Battle of Murowana Oszmianka The Battle of Murowana Oszmianka of May 13 – May 14 , 1944 was the largest clash between the Polish resistance movement organization Home Army ( Armia Krajowa , AK ) and the Lithuanian Territorial Defense Force ( Lietuvos vietinė rinktinė , LVR ) ; a Lithuanian volunteer security force subordinated to Nazi Germany occupational administration . The battle took place in and near the village of Murowana Oszmianka in Generalbezirk Litauen " Reichskommissariat Ostland " ( modern Muravanaya Ashmyanka , Belarus , former Murowana Oszmianka , Second Polish Republic ) . The outcome of the battle was that the 301st LVR battalion was routed and the entire force was disbanded by the Germans soon afterwards . Prelude . In late April and early May 1944 , the German authorities decided to transfer a significant part of the police duties in Lithuania to the newly created LVR formation , which was ordered to initiate a wide anti - partisan operation against the Polish and Soviet partisans in the area . Three Lithuanian battalions were dispatched to man garrisons in and around the town of Oszmiany ( modern Ashmyany , Belarus ) . The AK commander for the Vilnius ( Wilno ) region , Aleksander Krzyżanowski " Wilk " mobilized the region ' s partisan troops in response , but they were ordered not to engage the German allied Lithuanian Nazi collaborating forces in order to prevent the escalation of Polish - Lithuanian hostilities . The Lithuanian troops , however , satisfied by their perceived superiority , started suppressing the local Polish communities suspected of harboring the anti - Nazi partisans ; numerous war crime s were committed by the Nazi Lithuanian forces , notably atrocities against Polish civilians in Pawłów , Graużyszki and Sieńkowszczyzna . Faced with the need to protect Polish civilians , the AK decided to fight back in early May , and organized a concentrated assault against the fortified Lithuanian positions around the village of Murowana Oszmianka . On May 10 , AK units were ordered to prepare an assault against one of the larger German Nazi allied Lithuanian collaborationist units in the region . Plan . Major Czesław Dębicki " Jarema " was chosen to be the commander of the five AK brigades ( the 3rd , 8th , 9th , 12th and 13th ) that were to attack the Lithuanian Nazi positions in Murowana Oszmianka . The AK reconnaissance perceived that their enemy ' s strength was four companies in Murowana Oszmianka ( site of the local Lithuanian headquarters ) , two companies in Tołominowo , and a strong German Nazi garrison ( with armored elements ) in Oszmiany . The strength and quality of the enemy ' s forces were ascertained to be superior by about 150 men , and created the need for a surprise attack , which was vital for the Polish plan and ultimate Polish victory . On May 12 a detailed plan was created . It called for : The battle . On the night of May 13 , the 3rd Brigade of the AK assaulted the village from the west and north - west , while the 8th and 12th Brigades attacked from the south and east . The remainder of the Polish forces ( 13th and 9th Brigades ) secured the Murowana Oszmianka - Tołminowo road . The defences , reinforced with concrete bunkers and trenches , were manned by elements of the 301st ( 1st and 2nd company ) of the LVR . This detachment was already wavering following a defeat at Graużyszki on May 5 , where they were dispersed by the 8th and 12th Brigades of the Home Army and suffered 47 casualties . The assault was a success , partially because other Lithuanian garrisons in nearby towns did not move from their posts ; German reinforcements were stopped by sabotage of bridges and delaying actions ( carried out primarily by the 9th Brigade ) . The 3rd company of the 301st battalion was also engaged in the vicinity of the nearby Tołominowo village by the 13th Brigade . This engagement also ended with a decisive Polish victory . Aftermath . During the battles in Murowana Oszmianka and Tołminowo , the 301st battalion was practically wiped out ; only the 4th company managed to evade Polish forces and retreat . The Lithuanian Nazi forces lost at least 50 men , with 60 more wounded and more than 300 taken prisoner of war ( 117 Lithuanians in Tołminowo ) . After the battle , all Lithuanian prisoners of war were disarmed ( the Polish resistance was able to capture one mortar and seven machine guns ) and released with only their long johns and helmet s on . The Lithuanian officers were given letters from the Vilnius region AK commander , Aleksander " Wilk " Krzyżanowski , addressed to the LVR commander , general Povilas Plechavičius , appealing for a stop to Lithuanian - Nazi German collaboration , an end to Lithuanian anti - Polish policies and a joint effort to combat the Germans ; Lithuanians refused and demanded that the Poles either abandon the Vilnius Region ( disputed between Poles and Lithuanians ) or subordinate themselves to the Lithuanians in their struggle against the Soviets . After their defeat in the battle of Murowana Oszmianka and other skirmishes against the Home Army , the LVR became so weakened that Povilas Plechavičius and his officers were judged to be useless by the Germans and were relieved of command . Soon afterwards , they were arrested and their unit dissolved . Notes and references . < div class = " references - small " >