Historical Research

The main objective of the Commission is to fill in the gaps of the history of modern Lithuania with a thorough scientific research and to present a coordinated assessment by the Commission members.

A RESEARCH PLAN

On 29 August of 1999 at the third meeting, members of the Commission approved the Work plan of the Commission, where in a sequence the research topics are set out in accordance with the occupation periods. The Commission’s Work plan foresees the research of the occupation period of Lithuania in 1940-1990 and the crimes committed during it. First, the Commission analyzed the period of Lithuanian occupation until 1953.

On 8 May of 2005 at the eighth meeting of the Commission, the Work plan of the Commission was approved, which sets forth research of the second phase of the Soviet occupation.

The Presidential decree of the President of the Republic of Lithuania on the establishment of the Commission and the Commission documents stipulate that two separate and independent Sub-commissions are instituted to draw a distinction between the Nazi occupation regime and the Soviet occupation regime. This is to avoid superficial parallels by analyzing and evaluating the crimes committed by occupation regimes.

• The first occupation phase of 1940-1941 and the second Soviet occupation of 1944-1990 are researched by the Sub-commission on the evaluation of crimes of the Soviet occupation regime.
• The Nazi occupation period in 1941–1944 is researched by the Sub-commission on the evaluation of the Nazi occupation crimes and the Holocaust.

When investigating the crimes of both totalitarian regimes, the Commission analyzes the relations and role of the occupational and local authorities in the then Lithuania, the problem of collaboration, as well as the repressive methods and objectives of the occupation regimes and their assistants. The Commission is trying to analyze the fate of the victims of repression and genocide, the peculiarities of their previous life, the reaction of Lithuanian society to the crimes of the occupation regimes, also the role of active and passive resistance.

THE RESEARCH PROCESS AND APPROVAL OF THE COMMISSION’S CONCLUSIONS

In order to perform transparent researches and to evaluate the occupational regimes and the crimes committed as objectively as possible, the foremost Lithuanian and foreign scientists are engaged in research on behalf of the Commission. The research process is detailed in the Commission’s rule of procedure. The research of each question and the approval of the Commission’s conclusions consist of several stages:

• the best experts from Lithuania and foreign countries are selected to research each specific item on the Work plan of the Commission;
• the experts carry out a thorough research and present it to the Commission;
• the research completed is further on reviewed and evaluated by other experts in this field;
• on the basis of all the material collected, the chairman of a relevant Sub-commission prepares a draft of the Commission’s conclusions in cooperation with the coordinator of the scientific research programs and a researcher;
• all the material (the scientific research, reviews, draft conclusions, etc.) is provided for consideration by a relevant Sub-commission;
• on the basis of the submitted material, the members of the Sub-commission discuss and approve the conclusions during the meeting;
• the final conclusions are usually taken by consensus;
• in the event that one or more members of the Commission disagree with the conclusions, suggested by the majority in the Commission, their opinion shall be published together with the main conclusions of the Commission as an integral part thereof;
• the approved conclusions of the Commission, the results of the research and additional materials are made public.

 PUBLICIZING OF THE WORKS COMPLETED

The conclusions approved by the Commission together with the research material and the most interesting archival documents are published in Lithuanian and in English.

In addition, all the research material is posted on Research works database. There you can find researches conveyed, reviews, historical documents and approved conclusions of the Commission.