of the armed resistance in the Baltic States – the Forest Brothers – from both an historical and a military perspective.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Prof. Jeremy Black
Jeremy Black (b. 1955), a Senior Fellow, is professor of history at Exeter University. He studied at Queens’ College Cambridge, St John’s College Oxford, and Merton College Oxford before joining the University of Durham as a lecturer in 1980. There he gained his PhD and ultimately his professorship in 1994. Black is a prolific lecturer and writer, the author of over 100 books. Many concern aspects of eighteenth century British, European and American political, diplomatic and military history. But he has also broadened his perspective, both temporally and geographically, and published on the history of the press, cartography, warfare, culture and on the nature and uses of history itself. Jeremy’s work adds up to the most sustained presentation of British history in recent decades. He is a major exponent of military, diplomatic and cartographic history and has been important in helping the British to look at their past, as well as in representing British history to foreign audiences.PROGRAM
09:00
09:00 - 10:00
Arrival and registration
10:00
10:00 - 10:05
Administrative remarks
Mr. Art Johanson
Conference Director and Baltic Defence College lecturer in Military History and Strategic Planning
Conference Director and Baltic Defence College lecturer in Military History and Strategic Planning
10:05
10:05 - 10:20
Welcoming Remarks / Opening of the conference
Mr Hellar Lill
Head of the Estonian War Museum - General Laidoner Museum
COL Andriejus Grachauskas
Course Director of Joint Command and General Staff Course/ Civil Servants' Course, Baltic Defence College
Head of the Estonian War Museum - General Laidoner Museum
COL Andriejus Grachauskas
Course Director of Joint Command and General Staff Course/ Civil Servants' Course, Baltic Defence College
10:20
10:20 - 10:30
Hendrik Sepp Prize
The Hendrik Sepp Prize honours renowned military historian, member of the Estonian Academy of Sciences, Professor Hendrik Sepp (1888–1943). It is awarded annually for the best academic publication on Estonian military history that has come out during the previous year. Established in 2013 by the Estonian War Museum – General Laidoner Museum and Ministry of Defence with the aim of advancing research in Estonian military history, the prize with a value up to 3000 euros can also be divided into a monograph and an article prize.
Presented by Mr. Hellar Lill
Presented by Mr. Hellar Lill
10:30
10:30 - 11:00
Opening Keynote Address
Prof. Jeremy Black (United Kingdom): People’s warfare: the historical dimensions
11:00
11:00 - 12:00
Keynote Panel
Keynote panel is focusing on the theoretical aspects of the contemporary resistance operating concept and historical experience. The speakers in the panel have extensive experience in their field.
The past is present MG Michael Repass (USA)
ROC and Comprehensive Defence Handbook experiences from Russian war against Ukraine Dr. Byron Harper (USA)
Prof. Jeremy Black is participating in the discussion
The past is present MG Michael Repass (USA)
ROC and Comprehensive Defence Handbook experiences from Russian war against Ukraine Dr. Byron Harper (USA)
Prof. Jeremy Black is participating in the discussion
12:00
12:00 - 12:45
Coffee Break
12:45
12:45 - 14:15
PANEL 2 - Armed resistance: history and military significance
The presentations and discussion combine historical experience and give examples of modern approaches. Polish armed resistance movement during and after Second World War as well as general principles of resistance and the significance of special operations forces in conducting irregular warfare in the Baltics will be asserted.
General Principles of Resistance LTC (ret) Valerijus Šerelis (Lithuania)
The significance of special operations forces (SOF) in conducting irregular warfare in the Baltics in a modern conflict. Taking lessons from the forest brothers and the Russo-Ukrainian war Mr. Jakub Knopp (Poland)
Polish resistance movement during and after WWII COL Michał Małyska (Poland)
General Principles of Resistance LTC (ret) Valerijus Šerelis (Lithuania)
The significance of special operations forces (SOF) in conducting irregular warfare in the Baltics in a modern conflict. Taking lessons from the forest brothers and the Russo-Ukrainian war Mr. Jakub Knopp (Poland)
Polish resistance movement during and after WWII COL Michał Małyska (Poland)
14:15
14:15 - 15:30
Lunch
15:30
15:30 - 17:00
PANEL 3: Armed resistance in the Baltic states during 1940’s
This panel examines the Baltic experience with resistance, there are four presentations which are followed by the panel discussion. Presentations are following: Sustainability of the fight for freedom in Lithuania after WWII; Latvian national armed resistance during the summer of 1941 through the eyes of German military units; Soviet NKVD-MGB countering the resistance in Estonia; The Secret Missions from Sweden to Estonia 1948–1956.
Sustainability of the fight for freedom in Lithuania after WWII MSG Ernestas Kuckailis (Lithuania)
Latvian national armed resistance during the summer of 1941 through the eyes of German military units Mr. Jānis Tomaševskis (Latvia)
Soviet NKVD-MGB countering the resistance in Estonia MAJ Artur Zirul (Estonia)
The Secret Missions from Sweden to Estonia 1948–1956 Dr. Meelis Saueauk (Estonia)
Sustainability of the fight for freedom in Lithuania after WWII MSG Ernestas Kuckailis (Lithuania)
Latvian national armed resistance during the summer of 1941 through the eyes of German military units Mr. Jānis Tomaševskis (Latvia)
Soviet NKVD-MGB countering the resistance in Estonia MAJ Artur Zirul (Estonia)
The Secret Missions from Sweden to Estonia 1948–1956 Dr. Meelis Saueauk (Estonia)
09:00
09:00 - 09:30
Arrival
09:30
09:30 - 09:35
Welcoming remarks
Mr. Toomas Hiio
Head of Research of the Estonian War Museum – General Laidoner Museum
Head of Research of the Estonian War Museum – General Laidoner Museum
09:35
09:35 - 11:00
PANEL 4 - Comparisions and examples: from irregular warfare to regular troops
Conducting successful irregular warfare. History lessons from World War I's Arab Revolt and the Forest Brothers
Ms. Julia Zalewska-Biziuk (Poland)
Forest Brothers: from Unorganized Guerrillas to Volunteer Units
Ms. Ariane Bousquet (Canada)
Ms. Julia Zalewska-Biziuk (Poland)
Forest Brothers: from Unorganized Guerrillas to Volunteer Units
Ms. Ariane Bousquet (Canada)
11:00
11:00 - 11:30
Coffee break
11:30
11:30 - 13:00
PANEL 5 - Case studies
The influence of the partisan movement in the Baltic countries on the shape of the security infrastructure of the NATO Eastern Flank
Ms. Agnieszka Homańska (Poland)
The Effect of Activity and Passivity on Survival of Armed Resistance Movement: The Example of National Partisans in Northern Vidzeme (1944–1953)
Mr. Reinis Ratnieks (Latvia)
Bunkers and fortifications of partisan movements in Lithuania during and after the Second World War
Mr. Titas Tamkvaitis (Lithuania)
Ms. Agnieszka Homańska (Poland)
The Effect of Activity and Passivity on Survival of Armed Resistance Movement: The Example of National Partisans in Northern Vidzeme (1944–1953)
Mr. Reinis Ratnieks (Latvia)
Bunkers and fortifications of partisan movements in Lithuania during and after the Second World War
Mr. Titas Tamkvaitis (Lithuania)
13:00
13:00 - 13:10
Concluding Remarks
Mr. Art Johanson
Conference Director and Baltic Defence College lecturer in Military History and Strategic Planning
Conference Director and Baltic Defence College lecturer in Military History and Strategic Planning
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