This article deals with a rarely discussed topic of medical historiography of Lithuania, namely the organization of health care system in Vilnius in the period starting from the outbreak of the First World War until occupation of Vilnius City and subsequent occupation by Kaiser Germany. The focus of this article are attempts made by Vilnius municipality and its municipal medicine infrastructure (Executive Commission on Saniiaiion (ECS)) to buffer the consequences of the war and reduction of municipal health care organization. Research is based on literature and archival sources that are hardly accessible to contemporary reader.
At the end of summer-beginning of autumn 1914, Germany crushed two Russian armies in East Prussia, and the front line moved toward Lithuanian gubernias. Soon Vilnius became a front line city, one of the most important stations for military reserve forces, and an important transit point. The city became surrounded by civilian refugees, and it served as evacuation point for front line administrations and other institutions. These factors fell as severe burden on city’s shoulders. There was a lack of food, medical personnel which had been evacuated to the front, and medicines. The city was confronted with the threat of epidemics. In the middle of October 1914 more than 20 military field hospitals were operating in the city.
During this period the city was under control of district’s military commander and governor, whereas city’s duma and board had lesser intluence, and ECS was least important. Nonetheless, the city was forced to secure funding for the maintenance of the old and the new health care institutions, construction of a large Military Hospital for Infectious Diseases, and minimize the activities of charitable organizations.
Despite all the hardships, Vilnius municipal medicine proudly continued its operations. Some institutions functioned both during the German occupation and later historical periods and continued their work that had been started under Tsarist occupation.
