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Following Russia’s entry into World War I, the German Empire occupied Lithuania and Courland in 1915. Vilnius fell to German forces on September 19, 1915, and Lithuania was incorporated into Ober Ost, a German military administration. The Germans aimed to establish dominance without formal annexation, intending to create a network of nominally independent states in the Baltic region, indirectly controlled by Germany to avoid backlash.
Lithuania faced severe hardships under German occupation, including economic exploitation and strict military control. The Germans restricted Lithuanian nationalist activities, while also suppressing Russian influence in the region. The occupation disrupted social life, but it also contributed to the weakening of Russian control, setting the stage for future independence efforts.
The complex political situation gave the Baltic Germans hope for a closer alignment with Germany. However, German plans for formal annexation were shelved in favor of maintaining Ober Ost as a strategic and economic outpost during the war. Despite German ambitions, the Lithuanian national movement gained momentum, preparing for future autonomy as German control began to weaken toward the end of the war.