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Introduction
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Sugrįžti į pradžią
Mr. Algirdas
Gustaitis has presented the Lithuanian case in a clear and concise
manner. There is a world of difference between the Baltic Nations
and the Slavic people. The imperialistic Russians did occupy the
area from 1795-1915 and they were certainly classified as
undesirables. Now the plague has returned and the Russians, who
now boast a Communistic type of imperialism, are even more
detestable. They have boasted that time is on their side and that
they intend to remain behind their Central European wall until
driven out by an enlightened world alliance. Meanwhile, their game
of genocide continues while the cries of Captive Nations grow dim.
It is my hope that more writers like Mr. Gustaitis will rise to
keep alive the hopes of the millions behind the wall and that our
American attitude toward the right will not change.
Minister of the USA to Lithuania
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What do you know about
Lithuania?
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Sugrįžti į pradžią
If you wish to be knowledgeable
about Europe of the past or present, you must learn at least a
little about Lithuania, her people, their ancient religion,
culture, language, etc.
The ancient capital of Lithuania,
Vilnius, is found near the geographic center of Europe. From there
the distance to Urals, the Pyrenees, northern Norway and southern
Greece are equal. (1)
Many centuries ago the ancestors of
today’s Lithuanians were the people of the lands of Aesti (Aestorium
gentes ca A.D. 98 Roman historian Tacitus), Sarmatia, Samogitia,
Prussia, Galinda, Sudowia, Dainava, Yotvingia, Baltia, etc.
In the lands occupied by the ancient
Balts the geography was of many kinds. A long stretch of the
Baltic Sea with wind-blown dunes and white sand beaches,
embellished with tiny bits of glittering amber, lay to the west.
Along the sea shore and along the larger rivers discharging the
sea – the Vistula, Nemunas (Niemen, Memel), Dauguva (Duna, Dvina),
and their tributaries – were lowlands and the most fertile lands
covered with alluvial deposits. Through the ages, the sea coast
and these larger rivers were the means the Balts were able to
communicate with central and western Europe. (2)
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Do Lithuanians
have their own language?
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Sugrįžti į pradžią
This is a frequently asked question.
There are some who think that the Lithuanian language is similar
to German or to Slavic languages. Perhaps others think that
Lithuanian language is similar to Russian since it is the Soviet
Union that presently occupies Lithuania. Prof. Dr. Suniti Kumar
Chatterji states:
The Baltic languages of the present
day are only present two – the Lithuanian and the Latvian – each
with its dialects. They appear to have been just one language
1.200 to 1,500 years from now, and they have preserved their old
Indo-European character remarkably well right down to our times.
Baltic languages are very archaic in their character –
particularly Lithuanian which in every way seems to present an
earlier stage of linguistic development than the Latvian. (3)
The Old Prussian language, a dialect
of Old Lithuanian, has been eliminated. The Old Prussians are part
of the Baltic-Lithuanian nation. The former Minister of the United
States to Lithuania the Honorable Owen J. C. Norem stated:
They would point out that the
Lithuanian language bears unmistakeable likeness to the ancient
tongues such as to Sanskrit, early Greek, and Indian Veda
literature. Certain similarities of worship and custom can be
faintly traced in the Lithuanian literature and other early data.
(4)
E. J. Harrison, formerly the British
Vice-Consul in Kaunas and Vilnius, commented about the Lithuanian
language in the following words:
Their language differs as widely
from their neighboring tongues as for instance English differs
from the Greek. Long before the Christian era, the Lithuanians
already lived on the Baltic shores and in the dawn of history
attained a level of civilization as high as that of many other
European nations of those days. (5)
The Lithuanian language is presently
taught in a number of universities throughout the world, including
some in the United States. Being one of the oldest and purest in
form, the Lithuanian language is necessary in the study of
linguistics. It is also important in studies of Lithuanian
literature, scientific works, the arts, etc.
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The first less
known period of the Lithuanians
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Sugrįžti į pradžią
Some scientists think that the
ancestors of the present Lithuanians not only had their own
religion, but also their own writings, literature and a complete
system for an advanced life as an organized nation. For example,
the world knows very little about the system of freezing which was
used by the Prussian-Lithuanians. They were able to freeze the
bodies of their dead, liquids, foods, etc. in hot weather. Some
records of these scientific advancements of the old Lithuanians in
the V-X centuries are still available. Pertinent information can
be found in the works in the works of the V century Spanish
writer, P. Orosius, Historiae Adversus Paganos; also, in the
writings of the British seaman Wulfstan dating back to 887-900
A.D.; also Scriptores rerum Prussicarum I, 1861, pg. 732-733, etc.
also make a mention of the scientific achievements of the
Prussian-Lithuanians.
Even though there are differing
opinions, the German chronicler Erasmus Stella (died 1521), XVI
century German chronicler Simon Grunau, the German historian Lucas
David (1547-1605) and other historians agree that already in 521
A.D. the people of western Lithuania (Prussia) elected Vaidevutis
their leader. He ruled the people and established a defense
against invaders.
An account that flavors of the
legendary tells of an attempt to form a Lithuanian Federation in
the fifth century. Hertmanawicz is the authority for the story
which relates how Prince Brutenis and Prince Vaidevutis sought to
consolidate the various clans into a working entity. (6)
It is interesting to note that
Apuolė, situated in western Lithuania, was attacked by the Swedish
forces under King Olaf in 853 A.D.
We now come to the second period of
Lithuanian history. This period can be counted from the X century,
when foreign invaders initiated aggressive actions against
Lithuanians and Prussian-Lithuanians in particular. The Poles
began their invasions in 992 A.D., the Czechs in 996 A.D., the
Norwegians in approximately 1020 A.D. The real destruction of the
Prussian-Lithuanians was started by the Teutonic Knights, German
crusaders, (Also known as Teutonic Knights, Teutonic Order. In
Lithuanian language Kryžiuočių ordinas) in 1230 A.D. After many
years of hard fighting and cruel action the Germans succeeded in
occupying Prussian Lithuania. Only after World War II were these
invaders forced to leave. Then Prussian Lithuania was occupied by
the Poles in the south and the Soviet Union in the north.
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Lithuania - the
domineering power in Europe
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Sugrįžti į pradžią
By authority of Pope Innocent IV,
Mindaugas was crowned as king of Lithuania on July 17th, 1253. (Excellentissimo
patri, domino lohanni, romanae sedis summo pontifici, Gedeminne,
letwinorm et multorum ruthenorum rex… From the letter of
Gediminas to Pope John XXII, dated 1322). He united only a part of
Lithuania’s component provinces. “Had Mindaugas succeded in
accomplishing these plans, Latvia would have probably become a
part of Lithuania…” (P.Z.) Olins “The Teutonic Knights in Latvia”,
Riga, 1928).
He (Algirdas, King of Lithuania, son
of Gediminas, died 1377 A.D) made this declaration formally to the
Christians: “The King of Lithuania spoke: …Algirdas has spent 25
years of his life, in youth and later, among Slavs Christians,
before coming to Vilnius; and he had led expeditions into Germany
as far west as Magdeburg and Frankfurt. He had marched against
Moscow three times. (7)
Eventually the Muscovites were
forced to seek Lithuanian support and protection against invaders
from the East, the Tatars. As records testify the Muscovites paid
tribute to the Lithuanians for their protection. (The name of
Russia is known in history only from the XVIII A.D.)
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Lithuania - the
domineering power in Europe
»
Sugrįžti į pradžią
The Teutonic Knights, after being
defeated in the Near East and Africa in the 13th century, returned
to Europe. With the blessings of the Pope, many thousands of
adventurers from almost all countries in Europe, mostly from
Germany, began a “Christianizing War” against the “pagans” of
Lithuania.
After continuous wars and hard
fought battles throughout the course of the 13th century, the
Teutonic Knights had managed to occupy the western part of
Lithuania, named Prussia (Ostpreussen – in German). After
conquering Prussia, the Germans adopted its name as their own. (8)
Though shortly afterwards, on July 15th, 1410, the Lithuanians led
by Vytautas the Great, with the support of Polish and mercenary
armies, totally crushed the Teutonic forces on Prussian-Lithuanian
soil near Žalgiris (Tannenberg); (also known as the battle of
Žalgiris or Grunwald). In this great battle practically all of the
Teuton leaders were slain, 56 battle flags were captured, many
prisoners taken, etc. Žalgiris was a total disaster for the
Germans and it took them many years to rebuild their military
power.
In the 15th century Lithuania was
one of the most powerfull states in all Europe. Its land stretched
for nearly 1.000.000 sq. km. At that time Lithuania was larger
than either Poland or Muscovy (Russia). The field commander of the
combined Lithuanian-Polish army at Žalgiris, one of the most
important battles in Europe during the middle centuries, was the
ruler of Lithuania, Vytautas the Great (1350-1430). Under his
leadership Lithuania ruled Europe from the Baltic to the Black
Sea.
Of this great warrior King, the
Encyclopedia Britannica says: “Vytautas was certainly the most
impressing personality of his time in Eastern Europe, and his
martial valor was combined with statesmanlike foresight”. (Vol.
28, p. 762) (9)
A Lithuanian historian, Dr. Z.
Ivinskis states:
It was not only the liberty of
Lithuania that was at stake in this life-or-death struggle,
characterized by heroic deeds and dramatic reverses. From European
viewpoint the significance of this struggle consisted in holding
back the German expansion eastward. (10)
This gigantic struggle has often
been misrepresented as Slavs vs. Germans. Particularly the modern
Russian school books indulge in this misrepresentation of history.
As a matter of fact, the Lithuanians had a leading and a decisive
part in this struggle. They dealt severe blows at the German Order
at Saule (1236), Durbe, (near Liepaja, 1260), Tannenberg (1410)
were Lithuanians aided by the Poles who, at that time, were also
worried by the aggressive German Order. (11)
The Muscovites continued to grow
stronger. In 1569 Lithuania signed articles of union or federation
with Poland, the so-called Act of Lublin. This union favored
Poland, the shares of the two nations were of different
proportions and soon both countries began to weaken.
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Lithuania - Europe's
shield against Russsia
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Sugrįžti į pradžią
After the elimination of Order
threat, the main task of the Lithuania State was to fight the
growing menace of Moscow. Stepan Batory, the ruler of the united
Lithuania-Poland State, succeeded in stopping, for two centuries,
the Russian expansion toward the Baltic and frustrated the
obstinate undertaking of Czar Ivan II to subjugate Livonia. This
holding back of the budding Russian imperialism by Lithuania was
important from the viewpoint of Europe’s history as well; because
not until Peter the Great (died 1725) did the Russians manage to
“open the window to Europe”. The struggle thought by Lithuania was
cultural as well as that of arms. The Orthodox penetration was met
throughout two centuries by the Jesuit Academy in Vilnius founded
in 1579. Vilnius in its Western architecture bears evident witness
to fierce struggle in the past between Eastern and Western
civilizations. Thus the Lithuanians fulfilled their mission of
stopping the Eastern aggression as well as the expansion of
Eastern civilization that was foreign to European minds. The
performance of this huge task eventually cost the Lithuanians the
loss their national independence (1795). (12)
It’s probably an unwritten rule from
above that nations grow in strength only to diminish in size and
power eventually. Persia, Egypt, Greece, Rome, Spain etc. all has
been the leading world powers at one time or another. Thus in
1772, 1793 and 1795, the wheel of history partitioned Lithuania
and she was wholly occupied and annexed by her neighbours, Germany
and Russia.
In 1812, Napoleon established an
independent Lithuanian government in Vilnius, Lithuania’s capital,
but after his defeat by the Russians, Lithuania was reoccupied by
Imperial Russia.
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Russians hung
Lithuanians
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Sugrįžti į pradžią
In 1831 the Lithuanian people
revolted against Russian rule. One of the leading Lithuanian
partisans in this uprising was young Countess E. Platerytė. Many
other notable Lithuanians took up arms against the tyranny of
Russian rule.
In 1863-1864 once again nation wide
revolts against the oppressors of Lithuania, chiefly against the
Russia, were organized. Moscow sent strong Russian forces into
Lithuania to suppress the revolt but attempted to keep this fact
secret from the rest of world. The commander of the Russia
occupation forces in Lithuania was General M. Muravjov. In 1863,
he ordered the hanging of captured Lithuanian freedom fighters.
Many of them were publicly executed by hanging in the market
places of Lithuanian cities and towns. Many of the dead were left
hanging for days. Since then, this brutal Russian general has been
known in Lithuania as “Muravjov the Hanger”.
After putting down the Lithuanian
revolt the Russians took punitive measures against the
Lithuanians. In 1832 they closed the only University of Vilnius.
Russian colonists were allowed to settle in Lithuania whereas
Lithuanian nationals were being deported to the depths of Russia
and Siberia.
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Russians forbad any
kind of printing in the Lithuanian language
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Sugrįžti į pradžią
From 1864 to 1904, the Russian
occupiers did not permit Lithuanians to speak, read, write or do
any kind of printing in the Lithuanian language. Despite these
barbaric rules, the Lithuanians managed to maintain the literacy
level in their population at 48%. At this time only 21% of the
Russian people in Russia were literate. Lithuanians managed to
have their books and other publications printed outside of
Lithuania in Prussia (Germany), in the United States, and
sometimes even in Russia.
The Lithuanian efforts put such
great pressure on the Russians that after 40 years of attempted
enforcement the Russians were forced to lift their ban on
Lithuanian printing.
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Lithuania - an
independent nation once again
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Sugrįžti į pradžią
On February 16, 1918, in her ancient
capital city of Vilnius, Lithuania was once again proclaimed an
independent state. (13) Subsequently the Declaration of
independence was unanimously approved by the freely elected
Lithuanian Constituent Assembly in 1920. From 1919 to 1920
Lithuanians were engaged in fighting off their aggressive
neighbours: Poland, Soviet Russia, and the remainders of some
German Army military groups. There were many instances where the
outnumbered Lithuanian forces had to fight against ten-fold odds.
Yet, after many bloody battles and costly campaigns the
Lithuanians managed to defend and hold quite a substantial part of
this territory.
The rebirth of Lithuanian
independence was made possible by the development of a favourable
situation in Europe: (a) a strong patriotic feeling of most
Lithuanians at the time; (b) a favourable international situation;
(c) The fighting spirit of the newly organized Lithuanian Army;
(d) The sincere economic and moral support by Lithuanians living
in other countries, especially in the United States.
On July 20, 1920, the Republic of
Lithuania and Soviet Union signed a Peace Treaty in Moscow, which
stipulated that:
The Soviet Union recognizes the
soviegnty and independence of the Lithuanian State with all the
juridical rights associated with such a declaration, and forever
renounces, in good faith, all Russian sovereign rights, which it
previously had in regards to the Lithuanian nation and its
territory.
Germany was first to grant full
diplomatic recognition of Lithuania by the U.S.A. was accorded on
July 28th, 1922. Other world powers – Great Britain, France,
Italy, Japan, etc. also recognized the new Lithuania State.
During the time of its independence,
1918-1940, Lithuania progressed probably more than any other
nation in Europe. For example, in the exporting of flax Lithuania
was second in the world; Lithuanian farm products such as meats,
dairy products, many kinds of grain, potatoes, etc. were of
superior quality in the world market. Tremendous progress was also
made in the fields of education, aviation, medicine, the arts,
sports, etc.
During the course of World War II,
the Republic of Lithuania became a victim of Soviet Russia’s and
Nazi Germany’s conspiracy of aggression through a prior secret
agreement signed on August 23 and September 28, 1939. In that
agreement Germany gave Russia a “free hand” in Lithuania. (The
USSR was represented by Molotov, Nazi Germany by Von Ribbentrop)
The Russians, after presenting an ultimatum to the Republic of
Lithuania occupied the country and used the Red Army to maintain
control.
The Lithuanians appealed to the
great powers such as the United States, Great Britain, France and
others for help in safeguarding their independence but help was
not given. The free world allowed Russians to snuff out the lamp
of liberty in Lithuania. The West then was falling prey to the
unleashed might of Nazi-Germany (1939-1940).
This was a most shameful selling out
of innocent people into communist slavery. It was one of the main
mistakes made by United States and other democratic countries.
Then in 1945 this initial mistake
was compounded when during the Potsdam Conference Europe was
divided up into spheres of influence whereby approximately
200,000,000 Europeans were left to Soviet Russia exploitation. (x)
For these mistakes and the conditions they brought about the
United States and other nations are paying with the lives of their
innocent sons on the battlefields of Viet Nam, Cambodia, Laos, and
not so long ago in Korea. A disease is much easier cured in the
beginning stages, not when it has spread widely.
If you still believe in liberty and
intend to remain free yourself in the future, help free the people
of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Ukraine, and all other enslaved
nations! You can do this publicizing the matter in any way
possible at your disposal.
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Organized silence
against Lithuania
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Sugrįžti į pradžią
We have heard a lot about the brick
wall, which was erected in Berlin, about the Hungarian revolution,
about the efforts of the French resistance fighters during the
World War II. We even have tons of information made available
about the battles against the communists in Asia.
What have heard about Lithuania? Do
you know that the Lithuanians had an underground press during
World War II while under both Soviet and German occupation?
Proportionally their efforts did not lag behind the underground
presses of other countries, France for example.
X-The European countries occupied by
the communists are: Estonia - approximately 1,000,000 inhabitants;
Latvia – 2,000,000; Lithuania – 4,000,000; White Russia –
8,000,000; Ukraine – 47,000,000; Poland – 34,000,000; East Germany
– 18,000,000; Czechoslovakia – 16,000,000; Hungary – 12,000,000;
Rumania – 22,000,000; Bulgaria – 10,000,000; Albania – 2,500,000;
Yugoslavia – 22,000,000; Finland (small section) – 500,000. There
are also a number of nations in Asia presently under Soviet Russia
occupation.
There were 28 underground periodical
publications during the Nazi occupation; this number of officially
published periodicals during that time, which was 18. (14)
The Lithuanians paid a high price
for their patriotic efforts. Thousands were executed in
concentration camps by the Nazis. Do you know that the beautiful
city of Vilnius is the only capital in Europe which was saved by
the heroic deeds of it freedom fighters during the early years of
World War II? German armies were preparing to bombard and destroy
Vilnius in their surprise they learned that the only Russian
soldiers in the city were dead; therefore, there would not be any
way. Because of these actions many arrests were made, men were
often shot on sight by Germans, massive transportations of
Lithuanians to Nazi concentration camps were undertaken during the
year of the German Occupation 1941-1944.
Trying to break the Lithuanian
people’s resistance the Nazi held many Lithuanian intellectuals
hostage in concentration camps such as at Stutthof where 47
Lithuanian leaders were held captive.
The Lithuanians Jews suffered the
most at the hands of the Nazis. Other Lithuanians risked their
lives to save the Jews from sure death at the hands of the Nazi
German Gestapo. The spirit of Lithuanian resistance remained
unbroken throughout the entire length of the war.
Do you know that on almost every
Soviet Russian sports team there are numbers of Lithuanians, winning top prizes
for their rules and oppressors?
Do you know that during the Soviet
Russian occupation of Lithuania immediately following World War II
about 60,000 Lithuanian freedom fighters continued to resist
Russian rule for several years? They died calling for help from
the world. Soviet Russia was forced to bring in many thousands of
their soldiers and thanks to fight against the forces of the
freedom fighters.
Do you know that even today
Lithuania has a high percentage of students in her population
compared to other nations in Europe?
Do you know that there are about
1,700,000 Lithuanians or people of Lithuania descent living in many countries
throughout the free world? Over one million of this number are living in the
United States. This compares to about 4,000,000 million Lithuanians under
Russians rule.
Do you know that in the free world
Lithuanians have over 100 various professional, popular and
informational publications, including two world wide dailies?
Do you know that the Lithuanians are the first and only ethnic
group in the United States that has managed to publish a national
encyclopedia? The Lietuvių Enciklopedija (written in Lithuania)
consists of 36 volumes, each one containing several volumes of
Encyclopedia Lituanica in English language.
»
The Russian genocide
against Lithuania
»
Sugrįžti į pradžią
Since 1940, when the Russian
communists occupied Lithuania, thousands of innocent Lithuanian
men, women and children were deported from their land to Siberia
or another wasteland in Soviet Russia. In 1940-1941 alone about
40,000 Lithuanians were packed into cattle cars and shipped to
inner reaches of Siberia. These people were not given food or
water so they quickly became weak. Most of them died in Soviet
concentration camps.
From 1944 to 1958 the Russians
continued their persecution of the Lithuanian people annihilating
over 400,000 of them during those years. Besides that, about
200,000 Lithuanian citizens “immigrated” to Poland. (15) What
would this loss of life amount to proportionally in another
nation, the United States for example?
In order to stop this genocide the
Lithuanian people had to fight. Many interesting facts and
episodes of their resistance would provide excellent material for
books, films… for example:
May 15, 1945. Alytus district /
Southern Lithuania /. The forest of Kalniškiai was a scene of
battle between 84 Lithuanians and 2000 Russians. The Russians left
280 dead Lithuanian losses were 43, among them three women, one of
whom, a schoolteacher, fought until her ammunition ran out even
though both of her legs had been blown off earlier.
May 15, 1945. Marijampolė /
Southern Lithuania /, district of Budininkai. A battle between 116
Lithuanians and about 700 Russians. Russian dead – 94, Lithuanian
losses were 3 dead and 6 wounded.
April, 1946. Kėdainiai district /
Central Lithuania /. About 3000 Russians attacked 70 Lithuanian
freedom fighters. The Lithuanians lost 12 men while the Russian
dead added up to 108. (16) Etc., etc.
Reports of battles such as these are
endless. In some battles the Russians used artillery, tanks, etc.
The Lithuanians could defend themselves only with light weapons.
Most freedom fighters fought to the death; therefore, not many of
them were taken alive. They would often shoot themselves in order
to escape capture. In other times the freedom fighters would blow
themselves with grenades so that their bodies could not be
identified, thus their families would be spared persecution.
Bodies of dead partisans that fell into Russian hands were brought
to the nearest market place where they were allowed to rot.
Among the East European countries
seized and dominated by the Soviet Union, Lithuania and other
Baltic States – Latvia and Estonia – have not yet received
adequate attention from scholars. (17)
The first Lithuanian book from the
second period in Lithuanian history was published in the
Lithuanian city Tvankstė / Königsberg / in 1547.
A Lithuanian, Duleckis, taught the
Russians how to write music and therefore, paved the way for
Russian composers. (18)
The famous so called Russian writers
like Dostojevski and Tolstoj are of Lithuanian descent.
In 1529 the first Lithuanian Statute
was printed. This Code of Laws was the best judicial work in
Europe at that time. A similar code was printed by the Russians
about 200 years later. The Poles never printed such a work. (19)
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Lithuanians entertain
the World
»
Sugrįžti į pradžią
How many Lithuanians have become
movie stars?
The ancestors of the noted British
actor Sir John Gielgud were Lithuanian nobles. Even today there
remains a castle in Lithuania bearing this name.
Have you seen the Paramount
production “The Last Safari”, where the star was the Lithuanian
Kaz Garas followed by Stewart Granger?
Have you seen Joanna Shimkus, a
Lithuanian, in “Les aventuriers” and “The Marriage Of A Young
Stockbroker” or the excellent film adaptation of D. H. Lawrence’s
“The Virgin and the Gypsy”? A French magazine “Jours de France” in
one of their latest issues covered Miss Shimkus’ career in 5 full
pages. Her other American film performances were with such great
stars as Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Sidney Poitier, etc.
Do you know that one of the most
popular movie stars in the world is Lithuanian Charles Bronson?
Do you know other movie stars that
are Lithuanian descent? Such are: Ruta Lee, Jack Sernas, Laurence
Harvey, George Mikell, Tino Grossi, etc.
Do you know that in the history of
American sports you will find many Lithuanian personalities: Jack
Sharkey, (boxing world champ in 1932); Frank Lubin, basketball;
Johnny Podres, John Unitas, football; Rūta and Vytas Gerulaitis in
tennis, etc., etc.
»
Do you know...
»
Sugrįžti į pradžią
… That in about 3000 B.C. amber,
known as Lithuanian “gold” /gintaras/ was used in trading? (20)
… that in Nesvyžius, the ancestral
home of the Lithuanian family of dukes, the Radvilas (Radzwill),
were produced a high quantity of artillery, pistols, rifles from
the XV century on. In this same palace a printing shop was
established in 1582, a college in 1588, an accurate map of the
Lithuania was published in 1613. A resident theater group was
formed in the XVII century, a newspaper was published starting
from 1750. XVII-XVIII A.D. a library collection consisting of
about 20.000 rare books and an art gallery of masterpieces by the
great European masters including Lithuanian artists were
established. Those Lithuanian art treasures were stolen by the
Russians and used as the foundation of establishing the ermitage
Museum in Leningrad.
… that in the Lithuanian capital of
Vilnius a paper mill was established in 1524 and a glass works
began operations in 1551.
… that one of the first medical
doctors and teachers of Latin in New York was a Lithuanian named
Alexander Carolus Curtius. His letter to the governor of New York
(formerly known as New Amsterdam) is dated April 25, 1559. (21)
… that a medical book written in
Latin was published in Vilnius in 1584. The preface to this work
titled “Comentoriola Medica ad aliquod Scripta” was written by the
physician to the Royal House, Simas Simonius.
… that K. Semenavičius /1600 – about
1651/ was not only the best artillery specialist in Europe /see
his Artis Magnae Artilleriae/ but also the first rocket scientist
in the world. (Alg. Gustaitis: Lietuvis pieš tris šimtmečius
išrado raketas. „Naujoji Viltis“ nr.6, 1973/74. Cleveland).
„Colonel K. Semenavichus, a
Lithuanian, wrote it more than three centuries before the first
spaceship went aloft. This work on the use of rocketry in
artillery is illustrated with curious drawings of rockets which
bear almost uncanny likeness to present-day space vehicles.“ (22)
... that a man in Vilnius flew a hot
air baloon and raised himself aloft in 1809. The real founder of
aviation in Lithuania was Alexandras Griškevičius (1809-1863).
Between 1843 and 1850 he prepared a series of flying vehicle
designs of which the best were published in book form in 1851. He
himself built flying vehicles and tried to fly them in Kaunas and
other Lithuanian districts.
… that in 1937 and in 1939 Lithuania
won the basketball championship of Europe. Lithuanians are still
leaders in many sports in Europe and the world.
The roman Catholic Church in
Lithuania is one of the strongest bastions of Lithuanian
resistance by peaceful means, and is therefore ceaselessly exposed
to vicious attacks by the Kremlin and Lithuanian puppets. The
rulers of the Kremlin – in the eras of both Stalin and Khrushchev
– have shown as much zeal in their program to destroy the
Lithuanian Roman Catholic Church as in that designed to annihilate
the LFA. (23)
The so-called “elections” in Soviet
occupied Lithuania were completely controlled by the Russians, and
the favourable results were pronounced in advance from Moscow even
before the “voting places” were closed.
1972 in Lithuania four heroic Lithuanians killed themselves by
setting their own bodies on fire to protest the occupation of
Lithuania by Russians: 19 years old Romas Kalanta (May 14th in
Kaunas), 23 years old Stonis, 60 years old Andriuškevičius and 62
years old Zališauskas. Before their death they shouted: Laisvės
Lietuvai! (Freedom for Lithuania!) “The Astians lived on a higher
civilization and cultural level than the normadic Slavs, and
Aistians weapons were not inferior to those of their antagonist.”
(C. F. Jurgela “History of the Lithuanian Nation,” New York, 1948,
p.46).
“Western Russia came under Lithuanian domination, and only
Novgorod in the North remained independent. While Catholic Europe
progressed intellectually, the progress in the Orthodox area was
spiritual, economic, and political rather than intellectual.” (Wm.
L. Winter: The Baltic As A Common Frontiers of Eastern and Western Europe in the Middle Ages. Lituanus No. 4, 1973, p. 23).
…
that the present oppressors of Lithuania, the Soviet Russians, are
continuing large scale religious persecutions and closed down many
churches which they have converted into factories, warehouses,
anti-religious museums and the like.
“With the development of archeological and linguistic sciences,
especially during the last decades, the problems of the
prehistorical culture, the ethnogenesis, the living space and
other problems of the ancient past of the Lithuanians have
received serious scientific considerations. The origin of the
Balts (thus of the Lithuanians as well) is connected with the
migration of the Indo-Europeans to the Southeastern and Eastern
Baltic region (3.000 B. C.). At the end of the Neolithic and the
beginning of the Bronze Age the Proto-Balts emerged from a branch
of the Indo-Europeans who migrated to this region.” (J. Puzinas:
The Origins of the Lithuanians and Other Living Space According to
The Latest Research. Precedings of the Institue of Lithuanian
Studies, 1971. Chicago, 1971, p. 61.).
»
Please help stop
russification of Lithuania
»
Sugrįžti į pradžią
The daughter of the great classicist F. Dostojevski, in her
father’s biography, published in Spanish in 1942, states about him
being of Lithuanian descent and adds:
No
country did so much to civilization of the Slaves, like this small
Lithuania. Other countries work for themselves, for their own
honor; Lithuania spread her culture and let it blossom in the
countries of her neighbors Poland, Ukraine, and Russia. Yet they
do not understand that and are not grateful, but the day will come
when they will clearly see their gigantic debt to this modest and
silent country of Lithuania. (24)
»
Notes
»
Sugrįžti į pradžią
1.
A. Bendorius, Lietuvių Enciklopedija, XV, Boston,
1968, p. 11.
2.
M. Gimbutas, The Balts, New York, 1963, p. 13.
3.
S. K. Chatterji, Balts and Aryans, Calcutta, 1968,
p. 28.
4.
O. J. C. Norem, Timeless Lithuania, Chicago, 1943,
p. 1.
5. E.
J. Harrison, Lithuania’s Fight for Freedom, New York, 1952, p. 5.
6.
Norem, Timeless Lithuania, p.
17.
7.
S. K. Chatterji, Balts and Aryans, Calcutta, 1968,
p. 46, 47.
8.
“Nur wenige Dokumente berichten uns von diesem ebenso
unglücklichen wie tapferen Volk, über dessen Grab wir fahren, wenn
uns der Zug von Marienburg über Elbing nach Königsberg trägt. Aber
noch im Tode haben sie sich an ihren Unterwerfern gerächt, denn
durch eine seltsame Fügung bekam der Mörder den Namen des
Ermordeten: die Ordensritter wurden Preussen / d. i. Pruzzen /
genannt, und ihr Staat, den sie nach dem Zusammenschluss mit
Brandenburg gründeten, erhielt denselben Namen, dergeschichtlich
betracht – nicht anderes als ein Kainsmal ist”. J. Ehret,
Baltisches Schicksal, Basel, 1970, p. 10, 11.
9. Norem,
Timeless
Lithuania, p. 46.
10. Living
in Freedom, Z. Ivinskis, Lithuanian Roll in European History,
Augsburg, W. Germany, 1948, p. 8.
11.
Ibidem, p. 10.
12.
Ibid., p. 10, 11.
13.
“In period of Gediminas, of the earliest references
to Vilnius as Lithuanian’s capital, it lay approximately in the
center of ethnographic Lithuania. However, Lithuania’s state
boundaries by that time did not coincide with her ethnographic
boundaries. The Lithuanian State was steadily expanding to the
east and south during the reign of Mindaugas and thereafter. At
the beginning of the 15th century its frontiers reached
the upper Oka in the east, and the Black Sea in the south”. A.
Šapoka, Vilnius in the Life of Lithuania, Toronto, 1962, p. 23,
24.
14.
S. Žymantas, Lituanus, nr. 2, 1960: Twenty Years of
Resistance.
15.
J.
Audėnas, Varpas, nr. 7, 1967: Lietuvos gyventojai.
16.
S. Žymantas, Lituanus, nr. 2, 1960: Twenty Years of
Resistance.
17.
V. S. Vardys, Lithuania under the Soviets, New
York-Washington-London, 1965, p. VII.
18.
V. Sruogienė, Lietuvių kultūros istorijos bruožai,
Chicago, 1962, p. 53.
19. Ibid.,
p. 41.
20. J.
Puzinas, Lietuvių Enciklopedija, VII, Boston, 1956, p. 262.
21. Dr.
Alexander Carolus Cursius-Curtius. Edit.: S. Budrys, V.Paprockas.
Chicago, 1967.
22.
Sputnic magazine. February,
1968, p. 135.
23. K.
V. Tauras, Guerilla Warfare on the Amber Coast, New York, 1962, p.
100.
24.
Amada Dostojevski, Vida de
Dostoievski, por su hija, traducción de Humberto Pérez de la Ossa,
Buenos Aires, p. 22.
»
Some remarks about the
1st edition
»
Sugrįžti į pradžią
Thank you for the excellent booklet about Lithuania. I wish we had
something like that about Latvia. Nobody reads the thick volumes.
People are too lazy. But the important facts in a nutshell,
presented in graphically well-spaced paragraphs, on 14 pages only,
with big, easy readable letters – that is precisely the right
thing in order to approach even sluggish readers. You did your
country a fine service.
Anšlavs Eglitis, Latvian writer & journalist.
From his letter dated January 4th, 1972.
His review of that booklet was published
in
Latvian weekly “Laiks” January 26th, 1972.
This is a very handy booklet consisting of 16 pages by which the
reader is attractively informed about Lithuanians and Lithuania,
beginning with pre-historic time and up to present day reality.
Inside the cover page a general map shows Lithuania and points to
the interesting fact that Lithuania’s capital Vilnius is the
geographic center of Europe.
Lithuanian Daily “Draugas” / Chicago / cultural section.
January 15th, 1972
The booklet is well suited to present to honorable foreign guests
during Lithuanian Day celebrations and other outstanding
occasions.
Lithuanian Daily “Naujienos” / Chicago / No. 1, January 11th,
1972.
…
the booklet is well published in English and recommended for
English speaking.
Bi-weekly “Laisvoji Lietuva” / Chicago / No. 1, January 6th,
1972.
We
may say, that it is a short history of Lithuania with the most
important historical facts which are steadily corroborated by
documents of the most interesting nature.
Lithuanian weekly “Europos Lietuvis” / London, England / No. 3,
January 18th, 1972.
A
very useful publication to circulate among English speaking
readers.
Lithuanian weekly “Tėviškės Aidai” / Australia / No. 11-12, March
28th, 1972.
»
Sugrįžti į pradžią
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