Lithuanian Territorial Defense Force - Dissent

Dissent

The Germans were surprised by the number of volunteers as their previous appeals went unheeded. Possibly perceiving the growing popularity of the unit as a threat, they started to interfere, going against the signed agreement. On March 22, 1944, SS Obergruppenführer and SD General Friedrich Jackeln called for 70–80 thousand subsidiary assistants for the German army. Chief-of-Staff of the Northern Front Field Marshal Walther Model further demanded that the Lithuanians provide personnel for 15 security battalions for the military airports. General Commissioner of Lithuania Adrian von Renteln added his demand for laborers to be sent to work in Germany. They were not the only German officials to issue demands for Lithuanian recruits. Plechavičius rejected and resisted such demands.

On April 6, 1944, Plechavičius was given an order to mobilize the entire country. He refused, saying that it is impossible until the formation of his existing detachment was finished; this increased the Germans displeasure with him. In late April, as the German plans to mobilize Lithuanians into the German armed forces became obvious, Plechavičius secretly started organizing "Tėvynės Apaugos Rinktinė", an underground armed forces, which would include Lithuanian Army officers, veterans of the Lithuanian Wars of Independence, and former members of Lithuanian Riflemen Union. All across Lithuania, a network was secretly organized by territorial LTDF officers. The plans were to assemble around 75–80 thousand men. Most of the organizational structure was laid, and it served as a basis for the armed anti-Soviet resistance.