Culture
Art
Artists were very desirable persons in the emerging DP camps for the practical reasons. They assisted for re-establishing art ensembles by making adecorations, shaping the camps, preparing souvenirs for visiting important visitors.
Shortly after artists exhibitions were arranged, later they were moved to Germany galleries, and even reached other countries – Paris, Rome exhibition halls. More common were collective displays, reserving some space for folk art.
Worth mentioning is exhibition in Schongau, which was seen by 10 000 visitors. The organizer Viktoras Petravicius invited Latvians and Estonians artists to display their art works as well. Notable art exhibitions were organized in Freiburg, where arts and crafts school was, working under the leadership of V. Jonynas, also in Baden Baden and Tubingen. In 1949 Lithuanians participated in the international exhibition in Amsterdam, Hague.
Personal artists exhibitions were also arranged – A. Galdikas, V.K. Jonynas, V. Kasiulis exhibitions in Paris, V. Petravivius and V. K. Jonynas – in Rome, in the Baltics graphics exhibition. In 1949 Lithuanian DP artists exhibitions were exposed in New York, USA.
In 1947 Lithuanian Art Institute and Architects Assocciation were established.
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Poster of A. Galdikas and V.K. Jonynas art exhibition Lithuanian Cultural Institute in Germany (LKI) |
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Poster of V.K. Jonynas art exhibition Lithuanian Cultural Institute in Germany (LKI) |
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Chicago Historical Society presents Lithuanian Art in Exile Exhibit : August 14, 1950 to October 1, 1950. - Chicago, Ill. : [s.n.], 1950 Lithuanian National library. C(LKA)angl.12/950 |
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Lithuania comes to Broadway : New York Hall of Science presents Lithuanian art in exile exhibit, October 20, 1949 to November 20, 1949 . - New York : [s.n.], 1949. Lithuanian National library. C(LKA)angl.10/949 |
Musical Life. Theater
With the war still going on, concerts were arranged in Lithuanian refugees gathering places. In five years few hundred concerts were performed in the DP camps not only for the compatriots, but also for outsiders. Čiurlionis ensemble, Lithuanian folk ensemble and "Auđrinës" ensemble are names worth mentioning.
In 1946 a song festival was arranged in W?rzburg, more than 400 singers from surrounding camps participated in this event. Concerts were organized and Lithuanian music was popularized by vocalists, instrumentalists. They even played on German radio stations (Munich, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Hamburg). In 1948 a group of Lithuanian singers was on tour in the United Kingdom. Noted is a successful performance of Lithuanian pianist A. Kuprevicius in international piano competition in Geneve.
Lithuanian opera in Detmold presented Rosini opera "The Barber of Seville"in 1947. The same year in Augsburg theater M. Deliba ballet "Coppelia" was performed. Drama actors staged performances, established drama studios. Worth mentioning is Augsburg Lithuanian drama theater, which performed 138 plays in 25 camps. "Aitvaras" in Detmold, "Atţalynas" in Hanau are also noteworthy.
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Tickets of different cultural events Lithuanian Cultural Institute in Germany (LKI) |
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Plackard of M. Deliba ballet "Copelia" in Hannau Lithuanian DP camp |
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First Lithuanian Song festival in Wurzburg, 1946 Lithuanian Cultural Institute in Germany (LKI) |
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Artists of Hanau Lithuanian DP drama theater "Atţalynas" Lithuanian Cultural Institute in Germany (LKI) |
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Programme of Augsburg Lithuanian DP drama theater Lithuanian Cultural Institute in Germany (LKI) |
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Plackard of A.Mikulskis concert. 1945 American Lithuanian Cultural archives. No. 17 (1-5) |
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Invitation to A.Mikulskis concert. 1945 American Lithuanian Cultural archives. No. 17 (1-5) |
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Diplomas to the director of Čiurlionis ensemble A.Mikulskis for the concert in Tuttlingen DP camp. 1945 American Lithuanian Cultural archives. No. 17 (1-5) |
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Plackard of G.Rosini's opera "The Barber of Seville" by Lithuanian refugees in Detmold Lithuanian Cultural Institute in Germany (LKI) |
Book publishing
According to statistics, in the year 1945-1952 slightly more than a thousand books in Lithuanian and foreign languages were published in German camps.
Publishing of books was motivated by objective factors, even though huge difficulties, regarding the lack of juridical press law and censorship was in the way. Fast growth of the educational system, adult's self-education, massive learning of foreign languages directly influenced the direction of publishing, as well as size and repertoire. It should be noted, that textbooks and other educational books constituted about 20 percent of all publication number.
Exceptionally active was lithuanian literary life, the need of fiction literature stimulated this kind of book publishing rates. During this period new fiction literature authors works were published, interwar Lithuania's classic's works were re-issued and world literature authors' works were translated and published. Propaganda and religious literature also took an important part in book publishing.
A lot of books were published in foreign languages (mainly German and English), their mission was to represent Lithuania, annunciate news about the situation in that concrete historic period and to bring foreign citizens and government to attention about the occupation process and its consequences.
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Tremties metai : lietuviř rađytojř metrađtis, 1947 (Chronicle of Lithuanians writers in exile) / [redaktorius B. Brazdţionis]. - Tübingen : Patria, 1947 Lithuanian National Library LAK 3930 |
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Autographs of writers whos works were published in the chronicle Lithuanian National Library LAK 3930 |
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Vilnius : the capital of Lithuania : [1323-1948] / by Tadas J. Vizgirda. Munich, 1948 Lithuanian National Library |
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Manuscript about making a present a copy of book to Lithuanian diplomat Bronius Kazys Balutis (1879-1967) Lithuanian National Library LAK2126 |
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Lithuania through the ages / by Adolfas Đapoka. Munich, 1948 Lithuanian National Library LAK2209 |
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Manuscript about making book as a present from Pinneberg university studients "Ateitininkai" society to the professor f university Jonas Puzinas (1905-1978) Lithuanian National Library LAK2209 |
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Kryţiai (Crosses) : romanas / Vincas Ramonas. Tübingen, 1947. In 1948 novel was awarded by BALF (United Lithuanian Relief Fund of America) prize Lithuanian National Library LAK2892 |
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Manuscript dedication and anotation to the novel "Croses", adressed to the third Lithuanian President Kazys Grinius (1866-1950) Lithuanian National Library LAK2892 |
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Krusti (Crosses) : româns / Vincs Ramons ; no lietuvju valodas 2. izdevuma tulkojis Emîls Skujenieks. - Trimdâ, 1949 Lithuanian National Library Clatv.1/949 |
PRESS
During the period of 1944-1952 lithuanian DPs in Germany published around 400 periodicals, which continued for a different amount of time.
While the year 1944 was coming to an end, several small circulation news-sheet showed up in some lithuanians gathering centers. They were made with non-typographical means. The goal of publishers was to spread information and to help to connect for scattered refugees.
DP camps press
Daily newsletters/bulletins
Was mostly common in 1945, later started to vanish fast.
Mission – a review of daily events, based on broadcasted radio news.
At first was written by hand, later – printed by rotary press. Circulation range was between one hundred and several hundred copies.
Newspapers
In fall 1945 newspapers printed in a printing - house showed up. The first one was called Lietuvis („Lithuanian“) and was published in Hassendorf camp. Overall around twenty names newspapers were issued in various camps.
Newspapers were printed outside borders of camps, in a printing-houses, controlled by the Germans, who also provided licenses needed for publishing.
Magazines
During this period around twenty magazines were published, which specialized in journalism, literature, culture or pedagogy.
Periodicals were also published by lithuanian social, professional, religious organizations, re-established in Germany. There were also newspapers for children, students and youth.
All press published in West Germany camps were under a censorship. It was performed by local German officials until 1946, later – by UNRRA (United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration) officers.
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Newspaper „Hanau lietuvis“ („Hanau Lithuanian“), 1946, No1, LKI |
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Congress of Lithuanian journalists society in exile, Hanau, 1947 m., LKI |
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Newspaper „Ţiburiai“ („Lights“), 1946, Feb. 16, LNB ALp(LKA)3589 |
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„Elta“ bulletin, 1946, No. 1, LNB ALp(LKA)5302 |
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Literary journal „Ţvilgsniai“ („Looks“), LNB ALp(LKA)4304 |
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Literary journal „Gintaras“ („Amber“) with the handwriting of an editor Juozas Kruminas, 1948 Nr. 1, LNB LAK962 |
