The Grand Duchy of Lithuania's Vilnius Boundary Marker

Historical XV century border marker from the Vilnius Žvėrynas district which marked the western Vilnius boundary of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.  The symbol is the coat of arms of the Gediminaičiai dynasty.

Sources

Internal Russian Empire Markers (1795-1918)

Border marker from the border between the governates of Kovno and Courland, at the present border between Latvia and Lithuania. (Photographed in Rokiškis Museum)

Germany - Russia (1795-1918)

East Prussian - Lithuanian border marker.  Photographed from the exhibition at the Lithuania Customs Museum.

The Russian coat-of-arms. 

The German coat-of-arms. 

In the 2002 we found a hexagonal boundary marker on the southern shore of the Vištytis Lake, but of this only 1-2 cm was visible above the ground. This is possibly the remains of an old Germany - Russian border marker, later located at the same place as the Germany - Lithuanian border marker no. 150.   Position: 54°23'14"N 22°45'58"E.

We were told it was destroyed by the Russians in 1940, and that it had a German Eagle on the top. At the Lithuanian border guard museum there might be samples of the authentic boundary markers from the DELT border. Diameter of the boundary marker on this photo is about 12 cm.  It might be of the similar type as the museum marker. 

Boundary markers at the German-Russian border between Nimmersatt and Palanga from the end of the 19th century.

Latvian Zemgale artillery unit before the retreat from the Palanga area. Source: Zudusī Latvija.

Latvian Zemgale artillery unit before the retreat from the Palanga area. Source: Zudusī Latvija.

Germany - Lithuania (1920 - 1940)

Lithuanian - German border marker from the 1930s and damaged from WWII. The Lithuanian side of the marker has an "L" letter in the top and number 10. (Photographed in Kaunas War Museum in 2012.)

The other, German (D) side of the marker; notice number 119.

German -Lithuanian boundary marker no. 119. Photographed in 2009 at the Lithuanian Border Police Museum in Vilnius.

The D symbolizes Germany (Deutschland).  

Žagarė Customs Office, constructed in 1928. Notice the possible border marker in front of the building. The building was still standing in 2010 – see more photos from this crossing here.  (Photo: Lithuanian Customs Museum.)

A very unique border marker told to have been used at the boundary between Lithuania and Poland between Giedraičiai, Lithuania and present Glitiškės, then Poland.  It was until about 1980 buried in a field near the boundary and donated to the local museum.  Photographed at Giedraičiai Museum. 

On the top of the stone there is the Lithuanian Coat-of-arms.  There is no record that there was any Polish border marker at this or any other crossing at this border.

The usual border marker at the 1920-1940 Lithuanian-Polish border was the straw sticks as photographed here at the former tripoint of Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.

From the demarcation of the Lithuanian - Soviet Union boundary in 1939 in front of border marker I/167. The numbering system seems to be similar to the present at the Polish border with Czechia and Germany.  Later this boundary was changed several times and makes now the boundary between Byelorussia and Lithuania.  Here is a group of Lithuanian military officers; from left Ltn. B. Pupinis, Maj. S. Chamanskis, Maj. P. Krištapavičius, Ltn. J. Vitkus, Ltn. Col. J. Andrius and Capt. A. Daujotas.  (The name of the soldier in front is unknown.)  Source: Lietuvos sienos, ISBN 978-9955-23-318-3.

Units of the Red Army cross into Lithuania on 15 June 1940. To left is a Lithuanian border marker. 

Also from the Red Army crossing into Lithuania on 15 June 1940, but photographed into the Soviet Union and with the Soviet border marker.

This is a possible Soviet border marker from the 1940-1990 boundary at Lithuania. Photo taken at the Lithuanian Customs Museum, Vilnius.

Lithuania - Russia (2012)