History
The organisation was most powerful in independent Lithuania until the Soviet occupation in June 1940. Being a member was seen as prestigious, and "šaulys" was regarded as a defender of the state: when Lithuania was occupied, it conducted guerrilla warfare. It was natural that many state officials were members of this organisation. At the time it was multinational containing Belarusians and Russians. The main purpose of the organization was to train citizens in a military art, and in case of military aggression, to provide trained people to the Lithuanian Armed Forces. After the Soviet Union occupied Lithuania in 1940, the Soviets quickly dissolved the organisation, and many members were arrested and sentenced to death.
After Lithuania re-established independence in 1990, the organization was recreated, but it did not regain its former popularity or influence. A branch called Young Riflemen (Jaunieji Šauliai) is a paramilitary organisation for children. Current membership of the Lithuanian Riflemen's Union is 7,000; in the interwar period it was 61,000. 61% of its members are Young Riflemen (12–18 years old), 8% are Active Riflemen (people who formerly were in army, 18–45 years old) and the remaining 31% are Inactive Riflemen.
Read more about this topic: Lithuanian Riflemen's Union
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