Leonardas Grigonis

Leonardas Grigonis, also widely known by his codename Užpalis (14 December 1905 – 22 July 1950) was a teacher and anti-Soviet Lithuanian partisan, and the second commander of their Prisikėlimas military district. He was a teacher around the Rokiškis area as well as an active member of the Lithuanian Riflemen's Union. Grigonis joined the partisans in 1944. He soon became the commander of the military district, also signing the Lithuanian Partisans Declaration of 16 February 1949. He was also known by his codenames Žvainys, Krivis, and Danys.

Biography Early life Leonardas Grigonis was born on 14 December 1905 in the village of in the Rokiškis district of Lithuania to Izidorius Grigonis and Marijona Ratkevičiūtė. She and her children moved to St. Petersburg during World War I, while Grigonis's father died in Lithuania. From 1919 Grigonis attended the Rokiškis gymnasium and also taught at the Paulenka primary school.

Teaching career After Lithuanian independence following World War I, local people received land from the former Tyzenhaus landowners. The newly settled village was named by Grigonis after the historical Selonians who inhabited the local area. The school was finished in 1942 and was active until 2003.

Partisans of the Prisikėlimas district with Leonardas Grigonis.

Partisanship In 1944 he changed his surname to Užubalis and went into hiding. Initially people believed that he would immigrate abroad to the United States like his brothers Vytautas, who was an aviation officer and diplomat,

Death Grigonis fell ill with pneumonia

Remembrance A day after his death he was posthumously awarded the Cross of the Freedom Fight, 1st and 2nd degrees by the order of the LLKS presidium. In 1996 the Sėlynė primary school was named after Leonardas Grigonis. In 1998 he was awarded the Order of the Cross of Vytis 1st degree, as well as the rank of colonel.