Vilnius Region - Ethnography

Ethnography

According to the 1916 census conducted by the German authorities Lithuanians constituted 18.5% of the population. However, during this census the Vilnius region was expanded greatly and ended near Brest-Litovsk, and included the city of Białystok. Due to the addition of further Polish regions, the percentage of Lithuanian population was diluted. The post-war Polish censae of 1921 and 1931, found 5% of Lithuanians living in the area, with several almost purely Lithuanian enclaves located to the south-west, south (Dieveniškės enclave), east (Gervėčiai enclave) of Vilnius (Polish: Wilno) and to the north of Švenčionys (Polish: Święciany). The majority of the population was composed of Poles (roughly 60%) according the latter three censae. The results of Polish censae were questioned by some Lithuanian historians and the Lithuanian government claimed that the majority of local Poles were in fact Polonised Lithuanians. In the 1920s, League of Nations twice attempted to organise plebiscites, although neither side were eager to participate. After a staged mutinity by Lucjan Żeligowski Poles took control over the area, and organised elections, which was boycotted by most Lithuanians, but also by many Jews and Belarusians because of strong Polish military control. Today, the Po prostu dialect is the native language for Poles in Šalčininkai district and in some territories of Vilnius district, its speakers consider themselves to be Poles and believe Po prostu language to be purely Polish. The population, including those of "the locals" (Tutejshy) who live in the other part of Vilnius region that was occupied by Soviet Union and passed on to Belarus, still has a strong presence of Polish identity.

After the postwar migrations, Lithuanians became the undisputed ethnic majority of the Vilnius region, with the exception of Vilnius district municipality and Šalčininkai district municipality.