Beyond Litvinism: a comparative analysis of the GDL in the Lithuanian and Belarusian historical narratives

This paper examines the “Litvinism” controversy, a persistent source of tension in Lithuanian-Belarusian relations centred on competing interpretations of the shared history of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (GDL). The study undertakes a comparative analysis of influential historical narratives from both Lithuania and Belarus, drawing from a wide range of sources, including academic publications, textbooks, Wikipedia articles, and YouTube content. The research methodology identifies and systematically compares eight core thematic points of contention: the GDL’s political structure, its ethnic nature, the framing of its Slavic element and chancery language, the nature of its territorial expansion, the foundation of Vilnius, the interpretation of historical Lithuania’s names, and the geographical location of historical Lithuania. The analysis shows that Lithuanians and Belarusians hold deeply entrenched, often divergent views on the history of the GDL. The points of convergence are relatively scarce; however, they seem to offer a real chance for conversation and finding some common ground.