People / group

Lithuanian Riflemen's Union

1919 · 20th century

The Lithuanian Riflemen's Union is a paramilitary volunteer organisation founded in 1919 by Vladas Putvinskis to support the army during the wars of independence. Between the wars it grew into a mass organisation and took part in the seizure of Klaipėda in 1923; it was banned in 1940 under Soviet occupation, and many members joined the anti-Soviet resistance. Re-established in 1989, it now forms part of Lithuania's national defence.

Lithuanian Riflemen's Union
Image: Lithuanian Riflemen's Union · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Lithuanian Riflemen's Union. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/lithuanian-riflemens-union
MLA
“Lithuanian Riflemen's Union.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/lithuanian-riflemens-union. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Lithuanian Riflemen's Union.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/lithuanian-riflemens-union.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Lithuanian Riflemen's Union’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/lithuanian-riflemens-union (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻