Paper short abstract:

The paper focuses on the mixed marriage cases between Lithuanians and non-Soviet citizens during the Soviet period of Lithuania in the years 1953-1990. The interviews revealed some aspects of space division and resistance considering sociocultural life of mixed families during the Communist regime.

Paper long abstract:

The paper focuses on the mixed marriage cases between Lithuanians and non-Soviet citizens during the Soviet period of Lithuania in the years 1953-1990. The geopolitical boarders of the Soviet Union (USSR) limited Soviet citizens’ movement outside the “Iron Curtain” as well as foreigners’ visits were under control and legal limitations. However, a number of mixed marriages between Lithuanians and citizens of non-Soviet countries did happen before the independence of Lithuania from the Soviets in the year 1990. Although it was not prohibited legitimately to marry a citizen from countries outside the Soviet Union, these cases were very rare.

I approached the topic by making case research. The interviews revealed some aspects of resistance within sociocultural life of mixed Lithuanian – foreigner’s family during the Soviet period of Lithuania. The social aspects were affected by the political and ideological measures of that time: movement restrictions, legal regulations and limitations of residing in the Soviet Union and studying at the universities of Soviet countries, employment obligations and finally civil safety. The stories referred to the strict control of the political bodies and the National Security Committee concerning mixed couple’s migration on the Soviet borders abroad or back.

The Soviet geopolitical borders with control and regulations significantly affected people’s social and marital life. Only resistant individuals would make effort to escape it. The number of mixed marriages however managed to breach the Soviet border that demarcated space division with its regulations and ideology.