Authors

Marius Ėmužis¹; Antanas Terleckas¹;  ¹ Vilnius university, PAScapes, Lithuania

Discussion

This presentation compares two attempts to build hydroelectric stations near Kaunas under two authoritarian regimes: Independent Lithuania during Antanas Smetona’s rule in the 1930s and Soviet-occupied Lithuania in the late 1950s. 

The first attempt, led by engineers and hydrologists, was largely ignored by the government, never fully materialized, and was ultimately abandoned. However, it was discussed publicly, at least among specialists. In contrast, the second, state-driven initiative during Soviet rule drew heavily on research conducted by these specialists and resulted in one of the largest landscape transformations in occupied Lithuania—a transformation that could not be openly processed by the public due to censorship and the Communist Party's total control over the media. The construction of the station from 1957 to 1959 necessitated the forced resettlement of residents from the future reservoir area of the Kaunas Hydroelectric Plant. This upheaval compelled people to uproot their lives, relocating to unfamiliar settlements and often dismantling or moving their homes, wells, fruit trees, and belongings. 

 Although the government provided some compensation, and many residents upgraded from wooden to brick houses, inadequate payments and scarce building materials caused widespread dissatisfaction. Resistance to relocation hindered the authorities' broader goal of transitioning rural populations from individual homesteads to collective farm settlements. The process revealed tensions between strict enforcement and the need for negotiation and compromise. 

By comparing these projects, this presentation examines the nature of authoritarian governance through the following questions:


Why did the Soviet government prioritize the Kaunas Hydroelectric Station as its first major industrial project in occupied Lithuania?
What were the key differences between the two projects?
How did the public presentation of these projects differ under the two regimes?