A Buffer for Soviet Russia: A Brief History of the Litbel

Abstract

The Lithuanian-Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (the Litbel) seems to have disappeared from historical memory. It is not surprising, for the short-lived republic sank into oblivion soon after its birth. The Litbel existed only for a few months, without international recognition or established borders. However, the Litbel deserves attention because echoes of the events in Eastern Europe at the dawn of the twentieth century still resonate today. In 1917, the October Revolution and the revival of the Polish state within its borders of 1772 brought the question of the future of the western regions bordering Russia to the forefront. Despite the Bolsheviks’ claim to protect the right of self-determination, they were not about to let those territories slip away. Although at first the idea to create a Soviet buffer state seemed attractive, its implementation showed the problem of this idea.