▁t ensions ▁rose ▁in ▁Europe , ▁Naz i ▁Germany ▁and ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁signed ▁the ▁Mol ot ov – R ib b ent rop ▁P act ▁and ▁divided ▁Eastern ▁Europe ▁into ▁spher es ▁of ▁influence . ▁Sub sequently , ▁Lith u ania ▁was ▁occupied ▁by ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 0 . ▁The ▁S ovi ets ▁instit uted ▁Soviet ization ▁policies ▁and ▁repr essions . ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁the ▁S ovi ets ▁deport ed ▁over ▁ 1 7 , 0 0 0 ▁Lith u ani ans ▁for ▁forced ▁labor ▁to ▁remote ▁areas ▁in ▁Si ber ia . ▁When ▁a ▁few ▁days ▁later ▁Germany ▁launched ▁an ▁invasion ▁of ▁Russia , ▁Lith u ani ans ▁organized ▁a ▁popular ▁anti - S ov iet ▁u pr ising . ▁Initial ly , ▁the ▁Lith u ani ans ▁gre et ed ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁as ▁liber ators ▁from ▁the ▁repr ess ive ▁Soviet ▁rule ▁and ▁made ▁plans ▁to ▁re est ab lish ▁independent ▁Lith u ania . ▁However , ▁the ▁att itudes ▁soon ▁changed ▁as ▁the ▁occupation ▁of ▁Lith u ania ▁by ▁Naz i ▁Germany ▁continued . ▁ ▁Un like ▁Est onia ▁and ▁Lat via ▁where ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁cons cript ed ▁the ▁local ▁population ▁into ▁military ▁form ations ▁within ▁W affen - SS , ▁Lith u ania ▁boy c otted ▁German ▁rec ruit ment ▁calls ▁and ▁never ▁had ▁its ▁own ▁W affen - SS ▁division . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁the ▁Naz i ▁authorities ▁created