Explosive Ordnance Clearance in Lithuania in 1944–1946

Abstract

This article investigates the process of mine clearance in Lithuania between 1944 and 1946, conducted through the Soviet paramilitary organization OSOAVIACHIM. Based on documents preserved in the Lithuanian Central State Archives and the Lithuanian Special Archives, the study reconstructs the extent of explosive contamination and the implementation of the Soviet demining policy in the Lithuanian SSR. For the first time, a systematic reconstruction is provided of how mine clearance operations were organized and executed, the challenges encountered, and their underlying causes, including insufficient training of specialists, shortages of equipment, limited engagement by local authorities, a high number of accidents and civilian casualties, and the efforts of the Lithuanian SSR authorities to align with Moscow’s expectations. The specific conditions of the Lithuanian SSR, including an uncollectivized countryside, limited industrialization, weak peripheral administrative structures, and widespread public distrust of occupation institutions, complicated the application of standardized Soviet practices. Although official reports declared Lithuania ‘cleared of mines’ by the end of 1945, a significant number of explosives remained. The study contributes to the historiography by elucidating the interaction of wartime legacies, militarization, and security dilemmas in postwar Lithuanian society, and by highlighting security challenges that continue to hold contemporary relevance.