Lithuanians in America 1945–1991 Part III, Rise to Renewed Vitality
Continuation to “Lithuanians in America Part I and -Part II” Series
Dr. Stanley H. (Stasys) Backaitis
Preface
At the end of World War II, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia were re-occupied by the Soviet Union and, essentially disappeared from the map of the world. Unsuccessful attempts by Lithuanian Americans to bring this into the open through contacts with their government in Washington.D.C. left them disheartened and disillusioned. The United States declaration on this issue was a statement of vague hope but offered no political or diplomatic initiatives to help restore Lithuania’s independence. The question of injustice done to the Baltic States fell on deaf ears in the halls of U.S. Government until President Truman recognized in 1947 that Stalin intended to bring the rest of Europe under communist control. The Truman Doctrine, announced to Congress on March 12, 1947, was an American foreign policy statement whose purpose was to counter Soviet geopolitical expansion. It was further developed on July 4, 1948, when the President pledged to contain threats in Greece and Turkey.
During WWII and its immediate aftermath, the ranks of patriotically minded Lithuanian Americans, interested in Lithuanian culture and Lithuanian issues, were rapidly depleting. The younger, particularly U.S. born generations, were losing focus about their ethnicity and melting into America’s mainstream. Even though interest was fading, one of the primary attention getters was the plight of Lithuanian war refugees in Western Europe. Many of them were pleading with their American cousins for safety and from being forcibly returned to the Soviet Union. This troubled Lithuanians in America. They began to express those fears to their congressmen and senators. As a result, the U.S. Government provided them assurances that forced repatriation would not occur. Furthermore in 1948, the U.S. Congress passed the Displaced Persons Act, which allowed among 200,000 other refugees, for more than 30,000 Lithuanians in Western Europe to immigrate to the U.S. The new immigrants constituted the arrival of the Greatest Generation of Lithuanians to America. They restored the vitality of and interest in Lithuanianess to new buoyancy.
Part III of Lithuanians in America provides a bird’s-eye view of activities and accomplishments of numerous Lithuanian American organizations and more visible individuals who were part of and contributed to the revival of Lithuanianess during the 1945–1991 time frame to unprecedented vigor and creativity.
Table of Contentt
Timeline of Significant Events …………………………………………………..4
Lithuanian American Initiatives to Free Lithuania from USSR Occupation after WWII…………………………………………………………….…………..8
American Lithuanian Council……………….…….………. ……….…………10
Parting Ways Between Lithuanian American Socialists and Communists…14
Lithuanian Cultural Oasis in Manhattan.……………………………………..16
Containment of Soviet Power in Europe — Faint Hope for the Baltics………18
The Voice of Freedom — Voice of America………………………..……..…..20
Sustaining Lithuania’s Diplomatic Recognition during the Years of Soviet Occupation….…………………………………………………………………22
United Lithuanian Relief Fund of America……………………………..……25
Fighting Against All Odds……………………………………………………..27
Rebirth of Lithuanian American Vitality………………………………….….29
People’s Political Arm “The Supreme Committee for the Liberation of Lithuania” ……………………………………………………………………….30
Differences of Opinion on Lithuania’s Liberation……………………………..31
Baltic Appeal to the United Nation (BATUN)……………………………….…34
The Joint Baltic American National Committee (JBANC )…………..……….35
Major Lithuanian Defectors from the USSR………………………………….36
Jonas Pleškys: “The Man from ‘Red October”…………………………………37
Vladas Česiūnas: Olympic Champion…………………………………………37
Simas Kudirka, Incident at the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter “Vigilant”…….…38
Pranas Brazinskas: Hijacker of a Russian Plane to Freedom ….………….….40
Birth of Lithuanian American Community ………………………………..41
The Lithuanian American Community (LAC), a Non-governmental national organization………………………………………………………………..….42
Cultural activities activities……..………………………………………….…44
Lithuanian Encyclopedia ……………………………………………….…….45
Education……………………..………………………………………….……47
Young People’s Association……………………………………………….49
Academic Groups……………………………………………………………50
Rising by Their Own Bootstraps and Lighting Bulbs in the Homeland……..51
Religious Affiliations of Lithuanians in America…………………………….52
Roman Catholics ………………………………………………………………52
The American Lithuanian Roman Catholic Federation (ALRCF)……………53
Ateitis Federation………………………………………………………………………54
Knights of Lithuania……………………….……………………………………56
Lithuanian Catholic Priests League…………………………………………….58
Lithuanian Roman Catholic Women Society………………………………….59
Major Independent Roman Catholic Organizations with some Affiliation to the LRCFA………………………………………………………………………60
Lithuanian Convent of Immaculate Conception in Putnam, Ct……………60
Camp Neringa at Battleboro, Vt. …………………………………………….61
Lithuanian Franciscan Friars at Kennebunk Port, Maine ……………………62
Other Religious Organizations ………………………………………………62
Lithuanian National Catholic Church……………………………………………………………………62
Lithuanian Lutherans in America after World War II ………………………62
Litvaks: Amazing Achievers in the United States……………………………64
Independent Lithuanian American Organizations………………………….68
Daughters of Lithuania (Lietuvos Dukterys)…………………………………68
Lithuanian (American) Scouts Association (Lietuvių Skautų Sąjunga)……68
Major Lithuanian American Cultural Institutions……………………………70
American Lithuanian Cultural Archives (ALKA)…………………………….70
Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture ……………………………………72
Lithuanian Research and Studies Center …………… ……………………..74
Major Lithuanian American Foundations……………………………………76
Lithuanian Foundation ……………………………………………………………………..76
Lithuanian National Fund ………………………………………………..…….77
Vydunas Youth Fund ……………………………………………………………77
Effects of Changing Technologies on Education and Economics ……………77
Examples of Entrepreneurship…………………………………………………78
Financial Sector…………………………………………………………………………….84
Two World Renowned Lithuanian American Women of Science…………….85
Dr. Birute Galdikas …….………………………………………………….…..85
Dr. Marija Alseikaite-Gimbutas………………………………………………87
Lithuanian Americans in U.S. Technical, Science, Medical, and Legal Professions ………………………………………………………………………90
Preparing for New Professional Life …………………………………………..90
Monumental Spinoff from ALIAS Activity …………………………………..90
Lithuanian Americans Merging into U.S. Technical- Professional Life …..…90
Monumental and Historical Spinoff from ALIAS Activity…………………..94
The Cut Willow Branches are Alive and Greening………………………….101
Lithuanian American Physicians — Outstanding Examples of Care………..101
Unique Contributions to Lithuania’s Health System by America’s non-Lithuanian Physicians…………………………………………………………109
Jurists — Rising to Challenges………………………………………………110
World Famous Lithuanian American Actors and Producers in the 1950–1990-s time frame……113
Masters of Pen in Exile………………………………………………………114
Lithuanian Americans in the Armed Forces of the United States after WWII to 1990 ………………………………………………………………………….116
Ramovenai — Lithuania’s Army Veterans Association in the USA………….118
Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union (Šauliai) ……………………………………..119
A Powerful Motivation to Lithuanianess through Sports………………….120
Epilog …………………………………………………………………………123
References………………………………………………………………..…125
Timeline of Significant Events in America’s Lithuanian Activities 1944–1991
1944 United Lithuanian Relief Fund of America (ULRFA) becomes member of the National War Fund
1945 End of WWII, over 60,000 Lithuanians fled their homeland to escape advancing Russian troops
1945 Summer, Soviets demand return of Baltic refugees in Western Europe
1945/8/31 ULRFA addresses U.S. War department on opposing forced repatriation of DPs (Baltic refugees)
1945/11/03 U.S. Gen. Hildring assures no forced repatriation
1945 + ULRFA supported Lithuanian refugees with $2,853,000 in moneys and $4,885,000 in goods
1946 150 Lithuanian orphans in DP camps admitted to US for adoption
1945 Prelate Ignas Koncius and in 1947 Alena Devenis visit DP camps in Europe
1946 American Lithuanian Council (ALT) delegation received by President Harry S.Truman , also in 1948 and 1952
1947 National Catholic Welfare Conference visits President Truman for admission of DPs to U.S.
1948/6/28 U.S. Congress passes the DP Act for admission of 201,000 refugees
1948 Lithuanian organizations establish Refugee Immigration and Resettlement committee
1948/10/30 First 148 Lithuanian DPs arrive in NY under the DP War Refugee Act
1948/51 more than 30,000 Lithuanian DPs arrive in America
1949 Lithuanian Catholic Youth Organization (Ateitininkai) is reestablished in U.S.
1949 Lithuanian Scouts begin functioning after transferring from Germany
1950 first Lithuanian American Communities (LAC) in Union City & Waterbury, Ct.
1951 Voice of America starts radio broadcasts in Lithuanian
1950 Neo-Lithuania student organization is reestablished in U.S.
1950 Lithuanian Writers Association is formed
1950 Establishment of American Lithuanian War Veterans Association
1951 American Lithuanian Architect and Engineering Association is formed
1951 Baltic Americans establish National Committee for Free Europe (NCFE)
1951 Creation of the Lithuanian American Community (LAC) as an ethnic organization
1952 NCFE expands its declaration to include Captive Nations in Williamsburg, Va. meeting
1952 Three Lithuanians dissidents escaping from Lithuania are received by Pres. Truman
1953 Pres. Eisenhower receives ALT delegation at the White House
1953 Lithuanian Journalists form a Union
1953 World Union of Lithuania Catholic Women organizations is established
1953 U.S. Congress Kersten Committee investigates Soviet aggression in Baltic States (335 witnesses)
1953 Kapocius publishes in Boston first volume of Lithuanian Encyclopedia
1954 Santara-Sviesa Federation is established for liberal minded nationalistically minded students
1955/7//2 LAC formalized with by-Laws as a permanent organization
1954 ALT and VLIKas (Supreme Committee for Liberation of Lithuania) received by V.P. Richard Nixon
1955 VLIK moves from Germany to USA
1955 Lithuanian National Fund relocates to U.S.
1955 American Lithuanian Information Center is transferred from NYC to Chicago
1956 ALT based Youth delegation received by V.P. Nixon
1956 First renewed after WWII National Song and Culture Festival in Chicago
1957 A Huge Lithuanian Youth Center (Jaunimo Centras) opened in Chicago
1957 First National Convention of U.S and Canadian physicians
1958 State Secretary John Foster Dulles reaffirms in declaration Baltic States Independence
1959 US Congress at initiative of ALT & VLIK declares Captive Nations week
1960 Lithuanian Million Dollar Fund is established
1961 Jonas Pleskys, the captain of a submarine tenderer defects with his ship from the Soviet Union
1962 ALT & LAC delegations received by President John F Kennedy
1962 Monsignor Juras sets up Lithuanian Archives in Putnam
1963 President Kennedy declares Captive Nations week
1964 Lithuanian Day at NYC World’s Fair Cultural Exhibition
1965 Baltic March to the United Nations in NYC received by U.S. ambassador Goldberg
1966 Cleveland declaration of all Lithuanian American parties seeking freedom to occupied Lithuania
1967 ALT delegation received by VP Hubert. Humphrey
1967 Staging first opera Grazina in Chicago
1967 Summit Conference of Lithuanian diplomats, primary organizations, and the press
1968 50th anniversary of Lithuania’s Independence U.S Congress statement by 27 senators and 94 HR
1968 Third Folk Dance Festival in Chicago, 1500 dancers
1969 First Lithuanian Symposium on Science and Creativity (LMKS) in Chicago
1970 Chicago names a square as Lithuanian Plaza in Marquette park at 69th @ California Ave.
1970 President Nixon sends greetings to Genocide Exhibition of the Lithuanian Nation
1970 Simas Kudirka defects by jumping to U.S Coast Guard ship Vigilant. Force returned to the Soviet ship
1971 Publication of first volume of English language Lithuanian encyclopedia
1972 VLIK addresses Pres. Nixon before trip to Moscow regarding independence of the Baltic States
1972 Dr. Valiunas meets Pres. Nixon at the WH
1972 Baltic World Council established in NYC
1973 First Conference on Security @ Cooperation in Helsinki, American Baltic protesters arrested
1973 Lithuanian National Foundation registered as a non-profit organization.
1974 Simas Kudirka, by his mother’s U.S. birth, is released from USSR prison, arrives in U.S.
1975 Present Ford receives Balts (ALT delegation) confirming Baltic States Independence
1975 Lithuania’s Consul Leonardas Simutis dies
1975 Baltic delegates attend the Helsinki Conference — honoring human rights
1977 Senator Dole reaffirms U.S. recognition of Baltic States independence at ESB conference in Belgrade
1978 Baltics invited at the White House, received by VP Mondale and Pres Jimmy Carter
1980 Helsinki Act formalized in a legal document
1980 American Lithuanians protest Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, advocate boycott Moscow Olympics
1980 At Madrid conference Baltics demonstrating for freedom of their countries
1980 Dissident Vladas Sakalys escapes to Sweden and arrives in U.S.
1981 Dr. Tomas Remeikis publishes book “Opposition to Soviet Rule in Lithuania”
1982 President Ronald Reagan announces June 14 as Baltics Freedom Day
1983 American Baltics influence EU Parliament to adopt Resolution on the situation in the Baltic States
1983 Pres. Reagan declares Baltic Freedom Day and receives Baltic American delegation
1983 VLIK and World Lithuanian Community sign cooperation agreement
1983 U.S. Senate directs U.S. Cartographer to show on maps Baltic States separate from USSR
1985 VLIK sends memo to Pres. Reagan ahead of his meeting with USSR’s Gorbachev
1985 U.S. State Dept. reaffirms non recognition of occupation of Baltic States by USSR
1986 Lithuania’s Embassy in Washington issues Promemoria regarding nuclear PP dangers in Ignalina
1986 Pres. Reagan declares Baltic Freedom day and receives Baltic delegation
1986 VLIK initiates Baltic World Council in preparation of ESC conference in Vienna
1987 Lithuanians celebrate 600 years of Christianity including festivities in Rome
1987 Skuodis released from USSR prison arrives in U.S. and is received by Pres. Reagan
1987 World Lithuanian Communities Conference in Washington D.C. calling for freedom to Lithuania
1988 President Reagan signs Congressional resolution declaring Feb 16 Lithuania’s Independence Day
1988 Lithuanians in Chicago establish a branch office of Lithuania’s Freedom League
1988 Pres. Reagan during his visit in Moscow invites Sadunaite and Terleckas to reception
1989 President George H. Bush sends a congratulatory letter on Lithuania’s 70th Independence Day
1989 Pres. of LAC attends Soviet Supreme Council Session in Lithuania
1989 ALT and VLIK meet in Arlington, Va. and issue a joint declaration on Lithuania’s liberation
1989 Landsbergis and wife visit Lithuanian Communities in U.S.
1989 VLIK meets with a parliamentary Studies Committee from Lithuania on the isle of Gotland, Sweden
1989 Joint Lithuanian American Congress in Los Angeles, Ca.
1989 Sixth Symposium on LMKS draws 320 presentations with some 170 participants from Lithuania
1990 Lithuanian Americans send request to Pres. George H. Bush to recognize Lithuania’s Independence
1990 Soviets refuse U.S. Senator D’Amato entry into Lithuania
1990 700 Lithuanians demonstrate in front of USSR embassy in Washington for Lithuania’s Independence
1990 Joint Congress of Lithuanian American Organizations in Washington, D.C.
1990 Pres. George H. Bush receives Baltic American delegation
1990 Lithuania’s Prime Minister Prunskiene visits the White House and Press Club in Washington
1990 U.S. Congress Helsinki Committee investigates refused entry of Balts to the ESD conference
1990 George H. Bush receives Landsbergis at the WH
1991–1–13 Conference of Lithuanian Organizations in Chicago address Soviet violence in Vilnius
1991/1/22 Pres. Bush receives Lith. Am. delegation on Jan 13 re. massacre by USSR troops in Vilnius
1991/2/10–16 Sen. Amato and Congressional delegation on a fact finding mission visit Lithuania
1991/05 Chairman of Lithuania’s Freedom Council Landsbergis received by Pres. Bush at the WH
1991 September 10, U.S. recognizes the Government in Lithuania as legitimate
1991 September 11, Baltic delegation is received at the WH by Pres. George H. Bush announcing establishment of diplomatic relations and an assistance program.
Note: all subsequently enclosed numbers in brackets indicate article or book reference citations in the reference section
Lithuanian American Initiatives to free Lithuania from USSR Occupation after WWII
The end of WWII brought pre-WWII American Lithuanians to face several contrasting dilemmas. WWII ended victoriously for the allies, and Lithuanian Americans were proud to have contributed to the victory. Still many were very disheartened by the Soviet occupation and brutalization of their home country. Politically they were sharply divided into two camps: one sharply opposing Moscow’s occupation of Lithuania and united around its liberation, and the other, advocating socialism and communism, were supporting Lithuania’s inclusion into the Soviet Union as a way of freeing Lithuania from “capitalist oppression”. The latter group was highly emboldened by the war alliance of the U.S. and the USSR. Its leadership did its utmost to discredit any attempts by the Freedom for Lithuania group to help Lithuanian refugees displaced from their homeland during WWII to Western Europe, including advocating for the retraction of U.S. recognition of Lithuania as an independent country.
Fortunately, in spite of the WWII alliance with Russia, the post FDR politicians and particularly President Truman, began to understand the Soviet Union’s malicious intent to communize the entire World. It started to oppose Stalin’s plans and organize the free world into USSR’s containment. The voice of Lithuanian American communists began to wane and within about two decades all but disappeared.
Creation of the United Nations in San Francisco on June 26, 1945, provided the first forum for the United States to assume leadership in the post-World War II era and to advocate freedom for people to choose their own destiny. (1) In contrast, vicious policies were imposed by USSR to control occupied Eastern and Central European countries and to deny any notion of independence. USSR’s further initiatives of expanding into Western Europe eventually led to the Cold War. The USSR created an Iron Curtain across Europe as a means of curtailing the flow of ideas of freedom into their sphere of interest. In the wide world of politics, the Baltic countries were all but forgotten, as they were now considered an integral part of the USSR, except for Lithuanian Americans and by the reluctant United States government refusing to confirm Soviet claims.
The non-communist faction of Lithuanian Americans focused immediately after WWII on three primary issues to assure that: 1. the U.S. continues to recognize occupied Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia as sovereign nations; 2. their refugee countrymen in Western Europe not be forcibly turned-over to the Russians and be provided appropriate sanctuary and shelter, and 3. the Western Powers provide pressure on the Soviets to minimize terror and stop deportations of the Baltic people from their own homelands.
The American Lithuanian Council (ALT) and the American Lithuanian Roman Catholic Federation (ALRCF) were the two primary institutions uniting most major Lithuanian organizations as the primary spokesmen on issues addressing Lithuanian American concerns and the security of their homeland. They were reinforced by some 30,000+ post-WWII refugee immigrants and in 1955, by The Supreme Committee for Liberation of Lithuania (VLIK) upon its relocation from Europe to the United States. The newly-organized Lithuanian American Community, Inc., while initially focusing as a unifying organization on social and educational issues, began in the late 1960s its involvement in political advocacy with regard to Lithuania’s freedom.
The San Francisco U.N. Peace Conference in 1945, was a great disappointment to Lithuanian Americans as it paid no attention to the occupation of the Baltics by the USSR in spite of ALTs‘ informal delegation’s effort to raise the issue. As a result, ALT and ALRCF began working as an informal coalition towards developing approaches that would elevate the occupation issue to the Free World’s attention.
American Lithuanian Council
The Lithuanian American Council (ALT in Lithuanian), founded in 1915, and reorganized in 1940, to address Lithuania’s occupation, soon embraced a coalition of some 18 Lithuanian organizations in the United States. The Council was comprised of four major ideological groups — 1) Lithuanian Roman Catholic Federation of America, 2), Lithuanian Social-Democratic Federation of America, 3) the National Lithuanian Society of America, and 4) the National Lithuanian League of America. It also accepted as members the three largest Lithuanian fraternal associations — the Lithuanian Alliance of America, the Lithuanian Roman Catholic Alliance of America, and a sizeable, well-coordinated Knights of Lithuania. Dozens of local benefit societies, political and cultural clubs, labor union locals, and other associations throughout the country became affiliates of the Council. The most popular and influential Lithuanian American newspapers, dailies as well as weeklies, except for communists, pledged to support ALT activities. It could be said with certainty that the overwhelming majority of American citizens of Lithuanian extraction were behind the Lithuanian American Council.
The principal aims of ALT, formulated in its by-laws at the Pittsburgh conference of September 2–3, 1943, were to unite all democratic forces of Lithuanian Americans for the common task of: 1. Supporting and promoting the principles of American democracy, 2. Backing U.S. military efforts to achieve victory in WWII over the totalitarian aggressors leading to a lasting peace founded on principles of justice, democracy and freedom for people of all nations, great or small; 3. Seeking that the provisions of the Atlantic Charter be put into effect and that they be fully applied to Lithuania by restoring her as an independent republic within her proper historic and ethnographic boundaries; 4. Rendering moral and material aid to the people of Lithuania in their struggle for freedom as well as to those Lithuanians who managed to escape from the Communist tyranny or were deported to Russian slave labor camps; 5. Furnishing the American people and those in the free world with true information concerning Lithuania’s plight under Russia’s occupation and fighting the Soviet propaganda of lies and slander. (2)
One of the first and most important political accomplishment was the reception of the ALT delegation at the White House on October 15, 1940, by President. F.D. Roosevelt, at which the Lithuanian delegation with Pres. Roosevelt at the White House on October 17, 1940.( from left to M. Vaidyla, editor of Sandara.; J.B. Laučka, editor Amerika and rep. of Lith. Am. Roman Catholic Fed.; F. Bagočius, pres. of Lith. Am. Alliance; judge Jonas Zūris; rev. Jonas Švagždys, pres. Lith. Workers Alliance and editor of Darbininkas; Miss Mikužiūtė; K. Karpius, editor of “Dirva”; Pijus Grigaitis, editor of “Naujienos; L. Šimutis, editor of Draugas and pres. Lith Roman Cath. Federation; Al Kumskis; Petras Pivariūnas, pres of Sandara Alliance; Povilas Mileris, pres. of Chicago Lithuanian Alliance.
Congressional Inquiry on Forced Incorporation of the Baltic States into the Soviet Union
After the Congress authorized such hearings, the Lithuanian American Council worked strenuously for several months of locating, gathering, checking, and preparing witnesses and documents as supporting evidence of the Soviet aggression and fraud against Lithuania and its people. An impressive amount of material was compiled, and oral testimony prepared. Nothing like this kind of inquiry has been done in prior years. The original House inquiry into the Soviet aggression against the Baltic nations was later amended by extending the scope of the investigation to include all other European countries that were victims of Soviet aggression.
During the first decade of existence of the American Lithuanian Council, its primary objective was to prevent the United States from yielding to an enormous pressure by the Soviet Union to obtain recognition of its claim to Lithuania and the other Baltic States. The position of the U. S. Government on the status of these countries was bitterly attacked by the Kremlin, particularly that the Soviet Union was a wartime ally of the United States. ALT was continuously on guard to assure that the U. S. does not change its policy by recognizing the fact that a segment of policymakers at the State Department was inclined to grant Soviet demands. During the next four decades of Lithuania’s occupation, the ALT submitted numerous statements and memoranda including visits to the Department of State and the U.S. Congress to inform them of human and civil rights violations; religious persecutions; physical and cultural genocide and ethnic discrimination carried on by the Soviet government in the occupied Baltic countries. (3)
To create broader public interest and to support Lithuania’s rightful quest for freedom and independence, the ALT published and disseminated to the public a wide array of information in English and in Lithuanian dealing with activities and concerns of Lithuanian Americans, including on issues related to Lithuania in particular and the Baltic States and Central Europe in general.
One of the most important ALT accomplishments included promotion and establishment in 1951 of broadcasts to Lithuania by the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Their daily radio broadcasts aired worldwide news events, activities at the Executive and Congressional offices related to the Baltic countries, highlights of life in Lithuania including political and religious persecutions, Russianization policies, and life and events of Lithuanians in America.
The cessation of WWII hostilities found tens of thousands of Lithuanian refugees in Western Europe without care and protection. The ALT took steps with the government authorities in Washington to guarantee their safety from extradition to the Soviets. To help take care of their needs, the Council created a special organization, called the United Lithuanian Relief Fund of America (ULRFA). When the question of permanent settlement of refugees arose, the Council expended major efforts to support legislation that permitted, among two hundred thousand WWII Displaced Persons, for over 30,000 Lithuanians to immigrate to the U.S.
The American Lithuanian Council also vigorously campaigned against the Draft Code of Offenses against Peace and Security of Mankind, a Communist-inspired project, which was intended to scuttle the Genocide Convention and to create a situation in which Soviet Russia might gain an advantage over the free democratic nations. As a result of its efforts, the position of the U. S. Government on this USSR proposal was clarified by the U. S. Ambassador at the United Nations — Henry Cabot Lodge. He notified ALT, that “…it will be the objective of the U. S. Delegation this year to prevent adoption or any endorsement of the Code by the present General Assembly.”
There were many other instances in which the American Lithuanian Council stepped up to defend the rights of the people in Lithuania or the interests of this country. It needs to be noted that the Congressional Committee for Free Europe was established mostly as the result of successful efforts by the ALT. The idea of getting the U. S. Senate to denounce Soviet oppression practices in occupied territories and to assure continued U. S. policy of not recognizing incorporation of the Baltic States into the USSR was also initiated by the ALT. Senator Paul H. Douglas from Illinois sponsored such a resolution that was unanimously passed by the Senate. (4)
During Lithuania’s occupation, ALT delegations were received by U.S. Presidents at the White House to hear out Lithuanian American concerns over the Soviet occupation and violence of their ancestral home country and to receive assurances of continued recognition of Lithuania’s independence.
Plenum meetings of the American Lithuanian Council were held once a year, and National conventions every four years. The most ardent desire of the ALT was to see Lithuania liberated from the claws of the ruthless Soviet imperialism and be given a chance to live again as an independent and democratic republic. ALT sponsored and organized events of national significance, such as commemorations and celebrations of Lithuania’s Independence Day on February 16, were staged in later years in some settlements with the participation of the Lithuanian American Community organization.
The desired dream of a free Lithuania was fulfilled in 1991, when the United States recognized the restoration of Lithuania’s independence and reestablished full diplomatic relations with the government of Lithuania. It animated the hearts of an overwhelming majority of all patriotic Lithuanian Americans as demonstrated in breaking out of numerous festivities throughout Lithuanian communities. (5)
Parting Ways between Lithuanian American Socialists and Communists
In the 1930-s adherence to communism and socialism made up about one half of all America’s Lithuanians. In 1936, the Lithuanian Socialists and Communists formed a common front to oppose the Nationalist regime in Lithuania and also to fight “clericalism” prevalent in the rest of Lithuanian Americans. However, the coalition began to disintegrate when Soviet Russia occupied Lithuania in 1940. A part of the socialist leadership opposing the occupation left the coalition and joined the ALT. In contrast, the communists were emboldened by the US-USSR alliance during WWII and were vigorously advocating the U.S. to retract its diplomatic recognition of Lithuania’s independence and to consider it as part of the Soviet Union. Recognizing the importance of Lithuanian American voice in USSR-U.S relations, the USSR added after WWII a Lithuanian national as one of the first secretaries to its embassy staff in Washington. It was Moscow’s special tribute to the Lithuanian American Communist faction, as Lithuania was the only one of all Soviet Socialist member republics to have its national representative in the Soviet embassy. (6)
After WWII ended sharp differences between the U.S. and USSR caused the U.S. to oppose USSR’s intention to expand communism in Europe and Asia. As a result, the Lithuanian communist faction began to lose focus and started on a slow path of disintegration, partly due to aroused patriotism of the American population after WWII and partly due to the bellicose behavior of their ideal, the communist USSR. The sharp decline of the communist party membership became even more pronounced as pre-WWII hardline communist party members began to die-out and their younger generations showed little interest to be complicit with the strange and belligerent Moscow led ideological movement. Its two largest in volume Lithuanian communist newspapers in America just a few decades ago, closed in the 1970s. Almost concurrently, the Lithuanian communist party faction disappeared from the Lithuanian American political scene.
The Socialist Alliance on the other hand, soon after WWII, began to gain strength, partly by defections of dissidents from their communist allying party, and partly, through reinforcement of a sizeable fraction of newly arrived socialist-minded DPs. In 1952, the Alliance changed its name to Lithuanian Social Democratic League and in its new constitution it unequivocally committed “to fight for a free, independent and democratically ruled Lithuanian State”. The organization established in 1953, a publishing company for printing Lithuanian language books and literature. Two socialist oriented pre-WWI newspapers “Naujienos” in Chicago and “Keleivis” in Boston continued publishing well after the end of WWII. Keleivis readership after WWII shrank to a couple thousand and ceased publication in 1959. The closure of Naujienos in 1986 was a shock to its readership as its circulation just 20 years ago was still around fourteen thousand. (7)
As the 1980s approached, the ranks of the hard-line socialists thinned out by death. Those that remained lost their zest partly due to lack of energy and partly due to very low public esteem of the socialist ideology. The younger ones showed practically no interest in socialism, particularly that restoration of Lithuania’s independence was the most important issue on their minds. Even if some still had interest n socialism, very few would even dare to bring it out into the open due to the party’s reputation as co-travelers with the communists. Some of the younger academic types, who arrived in the United States as children or teenagers and who were not affiliated with and not interested in religious movements, found commonality in liberal and socialist oriented associations. One of them was Santara-Šviesa. It promoted unpopular, anti-mainstream, but Lithuanian oriented avant-garde forms of culture and art, and provided an opportunity for exposure and moral support to liberally minded individuals. Its views were promoted in the monthly intellectual Journal “Akiraciai”.
Not hiding preference for liberal thought, Santara-Sviesa began promoting cultural exchanges with the homeland premised on the notion that culturally all Lithuanians throughout the world are one entity. Santara-Šviesa reminded Lithuanians on both sides of the Iron Curtain to search for common ground in order to assure the nation’s survival, even if initially only a few on either side would dare to engage in such a venture. By mid-1980s members of Santara-Sviesa successfully began to establish contacts with Lithuania’s nationalistic minded younger communist intellectuals and encouraged them to introduce more freedom initiatives in Lithuania in spite of the highly controlled structures of the USSR. As the 1990s approached, the thrust for freedom grew into a nation-wide surge and resulted in declaration of separation from the USSR and restitution of Lithuania’s independence. (8)
Lithuanian Cultural Oasis in Manhattan
Lithuanian Alliance of America (Susivienijimas Amerikoje (SLA), formerly an unemployment and life insurer, is an affiliate organization of ALT. After shedding its assurance activities, it has become a social and cultural Alliance of Lithuanians in America with headquarters in New York City (Manhattan). In 1955 it had nearly 12,000 members, made up of 303 chapters operating in 22 States. By 1990 the membership dwindled to less than 4000. Members of the Alliance are people of liberal and socialistic orientation, interested in supporting Lithuanian national heritage and cultural acclivities. In the Alliance pre-WWII history, a small fraction of members, favoring communist thought, made several attempts to gain control of the Alliance, but were unsuccessful.
The SLA building has become the primary center for Lithuanians cultural activities in New York City. It also houses large archives of Lithuanian Assurance in America and affiliated organizations. At the same time, the facility accommodates a multitude of community organizations bringing together a broad spectrum of artists, cultural activists, and musical events in the promotion and development of Lithuanian culture, heritage, historical events, and linguistic patrimony. (9, 10)
Containment of Soviet Power in Europe — Faint Hope for the Baltics
The WWII alliance between the United States and the USSR began to disintegrate soon after WWII ended. The USSR consolidated its control over the occupied part of eastern and middle Europe. With dreams of peaceful coexistence shattered, the United States started developing a strategy for global containment of Soviet power. It began extending military and financial aid to Western Europe, supporting the anti-communist side in the Greek Civil War, and creating the NATO alliance. While not directly challenging the legitimacy of the communist domination of Eastern Europe or the annexation of the Baltic States, the United States never accepted their disappearance as independent countries from the political map of Europe. The Truman Doctrine announced in 1947, challenged Soviet expansionism by pledging to aid nations threatened by the Soviet Union.
The term “cold war” emerged, because there was no direct fighting between the two sides, but each supported regional wars, such as in Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Congo. The two superpowers avoided direct confrontation for fear of precipitating an-out nuclear world war. Aside from the development nuclear arsenals and deployment of conventional military forces, the struggle for dominance by the rivals was expressed via proxy wars around the globe, psychological warfare, massive propaganda campaigns, espionage, even rivalry at sports events, and technological competitions, such as the Space Race.
The land blockade by the USSR to Western enclaves in Berlin in1948/49, was the first major crisis of the Cold War. Outbreak of the Korean War in 1950 expanded the confrontation with the USSR. It was followed by the crushed Hungarian Revolution in 1956, the USSR building the Iron Curtain in 1961, and the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.
In spite of continuous Soviet political pressure to attain even an informal admission by the United States that the Baltic States were now part of the USSR, the U.S. never gave even the slightest hope that its recognition policy would be weakened. Every Secretary of State of the United States annually re-pledged U.S. condemnation of the annexation of the Baltic States. For example, in a letter of February 8, 1968 to Juozas Kajeckas, Charge d’Affaires of the Legation of Lithuania in Washington, Secretary Rusk extended best wishes to the Lithuanian people on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of Lithuania’s independence and went on to say:
“Throughout its long and proud history, the Lithuanian nation has endured with fortitude many periods of trial and alien rule. Unhappily, in our own time, Lithuania’s re-establishment as an independent state was followed only twenty-two years later by its forcible incorporation into the Soviet Union. The Lithuanian people have responded to this situation through the years with unyielding courage and unfaltering hope for freedom and national independence. The firm purpose with which the Lithuanians both at home and abroad have struggled to preserve their national heritage is the best assurance of their survival as a nation.
Americans look with understanding and sympathy upon the just aspiration of the Lithuanian people to determine freely their own destiny. The United States Government, by its continued non-recognition of the forcible incorporation of Lithuania, affirms its belief in Lithuania’s right of self-determination.”
The Baltic States have appeared again and again as factors in negotiations between the United States and the Soviet Union. Negotiations of a cultural exchange program between October, 1960, and February, 1961, provide an interesting example of the U.S. ability to deflect Soviet a-morality.
A band from the University of Michigan was scheduled to make a tour of the Soviet Union as part of the cultural exchange program. The Soviets offered to allow the band to appear only in Moscow, Kiev, and Leningrad. However, the United States, desiring the widest coverage, insisted that the band be permitted to make appearances in other cities, comparable to privileges extended to the U.S.S.R. visiting cultural groups in the United States.
The Soviets cleverly enlarged the itinerary to ten cities among which were Riga, Tallinn, and Vilnius. This clearly was an injection of politics into a cultural field. If the United States allowed the University of Michigan band to appear in the Baltic capitals, it might be interpreted as a form of recognition that the three were a part of the Soviet Union.
Not to be outdone, the American negotiators presented the Soviets with an American-made dilemma: unless the Baltic cities were removed from the tour, the Moiseyev dancers would not be permitted to tour the United States. Probably aware of the propaganda value of the Moiseyev’s troupe would have in the United States, the Soviet negotiators, borrowing the plot from Aesop’s “The Fox and the Grapes”, announced that the Communist leaders of the three Baltic Soviet Republics had considered the situation and announced that they were not equipped to receive the University of Michigan band in their countries.
The Moiseyev dancers came to the United States, and the University of Michigan band went on an extended tour of the Soviet Union, but not to Riga, Tallinn, and Vilnius.
In most cases without publicity, the Baltic ethnic groups and the diplomats of the three occupied countries have succeeded in maintaining, in the minds of key Americans, an awareness of the injustice done to the Baltic States. Although a column by Pierre J. Huss stated that “the cruel enchainment by Moscow of these once virile nations is forgotten”, the American Ambassador to the United Nations, Adlai Stevenson, used the Baltic States as an example of Soviet colonialism.
In 1965, an ad hoc group of young Lithuanians organized a massive rally of about 14,000 people at Madison Square Garden in New York City, to mark the 25th anniversary of Soviet occupation of the Baltic States and to bring the question of their independence before the United Nations. On October 22, 1966, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed on, House Resolution 416 urging the U.S. President to appeal to the United Nations and to influence world opinion in restoring freedom to the Baltic nations. (11)
After the USSR crushed the 1968 Prague Spring liberalization attempts, in 1970-s both sides became interested in making allowances to create a more stable and predictable international system. However, détente collapsed at the end of the decade with the beginning of the Soviet-Afghan War in 1979. The early 1980s were another period of elevated tension when the Soviets downed the Korean Air Lines Flight 007 (1983), and NATO conducting the “Able Archer” military exercises in Europe in 1983. With the United States increasing diplomatic, military, and economic pressures on the Soviet Union, the communist state began suffering from economic stagnation. The new Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev introduced liberalization and openness reforms in the USSR.
President Reagan, a persistent and eloquent condemner of communism, turned a visit to West Berlin into a defining moment in history with one of his most memorable orations.
On June 12, 1987, with some 20,000 cheering the American president’s speech in Berlin, Germany, Reagan challenged Gorbachev to deliver on his avowed commitment to international peace and progressive policies. His challenge was heard around the world: “General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here, to this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall…This wall will fall, for it cannot withstand faith, it cannot withstand truth. The wall cannot withstand freedom.”
And so it was that in 1989 the East German government opened the border. The fall of the Berlin Wall began the disintegration of the Soviet Union and at the same time opened the door to the liberation movements in all of Eastern Europe and, above all, in the Baltic countries.
In his foreign policy, Reagan turned out to be one of the most effective American presidents of the 20th century, who without firing a bullet, caused the disappearance of one of the most powerful empires on this earth.
As a result, pressures for national independence grew stronger in East-Central Europe, especially in Poland and the Baltic States. Gorbachev, by refusing to use Soviet troops to support the faltering Warsaw Pact regimes, encouraged dissidents. In 1989, a wave of peaceful revolutions t overthrew all of the communist regimes in Central and Eastern Europe. The Communist Party of the Soviet Union lost control of events within Lithuania leading to the formal dissolution of the USSR in December 1991. The Baltic States and all of the USSR satellite countries in Europe were now free of Soviet occupation and domination.
The Voice of Freedom — Voice of America
On February 16, 1951, the anniversary of the Declaration of Lithuanian Independence, Longinas Kublickas, a captain of a ship in the Soviet fishing fleet, was listening to foreign news broadcasts at the home of a friend. For a while, nothing but the usual programs reached him such as the BBC and Voice of America in Russian language newscasts. Upon turning the dial, he was struck by a voice speaking in Lithuanian, and later by the play of the Lithuanian National Anthem. The Lithuanian fisherman, who told of this event after his escape from behind the Iron Curtain, had heard the first Voice of America (VoA) broadcast in Lithuanian. It was added on that day as one of the 43 languages broadcasted daily through the airwaves by the Voice in its daily programs.
Two half-hour radio programs were prepared each day by the Lithuanian language section of the VoA for transmission behind the Iron Curtain. One broadcast originated in Washington, D. C. and the other in Munich, Germany. The European broadcast made possible to use medium length waves to lessen atmospheric interference. The service was primarily intended to cover events prepared by the VoA for all its language services. This information would include world news, items of interest to Lithuanian listeners published in American, Lithuanian and Russian newspapers, and important news items in wires of major news services. The rest of the broadcast time would be devoted to Lithuania and about events of Lithuanians in the rest of the world, particularly in the U.S.
Lithuanian diplomats and other prominent Lithuanians in the West would be invited to speak over VoA radio waves on February 16th, the day commemorating Lithuania’s independence, on Christmas and on other festive occasions. At other times, prominent clergymen, writers, and plain citizens would be interviewed on topics of their expertise.
Whenever possible, the service sent its reporters to the more significant conventions or meetings for later broadcasting of recorded excerpts, interviews, etc. The broadcasts also include reviews of new publications, discussions about historical events, and/or commentaries on the latest developments in occupied Lithuania.
Weekend programs usually included religious news and interviews by speakers from Roman Catholic, Lutheran or the Reformed churches. The details of each days programming were controlled by the director of the service, who was Dr. K. R. Jurgela for the first years of the Lithuanian Section. On the anniversary of the first broadcast, a miniature ship made of amber was presented to then-president Truman in thanks for supporting the initiation of the program.
Lithuanian Broadcast section of Voice of America Programs
VoA and Radio Liberty programs had a huge impact on Lithuania’s population in terms of knowing that the world knew about their plight and that their hopes for liberation had the backing of Lithuanians in America, and thereby the backing of the United States.
The programs continuously irritated officials of the Lithuanian Communist Party and their Russian bosses, particularly when the misdeeds were highlighted over the radio waves. They often made derogatory comments about VoA in Lithuania’s communist controlled press. One prominent party official felt the need to write a poem ridiculing the Voice of America. Not understood by the USSR occupiers, that such comments just bolstered the interest of the Lithuanian people to listen to VoA broadcasts. The VoA broadcasts were the only rays of sunshine and hope to people behind the Iron Curtain until the collapse of the USSR in 1991. (14)
Sustaining Lithuania’s Diplomatic Recognition during the Years of Soviet Occupation
As WWII started, Hitler and Stalin, upon mutual agreement, began invasions and occupations of most European countries. It is somewhat fortunate, that the Soviet Union first occupied the Baltic States in 1940, while they were neutral countries, rather than being allied with Nazi Germany and then condemned by the victorious powers. When Russia invaded them in 1940, it broke their neutrality and thus had no legitimacy for the occupation. Attention of the Western Powers at that time was focused on German military threats and aggression by the Soviet Union was only of peripheral importance to them compared to one posed by Nazi Germany.
There were no friends to buttress the Baltic people trapped on the eastern side of the Baltic Sea. Even their closest neutral neighbor Sweden, turned back on them to please Stalin’s Russia. If the Soviet Union in 1940, had forced anti-German treaties on the Baltic States as part of a defensive strategy with the right of free passage of their troops to be stationed at Germany’s border, the situation would have been even praised by the democratic West in spite of infringement on the Baltic sovereignty. Yet, as it happened, the Soviet Union did not infringe on the Baltic States’ sovereignty as neutral insurer against Nazi aggression. Rather, it simply invaded them by military force and annexed them by a secret treaty with Nazi Germany. Astonishingly, the Western European Powers raised no concern as if that was Russia’s right to do so.
The United States recognized this devious design when it cited secret treaties between Germany and Russia to divide the Central-East European countries (the Baltic States, Poland, and Romania) between themselves. The Soviets received from Hitler the privilege to occupy the Baltic States, except for a small region of southwestern part of Lithuania, which would be part of Germany’s take. Subsequently, Russia talked Germany into trading that stretch of land for oil, strategic mineral resources, and gold. America condemned the Stalin-Hitler partitioning agreement, and over the next 50 years continued to recognize the Baltic States as independent countries with full sovereign rights and diplomatic representation. Its position was politically and morally sound and showed respect for fundamental freedoms and human rights. The following presents a few of the more significant examples:
a) When representatives of the American Lithuanian Council visited President Roosevelt on October 15, 1940, to present a statement on Lithuania’s annexation problem, the President noted: “…The address mentioned that Lithuania had lost its independence. That is a mistake. The independence of Lithuania is not lost but only put temporarily aside.”
b) In 1945 the Supreme Headquarters of the Allied Expeditionary Forces (SHAEF) issued a directive on the question of repatriation of Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians in Western Europe: “…. the United States and British Governments have not formally recognized any territorial change brought about by the present war. Latvians, Estonians and Lithuanians… will not be returned to their native districts, repatriated to the Soviet Union or transferred to the U.S.S.R. zone in Germany unless they specially claim Soviet citizenship”
c) When during the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were mentioned as parts of the Soviet Union, the United States chief prosecutor, Robert H. Jackson, stated in a lengthy note that he agreed to the formulation in order to avoid delay, but that this did not signify that the United States recognized Soviet sovereignty over those countries.
d) At a foreign ministers’ conference in Paris in 1946, Molotov attempted to introduce representatives of Baltic Soviet republics into the delegation as their “Ministers for Foreign Affairs”. Representatives of the Western powers replied that these people might participate in the conference as representatives of the Soviet Union but not of the Baltic States.
e) A U.S. State Department document of March 26, 1948, addressed to the governors of the various states, is of great importance to the continued recognition of the Baltic States as independent countries. It specifically noted that citizens of the Baltic countries can be represented only by the diplomatic and consular agencies of those countries and not by the Soviet Union.
f) When in 1954, the Kerstin Committee began its investigation of the incorporation of the Baltic States into the USSR, Secretary of State John Foster Dulles stated: “The United States, for its part, maintains the diplomatic recognition which it extended in 1922, to the three Baltic nations. We continue to deal with their diplomatic and consular representatives who served the last independent governments of these states.”
In view of this United States position, Lithuanian diplomatic and consular representatives continued to function and to possess all the prerogatives usually accorded to diplomatic representatives of any other recognized country. United States courts based their decisions on this position. For example, on December 1, 1953, Court of Claims Judge J. Whitaker, in dismissing plaintiff’s petition, based on the 1940 nationalization decrees of the Lithuanian SSR, for the transfer of ownership of a Lithuanian ship requisitioned in a U.S. port in 1942, noted: “The Executive Department of our Government has refused to recognize the incorporation of Lithuania into the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and has refused to recognize the validity of any decrees issued by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics or of the People’s Commissars of the Soviet Socialist Republic of Lithuania relative to persons and property within the territory of Lithuania”. That action having been taken by the Executive Department of U.S. Government, the courts have also uniformly refused to recognize the validity of such decrees.
United States courts continued to recognize the right of Lithuanian consuls to protect the interests of Lithuanian citizens in American courts and to deny that right to Soviet consuls. For example, in the case of Mike Shaskus, a demand was made that the Lithuanian consul-general be evicted from the court; the court turned down the demand on the grounds that the United States has, by treaty, granted de jure recognition to the Lithuanian government, and hence the Lithuanian consul is entitled to protect the rights of its citizens.
In the Adler’s Estate case, the court rejected the powers of attorney signed by a notary in Riga and later certified by the so-called Ministry of Justice in occupied Latvia and the Soviet Union’s consul-general in New York, stating that the State Department does not recognize the incorporation of Latvia into the USSR nor the legality of any of the acts or decrees of that regime. It added, “As a corollary of this principle, a court may not give effect to an act of an unrecognized government, for by so doing it would tacitly recognize the government, invade the domain of the political department and weaken its position. If, therefore, the court may not give effect to an act of an unrecognized government, it may not give effect to an act of an official acting in behalf of that regime.”
The American courts maintained this position clearly and forcefully throughout the years of Baltic States occupation. In implementing the government policy, the courts acted on the assumption of their legal continuity, unbroken by illegal annexation.
During the years of occupation, the Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian diplomatic corps continued functioning with legations in Washington, D.C. Lithuania also had consulates in New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. The legations were elevated to embassy status upon restoration of diplomatic relations with the United States on November 11, 1991.
In the years of Lithuania’s demise, the legation in Washington performed key diplomatic roles continuously raising the issue of Lithuania’s independence, particularly in meetings with the United States government officials, attending Washington based diplomatic corps events, informing America’s news media, and maintaining contacts with America’s public. Lithuania’s diplomatic corps also was in close communication with Lithuanian Americans and the leadership of their primary organizations. Members of Lithuania’s diplomatic corps were often guests and speakers at Lithuanian community festivities and national commemorative events.
Povilas Žadeikis (1935–1957) served as Lithuania’s envoy in the United States from 1935 through 1957. The outbreak of WWII and subsequent occupations of Lithuania by the invading parties created unprecedented need for his persuasive skills to assure that the U.S. would not yield to Russia’s false claim that Lithuania voluntarily joined the USSR and therefore, its legation should be handed over to USSR custody.
Juozas Kajeckas took over the duties as Lithuania’s Charge d’Affaires in 1957 and continued in that position until 1976. While the Estonian and Latvian legations in Washington curtailed their formal functioning, Kajeckas deserves the most accolades for standing firm under the highest Soviet political and public pressures to close it. The atmosphere was particularly dangerous by an unofficial attitude of some of the lower-level officials at the U.S. State Department who saw the continuing recognition of the independence of the Baltic States as an undesired obstacle to better U.S.-USSR relations. That position was often echoed by leading U.S. newspapers. However, the U.S. State Department rejected any such argument by assuring continuity of operation of Lithuania’s legation even in the event of loss of the last by Lithuania appointed diplomat. Upon Kajeckas’s retirement, Dr. Stasys Bačkis served in that duty until 1987.
ue to health deterioration, Dr. Bačkis was succeeded in 1987 by Stasys Lozoraitis, Jr. serving first as Charge d’Affaires of Lithuania’s legation in Washington, and then upon restoration of Lithuania’s independence on November 11, 1991, as an ambassador of the resurrected Lithuania’s government. (15)
Lithuanian Americans were always very proud of the existence of Lithuania’s legation and consulates in the United States and very sensitive about any events that would appear threatening to the continuation of non-recognition policy of Lithuania’s independence. Many organizations often staged public demonstrations to support Lithuania’s independence and sought continued public reaffirmation of it through visits to the White House and through discussions with members of the U.S. Congress.
Lithuanian Americans financed in 1983, the restoration of Lithuania’s legation building in Washington, D.C. when Lithuania’s government frozen reserve funds in the United States for such work were exhausted. The Lithuanian legation in Washington D.C. was and is an inspiration and a symbol of Lithuania’s existence.
United Lithuanian Relief Fund of America
To help Lithuanians in distress during and after WWII, America’s Lithuanians formed in 1944, a single relief organization: the United Lithuanian Relief Fund of America (ULRFA or BALFAS as known in Lithuanian). By this action, most Lithuanian charity organizations in North America agreed to unite their relief work under the umbrella of ULRFA. According to its by-laws, adopted in April of 1944, ULRFA was to be a non-political and non-sectarian organization for the purpose of helping people of Lithuanian descent in extreme need as a consequence of WWII, particularly the refugees and deportees, the sick and the maimed.
ULRFA was registered first with the U.S. President’s War Relief Control Board and subsequently, with the National War Fund which would provide many of the supplies needed for the relief work. This registration was vehemently opposed by the Russian Relief Fund. The American Catholic Episcopate assisted not only by expressing its support, but also with a donation of $5,000. The Soviet government, which then controlled Lithuania, refused offers of direct help to the people of Lithuania. When ULRFA turned to the United States government for help, the officials merely suggested that ULRFA distribute its relief through the Russian Relief Fund. Food, clothing, medicine, to the value of $100,000, were given for transmission to Lithuania, but there is no evidence that the shipment ever reached its destination or any Lithuanian recipients. Once more, ULRFA tried to send $20,000 worth of medications to four Lithuanian orphanages through the American Red Cross in Moscow. Upon arrival, the shipment was transferred to the Soviet Red Cross. There was no further information of its disposal, except that the designated recipients never saw it.
During the first decade following the war, ULRFA conducted a systematic assistance program to save the desolate Lithuanian refugees in Western Europe and deportees in Siberia from starvation. At one point in time, the Fund was supporting almost 6,000 Lithuanian families. In all years of its existence, ULFRA distributed $760,000 in cash and $2.7 million worth of goods in 1945 U.S. dollar value. The best evidence of success of this organization is provided by the Communists themselves. They have never ceased attacking it.
To assess the Lithuanian refugee problem and their needs, the president of ULRFA, Reverend Prelate dr. Koncius visited in 1945–46 the Lithuanian refugee camps in Western Europe. Upon return, he delivered his findings in a Washington, D.C. conference to representatives of LAC and ULRFA on June 11, 1946. The meeting included visits to the U.S. Congressional offices and issuance of recommendations urging favorable resolution of the WWII refugee crisis. Visits to U.S. Congressional offices were repeated by delegates from all of the Baltic constituents on February 26–27, 1947, asking the U.S. Congress to adopt legislation for the admittance of the refugees to the United States.
Mrs. Devenis, representing ULRFA and the International Red Cross, visited in a fact finding mission numerous Lithuanian refugee camps in Western Europe from July to November 1947. She reported her findings at the ULRFA convention in NYC on November 2–6. 1947. The convention adopted resolutions urging the U.S. Congress to adopt favorable legislation for the admittance of the WWII refugees to the U.S.
Finally, as a result of pressure from numerous U.S. nationalities, the U.S. Congress adopted the Displaced Persons Act 774 allowing entry of 200,000 refugees from Western Europe who arrived there before December 22, 1945.
Eventually, by 1952, over 40,000 Lithuanian DP-s (displaced persons), along with similar numbers of Latvians and Estonians, were allowed to immigrate to the United States. Inasmuch as each applying immigrant had to have a sponsor in the U.S., Lithuanian organizations in America urged their members to prepare appropriate documentation (affidavits) that would guarantee an economic basis for arriving immigrants. The arrival of Lithuanian DP-s was coordinated and their transportation loan-funded by ULRFA. (16)
Fighting Against All Odds
At the dawn of 1950-s, three major Lithuanian organizations were at the forefront of establishing a political support strategy for liberation of Lithuania. It included the American Lithuanian Council (ALT), the American Lithuanian Roman Catholic Federation, and the Supreme Committee for Liberation of Lithuania with headquarters in Western Europe. As principal representatives of the Lithuanian people throughout the world, they were demanding the liberation of Lithuania specifically and the Baltic States in general from the Soviet Union’s occupation.
ALT, lobbied the U.S. Government very intensely to force the Soviet Union to end Lithuania’s unlawful occupation and to stop brutality and mass deportation of its people to Siberian gulags. Through contacts and advocacy of their congressmen and senators, Lithuanian and other Baltic organizations urged the U.S. Congress to convene a commission to investigate the circumstances and legitimacy by which the USSR occupied the Baltic States In 1953, the U.S. House of Representatives passed House Resolution 346 calling for a special investigation into the incorporation of the Baltic States into the U.S.S.R. The House Select Baltic Committee was established on July 27, 1953, to oversee the investigation. It was chaired by rep. Honorable Charles J. Kersten. Although the Kersten Committee was primarily related to the United States non-recognition policy of the Soviet incorporation of the Baltic States, the investigation at the time was also seen as a way for the United States Congress to better understand the methods by which the Soviet Union was able to direct the seizure of power in foreign countries. (17)
One of the star witnesses was Dr. Devenis, a U.S. citizen, who was imprisoned in Lithuania by the Soviets in 1940, and deported to a slave labor camp (Gulag) near the Arctic Circle. At U.S. government intervention, Dr. Devenis was freed in 1942, and returned to the United States. By describing his experience, he provided the first public glimpse to the U.S. Congress on Soviet tactics to subdue people in their occupied countries and insight into the Soviet slave labor camp system. The investigation coincided with United States involvement in the Korean War and was a way of studying communist methods and disguised Soviet participation in the conflict. It provided for better articulation of U.S. policy related to the Soviet Union. High public interest in the subject led the United States House of Representatives subsequently to restructure the Baltic Committee and continue as the Select Committee on Communist Aggression.
The Select Committee held hearings between November 30 and December 11, 1953, and reported its findings in February 1954. During the investigation, the Committee interviewed approximately 100 witnesses including Johannes Klesment, a former Estonian government official, Jonas Černius, the former prime minister of Lithuania, Juozas Brazaitis, the former acting foreign minister of Lithuania, and former President of the United States Herbert Hoover All witnesses provided testimony and additional information about Soviet activities in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in 1940.
The Kersten hearings reinforced the continuation of the U.S. policy of not recognizing the incorporation of the Baltic States into the Soviet Union. Subsequent Select Committee on Communist Aggression hearings broadened the investigation of illegitimacy of Soviet occupation and dominance over the Captive Eastern and Central Europe nations.
Subsequently, the effort to address Soviet occupation of the Baltic countries became more attentive at the U.S. State Department. It also led to periodic meetings by Baltic American leaders and the U.S. presidents and members of Congress, The discussions resulted in annual issuance of commemorative declarations by the President on occasions of Baltic States independence anniversaries and public expressions of sympathy to their people in search of freedom.
Consistent lobbying in Europe, particularly by the in U.S. based Supreme Committee for Liberation of Lithuania (VLIK), resulted in the European parliament in Strasbourg finally adopting in 1983, a resolution condemning the Ribbentrop-Molotov pact of 1939. In that pact, Germany agreed with the Soviet Union’s intention to occupy the Baltic countries. Only 50 years later the Iron Curtain would fall as Russia’s control over the East European satellite nations and the Baltic countries disintegrated. Lithuania, renounced its affiliation with the Soviet Union and declared its independence on March 11, 1990. While Latvia followed with a similar declaration within the next two month, Estonia delayed such action for over a year.
In spite of persistent Baltic Americans lobbying to recognize the already declared independence of the Baltic States, the plea to the President George W Bush administration fell for a while on deaf ears. U.S. was not willing to precipitate a confrontation with the Soviet Union that could lead to a nuclear war. Only after the USSR disintegrated, and the emerging Yeltsin’s Russia recognized the Independence of the Baltic countries in August 1991, did the U.S. administration decide to recognize the independent governments of the three Baltic States on September 10, 1991. (17, 18)
Rebirth of Lithuanian American Vitality
U.S. involvement in WWII and the re-occupation of Lithuania by the Soviet Union in 1945, forced the Lithuanian American leadership into a quandary of what approach to take to help its occupied homeland. Immediately after WWII America’s Lithuanians were concerned that the U. S. government showed virtually no interest on helping Lithuania to regain its independence. Lithuania and the Baltic States were a non-issue to the Executive part of the U.S. Government and of little interest to the press. At the same time, the intensity of Lithuanianess at the grass-root level was beginning to wane, as the larger part of post-WWII generation was by now more absorbed in America’s way of life and its culture, rather than being interested about the birth country of their parents or grandparents.
While not too many Lithuanian Americans were of deep religious faith, their inner feeling of ties by nationality and intertwined with their Catholic background, kept them together in fairly concentrated neighborhoods of their Lithuanian parish churches up to late 1950-s. The parishes offered for their children education in their native language. There they found facilities for cultural interactions and activities as well as socializing with people of the same national background. Lithuanian owned and /or operated neighborhood grocery stores, drug stores, and all kinds of other services were available to take care of their daily needs in their native tongue. Even the most independents and agnostics did not reside much beyond the boundaries of these activities. Yet, most of the interactions were occurring without the pressure of community-based organizations.
At one time Lithuanians in America could pride themselves on having some 2000 civic type organizations, most without unifying ties and defined communal goals. Prelate Mykolas Krupavicius, being a foresighted person and one of the prominent thinkers about the future of Lithuanian people without a home country after WWII, saw a dire need for uniting them in mind and spirit, as a way of preventing their loss of national identity and to reinforce their resolve in the fight for Lithuania’s freedom. He equated the early post-World War II situation of Lithuanians in America as a pile of loose bricks. Anyone can pick up such a brick and toss it or kick it any direction wanted. However, if those bricks were arranged in a designed order and held together by a cement interlayer, they would become a firm wall. He envisioned a need for a well-organized Lithuanian Community to provide the framework and cement for uniting loosely dispersed Lithuanians throughout the world into such a wall.
People’s Political Arm “The Supreme Committee for the Liberation of Lithuania”
The Supreme Committee for the Liberation of Lithuania or VLIK (Lithuanian: Vyriausiasis Lietuvos Išlaisvinimo Komitetas-VLIKAS) was a people’s based organization seeking restoration of independence to Lithuania. It was established in Lithuania on October 25, 1943, during the Nazi occupation and unknown to them.
Moving from Lithuania at the end of World War II to escape Soviet occupiers, VLIK resumed its operations in Würzburg, Germany immediately after WWII, and then moved to Reutlingen by the end of 1945. It remained there until 1955. In July 1945, before the Potsdam Conference, VLIK sent memorandums to Winston Churchill and Harry S. Truman asking not to recognize Lithuania’s occupation by the Soviet Union and for help to reestablish Lithuania’s independence. Numerous further notes were sent to the United Nations, various diplomats, academics, and journalists promoting restoration of Lithuania’s freedom and reporting human rights violations in Lithuania. VLIK also reestablished the ELTA news service, including radio broadcasts directed to the home country. VLIK positioned itself as the Lithuanian parliament in exile.
As the majority of war refugees moved from Displaced Persons camps to the United States, VLIK also relocated its headquarters to New York City in 1955. After the move, VLIK’s political agenda became somewhat more subdued. Its leadership realized that there will be no quick solution to the Cold War. VLIK’s main goal was to assure continuous non-recognition of Lithuania’s occupation by the Free World governments and dissemination of information in the Free World about conditions at the homeland behind the iron curtain. VLIK carried out this responsibility for more than half of the century by refusing to initiate any invited contacts by members from the Soviet Lithuania’s government. It held this position in spite of critique by extremists of the liberal wing of the Lithuanian American Community that through cooperation with the communists, Lithuanian people would gain more freedom to control their destiny.
Disregarding persistent Soviet critique and some public belittlement, VLIK faithfully led this fight by continuously reminding the free world leaders at every opportunity that Lithuanian and the other two Baltic States people have a right to be free and independent and of the illegality of Soviet occupation. VLIK supported the establishment of a Lithuanian World Community organization with a mission to promote use of Lithuanian language and culture among Lithuanians living abroad as well as to assure continuous support the freedom of the people in their homeland.
Upon Lithuania restoring its independence on March 11, 1990, VLIK decided that its mission to help Lithuania gain freedom was no longer needed. It closed all further activities in 1992.
VLIK was considered by the majority of Lithuanian Americans as the most influential organization in the West to raise the freedom issue of the Baltic States to the leadership of the EU and its general assembly and the U.N. Through its fifty years of existence VLIK was led by nine individuals, three of whom with tenures of more than 10 years: Rev. Mykolas Krupavičius (1945–1955), Dr. Kestutis Valiunas (1966–1979) and Dr. Kazys Bobelis (1979–1992) (19, 20, 21)
Differences of Opinion on Lithuania’s Liberation
Lithuanians in America as a community were almost totally supporting and advocating freedom for Lithuania, but differed widely on how to achieve it. As citizens of the U.S. they were divided along the same organizational lines as the major existing U.S political parties: Democrats, Republicans and Independents. However, there were virtually no organized factions supporting the independents.
While Lithuania was under Soviet occupation, America’s Lithuanians could do initially very little directly to help their occupied homeland. During the first two decades after WWII, Lithuania was tightly isolated and except for a few selected Lithuanian American “communists” and several extreme left-wing liberals, Moscow would not allow anyone to visit the country.
Initially, most Lithuanian Americans were against any contacts with officials from Russia’s occupied Communist Lithuania. Even contacts with a specially assigned person of Lithuanian nationality at the USSR embassy in Washington, D.C. were highly criticized. In 1970-s, a younger, but still a very small faction of college educated liberals within the Lithuanian American community, began to make mail contacts with some of the younger Lithuania’s communist officials in the academia. It was a way of starting to penetrate the rigid Moscow barriers. The group’s journal “Akiraciai”, published in Chicago, began to encourage scholarly contacts with counterparts in Lithuania. Slowly, by the late seventies, as the Soviet suppression softened, several Lithuanian American scholars visited some Lithuania’s institutions of higher learning through the mediation of Russia’s Academy of Sciences and the KGB concurrence. This offered the visitor an opportunity to present literature and publications that were not permitted to be seen in that part of the world. Such contacts eventually helped to build a core of young intellectuals in Lithuania, who, although known as important communist party members, were beginning to advocate an independent from Moscow communist party in Lithuania and eventually, loosening Lithuania’s ties to the Soviet Union.
In contrast, a larger, but still a small fraction of Lithuanian Americans, particularly the more senior generation, opposed any dialog with anyone having an official status in Lithuania’s communist party’s ruling circles. Any official contacts were looked down by them and considered to be near treachery of the Lithuania’s cause in the drive for freedom. Those doing so, were held as either communist sympathizers or dupes of Moscow’s pacification games. Although from the 1950s through the 1970s the pro and con parties were in sharp public dispute, disagreements began to diminish by mid-1980 as disintegration of the Soviet Union began to dawn as a possibility.
A third group, comprising the majority of pre-WWII and post WWII immigrants and generations of their children, were basically passive, but not oblivious to Lithuania’s freedom issues. About ten thousand of them were active in Lithuanian community affairs, voted in the election of community leaders, supported the Saturday School system, and participated in community actions calling for the restoration of Lithuania’s independence. They were the main pillars of Lithuanian youth organizations, cultural and arts and science activities, participated in staging musical festivals and commemorations of important events.
The bulk of pre-WWII Lithuanian Americans immigrants and their American born children, numbering in hundreds of thousands, were either remote or estranged from issues related to Lithuanian life in America. While only a small percentage of them would openly acknowledge their ancestry, at some critical discussions they would not hesitate to point out their Lithuanian heritage.
Due to little experience in politics and to some extent low esteem in the American society, Lithuanian Americans began first to surface as a group of voters in the second decade of the 1900-s. Their numbers began to increase as their children returned as veterans from military service in WWI. Until the election of President Roosevelt, most Lithuanians voted Republican, because their bosses and supervisors at the place of employment were mostly republicans and told them to support the party if they wanted to keep their jobs. The Lithuanians also did not like their Irish coworkers and neighbors who were mostly Democrats and who openly held the Lithuanians and Poles as trash and scum of the earth.
However, the depression in the 1930s, resulting in large unemployment and poverty, changed the political orientation of most Lithuanian Americans. The New Deal offered by the Democrats to extract Americans out of disastrous economic and living conditions, made most Lithuanian Americans switch to the Democratic party. As their economic plight began to ease, and preparations for WWII opened new and better job opportunities, their faith in the democratic party and President Roosevelt's leadership grew to unprecedented heights. Even after Roosevelt’s death, strong anti-Soviet policies by President Truman and his support of the WWII refugee immigration legislation, the Democrats maintained a strong hold on Lithuanian Americans.
After Truman’s tenure ended, the Republicans began to make some small gains in Lithuanian diaspora by paying more attention to the Lithuanian community. While Republicans achieved limited success during the next few decades, the Democratic Party s was still a favorite of the majority. They were mostly supported by the blue-collar people, people of liberal and of left wing conviction who were associated with progressiveness and social equality. Those supporting the Republican Party, were more right-leaning, traditional and associated with equity and economic freedom, having achieved some prosperity, and favoring the ideal of “survival of the fittest”. After years of ignoring ethnic minorities, The Republican Party began to pay attention to their potential as voters. It started to invite their participation in election committees and include several delegates to the party’s National convention. The Lithuanians were particularly impressed to have the Republicans include in their party platform calls for restoration of independence of Lithuania and the Baltic States.
Only after losing elections again in 1956, the Democratic Party began to pay attention to the minorities. It created an office for minorities whose responsibility was to inform the party leadership of moods, needs and, expectations of their supporters. The Minority offices were also a means to inform the constituents of what the party was offering and was ready to do for them, and encouraging early registration to vote. Solicited articles and paid advertisements began to appear in the minority press, radio programs, and in late 1970-s by including them in political discussions in TV.
While the Lithuanians were too small in numbers to be at the top of either party’s hierarchy and therefore, never won top political appointments either at the Federal or State levels, nevertheless a number of them were awarded appointments to secondary positions, such as judges, postmasters, administrators and commissioners of some state, county, and city offices, etc.
Little is known about how the entire Lithuanian American population voted for one or another party, but it appears that Lithuanian American voters based their choices on three primary factors: 1. their own social economic status, 2. their preference for social welfare either by State and Federal governments or by private initiative, and 3. the attitudes of political parties towards helping Lithuania and the Eastern European region to become free of Russia’s domination.
While there is no direct indicator of the significance of the Lithuanian American vote in America’s elections, appointments by the election winners of some Lithuanian party workers in high Lithuanian density regions for certain local and district positions, provide an indication of their influence in the election process. Articles and placements of politically oriented ads in the Lithuanian-American news media also indicate that the big swings of preference for either one or the other party has come to a more balanced equilibrium than they were in the 1930, 1940 and early 1950-s decades. Regions in which Lithuanian Americans most actively participated in America’s political life during the 1940–1990 period usually revolved around several big cities such as Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York-New Jersey, Pittsburgh and the Shenandoah coal mining regions in Pennsylvania, and the Tampa Bay area in Florida. (90,91,92)
Baltic Appeal to the United Nations (BATUN)
For 25 years (1966–1991) BATUN was the conscience of the Baltic countries at the UN. It kept Estonia’s, Latvia’s and Lithuania’s Freedom issue alive at the highest international level, where there was no one else to champion the cause.
In 1965, an ad-hoc group of Lithuanians organized a rally of about 14,000 at Madison Square Gardens in NYC to mark the 25th anniversary of Soviet occupation of the Baltic States. Its purpose was to bring the Baltic Freedom cause to the attention of the United Nations. That rally encouraged the Baltic Americans in 1966, to form a permanent organization for the purpose of informing and lobbying the U.N. to restore Independence of the Baltic States as well as to raise Human Rights violations perpetrated by the Soviet occupiers.
BATUN’s core was made up of volunteer activists from the Baltic communities in New York and the surrounding states. Its board of directors, under the leadership of Rev. Jonas Balkunas, was made up by three representatives from each nationality. It was a member supported nonprofit organization with no financial support from any governmental entity. Sporadic funding was obtained from several Baltic organizations, such as the Lithuanian World Community and the Lithuanian Credit Union “Kasa.”
Much of BATUN’s initial focus was on the U.N. declaration of 1960, on decolonization and its support for the independence of colonized countries. The Baltic countries were being colonized by the Russians who called themselves Soviets. With no one at the U.N. showing interest in this issue, the Balts began to focus over the years on Human Rights violations by continuously providing the U.N. Secretariat memorandums and documents on serious violations by the Russian occupiers. An important political angle was added in documents smuggled out to the West, such as the “Baltic Appeal by 45 Balts” of August 23, 1979, and endorsed by Andrei Sakharov and the Moscow Helsinki group. BATUN asked the UN in 1980, to annul the 1939, Molotov-Ribbentrop pact and restore the independence of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. BATUN documents created considerable interest at the UN Commission on Human Rights and by international press. As a result, the European Parliament in Strasburg passed a landmark resolution in 1983, proposing that self-determination in the Baltic countries be brought before the full assembly of the United Nations.
Thereafter, one after another, European countries and institutions started raising the issue of justice for the Balts. In January 1987, the influential Council of Europe adopted a resolution, demanding action by the UN regarding self-determination for the Baltic people. Unrest in the Soviet Union, and demonstrations in the Baltic capitals stimulated broad independence movements in each of the countries.
BATUN’s interaction with the Baltic homeland leaders began in April 1989, by disseminating their views and documents of the occupied countries to the UN delegations in N.Y. By January 1990 some 11 political leaders from the Baltic home-countries, among them the future presidents of Lithuania and Estonia (Vytautas Landsbergis and Lennart Meri), accompanied by BATUN delegates visited some 40 U.N. missions of Western countries, including a meeting at the UN Secretary-General office.
The unsuccessful August 1991, coup d’état in Moscow to restore the Soviet Empire opened the doors for world countries to extend diplomatic recognition to the three independent Baltic republics. BATUN’s long-time lobbying efforts ended by the admission of the Baltics to the UN in 1991. (25a)
The Joint Baltic American National Committee, Inc (JBANC )
JBANC was founded in 1961as a national organization to support the restoration of independence, human rights and democracy in the Baltic countries. Its purpose was to unite the efforts of the Estonian American National Council, the Latvian American Association, and the Lithuanian American Council to bring to the attention of the U.S. Congress, the White House, the State Department, and other federal agencies Russia’s illegal occupation of the Baltic States. It sought U.S Government’s support to condemn violations of human rights and other abusive policies instituted by the Soviet Union against the Baltic people who were seeking to retain their national identities and restoration of freedom to their countries.
During the first thirty years (1961–1991), the main focus was to assure continued U.S. diplomatic recognition of Independence of the Baltic States and to keep hopes alive of restoring freedom to the Baltic people. Thankfully, during these years, the Welles Declaration remained a cornerstone of US policy regarding continued recognition of the Baltic States as sovereign countries. JBANC, as the voice of the unified Baltic-American communities, helped inform US policymakers on developments in the Soviet occupied Baltics, and the importance of standing up against Russia’s pressure to abandon the principle of continuous recognition of their independence.
Through 1970s and 1980s, JBANC helped raise awareness of Baltic political prisoners in their homeland and in the Soviet Union, continued al transgressions against the Helsinki Act’s Declaration of Principles, particularly those involving human rights and the self-determination of peoples. The budding independence movements within the Baltic nations in late 1980s gave rise to renewed hopes of freedom. It led Baltic-Americans to stage a multitude of supporting actions and political rallies throughout the United States on behalf of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Upon restoration of Baltic independence in 1990–1991, JBANC advocated and encouraged U.S. Government and Congress interest to remain engaged regarding the withdrawal of the Russian armed forces from the Baltic countries, their security from purposeful intimidations and provocations, and U.S. participation in the development and growth of democracies and peaceful co-existence. (25b)
Major Lithuanian Defectors from the USSR
The Soviet Union and its satellites during all their history were closed from the rest of the Western world.. Their borders were deadly guarded to prevent anyone from entering or leaving. Extensive trenches were dug and barbed-wire barriers were erected at the borders, known as the Iron Curtain, to guard the Soviet Empire from foreign influence. In 1961, the Soviets constructed a concrete wall intertwined with barbed wire to seal off West Berlin from East Germany. Escape from Lithuania to the west was now nearly impossible.
Although the Soviets exercised extremely tight controls over international movement of people, a steady stream of escapees using ingenious methods evaded deadly frontier security to arrive in the West. Among the most notorious Lithuanian defectors from 1945 for the next 30 years were a member of the Soviet NAVY and three civilians. (26)
Jonas Pleskys, the captain of a submarine tenderer of Russia’s Navy sailed his vessel successfully to Sweden in 1961, by cleverly eluding the Soviet naval surveillance system. He was the first major military defector from the Soviet Union. He brought with him enormous amounts of knowledge about USSR navy, its nuclear development, and its intelligence techniques. He was hunted thereafter internationally by Soviet agents with a death sentence hanging over his head.
The U.S. intelligence services hid Pleskys in disguise from the long arm of the KGB for over thirty years. First for a year in Sweden, then for four years in the United Sates, and subsequently, for nine years in the jungles of South America. Upon return to the U.S., the CIA helped him to obtain a teaching position at the Seattle Naval War College. Later, he studied and taught at Stanford University, and worked at a computer company in Oakland, California as a systems management specialist.
When Tom Clancy’s novel “The Hunt for Red October” became a best seller in 1984 and was made into a successful motion picture starring Sean Connery, most people believed it was only fiction. Only Jonas Pleškys knew that he, on whom the book was based, had to remain silent for thirty years. It was the threat of being assassinated before he could tell his story. He died from a brain tumor in Oakland, California on April 14, 1993. (27.28)
At the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Česiūnas won gold in the C-2 1000 m canoe sprint with Yuri Lobanov as part of the Soviet Olympic team. He also won in other world sports events six canoe sprint world championship medals with four golds (C-2 1000 m: 1974, C-2 10000 m: 1973, 1974, 1975), one silver (C-2 1000 m: 1973), and one bronze (C-1 1000 m: 1971).
At the 1979 canoe sprint World Championships in Duisburg, West Germany, Česiūnas was at the event as a spectator, while he was studying German in Dortmund . He ignored at that time notices by KGB to return to the Soviet Union. Subsequently, KGB agents swooped in, took Česiūnas into custody and forcibly returned him to Russia. He was interrogated and threatened by Soviet officials with fifteen years of hard labor in a coal mine for his alleged defection, but was not imprisoned only due to the upcoming Summer Olympics in Moscow. Česiūnas later appeared with anti-Communist Lithuanians and spoke out in favor of a boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. (29)
A Lithuanian, named Simas Kudirka, was on November 23, 1970, a radio operator on a Soviet fish processing vessel “Sovietskaja Litva”. When his anchored ship’s Soviet delegation met at sea with a U.S. delegation on-board the Coast Guard cutter Vigilant near Martha’s Vineyard to discuss fishing rights, Kudirka jumped aboard the Vigilant and asked for asylum. This incident created an unprecedented political event for the Captain of Vigilant The Soviets immediately accused the defector Kudirka of theft of 3,000 rubles from the ship’s safe and demanded his return. After ten hours of futile attempts to get the U.S. State Department to provide guidance failed, Rear Admiral William B. Ellis of the U.S First Coast Guard District, ordered Commander Ralph E. Eustis to return Kudirka to the Soviets. Commander Eustis ,refusing to subject his own crew to the task permitted instead a detachment of Soviet seamen to board the Vigilant and to force return Kudirka to the Soviet ship. Kudirka resisted, but was overpowered by the Soviet sailors, beat and bound and shoved into a burlap sack and dragged back to the Soviet ship
Confusion over U.S. policy on defections prevented the U.S. Coast Guard from offering him asylum. This politically explosive incident led to public outrage. The press and the Congress followed the entire episode closely. Congressional hearings, presided by Representative Wayne Hays (D-OH), followed. One reason for the heightened public attention was that U.S. fishing industry representatives were on board the Vigilant and saw the events unfolding with their own eyes. They were outraged, and promptly reported their feelings to the press and Congress.
Admiral Ellis and his chief of staff were given administrative punishment under Article 15 of the UCMJ. Commander Eustis was given a non-punitive letter of reprimand and assigned to shore duty. Both men soon thereafter retired from the U.S. Coast Guard. This incident led to a change in U.S. asylum policy on the high seas. (30,31,32,33)
Subsequent investigations revealed that Kudirka could claim American citizenship through his mother’s U.S. citizenship. After more than three years in Soviet prison, Kudirka was allowed with his family to come to the United States in 1974.
A book detailing the incident under the title “Day of Shame”, by Algis Ruksenas, was published in 1973. The book helped spur further investigations into the incident, and it remains part of the reading curriculum at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.
The defection was also portrayed in a 1978 television movie “ The Defection of Simas Kudirka”, with Alan Arkin playing Kudirka and Donald Pleasence playing the captain of the Soviet ship. In the movie The USCGC Decisive (WMEC 629) was used to portray the UCSG cutter Vigilant.
Pranas Brazinskas and his son Algirdas: Hijackers of a Russian Plane to Freedom
Pranas Brazinskas, a Lithuanian, and his 13-year-old son, Algirdas, were the first people who managed to hijack a plane in the USSR. That was in October 1970.
Aeroflot Flight 244, an Antonov An-24 plane with 46 passengers aboard, was en route from Sukhumi, a Black Sea coastal city, to Krasnodar in southern Russia. A man in a Soviet military uniform sitting near the cockpit handed a flight attendant a note demanding that the pilots redirect the flight to Turkey. “If you do not obey, you’ll die,” the note read. To prove he was serious, the man brandished a shotgun.
Nineteen year old flight attendant, Nadezhda Kurchenko, first tried to reason with the hijackers but then, shouting “Assault!,” attempted to block them from the cockpit. Pranas Brazinskas shot Kurchenko, killing her. (He later claimed she had been slain by KGB agents in disguise.) The two hijackers then commanded the passengers not to move or a grenade would be detonated. They rushed the cockpit, shooting at the crew and seriously wounding the pilot and the navigator. Despite their injuries, the crewmen safely landed the plane in Turkey.
On the ground, the hijackers quickly surrendered to Turkish security forces. Brazinskas tried to present his and his son’s case as political asylum seekers, arguing that they had hijacked Flight 244, because the father faced execution as a member of a Lithuanian resistance movement.
Indeed, Pranas Brazinskas had been connected to a group of underground anti-Soviet partisans in Lithuania, but he quit the cause after the group mistakenly killed his father. He also had been convicted and sentenced by Soviet authorities for theft and financial crimes. In Turkey, he received an eight-year prison term for the hijacking but was granted amnesty within a few years; Algirdas Brazinskas, as a minor, was sentenced to two years.
The hijacked Antanov 24 aircraft by Brazinskas at Turkey’s airport
Upon Brazinskas’s removal from the aircraft, the plane with its passengers was soon returned to the USSR. After spending some time in prison, the Brazinskas’s were granted amnesty in 1974, and made their way to Venezuela. After a short time, they entered the United States, initially arrested, but later allowed to apply for asylum.
The Soviet Union condemned the U.S. for granting asylum to hijackers and murderers and pressed for their extradition. Up until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Soviet government continued to demand their extradition and regularly assailed alleged American hypocrisy in harboring terrorists who attack the aircraft of socialist countries, while condemning terrorists who attack American nationals.
While there were other Lithuanian defectors to the United States during the 50 years of Lithuania’s occupation, none came close to the drama of the four incidents mentioned above. (34)
Birth of the Lithuanian American Community
The waning life of Lithuanians in America began to change with the arrival of some 40,000 Lithuanian refugees and displaced persons (DPs) mostly from camps in Western Europe in the 1946–1952 timeframe. The newcomers were mostly different breed of people. They were highly educated and talented, many of them professionals, and with a well-developed notion of organizing themselves to work for a common cause. Most of them settled in areas of already existing Lithuanian communities taking menial jobs, but using every training opportunity to upgrade their skills and be fit for advancement.
Seeing virtually no common basis for developing a unifying Lithuanian organization with the general population of pre-WWI and -WWII immigrants, the post-WWII newcomers began to seek common grounds primarily among the old-time prominent Lithuanian American activists, They found like-minded individuals in persons such as prelate Jonas Balkunas, Juozas Bachunas, Dr. M. Colney-Aukstikalnis, and a several others. A provisional committee for the establishment of some kind of a unifying organization convened on April 15, 1951 under the leadership of prelate. Balkunas.
Almost concurrently, newly arrived DP-s in Union City and Waterbury, Ct. decided in early 1950 to organize themselves locally into an all-embracing single organization that would help provide good communication between Lithuanians who were interested in planning Lithuanian language education for their children, common social activities, and helping to pinpoint employment opportunities. In addition, they felt that such an organization would provide a stronger public voice in presenting the plight of Lithuanians in the home country. Within a year similar informal community structures emerged in NYC, Chicago, Baltimore, Boston, Cleveland, Detroit, Philadelphia, and other cities and towns.
Representatives of these entities and the provisional committee gathered in NYC on November 18, 1951, and decreed to organize themselves into a Lithuanian American Community (LAC). It was incorporated at the State of Connecticut Office of Secretary of the State, Hartford, Connecticut, on. February 14, 1952. №33840. The petitioners of incorporation were John Balkunas; Peter J. Vileisis; Walter M. Chase; Frank J. Monchun; Antanas K. Saulaitis.
The assembly adopted for the new organization a mission statement known as the Lithuanian Charter (LC). It declared that all people of Lithuanian extraction no matter where they reside are embraced by this organization. The LC urged all Lithuanians to 1. preserve and foster knowledge of and ability to speak Lithuanian, 2. promote Lithuanian heritage, its understanding, preservation and participation in joint cultural activities, 3. maintain and promote Lithuanian family traditions, and 4. transmit the national heritage and vitality to future generations through education and nurturing to their children consciousness of their Lithuanian nationality.
The Charter turned into the most unifying instrument of Lithuanians not only in the United States but also for all Lithuanians throughout the world.
The Lithuanian American Community (LAC), a Non-governmental National Organization
While the World Lithuanian community as an organization had considerable starting difficulties, LAC in America became of interest to the post-WWII immigrants as means of creating strong ties between them and also of achieving goals of common interest. Conceived as a non-governmental, nonpolitical national organization, it defined its goals as to:
∙Organizing common educational, cultural, religious, community, social, and other activities,
∙Working in cooperation with other Lithuanian organizations and communities,
∙Informing non-Lithuanian Americans about Lithuanians, their culture and Lithuania as a country,
∙Supporting the principles of democracy and the U.S. Constitution,
∙Working towards liberation of Lithuania and its restoration as an independent country,
∙ Maintaining communications and collaboration with other Lithuanian communities and organizations throughout the world.
The concept caught on in spite of some dissenters to derail the organization because of differences in political conviction and/or party affiliation. Within just a few years, dozens of Lithuanian community chapters joined into a nationwide network. The organizing committee concept was that LAC nationwide activities were to be guided by an elected National Council and Executive Committee. The chapters for organizational purposes were to be divided into ten districts, which in most instances would embrace several states. By late 1960-s, the organization grew to over 50 self-governing chapters.
As concepted, the LAC Council is the highest organ in the organization. The goals for LAC are established by its Council and implemented by the Executive Committee. The Council consists of 70 members, 60 of them chosen in elections within each district and ten are appointed as district chairs for a three-year term, all by popular vote. The chairperson of the LAC is invited and approved by the LAC Council. The Council also selects and invites from its membership chairpersons for each of the subcommittees and advisory councils. The Chair of the Executive Committee is invited and confirmed by the LAC Council. The Executive committee is composed of a number of subcommittees led by chairpersons for designated activities and supported by invited volunteer members. The latter are organized as working groups and supported by advisory councils. Activity groups operating at the national level report to the Council, while activity groups at the local level coordinate their tasks through the chair of their community chapter. The more important advisory councils at the national level include: cultural, education, religious affairs, social services, public affairs, academic, sports activities, and interface committee with the Lithuanian Foundation. The Public Affairs Council, as of 1968 began to engage on a selective basis in political activities regarding Lithuania’s liberation from the Soviet Union and violation of human rights in occupied Soviet Lithuania. (35,36,37,38)
Under the new and mostly much younger and energetic leadership, life in most settlements revived to unprecedented heights and depth. Many aging parishes restored their churches and expanded activity facilities. Numerous civic and youth organizations sprang up, many in the image of the ones left in their homeland or in the DP camps. Saturday Lithuanian school system began operating with great enthusiasm. A variety of cultural activities blossomed out in abundance.
The new immigrants realized that returning home was an impossible dream, and it was time to start living by dictated realities. They recreated in the host country the life style image of their lost homeland. It was not in every day of the week, but at least on most Saturdays and Sundays. While activity levels differed between larger and smaller communities, the Marquette Park and its surrounding neighborhood in Chicago was an area where Lithuanians felt like living in the city of the home country. Indeed, Lithuanians in Chicago were by numbers the second largest Lithuanian city in the world. The city of Chicago designated the area where most Lithuanians lived as Lithuanian Plaza. The neighborhood contained half a dozen Lithuanian churches; three bookstore/libraries; a very huge and modern Maria high school for 1200 students, a large modern hospital and an old folks home; a convent with a Youth Center activity complex containing a chapel, an activity center with an 800 seat auditorium, 14 class rooms, an arts exhibits hall, and Lithuanian library and literature museum. Within Marquette Park area hundreds of Lithuanians professionals such as doctors, lawyers, real estate and insurance brokers, banks and savings and loan associations, undertakers, and numerous other business initiatives were located to accommodate their fellow countrymen’s needs. Scores of grocery, retail stores and pharmacies, restaurants, and a great multitude of technicians and repair shops were offering their services in Lithuanian language. Outdoing all other business initiatives in numbers, were several hundred saloons. The hunger for Lithuanian news was addressed by two rather large volume daily newspapers, Draugas and Naujienos each with well over 20,000 copies in print, numerous weekly and monthly journals, and publishers of a variety of books. Unique in America’s Lithuanian history was the existence of two Lithuanian owned major automobile dealerships. Even some of the local police officials and elected area politicians, including several holding very high positions in the city of Chicago government were of Lithuanian descent. While knowledge about the rise of Lithuanians in local or state wide politics is scarce, it is known that several smaller U.S. cities had them elected to serve as mayors, vice-mayors and representatives in state legislatures.
Cultural, social, politically oriented activities were promoted and organized within the Lithuanian communities by a large number of societies, associations, affiliations and fraternal organizations. To facilitate their operations, many of them became in time owners of appropriate buildings. Abundance of activities in the 1950-s can be illustrated by the fact that in the first year after the Youth Center was opened to the public in 1957, 33 Lithuanian cultural organizations joined as members, resulting in total of 763 meetings, conferences, concerts, theatrical performances and organizational events at that facility alone. (39)
Cultural activities
LAC’s most significant and extremely successful tasks were and are in organizing and staging cultural events, such as nation-wide massive song and folk dance festivals, exhibits of arts, and promoting consciousness of Lithuanian heritage and customs.
The song and folk dance festivals began in 1956 and 1957 respectively, and are being held since then alternating every two or three years, usually at locations by invitation of Lithuanian communities willing to organize and stage such an event. The festivals feature the works of noted American Lithuanian and Lithuania’s composers, and/or folk dancing choreographers reflecting contemporary and modern creations, as well as heritagle adaptations from various regions in Lithuania. Most events also include children choruses and dancing teams (40)
While the performers in most folk dancing events number between 1500 and 1800 dancers, the song festivals usually draw well over two thousand singers. Continuing through 1992, nine folk dancing and seven song festivals were staged throughout the United States and Canada. Lithuanian Americans love such festivities and often travel long distances to attend them. There was hardly a festival that would not draw well over ten thousand spectators. These cultural events were and are of great significance to Lithuanian Americans as they are evidence of pride in the richness of their culture and customs as well as for their uniqueness in America’s mosaic. The festivities would also be highlighted by attendance not only of congressional, federal, state and city government dignitaries but also in several events by presidential spouses. Congratulatory messages by U.S. presidents would usually salute the festivities and express faith in the restoration of Lithuania’s independence.
Exhibits of art objects such as paintings, wood carvings, amber, and metallic engravings were and are held on a yearly basis or more frequently at most sizeable communities in conjunction with some special events and/or community celebrations. Also such exhibits have become a well-established tradition for most Lithuanian boys and girls scout chapters by holding yearly St. Kazimieras fair (Kaziuko muge), usually on the first weekend that includes Apri 4th.. They would be attended by hundreds and in larger communities by thousands of people.
Of great pride and importance to America’s Lithuanian life were and still are the staging of amateur opera performances in Chicago, not matched by any other ethnic community in the United States. The opera performances, besides drawing professional soloists of Lithuanian origin to lead the event, would provide an opportunity for many gifted amateurs and aspiring singers to participate. In as much as the staging of opera are complex events, they would be limited to only several performances during the year.
The first Lithuanian amateur drama type stage play was produced in 1889 in Plymouth, Pa. Drama plays were liked by early immigrants. Their productions soon spread to numerous Lithuanian settlements in the United States. As the depression of the 1930-s set in, these activities began to slow down and disappear in many communities. Interest in staging drama plays resumed again at numerous settlements by the arrival of the DP’s in early 1950-s. Their popularity was much enhanced in 1968 by staging the first Drama Festival in Chicago. Over a four day period (November 27 through December 1), four visiting drama clubs and two Chicago based theater groups presented nine drama plays to delighted audiences. The eighth Drama Festival took place in Chicago from November 15 through 18, 1990, with three visiting and two local clubs putting up six plays. (41)
To keep its constituents informed on cultural topics, the LAC published during its first forty years several journals and newsletters. More significant publications included 1. Lituanus, a (Lithuanian Quarterly Journal of Arts and Sciences); established in 1954, this quarterly English language publication features scholarly articles about Lithuania and essays of Lithuanian authors throughout the world; 2. Bridges, also in English, designated to interest the average Lithuanian American about Lithuanian heritage, major events within the Lithuanian communities in America, and life experiences of people and/or families; 3. Lietuviu Dienos (Lithuanian Days), bilingual well-illustrated monthly publication covers Lithuania and the Lithuanian American community, 4. Metmenys (Time Capsule), a Lithuanian-language scholarly publication of liberal orientation, 5. Eglute (The Christmas Tree), a Lithuanian language quarterly for school age children, 6. Pasaulio Lietuvis (The World Lithuanian) a monthly journal established in 1953 by the Lithuanian World Community, Inc. seeking to inform and unite Lithuanians around the world for ethnic solidarity.
Lithuanian Encyclopedia
One of the major and amazing accomplishments under the encouragement of the Lithuanian American Community was the publication between 1953 and1966 of a 35 volume Lithuanian Encyclopedia (LE- Lietuviu Enciklopedija) in Lithuanian language. It was organized and led by an experienced publisher-editor and visionary Mr. Kapocius of Boston, Ma. with assistance of several hundred mostly volunteer Lithuanian born scholars-contributors. The LE was the first-ever Lithuanian Encyclopedia published in the world. Unmatched by any non-English speaking segment of the U.S. ethnic population, it was the first foreign language Encyclopedia published in America. Two volumes of supplements (vol. 36 and 37) were published in 1969 and in 1985, respectively. Volume XV was devoted primarily to Lithuania covering its geography, landscape, its people, major historical events, social and economic structures and how these changed, customs, religion and culture, popular and individual creativity (folklore, literature, art, folksongs, music and other items), important persons and organizations. Particular attention is devoted to the period of independent Lithuania, which lasted scarcely twenty years between World Wars I and II.
An abbreviated six-volume Encyclopedia Lithuanica, an English-language encyclopedia, was published between 1970 and 1978, by the same Kapocius group in Boston. It provides essential comprehensive information about Lithuania and its geography, the Lithuanian nation as well as its ethnic groups, historical events from the earliest to the most recent times., and numerous other topics that define the nation and its activities. It is the most comprehensive work in the world on Lithuania related topics in English. (42,43)
Of interest was the fact that the Russian controlled communist regime in Lithuania was so embarrassed by these publications, that it initiated a crash program to publish ten years later a Soviet version of Lithuanian Encyclopedia under the name Tarybine Lietuvos Enciklopedija in which many events were misstated and numerous personalities were mischaracterized to fit within the framework of Soviet mentality.
Specialized Education System of Lithuanian American
Arrival of post-WWII DP immigrants brought new vitality to the existing Lithuanian American parish-based school system. Some of the schools expanded and have grown stronger by including children of new Lithuanian immigrants. It induced some of the schools to offer a stronger Lithuanian language content and quality of the subjects taught. The highlight was the construction of a 3 million dollar Maria High School in Chicago in 1952 with about 1,200 students attending. In 1955, sisters of the three Lithuanian holy orders were teaching in 60 parish schools. The Sisters of St. Kazimieras had 312 teaching nuns, the Franciscan Sisters had 172, and the Sisters of Jesus were administering in 1967 ten Lithuanian parish schools and two nursing homes for the aged.
Antanas Kucas notes in “Lithuanians in America” that in 1957, total enrollment in sixty-one elementary Lithuanian parish schools was 15,150 and 2,240 in twelve high schools. Over 2,000 pupils were children of recent arrivals. But the newcomers soon noticed that the schools due to influx of a large percentage of non-Lithuanian children were beginning to sideline the promotion of Lithuanian language skills including the appreciation of the value of their ethnic heritage. As 1970-s approached, interest by Lithuanian-Americans to send their children to Americanized parish schools almost disappeared. By 1980-s most of the parish-based schools were closed.
Seeing this disparity, DP parents who desired their children to be proficient in Lithuanian language skills and be knowledgeable of their rich heritage, began forming instruction classes on Saturdays, outside the available Lithuanian parish school system. They willingly devoted their time on Saturdays to embed in their children an adequate education in Lithuanian language and cultural background. The first such ad-hoc schools came into being in early 1950-s in Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Omaha, Los Angeles, New York, Waterbury, Ct. and Worchester, Ma. A report of the 1967–68 schoolyear notes the existence of 53 such schools with 3849 students. They were self-supporting and operating independently of the parish and/or public school systems. All instructions were in Lithuanian language, even accommodating students with low Lithuanian language proficiency.
As Saturday schools began to spread, a centralized Council of Education evolved within the Lithuanian American Community organization to develop some guidelines for a common curriculum. Publication of appropriate text books for students and creation of courses for training of teachers became of utmost importance. Some larger settlements began offering instructions even at the 4-year high school level. To support the development of teachers in Lithuanian language, the Education Council established a Pedagogical Institute in 1968. The teaching process was greatly facilitated through a twice a year publication of Education Guidelines. An aspiring teacher had to complete a two year, once a week four hours studies program and subsequently, pass a qualifying exam to be eligible to teach primary grades. Those completing a three-year course would qualify to teach secondary level classes. Candidates to enter such a study program had to be at least high school graduates.
The Lithuanian Saturday School system was one of the most successful developments for assuring continuation of Lithuanian oriented generations in the U.S. Graduates of the Saturday Schools were not only capable of speaking and writing in Lithuanian language but also became knowledgeable of Lithuanian heritage, traditions, customs, and ancestral culture. By studying side by side for eight or more years with other children of the same heritage, led often to life-long friendships. Such affiliation and subsequent “keep in touch” contacts helped them to carry-on with pride their distinct ethnicity into the future of their next generations.
During the 1970-s and the first part 1980-s Lithuanian Saturday schools experienced some decrease in numbers of students. Survival of the home country was in question and some parents questioned the need for Lithuanianess. However, that attitude began to change in the late 1980s as the Soviet Union began to unravel. Lithuania’s burst to freedom from Russia’s occupation in 1990, elevated the interest of Lithuanian American parents again to have their children learn the Lithuanian language and become knowledgeable of their culture and heritage. Interest by the children to attend the Saturday schools was much enhanced by press and television news about Lithuania’s heroic struggles to become independent. Subsequent unhindered contacts with and travel to Lithuania provided an increased impetus for many children to attend Saturday schools in order to gain proficiency in speaking Lithuanian and knowledge about the country during visits of their ancestral homeland. (44,45,46,47)
Young People’s Association
Upon formation of the Lithuanian American Community, its early twenty and thirty years old population segments, being fluid in English and more familiar with U.S. political life, saw a need to form an independent, but an associated organization to work within the U.S. social and political systems. To this end, it convened in Chicago in 1966, the first World Lithuanian Youth Congress. It was attended by several hundred young Lithuanians from numerous parts of the world. Its main focus was drafting a petition and submitting it to the United Nations demanding freedom and independence for Lithuania.
On October 24, 1970, a coalition of Lithuanian, Latvian, and Estonian young people protested outside the New York Times building until the NYT administration agreed to give a fair representation to the Baltic Nations question. The incident was reported by NBC TV nation-wide evening newscast. Again, on November 27, 1970, 250 Lithuanian students marched to the Federal Building in Cleveland to protest the refusal of asylum to the defector Simas Kudirka from a Soviet fishing ship. Similar protests against Soviet subjugation of Lithuania and the Baltic countries continued on various occasions throughout the 1980-s in Chicago, Boston, New York City, Detroit, Cleveland, Baltimore, Los Angeles, District of Columbia, Philadelphia, and numerous smaller communities.
Most of the protests were covered by TV networks and major newspapers in the area. They were impressed that the larger segment of the demonstrators were second and/or third generation American born Lithuanians. Their active advocacy of restoring the Independence of the Baltic States, had a significant impact on politicians at the White House and the U.S Congress in the waning days of the Soviet Union in 1988–1990. (48,49)
Academic Groups
After WWII, large numbers of discharged Lithuanian American U.S. Army soldiers and graduating high school students enrolled in colleges and universities. Particularly, children of immigrants were jumping through education the hardships of social acceptance and employment hurdles that their parents experienced in the past years. Still being conscious of their ethnic background, they found more commonality in being associated with fellow students of similar national heritage and societal experience. They began to organize their own Lithuanian student clubs and associations. To exert influence on America’s academia, the University of Illinois student group began in 1954, the publication of a quarterly scholarly journal “Lituanus” aimed to inform faculties and students of major U.S. universities about Lithuania and Lithuanians in America, including their accomplishments in art, history, literature, cultural topics, societal developments, personalities, etc. The journal is now published by the non-profit Lituanus Foundation, Inc. with a worldwide circulation of about 3,000 copies per issue.
Several Lithuanian American student groups urged their university administrations to offer opportunities to study Lithuanian language, literature, and culture. As a result, a number of institutions began offering limited undergraduate courses in Lithuanian language skills and literature. Among the better known universities offering such courses were Columbia, Yale and Fordham, Universities of Illinois at Chicago, Indiana at Bloomington, Tulane, Cornell, and Ohio State.
Independently, other Lithuanian youth, student and academic groups began to coalesce into formal and informal organizations based on their religious, social, and/or political orientations. Ateitininkai attracted students of deeper Catholic conviction and dedication to religion. The more liberal kind joined the American Lithuanian Boy and Girl Scouts. Others formed independent academic groups associated with Lithuanian literature, history, culture, and for furtherance of Lithuanian patriotism as an expression of love for Lithuania. Most of these groups were also part of an informal umbrella organization — the Lithuanian Students Association. (50,51)
Rising by its Own Bootstraps and Lighting Bulbs in the Homeland
Many of the Lithuanian DP immigrants arriving in the United States after 1945, were highly educated and with useful professional skills such as medical doctors, engineers, scientists, university professors, finance experts, etc. Although many of them had been leaders in independent Lithuania, their majority had initially difficulty finding suitable employment. The language barrier, differences in professional education, and non-comparable job experiences meant that many of them wound up with menial jobs. To better their chances of returning to jobs in their former professions, they enrolled in colleges and universities to improve knowledge of the English language and to upgrade their professional skills to prevailing requirements in this country. Within a few years, several thousand found employment in professions similar to those they had in Europe.
Children of immigrants, who were in grade and high schools in the DP camps were particularly motivated to get ahead. Most of their schooling in Europe was of a higher level and depth than in schools they entered in America. Soon, upon grasping sufficient knowledge of English, they became in a number of instances top students in their classes. Only with few exceptions, upon graduating from high schools, they enrolled in colleges and universities. On the whole, the 1950-s and 1960-s produced thousands of sons and daughters of WWII Lithuanian immigrants, who upon graduating from universities, were successfully entering a wide variety of technical, medical and educational fields. At the same time, they found a strong attraction to be affiliated with similar age bracket Lithuanian counterparts throughout the United States. This led to a rise of numerous nationality-based religious and professional societies, associations, and affiliations.
Religious affiliations of Lithuanians in America
The majority of Lithuanian Americans were and are of Roman Catholic faith, similar to their distribution in Lithuania proper. Other minor religious groups include Lithuania protestants (mostly Lutherans) around 5% and Lithuanian non-Roman Catholics less than 1%. Litvaks otherwise known as Lithuanian Jews, but not affiliating themselves as ethnic Lithuanians, are nearly the same numbers (around 800,000) as Lithuanians in America.
Roman Catholics
Imperfect immigration records and a great variety of how Lithuanians were entered into immigration statistics leave doubts on the numbers of Lithuanians in America. Some estimates, by including the first generation of U.S born children of immigrants, indicate their numbers someplace around 1 mln. That estimate seems to be somewhat substantiated by over one million signatures in the 1922 Petition to U.S. President Harding asking to recognize Lithuania’s Independence.. Allowing that the number of petitioners included also some non-Lithuanian Americans, the 1 mln. number of Lithuanians in America are still credible, as the number of signatures in the petition did not include signatures of children, elderly and those who were not able to sign, because of the remoteness of their residence or illiteracy.
However, crude statistical inference by the type of press they subscribed and by the membership in Lithuanian parishes, indicated that about 50% were members of the church, but a far lower percentage practicing Catholics. Their religious needs were served by more than a thousand Lithuanian speaking clergy and nuns at over 100 American Lithuanian parishes. The nuns were the heart and blood of an extensive parish school system and educators of Lithuanian American children. Scores of priests were leaders in America’s Lithuanian Civic and Catholic organizations. Participating with leaders of non-religious organizations, they worked to influence U.S. politics towards helping Lithuanian WWII victims as well as to restore Lithuania’s independence.
As immigration from Lithuania after WWI was curtailed, assimilation into America’s melting pot began to affect the U.S. born generations as to their national identity. The outbreak of WWII, massive service of young Lithuanians in the U.S. armed forces as well as broad employment of mainstream Lithuanians in the U.S. armaments industry, accelerated the assimilation process to unprecedented heights. Most notably affected were children, who used only English in their school activities and their daily street life. Their Lithuanian language became rapidly hybridized by English words particularly that many new household items were not even in the Lithuanian vocabulary. Furthermore, the faraway country of their parents or grandparents was only a remote image to them, particularly after Lithuania disappeared from the news and from the world’s map after Russia’s occupation.
Arrival of some 40,000 Lithuanian DPs reinvigorated the lives of numerous Lithuanian parishes and the parish schools. Yet, as times progressed, and many Lithuanians began to migrate into suburbs in the 1970s, the intensity of participating in activities of their Lithuanian parishes began to wane. This was most visible and painful in less populous settlements. Some of the parishes due to lack of parishioners began to close their doors in later 1980s and thereafter. Yet the Lithuanian Catholic Church in America at larger settlement and its leadership were still strong and more of concern of the fate of their sister church in Lithuania than about its future in the coming decades.
American Lithuanians were for many years greatly disappointed that the Vatican was still considering the Vilnius bishopric as part of the archbishopric of Gniezno, Poland, in spite of the fact that the Vilnius province was more than 40 years controlled by Russia’s occupied Lithuania. In 1982, Lithuania’s Catholics petitioned the pope to transfer the Vilnius bishopric to the Catholic Church Province of Lithuania. This was highlighted in 1986, during the 600 years anniversary celebration of Lithuania’s Christianization at the Vatican, in which several thousand Lithuanian Americans participated and resubmitted the plea to transfer the Vilnius bishopric to the Church Province of Lithuania. The initial petition in 1982 was dragged out by the Vatican due to the Polish Church influence at the Vatican. Numerous discussions and conferences on that question dragged for more than a decade, until Pope John Paul, recognizing the inevitability of Lithuania restoring its independence, confirmed in 1991, the existence of Vilnius archbishopric and its supremacy over matters of the entire Lithuania’s Catholic Church province. Bishop Audrys Juozas Backis, born and raised outside of Lithuania, was appointed as the archbishop and primate of the Lithuanian province. He was elevated later as Cardinal. (52)
The American Lithuanian Roman Catholic Federation (ALRCF)
The arrival of DP’s after WWII began to alter rapidly the social fabric of the Lithuanian Catholic Church by infusion of strong patriotism. The newcomers soon rekindled the spirit, life and wide use of modern Lithuanian language in existing communities. Among the arrivals were a number of highly educated and motivated priests and nuns. Initially, they were provided a cool reception by many pre-WWII Lithuanian pastors and were treated only as “visitors” with no rights duties in parish matters. This, however, started changing in the next few years, as existing Lithuanian speaking pastors were growing old and native-born replacements with Lithuanian language proficiency became more difficult to find due to a diminishing number of seminarians. This opened up positions for immigrant priests, who in turn reverted to using in church services the less and less frequently used Lithuanian language
Immigrant clergy arrivals, numbering about 200, included members of religious orders, such as the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception and the Lithuanian Franciscan and Jesuit priests. Most were well educated and good organizers, as well as strong advocates of Lithuanianess in the parishes. Within a few years, they took leading positions along with a rise of a number of very constructive Catholic lay leaders. The latter began to form Catholic minded lay units operating independently outside the parish jurisdiction. Loosening ties provided a stimulus to revive the seemingly declining vitality of the Lithuanian Catholic parishes that began in the depression years in the 1930s. The American Lithuanian Roman Catholic Federation began on the path of unprecedented vigor and influence.
The Federation embraced four major Catholic organizations: 1) Ateitis Federation, 2) Knights of Lithuania, 3) the Union of Lithuanian Priests and 4. the Lithuanian Roman Catholic Women Association. The reviving Federation also had the backing of revitalized parish based activity centers and the new independent Catholic lay units operating under the umbrella of the Ateitis Federation.
Ateitis Federation
The Ateitis Federation is an organization of dedicated young Catholic lay people under the slogan Renewal of Everything in Christ. It aims to foster growth in the maturity and intelligence of young Catholics in the society they live in, and at the same time treasuring their Lithuanian heritage, customs, language, and love of their ancestral homeland. Founded in still occupied Lithuania in 1910, the organization found wide public support during the days of independence between 1918 and 1940. It was again banned in Lithuania by the occupying Communist Soviet regime for the next 50 years. However, the Federation was revived by WWII Lithuanian refugees in West Germany in 1946. The Federation’s administrative organs were transferred in 1950 to the United States. After arrival in the U.S., former Federation members continued the organization’s activities and developed programs to attract new members, particularly involving the young generations. It set up chapters, which developed centers of cultural-social-religious activities for youth and adult generations, while also supporting the revival of existing Lithuanian parishes. (53)
The Ateitininkai Federation is comprised of three Lithuanian Roman Catholic organizations: 1. Association of grade and secondary school students, 2. Association of university students, and 3. The Alumni. The membership of the three Ateitininkai Federation organizations varied in the four decades after 1950 between one and two thousand.
The Federation’s first major step was to unite members of various chapters by working toward common goals. One of those was the purchase in the early 1960s of a 225-acre camping site in Custer, Mi., to be used for its youth activities during the summer months. The camp, called “Dainava” became a very popular meeting ground for conferences, concerts, group outings and celebrations of national and religious events not only for members of the Federation but also by accommodating members of Lithuanian communities from the Chicago, Detroit and nearby Midwest areas.
The camp holds several week-long sessions for Catholic faith children ages 7–16. Special sessions are conducted for children who have little or no command of the Lithuanian language. The children in fun-based programs experience the beauty of their Lithuanian heritage through art, sports, exploring nature, workshops, song, dance, language, drama, and prayerful reflections.
In time, as the Federation activities grew, its leadership found a need to establish an independent center not related to any regional activity. It acquired in 1979, a dedicated central facility in Lemont, IL, known as Ateitininku Namai. Currently, Ateitininkų Namai is a hub of activities not only for Ateitininkai, but also for other Lithuanian-American organizations and the Baltic Jesuit Project. The center is used for retreats, organization meetings, and developmental educational seminars. Alumni of Ateitis also use the facility for their own meetings, retreats, family celebrations, concerts, and other cultural events. A library and stored archival materials are located at the facility. Most importantly, the Youth Center hosts events for children and high school and college students as well as meetings, seminars, meditations and celebrations, ranging from formal to festive. Here the participants have an opportunity to extend knowledge of their faith and to find guidance in all aspects of their lives: religious, cultural, patriotic, social, and family values.
These are nurtured by means of various activities to become faithful Catholics and good citizens of the United States as well as patriots of Lithuania. Ateitis Federation publishes for its members a quarterly journal “Ateitis” and has a weekly page about the organization and selected chapter activities in the Lithuanian language newspaper “Draugas”. (54,55,56)
Knights of Lithuania
The Knights of Lithuania (KoL) is a U.S. based organization of young Roman Catholic men and women of Lithuanian ancestry and their spouses. Adhering to the motto, “For God and Country,” the Knights of Lithuania aim to keep alive among its members an appreciation of the Lithuanian language, customs, and culture while also stressing the importance of Roman Catholic beliefs. St. Kazimieras (Casimir), the saint of Lithuania’s youth, is honored as the organization’s patron.
Organized on April 27, 1913, the Knights of Lithuania began as a youth organization aimed at 1. uniting Lithuanian youth of Catholic faith living in America, 2. helping to better understand their purpose in life, 3. preserving Lithuanian culture and 4. working to resurrect Lithuania’s independence. Its membership had expanded in 1920-s to near 5000, but it diminished to around 2,400 before WWII due to assimilation into America’s general society and by losing some potential new members to expanding competing organizations such as the Catholic Youth and Boys and Girl Scouts. During WWII over 800 KoL members served in the U,S. armed services. Accordingly, its roster shrunk to less than 1400. In the aftermath of WWII, it grew again to around 2500.
The organization is made up of 5 districts: the Amber District (8 chapters), Mid-America District (9 chapters including Los Angeles, CA), Mid-Atlantic District (9 chapters), Mid-Central District (4 chapters), and the New England District (14 chapters). Although each chapter plans and conducts its own activities, overall KoL guidance is developed in annual membership meetings. The recommendations are steered and implemented by an elected Supreme Council, and supported by a number of activity committees such as Archives, Honorary Membership, Lithuanian Affairs, Social activities, Language and Culture, Public Relations, and Rituals.
KoL ancillary organizations are aiding the Lithuanian Pontifical College in Rome through the St. Casimir Guild, Inc. It furnishes its members Roman Catholic reading materials and provides aid to extremely needy through the Knights of Lithuanian Foundation. KoL promotes deeper understanding of faith by furthering reverence and understanding of the Blessed Mother’s appearance in Shiluva, Lithuania. It also part finances the maintenance of Shiluva Chapel at the Catholic National Shrine in Washington D.C. KoL assists with funds of Catholic projects in Lithuania through the Affairs Committee.h
KoL strives to keep its membership interested in Lithuanian heritage by cultural presentations, lectures, group trips, choral and dance groups, and sporting events. Its National Scholarship Fund helps talented youths of needy members to further their education. In addition, all chapters are encouraged to form Junior Councils for an opportunity to bring younger people into the organization.
Knights of Lithuania is a member of the Lithuanian American Council and the Lithuanian Roman Catholic Federation. (57)
Lithuanian Catholic Priests League
Pastoral work in the Lithuanian American Society enveloped not only religious and moral matters, but was also of great significance in maintaining their parishioners’ ethnonational identity and building resistance to assimilation. Lithuanian Catholic priest league, born in 1909 as an association, reformed itself into a league in 1920 as an organization of 95 members. By 1966 it grew to about 400. The league was divided into 10 provinces, which would send delegates to annual meetings. The league was of importance not only to provide support of Lithuanianess in parishes, but also as instigator and stimulator of organizational activities such as the Catholic Federation, KoL, the Women’s society, and Lithuanian Workers societies. The league was a leader of Catholic organizations, and an organizer of Lithuanian Catholic press, education within parishes, social and welfare activities for its parishioners, as well as an active voice guarding the fate of Lithuania. Its biggest accomplishment was the creation of the Lithuanian Parish school system and the development of appropriate teaching staff through the establishment nun-sisters teaching congregations. Not to be forgotten was the league’s effort to establish a Lithuanian shrine at the Shrine of Immaculate Conception at the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C.
Unfortunately, as 1990-s approached, many existing Lithuanian parishes began to disintegrate due to demographic changes within the U.S cities. Many parishes lost their members, particularly by the younger generations moving out to faraway suburbs. The shortage of young Lithuanians entering the priesthood created a problem of finding replacements for retiring priests even for parishes that showed vitality. At the same time, American bishops were more interested in assimilating and merging parishes into stronger units, rather than helping the struggling ones and particularly the ethnic parishes to survive. As a result, numerous Lithuanian parishes in U.S. inner cities and particularly in smaller towns began to close. The great Lithuanian parish system in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio anthracite regions nearly disappeared. Even sprawling Lithuanian parishes such as in Chicago, New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Detroit, Cleveland, and several other cities with large Lithuanian populations, went through an extensive consolidation process to assure survival. On the other hand the bright light was the formation of new parish communities in Los Angeles, Ca., St. Petersburg, Fl., Washington, D.C. and several smaller missions in Florida and the West coast.
The Lithuanian Priests league during its existence was a crucial factor over nearly eight decades in maintaining the religious, national, cultural, and social life within the framework of Lithuanian consciousness. It was always in the forefront of the fight for Lithuania’s freedom and independence. While aging and the highly diminished numbers of replacements has seriously reduced the leagues effectiveness, it is still an important factor in helping to shape the profile and face of the Lithuanian Community in America. (58,59)
Lithuanian Roman Catholic Women Society
The LRC Women Society was formed in 1914, in Chicago during the ALRC Federation Congress. The Society envisioned supporting Lithuanian women in extreme poverty and/or in moral or physical distress and during critical times in life. Besides encouraging them of leading moral life and participating in religious education, the Society’s intention was to help them attain professional skills and job opportunities, suggest ways and means to improve family life, and to shore up their ethnic consciousness The organization grew within the first decade to 25 chapters and a membership of about 2500. However, in time due to lack of strong leadership and uncertainty of focus, their activities began to wane.
Pleas of refugees from Lithuania for help in the aftermath of WWII revived the organization. It increased its activities in such projects as helping arriving refugees to settle, providing financial assistance to the newly established Lithuanian high school in West Germany, supporting Lithuanian nun-congregations in the U.S., and raising finances for the construction of the Lithuanian chapel at the National Shrine of Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. Although seldom noted and appreciated, their physical support at the parish level would be hard to match by any organization.
The Society was governed by its assembly, which convened every two years. It always had a priest as its spiritual leader. The Society was made up of independent chapters. For common activity purposes, chapters within several neighboring states belonged to their regional district. All of society’s activities were channeled through three divisions involving physical and financial aid, insurance, and social affairs. The Society In 1957 began operating a fund to provide financial support of academic studies for aspiring family members, particularly nun-sisters and future priests in seminaries and or universities. (60)
The Society published from 1916 to 1991 Moterų Dirva (Women Fields), initially as a monthly newspaper, and from 1966 as a journal of the American Lithuanian Roman Catholic Society in Lithuanian and English languages.
Major Independent Roman Catholic Organizations with some Affiliation to the LRCFA
Lithuanian Convent of Immaculate Conception in Putnam, Ct (61)
Several Lithuanian sites in Putnam consolidated in 1936 as Lithuanian convent of Immaculate Conception. It gained significant importance after the Soviets occupied Lithuania in 1940 and closed most religious institutions. At that time, the convent in Putnam became a primary shelter for refugee priests and nuns, and a significant promoter of Lithuania’s quest for freedom. Lithuanian Americans rallied around the convent, helping it to become a center for Lithuanian-American artists.
The convent is centered around a chapel (1954) which was designed by a famous Lithuanian artist painter Kazys Varnelis. Its stained-glass windows reflect Lithuanian themes, showing Lithuanian ethnic symbols and locations of strong Maryan veneration in the home country. The altar of the chapel is of unique Varnelis design. Near the entrance stands the statue of Our Lady of Šiluva,) created by a famous Lithuanian-American sculptor Vytautas Kašuba.
A massive convent building, adjoining the chapel, is used also for religious purposes by laypeople and provides housing for guest visitors. Another part of the building is dedicated to house the Lithuanian museum and Lithuanian library. In the forest part of the grounds stands one of the most interesting and unique Lithuanian sites in America: the man-sized Mindaugas castle. It was hand-built by a Lithuanian priest Stasys Yla, who immigrated to the U.S. after being rescued by American troops from the Nazi Stutthof concentration camp.
Farther away from the convent is Jurgis Matulaitis Home for senior citizens. Initially started as an assisted living facility for Lithuanian-American seniors, the Home is now open to all ethnicities. The interior of the building is decorated with Lithuanian artworks. The Matulaitis Home chapel was conceived by V. K. Jonynas, an internationally famous Lithuanian-American artist.
Camp Neringa at Battleboro, Vt.
Camp Neringa includes large camping grounds in the mountainous region of Vermont. Facilities there are equipped to accommodate several hundred camping participants, with lodging and a conference center. It is used for summer retreat by numerous Lithuanian religious and youth organizations as well as for family type vacations, mostly from New England and the East Coast region. In winter, some organizations also arrange conference meetings in conjunction with skiing holidays at nearby mountains.
Lithuanian Franciscan Friars at Kennebunkport, Maine
Kennebunkport’s changing tide and scenery on the river out to the Atlantic Breakwater are fascinating, with perhaps the most serene and beautiful spots and views of acres of uninterrupted shorelands. What’s particularly special about the 60+ acre parcel of this Kennebunk land is that it is home to Lithuanian Franciscan monks of the St Anthony’s Monastery. These beautiful grounds and walking paths are open to the public, providing access to the riverfront in a truly peaceful, even spiritual setting.
The grounds contain the Grotto of our Lady of Lourdes built in 1953, St Anthony’s Chapel in 1956, and in 1959 the Chapel of Stations of the Cross. The latter two were constructed in Lithuanian architectural style, while the Monastery itself remains in Tudor style from the original home first built there over a century ago. The Roman Catholic Church under the direction of the Vatican, entrusts the guardianship of this shrine to the Order of St. Francis.
Saint Anthony’s Monastery offers visitors 66-acres of sea and riverside to explore. It embraces English gardens, walking paths to the river, statuaries and an outdoor grotto and shrine, plus a Chapel with stained glass from Lithuania, and a small gift shop next to it.
During Kennebunk Port’s Christmas Prelude, the Lithuanian friars open their grounds and their outdoor Our Lady of Lourdes cathedral, for one of Prelude’s most unique events — Candlelight Caroling, a truly magical evening on the first Saturday of Prelude celebrating the holiness of Christmas. In summertime the facility is open to Conferences, organizational retreats and meetings, and vacation stay for Lithuanian Americans (62)
Other Religious Organizations
Lithuanian National Catholic Church
The Lithuanian National Catholic Church was formed in early part of the 20th century upon disagreement of some groups of parishioners to the dictates of American Irish bishops demanding that they deed their acquired church property to the Bishop’s custody. The dissenters also dropped the language of the mass from only Latin to Lithuanian. .After substantial initial start with 7 parishes and over 5000 parishioners, the separation movement began to decline in the 1930-s and much more during WWII. Only two parishes with a couple hundred members remained in existence in the 1950–1990 decades.
LITHUANIAN LUTHERANS in America after World War II
Lithuanian Lutherans in America developed during the first half of the twentieth century separate Lutheran congregations apart from the mainstream Lithuanian Catholic American community. The German-speaking Lutheran Missouri Synod sponsored several pastors in the first half of 20th century seeking to reach out to this community, but achieved only limited success.
A major immigration wave of Lithuanian Lutherans, about 15% of all Lithuanian newcomers, came to America in the decade after the Second World War II. They arrived mostly with the help of American Lutheran organizations through the Missouri Synod as well as through its predecessor the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. Those earlier newcomers facilitated their similar DP co-faithful to immigrate into the United States. For example. Rev. Jonas Pauperas, who upon arrival in 1948 served as pastor (1949–1971) of the Zion Lutheran Church in Oak Lawn, IL, personally sponsored about 800 newcomers to this country. The arrival of newcomers reactivated old congregations in Boston, New York as well as in Collinsville, IL. Several new congregations were founded in Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles; and six in Canada
Attempts to pre- and post-WWII immigrant generations showed up immediate differences between them. The wave of exiles from Europe after the Second World War brought people with quite a different self-identity. Many were educated in Lithuanian or in European universities and understood who they were and what they wanted. They had experienced enormous psychological stresses and lifestyle alterations and upon arrival had to adapt themselves to radical changes. The older generation tended to be more conservative and worked in the framework of the Missouri Synod (congregations in Collinsville and Oak Lawn), while the newcomers: tended to collaborate with either the American National Lutheran Council (ANLC, or the United Lutheran Church in America (ULCA), or to be totally independent.
The leading position among the congregations was taken by the Teviškė Church (Lithuanian Evangelical. Lutheran Home Church in Chicago) encouraged by pastors A. Trakis and M. Preikšaitis in the latter half of 1951. Rev. Ansas Trakis as pastor of the congregation bought and renovated an old synagogue building in 1957. The church expanded into a number of activities such as the Sunday school, youth organizations, a brass band, a choir, a women’s society. It also founded a Lithuanian Saturday School, (Kristijono Donelaičio Lituanistinė mokykla). It was one of the first of its kind where children of Lithuanian heritage were taught to read and write in their parents’ native tongue, become acquainted with Lithuania’s history, and learn to dance folk dances and to sing folk songs
The congregation was and is very active in the Chicago Lithuanian community events, such as the commemoration of Lithuania’s national holidays, participation in festivals, and other cultural activities. The choir performed as men’s, women’s, or mixed formats. The Congregation published in 1962 and 1972 two long-play recordings of folk hymns and original choir music. The biggest event of the choir was (and still is) a concert presented annually on Palm Sunday featuring compositions from the classics, such as Schubert or Bach, and Lithuanian folk songs and hymns.
As 1990-s approached, numbers of parishioners began to diminish due to continuing ever wider geographical dispersion of the membership and/or immersion of the younger families into their neighborhood English language congregations.
At the present time, there are three active Lithuanian Lutheran congregations: 1. the Lithuanian Zion Lutheran Church, 2. Teviškė or the Lithuanian Evangelical Lutheran Home Church served by Rev. Hans Dumpys who is also a bishop of the Lithuanian Lutheran Church in diaspora; and 3. the Lithuanian Lutheran Church of the Savior in Toronto, served by Rev. Povilas Dilys who is a superintendent of Lithuanian Reformed Church in diaspora. As of late, there are signs of congregational life substantially reviving by the influx of new members, new children programs, interest in church related activities, their Lithuanian heritage, and an expanded range of cultural projects with other neighboring Lithuanian communities. (63,64)
Litvaks: Amazing Achievers in the United States
During the 19th and 20th centuries, some 800 thousand Lithuanian Jews (Litvaks) immigrated to the United States of America. Litvaks are with roots of residence for several centuries in present-day Lithuania, Belarus, Latvia, northeastern Suwałki and Białystok regions of Poland and some border areas of old Russia and Ukraine. The term is sometimes used to cover all Orthodox Jews who follow a “Lithuanian” (non-Hasidic Ashkenazi) style of life and learning, regardless of their ethnic background. Upon arrival in the United States, they formed their own communities, mainly in the larger cities and towns of the Northeast, Midwest, and several Western states. During the assimilation process, these newcomers became quickly affiliated, but not submerged, into larger existing Jewish communities in the United States.
While numerous times noting of Lithuania as their birthplace or claiming ties through relatives who came from historical Lithuania, Litvaks in the U.S. show only casual interest to relate to their American Lithuanian counterparts.
Litvaks today, through their industriousness, ingenuity, high intellect, and a legacy of centuries long trade experience have leading roles and important positions in life not only in Israel, South Africa, but also in America. The spectrum of their engagement covers many sectors of activity such as politicians, financiers, scholars, scientists, businessmen, doctors, economists, composers, actors, writers, singers, etc. America’s Lithuanians are proud of their talent, achievements and great contribution towards making America a great, prosperous and rich in culture society. A sample listing of some, but by no means all of the most famous Litvak’s in the United States, are presented below:
Naum Aronson, Renowned sculptor,
Dan Bern, American folk singer, poet, painter
Ben Bernanke, Chairman of the United States Federal Reserve
Sendra Berenson-Abbot, “Mother of Women’s Basketball”
Michael Bloomberg, New York Mayor
Avigdor David Brenner, sculptor, engraver, medalist — designer of the Lincoln penny coin
Sydney Brenner, biochemist, Nobel laureate 2002
Eli Broad, American philanthropist and investor; founder of KB Home
Charles Bronson, American actor
Aaron Copland, U.S. composer, original family name Kaplan
Melvyn Douglas (Melvyn Hesselberg), American actor
Bob Dylan, U.S. singer-songwriter, author, musician and poet (born Robert Allen Zimmerman)
Brian Epstein, The Beatles Manager
Harrison Ford, film actor and producer
Philip Glass, U.S. minimalist composer
Emma Goldman, anarchist
Itamar Golan, pianist
Nadine Gordimer, 1991 Nobel Prize for literature
Lauren Grant, modern dancer, Mark Morris Dance Group. Maternal grandfather from Lithuania, circa 1900.
Aron Gurwitsch, philosopher in the field of phenomenology
Esther Hautzig, award-winning writer
Laurence Harvey, actor
Jascha Heifetz, acclaimed 20th century violinist born in Vilnius
Seymour Hersh, American journalist
Moe Howard (born Harry Moses Horwitz), Shemp Howard (born Samuel Horwitz) and Curly Howard (born Jerome Lester Horwitz) of the Three Stooges, a U.S. comedy trio
Jay M. Ipson, founder and president of the Virginia Holocaust Museum in Richmond
Meyer Jaffe, philamtropist and a co-founder of Brandeis University
Al Jolson, singer-songwriter, dancer, entertainer
Aaron Klug, biophysicist, Nobel laureate 1982.
Emmanuel Levinas, philosopher
Peggy Lipton, U.S. actress
Jacques Lipshitz, world renowned sculptor
Emmanuel Lubezki, 3 time Academy Award nominee, cinematographer
Benoit Mandelbrot, mathematician, regarded as the founded of fractal geometry
George Marcus, anthropologist
Michael Marks, founder of retail network Marks and Spencer
Walter Matthau, U.S. actor
Hermann Minkowski, mathematician (born in Kaunas)
Alecia Moore), U.S. musician, mother is of Lithuanian Jewish ancestry
Sean Penn, famous actor
Maury Povich, U.S.TV talk-show host
Shloyme Zanvl Rappoport, author and Jewish folklorist, under the pseudonym, S. Ansky
Winthrop Paul Rockefeller, Rockefeller family, U.S., Republican politician (his mother was a Litvak)
Ruth Roman, Hollywood actress
Willy Ronis, photographer
Abram Sachar, President of Brandeis University,
Jerome David Salinger, writer
Milton Ship (b. Milton Jerrold Shapiro), cable TV pioneer and governor of Pennsylvania; parents were Lithuanian Jews
John Stewart, U.S. TV comedian
Mary Louise Weller, U.S. actress and model
Harry Dexter White, renowned economist
Paul Zukofsky, violinist and conductor, New York
Ed Asner, The Three Stooges comedy screenwriter
The above list, while far from complete, indicates an enormous and difficult to match talent and contributions by any ethnic community that Jews from Lithuania brought and shared with the rest of America.
Litvaks in Lithuania as a whole were far better organized as an ethnic self-contained community for over a century than their hosts native Lithuanians under Russia’s occupation. While Russia tried to suppress any enlightenment tendencies within the Lithuanian population, Litvaks were historically far more skilled in circumventing Russia’s heavy hand. They understood better how to develop their own independent and well-grounded educational system and subsequently, became knowledgeable leaders in most important facets of life without sacrificing their identity. They transferred these qualities and talents to their new homeland in America. One of their long thought dreams that was denied by Russian authorities in Lithuania, was the creation of a Jewish based institution of higher learning. It was finally realized by Litwaks in America by founding the Brandeis University in 1948 in Waltham/Boston, Massachusetts. The below picture shows the Board members of the Brandeis university with Albert Einstein (not a Litvak) as one of its Board members. (65,66,67,68,69)
Independent Lithuanian American Organizations
Daughters of Lithuania (Lietuvos Dukterys)
Daughters of Lithuania (DoL) was organized in Chicago in December 1960, at inspired urging of a Lithuanian priest Father F. Gureckas. The organization’s initial intent was to help young children and elderly of Lithuanian descent, who needed assistance, but did not know how to qualify for aid from public social service agencies. And those agencies showed little if any interest to help those with no or little English language skills. DoL aimed to help the infirm, the sick, and particularly the lonely aging, who longed for familiar Lithuanian-speaking contact. It was committed to inspire hope, change lives, and make a difference through various humanitarian efforts by simplicity, integrity, and love.
The organization, as it grew in size and embraced a wider range of charitable activities, bought a building in Chicago in 1971, to house an office and space for storage of donated goods and their preparation for shipment to the needy. The building would also be used as a temporary shelter for hopelessly forlorn and distressed old folks, and others in special disastrous need. DoL has chapters in Melrose Park, IL, St. Petersburg and Juno Beach, FL, Detroit, Mi., Los Angeles, Ca. Seattle, Wash., and Washington, D.C. Its membership throughout several decades was around one thousand. None of the DoL members or its executive committee receive any remuneration for their work. DoL was is strictly a charity organization and its activities supported by fund raising events and internal and external donations.
Since 1990, when Lithuania regained its independence, the work of the organization expanded to encompass needy people in Lithuania as well. In conjunction with various medical organizations in both Lithuania and the U.S., and with the assistance of many volunteers and generous donors, “Daughters of Lithuania” now sponsor children to come to the U.S. for care and shelter while they undergo intensive medical procedures. In addition, the organization maintains a soup kitchen, a children’s nursery, a medical unit, and supports schools and indigent families in Lithuania with shelter and clothing. Members of the organization live by the words of their motto, “A helpful hand to the needy.” (70)
Lithuanian (American) Scouts Association (Lietuvių Skautų Sąjunga)
Lithuanian (American) Scouts Association (LSS), was formed as an independent extension of the Scout Association of Lithuania after being banned by the Soviet occupiers in 1940. LSS was revived in 1945 in the refugee DP camps in Western Europe. Upon majority of them immigrating to the United States in 1949, the LSS was resurrected in early 1950-s at most Lithuanian American settlements. Within a few years LSS became one of the most active and numerous in members of any other organized Lithuanian groups. It was incorporated in 1962 in the State of Illinois, as a non-profit organization.
LSS is organized by scouting principles of Robert Baden-Powell to develop in the society’s youths outdoor skills, leadership, community and service orientation to the public, loyalty as citizens, and to promote their national identity and heritage. The motto for all LSS members is DUTY to GOD, MY COUNTRY, and HELP to OTHER PEOPLE.
LSS members are primarily boys and girls and young adults who seek to live by the ideals of the scout movement and agree to conform to LSS by-laws by making a solemn promise to adhere to the principles of the movement. Boys and men members are organized as the Scout Brotherhood, girls and women as the Scout Sisterhood, and university students and individuals claiming academic roots while members of scouts as Academic Scout Movement.
The organization is guided by LSS statute, which defines the responsibilities and duties of all members and its leadership. The LSS is governed by a Council which is made up of 18 elected scouts and 3 chief scouts, one each from the Brotherhood, Sisterhood and the Academic movement.
The LSS is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Its official organization logo includes the traditional scouting lily as was used in Independent pre-WWII Lithuania. The lily includes the Columns of Gediminas insignia. The Girl Scout symbol follows a similar shape pattern, but is also stylized in the form of the rue, a national flower for girls.
Lithuanian Boy (left) and Girl Scouts (right) Insignias
The LSS in the USA is divided into six regions which include the following states:
New England States (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island)
Atlantic States (Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania)
Midwest States (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin)
Central States (Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska)
Southern States (Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Texas)
Western States (Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington)
Lithuanian Scouts have a tradition to hold annually open to the public Fairs, named ”Kaziuko Muge”. It is a very popular event in many communities and usually attended by hundreds and in larger settlements by several thousand visitors.
Besides annual National scouting camps, the LSS leadership in 1953, decided, due to large interest by its youth members, to hold every five years a National Scouting Jubilee camp (Jamboree), in which Lithuanian Scouting units throughout the World would be invited to participate. The first National Jubilee took place at Camp Child, Plymouth, Mass. from August 17 to September 1, 1953. The 6th Lithuanian Scout (Boys and Girls) National Jamboree in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Lithuanian Scouting movement) was held on August 13–26, 1978, at the US Boy Scout Reservation, in Paxton, Ma.
National scouting camps are being held” in Custer, Mi. and camp “Rambynas“ in San Bernardino mountains, in California. Camp Rakas, serving the East Coast and Midwest scouts, is the largest LSS owned campsite (over 200 acres) capable of accommodating at least 500 attendees. Camp “Rambynas”, a site about 2 hrs. drive East of Los Angeles, serves the needs of the Pacific Coast Lithuanian scouts.
The Lithuanian American scouts are supported by two financial Foundations: The Lithuanian Scouting Fund in Worchester, Ma., and The Vydunas Fund in Chicago, IL.
The LSS publishes since 1953 its own journal “SKAUTŲ AIDAS”. Scouting affairs and news are also covered in a bi-weekly page by the Lithuanian American newspaper Draugas and non-periodically by other Lithuanian language newspapers (71,72,73,74,75.76)
Major Lithuanian American Cultural Institutions
American Lithuanian Cultural Archives (ALKA)
ALKA is dedicated to the preservation of Lithuanian American culture in the United States. ALKA, located in Putnam, Ct. comprises a museum, a library and archives. It is maintained by the Lithuanian Catholic Academy of Science. (77,78)
The history of ALKA traces back to 1922 when a Catholic priest Pranciškus Mykolas Juras (Francis M. Juras) began collecting Lithuanian books and periodicals at his parish in Lawrence, Ma. He subsequently also began collecting Lithuanian art and crafts pieces, including samples of weaving and knitting, national folk costumes, jewelry, wood carvings, and various implements and utensils. As the collection grew, it was moved to the offices of the newspaper Darbininkas in South Boston in 1935.HYPERLINK “https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Lithuanian_Cultural_Archives#cite_note-litua-3" ALKA was officially established in 1941. When the newspaper moved to Brooklyn in 1951, the collection temporarily relocated to a garage of the Lithuanian convent in Brockton, Ma. In 1963, using his personal funds, Juras built a small house in Putnam, CT and moved his collection there.5"
In 1973, Juras officially sold his collection for the symbolic $1 to the Lithuanian Catholic Academy of Science with ALKA becoming its subsidiary. The collection continued to grow and it became necessary to expand its modest premises. In 1978–1981, an extension with a basement to the current building was constructed bringing the total area to 814 square meters (8,760 sq. ft.)
The Home of American Lithuanian Cultural Archives in Putnam, Ct.
Museum
The ALKA museum houses art collections of over 40 Lithuanian American artists, including Adomas Galdikas, Adomas Varnas, Kazys Varnelis, Viktoras Vizgirda, Romas Viesulas, Vytautas Ignas, Jadvyga Paukštienė, Antanas Petrikonis, Bronius Murinas and Vytautas Kasiulis. Other collections include: wood carvings by Končius, Motuza and others; thousands old photographs of significant events in American Lithuanian history; medals of societies dating from the second half of the 19th century; textiles with Lithuanian designs. A number of art items were exhibited in the Lithuanian pavilion at the 1939 New York World’s Fair, including sculptures by Robertas Antinis and Vytautas Kašuba and artwork by Mstislav Dobuzhinsky, Petras Kalpokas, Adomas Smetona, and Adomas Galdikas.
Library
The ALKA library contains over 30,000 books about topics of interest to Lithuanians or written by Lithuanians; a collection of over 1,000 different sets of Lithuanian periodicals dating from 1883 to the present; old and rare books (the oldest being “Tabellen zur Übersicht der Geschichte aller europäischen Länder und Staaten” by C. Kruse, published in 1802); calendars dating from the late 19th century to the present; prayer books from 1859 to most recently published. In 2012, the library joined LIBIS (Lithuanian Integral Information System of Libraries).
The ALKA archives contain over 300 collections of manuscripts, letters and a variety of documents. Collections include, among others, those of composers Jeronimas Kačinskas, Julius Gaidelis and Vytautas Marijošius, poet Faustas Kirša, priest Stasys Yla. The archive also preserves documents of various organizations, including Supreme Committee for the Liberation of Lithuania (VLIKAS), United Lithuanian Relief Fund of America (BALFas), Lithuanian Foundation, Knights of Lithuania, Ateitis Federation, American Professional Partnership for Lithuanian Education (APPLE), Lithuanian Consulate in New York, various Lithuanian societies from the end of the 19th century. Visiting professional archivists from Lithuania help ALKA to categorize and summarize the various stored materials.
Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture
The Balzekas Museum (Lithuanian: Balzeko lietuvių kultūros muziejus) is located at 6500 S. Pulaski Rd. in Chicago’s West Lawn neighborhood, not far from Chicago Midway International Airport. Founded in 1966, the Balzekas Museum is dedicated to the preservation and perpetuation of Lithuanian culture and is the largest museum in the United States devoted to the subjects of Lithuania, the Lithuanian language, history, culture and politics, and to the Lithuanian-American experience. Promoting the study and appreciation of America’s diverse ethnic cultural heritage and seeking to foster greater understanding among all people, the museum works cooperatively with numerous ethnic groups; cultural, arts and educational organizations; museums; fraternal orders; religious entities; and governmental institutions. The Balzekas Museum is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. It was founded by Lithuanian-American businessman Stanley Balzekas, Jr., who continues to serve as the president of the museum. (79,80)
Museum Departments and Galleries
Main Exhibit
“Lithuania Through the Ages” — portrays the development of Lithuanian history and culture from prehistoric times to the present.
Arts
Art exhibits by invited artists and a permanent collection of works by Lithuanian and Lithuanian-American artists.
Research & Resource Center for East European Studies
The center is made up of a number of collections: the reference library wih over 40,000 volumes on history and culture of Lithuania from the 16th to the 19th century; the largest collection of archival manuscripts and periodicals outside of Lithuania; a collection of 10,000 files of pamphlets and records of historical and cultural documents; and more than 50,000 photos and thousands of recordings of Lithuanian music, musical scores and copies of programs of significant events.
Immigration History and Lithuanian Americal Genealogy Society
The department started with the display of work of Mildred Kletz on genealogy in 1984 and continued to expand in genealogical information about numerous “Lithuanian Pioneers” in America and their descendants, and by the publication of the newsletter Genealogija, devoted to immigration history and genealogy. Lithuanian American Geneology Society provides an opportunity for its members to obtain basic information and guidance on tracing their ancestry
The Irene Balzekas Memorial Map collection
A collection of more than 200 antiquarian maps, dating from 16th to the 19th centuries, and 700 more recent maps of Lithuania and Eastern Europe and atlases
Language education
The department offers Lithuanian language classes, Cassette and Dialog Books
Numismatic collection
The Museum contains one of the best collections spanning form first to modern Lithuanian coins, currency, tokens, medals, military orders, and decorations awarded to Lithuanians in the United States. The Knight is a publication of the Lithuanian Numismatic Association.
Folk art and the Exhibits department hold annual Lithuanian Easter egg decoration and Christmas straw ornament construction workshops and exhibits. Demonstrations of traditional spinning and weaving have been presented periodically by members of the Lithuanian Folk Arts Institute
Women’s Guild
The guild was organized by the late Irene Radvilas Balzekas in 1968. It raises funds and sponsors exhibits,
Edward Mankus Audio-Visual room and archives
A state-of-the-art audio-visual facility can seat 50 for slide, video and film presentations. It is also used for exhibits by prominent American and Lithuanian photographers,
Children’s museum of Immigrant History
Founded in 1982, this department through interactive exhibits and outreach efforts serves as a cultural and educational resource for schools and families,
Gift shop
The gift shop offers a variety of items: amber jewelry, wood carvings, Christmas straw ornaments, decorated Easter eggs, dolls, costumes, music recordings, books, toys, greeting cards, linen textiles, Lithuanian flags, and much more.
Lithuanian Research and Studies Center
The Lithuanian Research and Studies Center (LRSC) is a public non-profit scholarly research organization, conceived and started by Prof. Dr. Jonas Rackauskas in 1981, and incorporated in the state of Illinois in 1982. Located in Chicago, IL., the Center is the largest scholarly archive in Lithuanian language and book publisher outside of Lithuania. It houses accumulated resources of various cultural, academic and professional Lithuanian organizations and important documentary collections of individuals that are of significance to America’s Lithuanian history, heritage, culture, and a variety of developments. The goals and objectives of the LRSC are to research the archived materials and literature, to publish academic articles and books, and to organize and promote exhibits through which the public and the learned society are familiarized with the historical wealth accumulated at the Center about Lithuanians in America and throughout the world. For this purpose, LRSC acquires and preserves Lithuanian artifacts, documents, and other materials of historical and cultural importance. (81,82,83)
The Center is composed of the following research departments:
Lithuanian World Archives (LWA)
The LWA consists of archives related to Lithuania and Lithuanian Americans: 1) a library of books, periodicals, publications, manuscripts; 2) one of the largest collections in the world on Displaced Persons, containing documents, photographs and personal items; 3) archives of individuals and organizations, containing materials of community, political, and cultural activists, and materials on the life of various organizations; 4) a collection of documents of the Board of Lithuanian American education system; 5) cartography collection containing over 50 rarer and about 100 more recent maps of Lithuania; 6) religious literature and Missals collection, which consists of books that were published and used by no longer active Lithuanian parishes.
Žilevičius-Kreivėnas Musicology Archive.
The Archive is one of the largest collections on and about Lithuanian music in the world
Dainauskas and Remeikis Library and Archive
A depository and collection of documents of historian and activist Jonas Dainauskas and Tomas Remeikis, a noted professor of Political Sciences
Lithuanian Museum of Medicine and Archives
The museum is a unique collection of exhibits on medical history and equipment used in early immigration days by Lithuanian physicians and dentists in America and in Displaced Persons camps
The Photo Archive consists of more than 50 thousand photographs, negatives, and visual recordings depicting Lithuanian life in America from late 19th through the 20th centuries.
The museum contains literature, military uniforms, decorations, medals and personal equipment as memorabilia of service by Lithuanians in the U.S. and Lithuania’s armed services. The collection is a transfer from the Ramovėnai Military Museum.
The exhibition is comprised of 26 stands, displaying interesting visual information on Lithuanian American major events, insignia of various Lithuanian organizations, copy of the first newspaper Varpas, depictions of most important movers of Lithuanian life in America such as prel. Mykolas Krupavičius, Siberia deportee Elena Juciūtė, and a number of others.
The Archive consists of exhibit of catalogs of Lithuanian artists outside of Lithuania, press clippings about them and art exhibits they organized since 1908. The archive has a large collection of works of art, picture publications, and posters.
The Center promotes and conducts research on selected topics and prepares appropriate articles for various academic publications and encyclopedias. It publishes scholarly books, and continually promotes exhibits about Lithuanian American cultural, artistic, and scientific achievements.
The LRSC collaborates with the Mažvydas National Library in Lithuania, a number of universities, museums, and other educational and cultural institutions engaged in similar activities. The LRSC’s facilities and services are often hosting visiting scholars for research purposes from various research institutions from U.S., Lithuania, Japan, Canada, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, England, and other countries. It is also being used as a resource for information by students doing scholarly work towards advanced academic degrees.
The Center is supported primarily by the Lithuanian American Community, the Lithuanian Foundation, and individual donors. LRSC is located at the Lithuanian Youth Center on Chicago’s south side.
Major Lithuanian American Foundations
Lithuanian Foundation
Lithuanian Foundation (Lietuviu Fondas-LF) was established in 1962, in Chicago as an unusual beneficial financial institution. It was a registered Illinois not-for-profit foundation dedicated to preserving and fostering Lithuanian culture and traditions in the United States, Lithuania and Lithuanian communities worldwide.
LF was dedicated to collect capital, which would remain untouched, but invested. Income earned from this capital was to support various Lithuanian educational, cultural, scholarship, and youth activities.
LF distributes parts of the earned income primarily through a Grants Committee, which reviews grant applications from all sectors of Lithuanian communities. About 30 percent are appropriated for student scholarships. The rest of the designated funds are allocated to part-finance major Lithuanian cultural and educational events, support the U.S. based Lithuanian Saturday school system and study programs, and provide partial funds for conduct of Lithuanian language courses at the University of Chicago, University of Illinois Circle Campus, and Fordham University.
Since its inception in 1962, the Lithuanian Foundation has advanced these goals by awarding $20,000,000 in grants and scholarships. This includes a special, one-time capital fund disbursement of $1,354,462 to aid Lithuania’s educational and cultural institutions after the homeland declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1990.
Donations and bequests of members of the LF form the Foundation’s capital fund. The Foundation invests in financial institutions, government issues, stocks, corporate bonds, real estate and other investment vehicles. The income from these investments also finances the Foundation’s operations.
Through careful management, investment, and planning, the fund has grown to a current market value of over $40,000,000. The Foundation’s leadership is working diligently to double the capital in the invested fund, in order to meet ever-increasing appeals for funding. (84)
Lithuanian National Fund (85)
Lithuanian National Fund (Tautos Fondas) established in 1943, in NYC is dedicated to support Lithuanian cultural and educational activities, including the promotion of Lithuanian language, culture and traditions. When possible and appropriate also to support development of democracy in Lithuania and Lithuanianess in diaspora outside the United States.
Vydunas Youth Fund (86)
Vydunas Youth Fund (VYF) supports through scholarships needy Lithuanian-American students who belong to the Scouts Academics. The fund has its offices at the Lithuania World Center in Lemont, IL.
Effects of Changing Technologies on Education and Economics
New technologies and energy sources barged into everyone’s daily life after WWII. New industries sprang up. Many older ones disappeared because of their inability to innovate. It was beginning to have a devastating impact on thousands of Lithuanians working in the coal mining regions of Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Southern Illinois due to a lower demand for coal. New enterprises, need for higher level skill and better paying jobs at post WWII industries in Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, and other parts of the Midwest motivated substantial numbers of Lithuanians to move away from their traditional centers in the anthracite regions. This accelerated even more, when numerous WWII veterans returning from military service with advanced skills, and/or upon attaining university education under the GI Bill of Rights began to enter higher technology and white collar professions. With their incomes rising, most younger families began to move out to more distant new housing developments, or to new jobs at more remote locations.
The 40 to 50 thousand DP immigrants in late 1940-s and early 1950-s settled mostly in the larger cities of the East Coast and Midwest that already had sizeable Lithuanian American settlements. Their arrival provided new and vigorous vitality to Lithuanianess in those locations, but did not facilitate the revival of smaller and more remote settlements.
Although most newcomers were highly skilled, they were not very applicable in America’s unique economic and labor environments. In order to support themselves and their families, the newcomers took whatever jobs were available to them in the neighborhoods they settled. Mostly they became employed in low grade, low paying menial jobs. A few more lucky ones found employment at low starting levels in local factories. The younger ones tried to improve their skills by taking part-time college courses and/or updating their European education by enrolling at local universities. This and learning better conversational English helped them to advance to better jobs, but not by much.
Lithuanians, because of their ages long agricultural background, and subsequent slave-like submergence as a subculture to Polish nobility and then after some 150 years of Russian overlord domination, were basically oriented towards working for and being led by someone else. This mentality predominated their mode of existence also as immigrants in America for most of the years. A few more commerce oriented Lithuanians, who ventured into entrepreneurship, stayed small and did not expand their ventures far outside their respective settlements. As a whole, only a limited number of individuals had only moderate success in starting small manufacturing, commerce or service jobs. However, for some unexplained reason, they were more successful in sizeable community based home building and financial services. The picture changed significantly as substantially well-educated DP immigrants and their children began to make in-roads into America’s mid-level society. Within about a decade or two from their arrival, substantial numbers of medical doctors, architects, engineers, lecturers at local universities, and workers with social skills began to emerge as professionals in the various specialty sectors. A few began to combine their knowledge by forming architectural, engineering and medical firms. As 1990s approached, most Lithuanian Americans had entered the midstream levels of the American Society
Examples of Entrepreneurship
For many decades most Lithuanians in America did not venture into more extensive professional jobs. However, almost all Lithuanian settlements had their own small grocery stores, butcher shops, bakeries, barber and beauty parlors. Larger communities had local dental and medical doctors, lawyers, funeral homes, plumbers, travel agencies, etc., all serving primarily their people’s needs in their native language. In time, some individuals, experiencing success, began to offer services outside their ethnic community.
It is virtually impossible to identify and list all of Lithuanian owned and managed business initiatives and professional enterprises in America. Some crude estimates note of some two thousand in the post WWI and WWIII time frames. A few examples are cited in following several pages to illustrate their successful emersion into America’s life.
Leonas Sheporaitis (Seputis) began selling bottled soft drinks within his Pittston, Pa. Lithuanian community in the 1920s. His drinks were liked so much that he soon had to expand the offerings to the entire region. Leonas Seputis Bottling Company of Pittston. Pa. became a well-known large volume maker of very popular birch beer throughout the State of Pennsylvania.
DGinger Ale became a popular nationally known soft drink. It was originate Lithuanians in Waterbury, Ct. in late 1800-s. (87)
J&A Andriulis started in 1942 the Michigan Farm Cheese Dairy in Fountain, Mi. Within a few years it was producing Lithuanian type farm cheese at the rate of 2.5 tons a day. It was sold at many grocery stores in the U.S. Dozens of Lithuanian dairy farmers in the Custer, Mi. area are his milk suppliers. (88)
John Rudis, an enterprising Chicago engineer, formed the Rockwell Engineering Company in 1942. It supplied heavy steel constructions for the U.S. Navy during WWII, and continued as an engineering company to manufacture large scale structures for the commercial sector after the war. (89)
Stanley Balzekas Jr. is president and owner of the Balzekas Motor Co., Chicago’s oldest car, van and truck dealership established in 1919. Being very conscious of his Lithuanian heritage, he founded in 1960, the Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture in Chicago. The museum’s initial purpose was 1) to serve the preservation and perpetuation of Lithuanian customs and traditions, and 2) to advocate restoration of Lithuania’s Independence and bring the occupied Lithuania’s political situation to the world’s attention. As Lithuania became a free country again in 1990, the second goal was to get non-Lithuanians to recognize and appreciate the importance of Lithuania’s freedom and its heritage through exhibits and presentations of Lithuanian culture.
Balzekas in his lifetime served on the Board of Trustees of the Chicago Public Library for 11 years, as an advisor to four Chicago City mayors, and on the Chicago Commission for Human Relations for 20 years. (90)
Remiss (Remigijus) Gaska of Columbia, N.C. is a physicist, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sensor Electronic Technology, Inc. (SETi). The company is a leader for UV LED development for high power applications. Its deep UV LED structures exhibited external quantum efficiency above 11%. SETi’s LEDs use UV light technology to kill bacteria, viruses and other germs in medical, military and space applications, and most recently in cell phone and tablet disinfection cases. (91,92)
Dr. Rim Marcinkus of Rancho Mirage, Ca. is a well known plastic surgeon specializing at his desert surgical centers in Palm Springs, Ca. and Las Vegas, Nevada, in breast enhancement procedures, body sculpting, Eurolift, mid-facelift, and hair transplantation. He also uses nonsurgical techniques for facial and body rejuvenation with excellent results and minimal maintenance. (93)
Cindy Pasky founded Strategic Staffing Solutions (S3) in 1990 with four benchmarks that became the corporate pillars of S3: It defined of what a corporation should do: create jobs; offer people an opportunity to succeed, change their station in life; and make community and charity work a core part of the company’s business.
Pasky leads by example and is actively involved in civic and community organizations globally. She serves as chair of the Detroit Downtown Partnership Board of Directors, co-chairs the Mayor’s Workforce Development Board, and is member of Business Leaders for Michigan Board of Directors. She is the Founding Chair of the American-Lithuanian Business Council and serves on Investor Advisory Committee of the Government of Lithuania.
Strategic Staffing Solutions is an international, women-owned, $300+ million IT and business services corporation based in Detroit. With a composite average annual growth rate of 19%, it is ranked 16th among the largest staffing firms in the U.S., cited by Staffing Industry Report. S3 is also ranked as the sixth largest diversity staffing firm and one of the top 25 among woman-owned businesses in the nation according to Women’s Enterprise USA Magazine. (94,95)
Dr. Jonas Prunskis is owner and president of The Illinois Pain Institute (IPI) comprised of eight pain management clinics in the Chicago area. Their clinical procedures improve lives through precise diagnosis, treatment, and compassionate care of painful conditions in joints, neck, back, sciatica, headaches, carpal tunnel, etc. IPI has been recognized by medical peers as the top practice in pain management unprecedented nine times. (96)
Gasparas Kazlauskas, inventor and manufacturer of automated orbital arc welding machines in Los Angeles, California. The unique automatic welding apparatus positions very precisely the welding electrode regardless of its direction of motion along the weld path and maintains extremely constant physical spacing with respect to the to be welded objects. The precision was in response to a demand to weld tubing packages for the Space Nuclear Power plants. Kazlauskas holds l2 U.S. patents on this technology. (97)
Valdas Adamkus was appointed as regional administrator by President Ronald Reagan, with responsibility for all air, water, hazardous waste, and other pollution control programs covering Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Clean-up of Lake Michigan waters around Chicago was one of his major accomplishments. In 1985, President Reagan presented him with the Distinguished Executive Presidential Rank Award — the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a civil servant.
Joe Bachunas is owner of Tabor Farm 170 acre summer hospitality resort in Sodus, Mi. It was founded in 1920s. Savvy and knowing that good service, making friends and investing earnings back into the business, helped him to become very successful. As a publicity stunt, he bought some old street cars and turned them into unique sleeping quarters which became favorites with the guests.
Mr. Bachunas was quite a jovial man and loved chatting with his quests. In 1928, he started a popular late-night snack, which remained one of the most attractive features of the resort for decades to come. The old streetcar cabins were eventually replaced by modern cottages and the farmhouse was redone several times, but kept the quaint old fashion look to the exterior.
The resort, open from the Memorial day until the end of September, hosted reunions, conventions and banquets to guests from the Chicago, Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan areas. It was a favored summer meeting place for numerous Lithuanian organizations, conferences, and community leadership retreats. For leisure activities, the resort offered shuffleboard, swimming pools, golf, and numerous other activities. (98)
In pre-WWI years Bachunas was elected president of West Michigan Tourist Association. He also was an important organizational figure and a lifelong supporter of Lithuanian American Nationalists movement. He became President of the Lithuanian World Community in 1965 and passed away in 1969. The resort began a slow decline thereafter and closed its operation in 1991.
Dr. Stasys Backaitis, principal Bio-mechanical engineer responsible for original development and issuance of automotive vehicle occupant protection safety standards (49CFR FMVSS 208 through 214) at the U.S. Department of Transportation. The safety standards allow manufacturers of motor vehicles to build, import and sell new automobiles for use on U.S. public roads only if they comply with the specified occupant protection provisions. Those limit impact loads to the human body during vehicle crashes to sub-injury levels. As a result, annual deaths and injuries in vehicle crashes on U.S. roads were reduced by over 30,000 and 1.2 million respectively. The U.S. safety requirements have been adopted by most countries in the world. (99)
Eugenijus Bartkus is president of Bartkus and Associates (B&A) one of the largest Lithuanian owned construction engineering companies in Chicago. Engaged in design of heavy industrial, mining and harbor facilities, highways, and conveyer systems for transport of iron ore, coal, and radioactive materials. It offers supervision of constructions in all of the world continents. Much of the more than 1300 projects involved also development and use of extensive mathematical modeling activities.
Jonas Jurkunas founded Venta Engineering Company in Chicago. The company provided over a span of 28 years design services for steel fabrication, bridge construction, erection of hospitals, foundries, manufacturing plants, and a number of office complexes. Venta Engineering was known as a generous financial supporter of Lithuanian cultural activities.
Juozas Kazickas was former founder and president of venture capital firm Litcom (Omnitel) and Neris International, Inc. The Manhattan-based Neris Int. became a major exporter of coal to post-WWII Germany and Italy. Kazickas active in venture capital has consulted international corporations such as Exxon, El Paso Natural Gas, Columbia Gas, Rockwell International, Philip Morris, Coca-Cola, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, and became Board member and trustee of Astrotech Corporation and Cosmos Bank.
Consulted for opinion by gen. John J. McCloy during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He was asked in 1990, on economic affairs, transition to free market economy, and help to establish commercial, economic and political ties with the West. Kazickas was also involved as an intermediary in the sale of Mažeikių Nafta, an oil refinery in Lithuania to America’s Williams Companies. (100)
Mindaugas Gedgaudas is founder and president of Arc Machines, Inc. (AMI) headquartered in Pacoima, Ca. and also with offices in Switzerland, Germany and the UK. AMI is one of the world-leading designers, manufacturers and distributors of the most advanced automated orbital tube, pipe and tube-to-tube welding equipment including their power sources, electro-mechanical torch manipulation devices (weld heads) and arc-zone vision systems. AMI products have a high reputation for outstanding quality, durability and functionality. (101)
Dr. Jonas Rackauskas, Professor at Chicago State University and consultant in pedagogy. Served as Rector of the Institute of the Education Commission of pre-school children, as assistant editor of the journal Commentary on Issues in Education, and as editor of the quarterly Journal — Lituanus (1971–1978), In 1981, he became co-founder of the Lithuanian Research and Study Center in Chicago. Under his subsequent chairmanship, the Center has become the largest overseas Lithuanian archive of books and publications, depository of historical files of Lithuanian organizations in America, and the largest book publishing institution outside of Lithuania.
Justas Lieponis, starting a very successful furniture store in 1960s, became a large scale business entrepreneur in Chicago during the mid-1980. He created the Lithuanian Trading House, a large Furniture Center, the first in Bridgeport, IL and subsequently the second one in Marquette Park. The stores were very popular with Lithuanian buyers, and he, in turn, was a generous supporter of Lithuanian social and patriotic activities.
As a very prudent investor in real estate, Lieponis build in the middle of Orland Park an “Old Oak Country Club” with an 18 holes golf course and a very modern meeting place including large facilities for banquets and entertainment. In the same neighborhood, he developed and built a 450 home subdivision. In 1980, he sold the furniture business to become a quarter owner of the multimillion „Heritage Bank of Lockport“. (102)
Veitas & Veitas Engineers Inc. of Braintree, Ma. is a multifaceted engineering and construction firm offering Building Construction Consultancy services since 1965.
Financial Sector
In contrast to most Lithuanian business-oriented individuals focusing on rather small merchandizing operations, several entrepreneurs ventured on a bigger scale in the financial sector. By early 1920, Lithuanians became owners of the Merchant Banking Trust Company in Mahanoy City and the Pittsburgh Polithania Bank, both in Pa. Others formed the Town of Lake Savings Bank, the Metropolitan State Bank, and several others in Chicago. Over time, as a result of the 1930 depression and WWII disruptions, they began to lose control of them. By 1980-s most of these banks were absorbed by larger financial institutions through the process of federalized controls with little trace that they were founded by Lithuanian Americans.
Savings and Loan associations (S&L) were financial institutions in which the average Lithuanian felt more comfortable with. They considered them as institutions of their own and trusted to deposit their hard-earned money. In 1950-s, the Lithuanians had eight Saving and Loan Associations in Chicago alone (CHICAGO S&L, Crane S@L, District S&L, Midland S&L, St Antony’s S&L, Universal S&L, Brighton S&L, Mutual S&L). Similar Lithuanian Saving and Loan Associations were in operation in Cleveland, Ohio, Newark-Harrison-Kearney in New Jersey, Brooklyn, N.Y., Philadelphia, Pa., Baltimore, Md., Boston, Ma. and at several other smaller Lithuanian communities.
Most Savings and Loan Associations in the United States continued to grow until the onset of financial crisis in 1980s. In an effort to make ailing S&Ls more competitive with banks and to allow them to deal with high inflation rates, the Ford, Carter, and Reagan administrations substantially deregulated the industry. Without restrictions, S&Ls began making high-risk/high-yield loans and a few became engaged in corrupt practices. As a result, a number of these ventures began to fail financially. In an effort to save the financial sector, the Federal government forced most S&L associations either to close or merge, or become parts of existing banks. While five out of eight Chicago based Lithuanian S&Ls survived, others in different parts of the country were less fortunate. They disappeared either through bankruptcies or mergers into larger associations.
While Saving and Loan Associations due to scandals became estranged from and distrusted by Lithuanian communities, interest in larger Lithuanian settlements turned into forming their own Credit Unions (LCU). More substantial LCUs emerged in Boston, Cleveland, Chicago, Richmond Hill, N.Y., and Los Angeles. While the Los Angeles and Boston LCUs grew and continued as successful multimillion dollar operations, the Cleveland CU, known as Taupa, was closed by Federal regulators due to financial corruption in late 2013. Prior to that, the Richmond Hill, N.Y. headquartered KASA CU (also known as Litas Investment Company) with branches in Chicago, Detroit, St. Petersburg, Fla., and Waterbury, Ct., after reaching 44 million dollar investment level, wound up in financial scandals and corruption. It was taken over by the National Credit Union Administration and placed under federal conservatorship in July 1990. The CEO of KASA, Vytautas Vebeliunas, was tried in 1994 in the U. S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, and convicted of bank fraud, criminal conflict of interest, misapplication of credit union funds, and the filing of a false loan application. (103,104,105)
Two World-Renowned Lithuanian American Women of Science
Of only a few Lithuanians scientists gaining world-wide acclaim and fame, two Lithuanian born American female scholars have earned an unprecedented distinguished recognition, distinction and honor. Dr. Birute Galdikas as a World acclaimed and honored anthropologist and primatologist, and Dr. Maria Gimbutas as a pioneer archeologist, who uncovered and introduced the world to a lost European civilization that existed in pre-historic times.
Dr. Birute Marija Filomena Galdikas
Galdikas is a Lithuanian born Canadian-American anthropologist, primatologist, conservationist, ethologist, and author. For over four decades she studied and worked closely with orangutans of Indonesian Borneo in their natural habitat. She is the world’s foremost authority of that species.
Birute Galdikas was born in 1946, in Wiesbaden, Germany to parents who fled Lithuania from advancing Russian armies in 1944. In 1948 her family immigrated to Canada, first to Quebec and the following year moved to Toronto. In the year of her enrollment at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver in 1964, her family moved to Los Angeles, Ca. She continued her studies in natural sciences at UCLA, earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology and zoology in 1966, and a master’s degree in anthropology in 1969. As a doctoral student at UCLA, she met Kenyan anthropologist Dr. Louis Leakey, spoke with him about her desire to study orangutans, and convinced him two years later to sponsor her to such research.
In 1971, Galdikas arrived in one of the world’s last wild places, the Tanjung Puting Reserve in Indonesian island of Borneo. Before she left the U.S., she was told by her other professors that a study of orangutans in the wild “couldn’t be done”. They were too elusive and wary, living almost entirely in deep swamps.
Before long, however, her hard work and determination had paid off. She set up “Camp Leakey” in honor of her mentor and began documenting the area’s ecology and the behavior of the wild orangutans. Four years later, she wrote the cover article for the National Geographic Magazine, bringing orangutans to a widespread international public attention for the first time.
Galdikas has paid dearly in her life. She endured death threats, near-fatal illnesses and bone-chilling encounters with wild animals. Galdikas study, after 27 years of research in Borneo’s Tanjung Puting jungle, (now a national park), is the longest encounter by any principal investigator of wild mammals in the world. She recorded over 400 types of food consumed by orangutans and provided unprecedented detail about their ecology, the nature of orangutan social organization and mating systems.
Dr. Galdikas has lectured extensively on the orangutans and their tropical rain forest habitat to thousands of people, and at several dozen institutions and universities throughout the world. Her dedication not only to understand the nature of the orangutan but also to preserve the species rapidly diminishing natural habitat, extends to humans, their cultures, and the environment as well.
She now teaches at Canada’s British Columbia University from January to May. In summers she moves with her family and associates to Los Angeles and works at the L.A.-based Orangutan Foundation. Autumns she spends at Camp Leakey. As an academician, she also attends numerous anthropology related conferences.
To continue the research at Camp Leakey and to help support orangutans around the world, dr. Galdikas and her colleagues set up in 1986, the Orangutan Foundation International (OFI) with sister organizations in Australia, Indonesia, and the United Kingdom. A Lithuanian bank, Ukio Bankas, financed The Biruté Galdikas Ecology and Support Foundation in Vilnius, to support Galdikas’ work and to increase awareness of conservation in Lithuania.
From March 1996 through the end of March 1998, Galdikas served, under a special decree, as a Senior Advisor on orangutan issues to Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry. In June 1997, she won the prestigious “Kalpataru” award, the highest honor given by the Republic of Indonesia, for outstanding environmental leadership. She is the only person of non-Indonesian birth and one of the first women to be so recognized by the Indonesian government.
Featured twice on the cover of National Geographic and the author of scores of scientific articles and reviews, Galdikas has published four books, including her autobiography, Reflections of Eden. Galdikas has been featured in New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and numerous television documentaries such as CBC’s The Third Angel, Connie Chung’s Eye to Eye, and In the Wild with Julia Roberts. The most recent documentary films include Kusasi, From Orphan to King; the Mel Gibson narrated film, The Last Primate; and the IMAX 3D film, “Born to be Wild”, narrated by Morgan Freeman.
Dr. Galdikas is a Professor Extraordinaire at the Universities Nasional in Jakarta and Full Professor at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada. Dr. Galdikas received at least 18 international honors, awards and citations including the Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Medal, the Sierra Club Chico Mendes Award (1992–1993), the Chevron Conservation Award (1993), and the United Nations Global 500 Environmental Achievement Award (1993). Her work to save the orangutans is an unprecedented effort of a single individual to save the unique mammals from human caused extinction and provide them a sufficient environment for survival in their natural habitat. (106,107,108)
Dr. Marija Alseikaite — Gimbutas, Uncoveror of a Lost European Civilization of Pre-Historic Times
Marija Gimbutas, a UCLA archeologist, was, in some circles, heralded in the 1960–70s as an intellectual pioneer who unearthed an unknown and lost civilization that existed in Europe somewhere between 6000 to 8000 years ago. Through exhaustive archeology in the Balkans, Dr. Gimbutas documented this civilization, gave it a name and deciphered its language. By uncovering this unheard-of part of European history, she kindled an interest in archeology among an unlikely amalgam of artists, feminists and other spiritually oriented people who found in her work a confirmation of one of their most cherished beliefs: the possibility of a culture living peacefully and in harmony with the earth.
Gimbutas, born in Vilnius, Lithuania in 1921, pursued graduate studies in archaeology linguistics, ethnology, folklore and literature at the Vilnius University. In 1942, she earned her master’s degree for the thesis, “Modes of Burial in Lithuania in the Iron Age”.
In face of an advancing Soviet army in 1944, her family fled Lithuania, first to Vienna and then to Bavaria. Upon completing her dissertation “Prehistoric Burial Rites in Lithuania”, Gimbutas received a doctorate in archaeology, with minors in ethnology and history of religion from the Tübingen University in Germany in 1947. She continued post-doctoral studies during 1947–49 at the universities of Heidelberg and Munich.
After arriving in the United States in 1949, Gimbutas joined the Harvard University’s academic staff as a translator of Eastern European archaeological texts. She soon became a lecturer in the Department of Anthropology and, in 1955, was made a Fellow of Harvard’s Peabody Museum.
In 1956. Dr. Gimbutas introduced her Kurgan hypothesis which combines archaeological study of the distinctive Kurgan burial mounds with linguistics. This helped her unravel some problems in existing studies of the Proto-Indo-European speaking peoples. She named them “Kurgans” to account for their origin and to trace their migrations from India to Europe.
Gimbutas describes the influx of nomadic pastoralists over a 2000-year period as a “collision of cultures” in which Indocratic cultural and ideological patterns were introduced into Europe. This led to hybridization between the Old European and Indo-European systems. Accordingly, ““Indo-European” is a linguistic term that refers to a family of languages found from India to the western edge of Europe. The Proto-Indo-European language refers to the now extinct mother tongue from which all Indo-European languages developed. This hypothesis, and the act of bridging the disciplines, has had a significant impact on Indo-European studies since then.
During late 1950s and early 1960s, Gimbutas also earned a reputation as a world-class specialist in the Bronze Age of Europe, as well as on Lithuanian folk art and the prehistory of the Balts and Slavs. In her work, Bronze Age Cultures of Central and Eastern Europe (1965), she reinterpreted European prehistory in light of her background in linguistics, ethnology, and history of religions and challenged many traditional assumptions about the beginnings of the European civilization. As professor of European archeology, she led and directed five major archeological excavations in southeastern Europe.
Gimbutas gained fame and notoriety in the English-speaking world with her last three English-language books: The Goddesses and Gods of Old Europe (1974); The Language of the Goddess (1989), which inspired an exhibition in Wiesbaden in 1993–94, and The Civilization of the Goddess (1991). The latter, based on her documented archaeological findings, presented an overview of her conclusions about Neolithic cultures across Europe: housing patterns, social structures, art, religion, and the nature of literacy.
Perhaps Gimbutas’ most controversial thesis was that the world was at peace during the Stone Age when goddesses were worshiped and societies were centered on women. She claimed that about 6,000 years ago a European culture, in which the two sexes lived in harmony, was shattered by patriarchal invaders. The worship of life-giving goddesses was replaced by reverence for war-like gods. Her studies and interdisciplinary approach also created a new field: archeomythology.
World renowned professors Joseph Campbell and Ashley Montagu each compared the importance of Marija Gimbutas’ studies to the historical importance of the Rosetta Stone Egyptian hieroglyphs. In 2003, filmmaker Donna Read and neopagan author and activist Starhawk released a collaborative documentary film about the life and work of Gimbutas, “Signs Out of Time”. The film examines her theories, her critics, and her influence on scholars, feminists and social thinkers.
Gimbutas authored 23 books, 28 monographs and over 30 scientific articles in English, German and Lithuanian. A good part of her work has been either reprinted or cited in the pertinent scientific literature of the civilized world. Much of Gimbutas’ work is housed in the OPUS Archives and Research Center of the Pacifica Graduate Institute in Carpinteria, California. The library includes her extensive collection on topics like archeology, mythology, folklore, art and linguistics, over 12,000 images of sacred figures personally taken by dr. Gimbutas, and all her research files on Neolithic cultures of Old Europe. Voluminous parts of her work are also housed at the Lithuanian Research and Studies Center in Chicago, IL. (109,110,111,112)
Marija Gimbutas died in Los Angeles in 1994, at age 73. Shortly thereafter, her remains were interred at the Kaunas Petrašiūnai Cemetery in Lithuania.
Lithuanian Americans in U.S. Technical, Science, Medical, and Legal Professions
Preparing for New Professional Life
After WWI Lithuanians in America, apart from the Lithuanian language based Catholic Church and the American Lithuanian Council (ALC), were not centrally organized. Within each community were dozens small groups of similarly minded individuals taking care of their specific needs. Some publications estimate the totals of such organizations in the U.S. numbering around 2,000. In early and mid-1930s, with Lithuania being free and independent, even the LAC seemed to have little clear focus, purpose and enthusiasm for Lithuanian patriotism. There was little encouragement from the homeland, particularly, that the Smetona government tended to keep Lithuanian American interests in Lithuania at bay in order to avoid criticism of its autocratic government. However, the Smetona government did not hesitate to seek help in times of threats to Lithuania by external forces, such as Poland’s ultimatum in 1938, Hitler’s occupation of Klaipeda, etc. Unfortunately, while greatly upset, Lithuanian-Americans could do little to prevent Soviet Russia from occupying Lithuania in 1940, and keeping it in captivity for the next 50 years.
Immediately after WWII, ALC’s attempts to influence the 1945 San Francisco Peace Conference in the restoration of Lithuania’s independence came to a nil. On the other hand, its effort to meet President Truman in 1946, in order to address admittance of Baltic refugee DPs to America was successful. Thereafter, ALC's focus was fighting for the next 50 years an uphill political and public affairs battle to assure that the U.S. maintains recognition of the independence of Lithuania and the Baltic States in spite of Russia’s pressure to revoke it. Within those years, ALC, with a clear target on restoring freedom for Lithuania, became more consolidated and effective. Its effectiveness was considerably improved by infusion of strong and capable leaders from the ranks of DP new comers who were highly knowledgeable of the Lithuania situation ad the Soviet techniques to advance their goals.
The end of WWII found between 50 and 60 thousand Lithuanians in refugee camps in western part of Germany and a few hundred in France and Italy. Several thousand of the refugees were highly skilled professionals with university degrees and years of experience in industry, public service, and academia. While several hundred of them emigrated to Australia and Canada, their bulk found home in the United States during the late 1940-s and early 50-s, when the United States opened its doors to WWII refugees.
Since most of the refugee professionals were in the 30-s, 40-s and early 50-s, it did not take very long upon arrival of those with science and medical backgrounds to reenter the fields of their profession. Of course, the entry usually involved in attaining proficiency in the English language, updating their skills to U.S. standards, and passing appropriates licensing exams, if required.
The highest percentage of the new Lithuanian immigrants returning to their original professions were physicians. Some crude statistics indicate that around 98% were practicing medicine again in about 6 years from their arrival. The next highest percentage were academicians at 89%, engineers and musicians both at 67%. They were followed by journalists at 49%, but only in jobs at ethnic newspapers. Suffering the most were those of the legal profession such as lawyers, judges, and those with municipal adminstrative skills at 17%. They had difficulty fitting into a totally different legal system of the United States including expressing themselves in clear and faultless English language. (113)
Lithuanian Americans merging into U.S. Technical — Professional life (114,115)
Lithuanian WWII refugees in Western Europe with engineering, architecture and science education exceeded well over a thousand in numbers. As immigrants in the United States after WWII, they constituted the largest group of Lithuanian professionals. By 1950 they began organizing as American Association of Lithuanian Architects and Engineers (ALIAS). Within the decade ALIAS could boast some 20 chapters and a membership of around 800. The Association exhibited great vitality not only at the chapter level but also by holding every three years National meetings and promoting and participating in community activities, including the publication of bimonthly Journal under the name “Technikos Zodis”. While it is virtually impossible to cite all of the movers and leaders participating and contributing to the revival of Lithuanianess in America and to technical progress in the United States, a few of the more devoted promoters and movers of continued Lithuanian vitality in America are listed below:
Engineers:
Valdas Adamkus — Administrator of EPA Midwest region, Chrmn. Santara Sviesa Federation, President of North American Lithuanian Sports Federation, and future President of Lithuania
Kazys Almenas — Associate Professor, Nuclear Engineering, University of Maryland
Stasys Backaitis — Principal Engineer — U.S. Dept. of Transportation, Chair SAE Safety, U.S. Delegate at ISO
Rimas Banys –Vice-president, Harze, Engineering Co., Hydroelectric projects,
Jonas Bilenas — Program Manager, Grumman Aerospace Corp.
Algimantas Gacys — Engineer, U.S. Treasury, Philadelphia Mint
Jurgis Gimbutas — Associate and Partner of Fay-Spofford&Thornddike Engineering firm
Viktoras Gruodis — Engineer, former President of Lustre, and Omnitel.
Vytautas Izbickas — Chief Civil and Structural engineer, Chas.T. Main Inc.
Albertas Karvelis — Vice-president, product failure analysis, Packer Engineering, Naperville, IL
Jonas Kasuba — President, computer controlled welding systems, Ferranti Sckiaky Co.
Romualdas Kasuba — Dean of Engineering and Eng. Technology, Northern Illinois Un.
Almis Kuolas, Vice-president of Operations, NY American Cable Systems Corp.
Grazvydas Lazauskas — Project Engineer, President Lithuanian American Council, Chicago, IL
Gediminas Leskys — Project Manager Radar Systems, Hughes Aircraft Co.
Algis Lukas — President Lucas Associates, Inc. Traffic and Road Network Planning
Vytautas Marchertas — Partner, Structural Engineering Co., Cohen, Barreto & Marchertas
Putinas V. Masalaitis — Sr. Vice President, Villanova University
Steponas Matas — Director of Research and International Affairs, LTV Steel Corp.
Reimodas Matulionis, Prof. Dep. of Engineering Professional Development, University of Wisconsin
Stasys Maziliauskas — President of Mazil Research Co., mfr. high technology materials
Pilypas Narutis — Electrical engineer, General Motors Electromotive Division, Chicago, IL.
Vytautas Narutis — Research Chemist, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance in Polymers, NALCO Chem
Vytautas Penkiunas — Mechanical Engineer, partner Zubkus, Zemaitis & Associates
Gintaras Reklaitis — Prof. of Chem. Engineering & Associate Dean of Grad. School, Purdue Un.
Joseph Rubis — Chief Executive Of PDI Corp, Faculty of U.S. Naval Academy, DREXEL Un.
Teodoras Rudaitis — Senior Associate at S.G, Pinney & Associates, Nuclear Safety Coatings
Arunas Slekys — Vice President R&D, Novatel Communications
Vytautas Sliupas — Regional Director of Civil Engineering Projects, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Donatas Tijunelis — Director of R&D Viskase Corp., lecturer IIT & Lake Forest Grad School
Jonas Ulenas — President, Mini&Micro Computer Hardware and Software, Vetra Systems Corp.
S.C. Uzgiris — President, Mechanical Safety in Forensic matters, Triodyne Consulting Eng. firm
Audrone Uzgiriene — Dr. Consultant To insurance firms on Forensic Matters, Triodyne Inc.
Rimas Vaicaitis, Prof. Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics, Columbia Un.
Rimas Vaisnys — Prof. Electrical Engineering, Geology & Geophysics, Yale Un.
Albertas Vaitaitis — Consultant on Aswan Electrical Power Station, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
Romualdas Veitas — Partner Veitas and Veitas Engineers, Design of Concrete and Steel Constr.
Eugenijus Vilkas — Vice-president of Astro-Arc International RD Welding Equipment
Romualdas Viskanta — prof. Mechanical Engineering, Purdue Un., member U.S Academy of Sciences,
Aleksas Vitkus — Manager of Kearney’s Electrical Research Laboratory, Kearney, Co.
Sciences:
Jurgis Anysas — Chairman, Chemistry Dept., DePaul Un. of Chicago
Algirdas Avizienis — Distinguished Professor, Computer Sciences at UCLA and recipient of several awards for Programming for Software Fault Tolerance During Execution, of great importance in Space Exploration in NASA projects.
Martynas Buntinas — Prof. of Mathematical Sciences, Loyola of Chicago Un.
Vytautas Cernius — Prof. & chair of Psychoeducational processes, Temple Un.
Adolfas Damusis — Assoc. Director of Polymer Institute, University of Detroit
Kestutis Devenis — Consultant, Ecology and Hydroelectric projects, CE Maguire Inc.
Jonas Duncia — Senior research chemist, DuPont de Nemours, Co.
Jonas Genys — prof. Environmental and Estuary Studies, University of Maryland
Antanas Girnius — Mathematician, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
Bronius Jeselskis — prof. of Chemistry, Loyola Chicago university
Vytautas Klemas — prof. Marine Studies-Remote sensing, University of Delaware
Arvydas Kliore — Senior Research Scientist — Space Exploration, Jet Propulsion Laboratry
Konstantinas Kliorys — Associate prof. Management Science, Gannon university
Romualdas Kriauciunas — Associate prof. Michigan State university
Algirdas Lukosevicius — Director of Medical Research, Medifax International
Ceslovas Masaitis — prof. University of Delaware & Researcher at Aberdeen Proving Grounds
Povilas Mazeika — Oceanographer, Naval Ocean Research and Development Office
Jonas Meskauskas — President of Educational Assessment and Research Consultants
Feliksas Palubinskas — Chairman of Marketing & Intern. Business Ctr., California State Un.
Justinas Pikunas — Prof. Psychology and Chair Child & Family Ctr., Univ. of Detroit
Jonas Rackauskas — prof. Chicago State Univ., Pres, Lithuanian Research and studies Center
Tomas Remeikis — Prof. and Head of political sciences dept., Calumet College of St. Joseph, Ind.
Rimvydas Rimkus — Superintendent, Metropolitan Sanitary District of Greater Chicago
Jonas Stankunas — Vice-president Malcolm Pirnie, Inc. Consulting Environmental Engineers
Julius Smulkstys — Prof & Dean School of Arts & Sciences dept., Indiana Un. (Fort Wayne)
Antanas Suziedelis — Prof. & Dean School of Arts and Sciences, Catholic University of America
Arvydas Tamulis — Systems Manager, Computer Graphics Systems, R.R.Donnelley@Sons Co.
Zigfridas Vaituzis — Section Chief, Environmental Science, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Vitolis Vengris — Leading scientist in the field of interferon, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Robertas Vitas — Executive Director at American Academy of Periodontology Foundation
Vytautas Volertas — Instructor Mathematics Camden College, Engineer at RCA Satellite Communications.
Pranas Zunde — Prof. of Information & Computer Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology
Jonas Zmuidzinas — Theoretical Physicist & Adjunct Professor, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Architects:
Bronius Aras, Bruno Aras Architectural Co., shopping centers, community homes, Los Angeles, Ca.
Edmundas Arbas — Owner: Edmund Arbas, Inc., Los Angeles, California
Arvyda Barzdukas — Architect, Barzdukas & Blevins Associates, Falls Church, Va.
Aleksandras Bertulis, Architect — Owner for Architectural Firm in Washington State
Algimantas Bublys — Vice-president of Design, Rosetti Associates
Donatas Empekeris — Principal of REA Architects Partnership, Santa Monica, Ca.
Mausas Erdmanas, Marshall Erdman & Associates, architects and builders, Middleton, Wisconsin
Rimantas Griskelis — President, Architectural firm, Rpgriskelisaia, LLC, Chicago, IL
Vytautas Kamantas — Architect/engineer, Director of Western Mich. Hospital, Grand Rapids. Mi.
Albertas Kerelis — president of Facilities Design Ltd. and architect of Cook County, IL
Brone Kova — Partner, Kova Associates, Inc.
Alfredas Kulpa (Kulpavicius) — PhD architect and artist, best known for modern style church buildings
Stasys Kudokas — Architect of Public Buildings and Churches in Lithuania, U.S. and Canada
Jonas Mulokas — President of Mulokas & Mulokas AIA, President of Fine Arts Association of California
Raimondas Matulionis — prof. Preventive Maintenance of Buildings, Univ. of Wisconsin-Medison
Gintaras Meskauskas — Founder of Architectural Design at Deep Design & Construction, Beverly Hills, Ca.
Daina Penkiunas — Wisconsin State Historical Deputy Preservation Officer, architectural history.
Aras Rimavicius — Movement and Urban Design, Griskelis & Smith Architects, Chicago
Arunas Rumsa — Vice-president, Allegretti Architects and Engineers
Algimantas Tamasauskas — Architect and historian architect, Loebl, Schlosman and Hackle
Ricardas Vidutis — Architectural Historian, Indiana University at Bloomington
Edvardas Vitkus — Architect, U.S Army Corps of Engineers
Kestutis Zygas — prof. of Architectural History and Historical Theory, Arizona State University
Sigitas Zubkus — Architect, partner Zubkus, Zemaitis & Associates
Algimantas Zemaitis — Architect, partner Zubkus, Zemaitis & Associates
Monumental and Historical Spinoff from ALIAS Activity
At the 1968 ALIAS Cleveland meeting, several enthusiastic younger professionals and recent university graduates met to explore the idea of creating in the U.S. a Lithuanian Academy of Sciences that would unite scholars and professionals of Lithuanian ancestry. The idea of Academy of Sciences was later dropped in favor of a World Lithuanian Symposium on Arts and Sciences (WLSAS). Such a broader event would provide an opportunity for participation by individuals working in sciences, architecture, technology; humanities and social sciences, and medicine. Convening in a common location would provide an opportunity for Lithuanians working at intellectual levels in other parts of the world to meet and share their knowledge and professional experiences. The first meeting would be aimed to determine if there was sufficient interest in getting together in future years. The discussions also indicated that it would be of particular benefit to provide younger Lithuanian intellectuals and new university graduates a focus and an opportunity to talk publically about their achievements in a very receptive Lithuanian environment. Algirdas Avizienis was selected as the chairman of the Program Committee, Arvydas Kliore as vice-chairman and Bronius Nainys as chair of the sponsoring Executive Committee of the Lithuanian American Community.
The first Lithuanian Symposium on Arts and Sciences (LMKS) in 1969 brought 62 participants to Chicago from several locations in the United States. The presenters covered a broad variety of mostly technology and science topics delivered in Lithuanian language. Public attendance over three days of the meeting numbered more than three hundred. Participants in the concluding plenary session expressed enthusiasm to convene another symposium in four years again. (116)
The second LMKS in 1973 brought 83 presentations and attendance of over five hundred from the public sector. Most of the presenters were young individuals who had recently entered professions in arts and sciences, engineering, medicine, and the academic world. Enthusiasm was great again. The stage was set for continuing the symposia every four years thereafter. Every following symposium increased the number of paper presentations and attendees from the public. (117)
The 1985 Fifth LMKS was a great success. Two hundred forty presentations covered a multitude disciplines in liberal arts, sciences, academia, medical disciplines, law, and commerce. The majority of the presenters were from the United States and Canada. (118)
In the spring of 1988, the LMKS Council in Chicago, led by architect Albertas Kerelis, asked prof. Rimas Vaicaitis of Columbia University and Dr. Stasys (Stan) Backaitis of USDOT to organize the Sixth LMKS to be held on November 22–26, 1989, in Chicago. Inasmuch as the Soviet suppression in Lithuania was easing, it was also agreed that it was worthwhile to extend an invitation to learned parties in Lithuania to participate with presentations at the symposia. Inasmuch as Backaitis was in correspondence and acquainted with the editor of the journal “Science and Technology” published in Lithuania, he was asked to send the editor a letter in September 1988, for a possibility of printing a note in the journal about the forthcoming symposium and a hint that interested parties from Lithuania would be welcomed to participate.
Within a month, a response was received that definitely there would be interest, providing Moscow would authorize their departure. Another question was if the U.S State Department would issue visas to applicant travelers, since many of those in arts and sciences were in the higher echelons of the Communist party. Understandably, most of the party memberships were not necessarily by choice, but by need to hold their job positions.
Appropriate contacts at the State Dept. indicated that a document would be needed stating the purpose of their visit to the United States, a list of their names, country of birth, citizenship, date of birth, and current work affiliations. The author of the petitioning document would need to vouch in writing on behalf of the organizing institution their timely return to Lithuania. The State Dept. promised fair and prompt consideration upon receipt of the requested information, but also indicated that issuance of visas by its Moscow consulate would depend on the clearance status of each applying individual. And that may take some time.
On the question of Moscow issuing exit permits to multitude of Lithuanians to travel to the symposium, we were very fortunate to have a very sincere Lithuanian national serving as the second secretary at the Soviet Embassy in Washington. Inasmuch as Backaitis knew him from previous contacts on behalf of USDOT on highway safety issues in the USSR, he was asked if he could help to solve the exit permit question through Moscow’s Foreign Ministry bureaucracy. He said, he would explore, but made no promises. He also indicated that eventually a list of those to be invited would be needed to assure their prompt consideration in Moscow’s Foreign Ministry.
The November 1988, issue of the journal “Mokslas ir Technika” in Lithuania contained an announcement of the forthcoming MKS in Chicago in 1989, and an invitation to propose presentations of learned papers. All proposals including relevant personal information is to be forwarded to Backaitis address in Great Falls, Va. Besides the announcement in “Mokslas ir Technika”, Lithuania’s Academy of Sciences and several other professional associations sent a parallel call for papers to their members.
By the end of February 1989, the tiny Great Falls countryside post office was flooded with record amounts of mail to a single addressee. Over four hundred letters arrived containing proposals of paper presentation by noted professionals in sciences, technologies, medicine, and arts. Their main plea was for acceptance of the offerings and receipt of a formal invitation to deliver the proposed topic at the symposium.
Such a large number of additional presenters was considerably over the initially planned number of presentations including the capacity of what the Lithuanian Youth Center facilities in Chicago could accommodate. Upon further discussions with the Symposium chairman prof. Rimas Vaicaitis, and the Chicago LMKS Council chair Albertas Kerelis, and preliminary review of the proposals, it was agreed to limit the invitation to about 200 presenters. By late March 1989 two hundred twenty invitations were
sent to selected proposers in Lithuania asking them to submit final summaries of their intended presentations both in Lithuanian and English including short autobiographies and possibly their facial ID like photographs. Final selection in May 1989, yielded just slightly over 120 acceptable presentations. The invitees were sent appropriate instructions to apply to their authorities for exit permits and to the U.S. embassy in Moscow for entrance visas, and to submit short final abstracts of their intended presentations tu the organizers.
The Lithuanian second secretary at the Soviet embassy advised in late May, 1989, that Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs was inclined to grant exit-visiting permits to attend the symposium, subject of course to review of acceptability of each individual. Accordingly, the final list of invited participants was then submitted to him and to the U.S. State Department for transmission to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. It was still a question who would pass their scrutiny.
The next big head ache was facilitating travel and accommodation of arriving visitors from Lithuania. The travelers had to secure aircraft travel tickets to and from the USSR with their own funds (Rubles). But the air travel restrictions at the time permitted incoming flights from USSR to land in the U.S. only at Washington Dulles and New York Kennedy airports. Beyond that, travel to Chicago was the responsibility of each individual. None of the incoming travelers could cover that expense, since Russian Rubles were practically valueless and non-convertible currency in the U.S.
The Chicago MKS Council assumed the responsibility for covering the expense of continuing travel arrangements via railway to and from Chicago. It also provided a stipend of $35.00 to each arriving person for miscellaneous expenses as well as arranged their accommodations in Chicago during the five days of the symposium. The New York and Washington Lithuanians formed reception committees at the Kennedy and Dulles airports. They would greet the arriving people, provide them appropriately packaged meals for their continued journey, and upon furnishing further itinerary instructions, would transfer them to the respected railroad terminals for continued travel to Chicago.
We the organizers, were initially somewhat skeptical about Russia’s willingness to allow the departure of such a large Lithuanian contingent to the U.S. It was unprecedented in the USSR history particularly that Lithuania was at that time still behind the “Iron Curtain” and part of the Soviet Union. But within a few days of the symposium messages received from travelers from Lithuania indicated their receipt of exit permits and visas. To our surprise, several were arriving through Canada and Mexico, as a way of circumventing Russia’s refusal to permit their travel to the United States. To our delight, the symposium being attended by participants from Lithuania was the most outstanding and unprecedented event in the history of relations between Lithuanian Americans and their homeland.
The Sixth Symposium in 1989 provided for the first time a large segment of scholarly elites from Lithuania to join hands and minds with their counterparts in the U.S. and Canada and a few attendees from other parts of the World. It was hard to believe that the long-awaited dream of Lithuanians from all over the world would sit together in joint sessions has become a reality. Those who participated in the Sixth Symposium on Science and Creativity said that what has happened has surpassed even their wildest expectations.
Thursday morning — the Opening Session of the Sixth Symposium. The Grand Auditorium of the Lithuanian Youth Center in Chicago is jam-packed. Among the three hundred twenty participants are presenters from the United States, Canada, Australia, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and more than one third are from Lithuania. These are new mostly unfamiliar faces, but somehow similar to ourselves. Welcome speeches, congratulations, and wishes for the most successful symposium. There is no rivalry, no fear, only a spirit of pride and love. Brothers and sisters can finally reach out their hands and souls, congratulate each other, share their sorrows and worries, rejoice at the achievements, express hopes and expectations, and talk without fear of the “big brother”. The tricolor Lithuania’s flag brought from the Kaunas Polytechnic Institute symbolized the aspirations of the people to unite and the desire to work together towards the dream of a free and independent homeland.
This symposium was different from all previous symposiums due to unanimous mind set of all attending factions including the public that the moment for freedom of Lithuania has arrived. Although there were differences of opinion on what procedures and timing would serve the declaration of independence purposes best, their interests merged in plenary sessions after hearing the bell ringers from Lithuania itself. This symposium was probably the first opportunity in the post-WWII era for representatives of a very broad spectrum of learned elites from Lithuania and Lithuanians in the Western World to meet in a public forum and talk about the perspectives of Lithuania restoring its sovereignty. The contingent from Lithuania expressed determination in a private meeting its uncompromised intention to attain Freedom and Independence now and expected unquestionable support from Lithuanians in America. The fall of the Berlin Iron Curtain Wall just a couple weeks ago provided an example of daring courage of what freedom seeking citizens can do in their quest to liberate themselves from communist oppressors. Lithuanians are just as thirsty for freedom and must act now to restore its sovereignty at this unique historical opportunity. Possible options were explored if the brutal occupier were to respond with violence.
In the most important plenary session after the opening ceremonies concluded and with no standing room left in the main auditorium of the Lithuanian Youth Center, Vytautas Landsbergis, the leader of Lithuania’s liberation movement “Sajudis” addressed the country’s thrust for freedom. In a highly emotional speech he remarked: “ Lithuania is shedding the shackles of subjugation and oppression. It is freeing itself from 50 years of cruel imprisonment, beaten up and bloodied, with its body and soul viciously violated. Yet Lithuanian people are determined to fight for freedom seeking for identity and recognition in the world. Yet, in the world wide forum we hear: Lithuania, who is she? And where is she? What history book describes her true past? Which direction should she take? For 50 years she was led by lies and deception by its own traitors using the occupier’s maps to guide the nation into ever deeper swamps, into hopeless future, into a mirage of a Siberian sun. The struggle to shed the yoke of the occupier without own destruction, regaining the rightful place in international forum, resolution of internal and external tensions dividing the nation, discovery and implementation of democratic principles and habits — are tasks not written in any books and without examples. Lithuania stands at a crossroad of historic destiny — to be a nation or wither and die in choking clutches of the occupier”.
The second leading speaker and a co-leader of Sajudis, Romualdas Ozolas, portraying the perils that Lithuania faces, noted: “Lithuania is walking on the edge of an extremely sharp blade and must traverse that space without perishing. Its people must have faith and mental fortitude to fight for the righteousness of their cause. Lithuania is moving forward, realizing that only with a conscious decision, unity, moral conviction and determination not to fail in an ever-increasing tension and death threatening environment, it will rise as a community of free people.”
Both deliveries initially stunned the over-a-thousand audience for its brutal frankness. Then, it suddenly burst into a wild applause, cheers and nearly unending chants of “Freedom for Lithuania”. The spirit of freedom was in the hearts and minds and resounded through the hallways for the rest of the days of the symposium.
The proceedings of the symposium were divided into six main topic groups: 1. science, architecture and technology; 2. humanities and social sciences; 3. medicine and dentistry; 4. arts and music; and 5. law and commerce. The 320 presentations were delivered in 79 sessions over a three day period. Each series of talks were concluded by questions and answers and discussions in summarizing Plenary Sessions. (119)
Special Plenary sessions were also held to accommodate discussions on: 1. The future of Lithuania: aspirations and realities, and 2. The concept and challenges of reestablishing the Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, Lithuania, including drafting the university’s charter and election of its governing body.
The symposium lecture series ended on Saturday, November 25th, followed by a concert and banquet that very evening. On Sunday, November 26th, the Symposium closing ceremonies included offerings of Special Religious Services and a concluding plenary session at the Lithuanian Youth Center in Chicago, with an expression of invitation by home country’s guests and hope that the next symposium will be in Lithuania.
All attendees from Lithuania returned home without reprisals from the Communist authorities and fortunately for the organizers, there were no defections or political asylum seekers. Lithuania’s Sajudis leaders, highly encouraged by the support received at the symposium, and in spite of a massacre by the Soviets in Vilnius on January 13, 1990, announced on March 11, 1990, the restoration of the nation’s independence. (120,121)
Pruned Willow Branches are Alive and Greening
During nearly five decades from mid-1940-s to early 1990-s, Lithuanian Americans formed a number of new societies and organizations, some of which survived for several decades, and continue to this day, others closed their doors and disappeared without much trace. While it would be virtually impossible to mention them all, subsequent part of this essay depicts more than half a dozen outstanding independent professional and semi-professional organizations that contributed immensely to the strength and vitality of the Community as well as raising pride of being Lithuanian Americans.
Lithuanian American Physicians — Significant Movers of Community Vitality
Most of the nineteenth and early twentieth century Lithuanian immigrants arriving in the United States had very little or no education, of poor farm country background or having been menial laborers. They stepped into this country virtually barehanded, illiterate, and knew little if any English. They received no welcome, were exposed often to severe abuse and despise, destined to harsh and demeaning labor and living conditions, but still with an expectation of a brighter future. Yet in spite of these handicaps, Lithuanian immigrants were eager to endure, to seek education,, particularly for their children, as a way out of poverty.
Based on their experience in Russia’s occupied Lithuania at the dawn of the twentieth century, the prevailing thought of success in life was to become either a priest or a nun or at the very best to dream of becoming a medical professional, such as a physician, a nun-nurse or a nun-teacher. Accordingly, emerging young Lithuanian professionals in the early 1900s were either priests, nuns or in rare instances physicians, mostly serving their local community needs.
At the beginning of 1900-s, only 17 Lithuanian physicians, of some two hundred thousand immigrants, were known to have practiced medicine in the United States. However, surprisingly one of them became a lecturer of pathology at the St. Louis University. As time went by, enrollment of students with Lithuanian names began to appear in increasing numbers at several East Coast and Midwest medical schools.
During the first half of the 20th century, archivist dr. Milda Budrys notes of at least 220 Lithuanian physicians were offering their medical services to the Lithuanian American public. Unfortunately, privately compiled data were limited and do not allow a more accurate estimate of Lithuanian physicians and dentists engaged in medical practice during this time span. But knowing that a good number of newly graduating physicians did not return to practice at their communities, it may be safely assumed that the total number of physicians of Lithuanian extraction before WWII could have been around 500. WWII seriously interrupted the emergence of new physicians.
According to the Lithuanian World Almanac, there were over 300 Lithuanian speaking physicians in the United States in 1953. But it is not known how many of the 200,who arrived after World War II were included in that count. A 1970 issue of the Lithuanian Medical Bulletin listed 418 Lithuanian speaking physicians: 187 graduates of Vytautas the Great University, 106 graduates of German medical schools, 110 graduates of U.S. medical schools, and 15 of unidentified medical schools. The count of U.S medical school graduates is most likely on the low side, as it appears not to include most pre-WWII immigrant doctors from Lithuania and U.S. born pre-WWII medical graduates. It is quite likely, that some of them did not want to be identified as being of Lithuanian origin, some were unknown of practicing at distant parts of the country, and some others, while known in their communities, did not belong to the Lithuanian medical doctor’s association. (122)
Most arriving DP physicians joined the existing American Lithuanian Doctors Association (ALDA). The organization changed its name in 1951, to “Lithuanian American Medical Association” and then in 1957, to Lithuanian acronym “LAMD”. Its first president was a pre-WWII immigrant Dr. Antanas Montvidas. In 1960, the organization began publishing the “Lithuanian Doctors Bulletin” which was replaced in 1971, by the Lithuanian language journal of medicine, named “Medicina”.
Records compiled by Dr. Milda Budrys indicate that more than 250 Lithuanians, identified by last names, earned medical degrees in the U.S. between years 1950–1985. Of these, 41 or about 16 percent were holding university teaching appointments. The rest were primarily engaged in private practice and/or as hospital physicians. (123)
However incomplete, her records provide a raw estimate of the geographic distribution of known Lithuanian physicians in the United States. At the beginning of the 1950-s, about one third of Lithuanian physicians and dentists were located in the greater Chicago-Illinois area, one third in the Midwest including Pennsylvania’s coalmining and steel making regions, and about one third in the East coast region including all of New England. By 1990, the Chicago-Illinois-Wisconsin region contained more than one half of Lithuanian speaking Dentists and Physicians at the expense of the number of physicians at the East Coast and New England regions, and particularly at the coalmining regions of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. During this time frame, a sizeable Lithuanian community developed in the Los Angeles region. By 1970, about a dozen Lithuanian medical professionals moved primarily from the East Coast region to the Los Angeles area. In subsequent years, several other medical professionals had relocated to the more distant West coast locations such as San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, etc. A few of these were associated with conduct of medical research and teaching positions at some of California’s major universities.
As one of the best educated segments of post WWII immigrants and very conscious of Lithuania’s struggles with the Russian occupiers, the physicians were in many instances strong supporters and leaders of Lithuanian American efforts to regain freedom for their homeland and at the same time serving to maintain strong national consciousness in their communities.
Dr. Antanas Razma of Chicago is an outstanding example of civic minded leadership in the history of America’s Lithuanians. In 1962 he proposed the establishment of the Lithuanian Foundation to secure a financial basis for supporting Lithuanian activities. Dr. Razma’s idea was enthusiastically endorsed by his fellow physicians and by the greater Lithuanian American Community. He was elected to lead the establishment of and became the Foundation’s first president. His presidency was succeeded over the next two decades by fellow physicians such as Dr. Gediminas Balukas, Dr. Kazys Ambrozaitis, Dr. Jonas Valaitis, and by being reelected himself again in later years. Success of the Foundation was reinforced by a number of physicians serving on the Board as well as by continuous interest and support of the entire Lithuanian American Community.
One of the more remarkable legacy signatures was the establishment of Lithuanian Medical Museum and Archives in 1988. It was proposed by Dr. Milda Budrys and accepted to provide a permanent home at the Lithuanian Research and Studies Center. Located at the Lithuanian Youth Center in Chicago, it is the only medical museum of its kind outside of Lithuania. It highlights the art, technology and pertinent literature used by Lithuanian physicians since their arrival in America in the nineteenth century. The museum was further enhanced by the collection of donated pharmacology exhibits by a well noted pharmacist Dr. Pranas Rakas. (124)
Numerous physicians and medicare outstanding examples of promoting organized Lithuanian life not only in their respective communities, but also at nation-wide levels as well as being major financial contributors to Lithuanian civic and political activities. While their numbers are in several hundreds, practical reasons limit the citations to only a few who have been most visible individuals in furthering Lithuanianess in America. (125)
Dr. Kazys Ambrozaitis, served as radiologist with the rank of captain in U.S. Army medical corps during the Korean War. Subsequently, after gaining medical license, he joined the North Indiana Methodist Hospital (NIMH) as head of the radiology department and later, for the next 23 years as president of all radiology departments of Methodist hospitals in Northern Indiana. He was one of the founding members and later president of the Lithuanian Foundation, served on the council of the Supreme Committee for Liberation of Lithuania, Board member at the Lithuanian American Community Council, and chair of the organizing committee of the Third Lithuanian Symposium on Science and Creativity.
Dr. Anthony Bacevice, president of the 5,000 member Academy of Medicine of Cleveland and Northern Ohio. In addition to his medical activities as obstetrician-gynecologist, he was affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including the Mercy Regional Medical Center and the University Hospital Elyria Medical Center. Dr. Bacevice also hosted a radio program Healthlines, which aired three times each week on WCLV/104.9 FM.
Dr. Konstantinas Balukas, began internship at Wyckoff Heights Hospital in Brooklyn, NY in 1949. Served during the Korean War in the US Army Medical corps with the rank of Major at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. In 1963, he became specialist and clinical instructor in the Gynecology Department at the Strich School of Medicine at Loyola University. He was a co-founder of The Lithuanian Foundation, and served for several subsequent terms as president of the Lithuanian American Medical Doctors Association. Upon retirement in 1986, he raised financial support to establish the Lithuanian Museum in Klaipeda. Recipient In 2002, of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas for his contributions to the cause of Lithuanian Independence and for his service on behalf of the Lithuanian community worldwide. (126)
Dr. Steponas Biežis, 1916 graduate of Chicago College of Medicine and Surgery, served as lieutenant in the U.S. Army medical corps during WWI. Upon return from service, he founded the Lithuanian American Medical Association, was its president for a number of years and editor-publisher of the journal “Medicina.” In 1951, Dr. Biezis was appointed Chief Medical doctor of the Chicago Sanitary district. He became head of the medical staff at Chicago’s Holy Cross Hospital, was member of the Chicago Chamber of Commerce and the Lithuanian American Council. He founded in Chicago the Lithuanian Nationalist association, was inducted in 1963, as an honorary member of “Neo Lithuania” fraternity, and headed the financial support organization of Lithuanian scouts. In 1964, he was named Chicago’s “Republican of the Year“ and in 1969, inducted into the Hall of Fame. For distinguished services to Lithuania, he was honored in 1938, by Lithuania’s president with the highest class Gediminas order.
Dr. Kazys Bobelis, graduate from the Tuebingen University medical school, started practice as urology surgeon in Chicago in 1953. In subsequent years, he joined the clinical surgery staff at the Loyola University and the University of Chicago and engaged in private practice in Elgin, lL. From 1962 to 1978, he served as president of the Lithuanian American Council, and in 1979, was elected as Chair of the Supreme Committee for Liberation of Lithuania. In 1992, he relocated to Lithuania to practice medicine, and was elected member of the Seimas (parliament) by the Marijampolė constituency. After unsuccessful candidacy for Lithuania’s presidency in 1997, he returned to Florida to practice medicine. In his lifetime he was recipient of numerous prestigious citations and medals among them from the president of Lithuania, the King of Sweden, the Pope, etc. In 1995, he was elected as vice chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and a year later reelected for a three year term at the OSCE Stockholm meeting. (127,128)
Dr. Milda Budrys-Kuršaitė, U.S. born and educated, was trapped in Lithuania during WWII. Returned to U.S. in 1946. She was one of the first post-World War II Lithuanian physicians to achieve medical faculty status at the University of Illinois Allergy Clinic. In 1971 she became clinical assistant professor of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
Professor dr. Milda Budrys
Dr. Budrys was editor of the Lithuanian Medical Bulletin, an active member of the Chicago Medical Society, Illinois State Medical Society and president of the Allergy Society. She has authored numerous articles on medical subjects in the Lithuanian newspapers Draugas, Sandara, and the journals Aidai and Medicina. She was the principal collector and publisher of information about American-Lithuanian physicians residing in the United States. (129)
Dr. Antanas Butkus, medical researcher, Case Western University. Member of Board of Trustees of the Lithuanian Center, Inc., known as Lietuviu Sodyba, in Cleveland. The organization constructed an 83 unit building for low and moderate income elderly Lithuanians in Willoughby, Ohio
Dr. Mykolas Devenis, was a U.S citizen residing in Lithuania. Upon occupation of Lithuania by the Soviet Union in June 1940, he was arrested by NKVD (Russia’s political police) and imprisoned on trumped-up charges. Sentenced to eight years of hard labor and sent to a gulag (prison labor camp) in Vorkuta, Russia, in the vicinity of the Arctic Circle. However, with shortage of physicians, he was soon transferred to the gulag’s Sanitation Department to attend to the sick.
Devenis’s wife Elena, upon successful escape with her children from Soviet occupied Lithuania to the United States in 1940, appealed to the State Department for her husband’s release from Soviet imprisonment. Upon U.S. government intervention, Devenis was freed and returned to the United States in fall of 1942, and resumed his medical practice. During the 1953, Kersten Congressional hearings on Soviet adversary and deceptive policies regarding the Western World after WWII, Devenis was one of the principal testifiers about Soviet destructive treatment of people in occupied Lithuania, their deportation, and about forced labor camps in the Soviet Union. His testimony was one of the first eye witness accounts of little known, but extremely wide spread use of political prisoners for slave labor by Russia’s Communist regime. (130)
Dr. Eugenijus Gedgaudas — professor and chairman of radiology and nuclear medicine, Minnesota University Medical School.
Dr. Alexander Jovais — Jovaisa, lecturer on medicine at the Loyola University and Mercy hospital Pharmacology and Physiology departments. While in private practice as physician in Chicago, he became director of fundraising for the construction of the Lithuanian community based 1200 beds Holy Cross hospital. Upon its completion, he was appointed as its first president. During World War II Dr. A. Jovaisa served in the U.S Army’s medical corps. He contributed medical articles in the journal “Research in Physiology”, had a column in Chicago Tribune, and wrote guest articles in the Knight of Lithuania Journal VYTIS.
Dr. Petras Kaufmanas — Lead Scientist of Stress related cardiovascular diseases at the National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute in Bethesda, Md.
Dr. Antanas Razma is a family physician in private practice in Wilmington, Illinois, and president of St. Joseph Medical Association. On December 8, 1960, he published an article in the Chicago Lithuanian newspaper “Draugas” titled: “A Million Dollar Foundation for Lithuanian Affairs and Its Organizing Principles”. The young doctor’s realistic and pragmatic concept, coupled with his enthusiasm, fostered serious discussions attracting popular Lithuanian Community support. He is credited as the principal founder and several times president of the multimillion dollar Lithuanian Foundation which supports Lithuanian culture, education, arts, and cultural manifestations of the Lithuanian American society. 131)
Dr. Remigijus Satkauskas, selected by the “Illinois Rural Health Association” (IRHA) as one of the best ten physicians in the State of Illinois, based on his services to community’s health care needs, cultural and citizenship contributions, dedication to medical practice and humanitarian activities, particularly related to the impoverished population segment.
Upon immigration from Europe to Canada in 1987, he passed U.S. medical exams in 1988, and began internship in Peoria, IL as a family health practitioner. He became resident at Genesee and Princeton hospitals, and participated in private practice at three different Stark County locations. After eight years, Dr. Satkauskas opened his own clinic at Kewanee, IL. with 38 employees specializing in family medicine and gynecology. He became famous for treating patients, regardless of their financial situation or stature in the community.
Two hours distant from the Lithuanian Chicago community, he and his wife drive their children to attend the Lithuanian Saturday school and participate in Lithuanian activities. (132)
Dr.Linas Sidrys — Ophthalmologist Microsurgeon. In private practice and resident at Holy Cross Hospital in Chicago. First American medical doctor to work as a visiting resident in his profession in the Soviet Union occupied Lithuania. Performed over 120 eye surgeries in Lithuania. He organized instructional eye surgery teaching seminars for some 20 visiting Lithuanian eye surgeons. (133)
Dr. Aldona Šliūpaitė-Jankauskienė, graduate in gynecology from Women Medical College of Philadelphia in 1908. Travelled with her father (Jonas Sliupas) in 1917, to Voronezh, Russia to help war displaced Lithuanians. In 1918, she arrived in Lithuania to provide medical aid to the plague stricken Silale district. In 1919, Aldona was appointed by Lithuania’s Ministry of Health to secure donations in medications and medical equipment from Red Cross organizations of the United States and Great Britain.
While in Kaunas, she helped organize at the Red Cross hospital a Women’s Health department, including training of nurses, gynecologists and other medical specialists. In years 1923–1927, as assistance professor of gynecology at Kaunas University, she published a number of medical articles-advisories on women health issues.
Upon death of her mother, and disagreeing with her father’s (Jonas Sliupas) remarriage, she returned to the United States in 1931, to continue private practice in Brooklyn, N.Y. Upon Russia’s occupation of Lithuania in 1940, Dr. Sliupaite, rejoined the Lithuanian community activities in New York as treasurer and medical advisor at The United Lithuanian Relief Organization. From 1958–1965 m. she worked at the NY Charles B. Town hospital providing rehabilitation services for alcoholics and drug addicts.
Upon retiring, she relocated to California and rejoined as one of the officers the Lithuanian American Doctors Association. (134)
Dr. Vainutis Vaitkevičius completed his medical studies in Germany at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in 1951, and began internship at the Grace Hospital in Detroit. During the Korean War, he served as medical doctor in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Licensed to practice medicine in Michigan in 1956, he was awarded a Fellowship at the Detroit Institute of Cancer (DIC). In 1961, he became clinical director at DIC and appointed as assistant professor at the Wayne State University’s (WSU) School of Medicine. Promoted to associate professor and then full professor of Oncology and Internal Medicine in 1968, he was named by WSU students as the “Best University Professor”.
During the subsequent decade, he established the Milton A. Darling Memorial Clinical Cancer Research Center and is considered as architect of the nation’s leading center for oncology care and treatment. In 1978, he became associate director for Clinical Activities at the Comprehensive Cancer Center of Metropolitan Detroit. In 1982, Dr. Vaitkevicius was appointed chair of WSU Department of Oncology. He was elected president of the Michigan Cancer Foundation in 1991, and in 1995, he played a pivotal role in establishing the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute (KCI) as well as serving as its interim president. In honor of Dr. Vaitkevicius, WSU created in his name an Endowed Chair in Cancer Research.
Named by Detroit Press “Michiganian of the Year” and a “Health Care Hero” by the Detroit Business Council. Awards: The Best Clinical Teacher of the Year at WSU, Life Award from the American Cancer Society of Metropolitan Detroit, the National Jewish Federation’s Tree of Life Award, and the Humanitarian Award from Hospice of Southeast Michigan. He was appointed to the National Cancer Advisory Board by President Bill Clinton and was also an active member of the Lithuanian American Medical Association. (135)
Dr. Jonas Valaitis, certified pathologist, clinical professor at the University of Illinois and chief pathologist at the Lutheran General Hospital in Chicago. Founding member and vice-president of the American Lithuanian Council, past president of the Santara-Šviesa Federation and chairman of the Lithuanian Foundation and its executive committee. In 1962, he was elected president of the Illinois Lithuanian Medical Society and subsequently, became president of the American Lithuanian Social Democratic Party. In late 1980s, he led a Lithuanian American delegation to meet President Ronald Reagan and asked the U.S. to support Lithuania’s quest for freedom and independence. (136,137)
Arvydas Vanagunas — Professor at Northwestern University Medical School and attending physician at three area hospitals. Named as super physician and distinguished lecturer in the field of gastroenterology. President of the Lithuanian Medical Association
Unique Contributions to Lithuania’s Health System by America’s non-Lithuanian Physicians
Benevolent work by LAMD with sick and destitute children in Lithuania in late 1980-s, gained attention of Dr. John Lubicky, one of top 5 specialists in children’s spine disease in the U.S. Upon hearing of Project Hope for Lithuania’s children, he became interested in helping those suffering from debilitating spine problems. Upon return from his review trip to Lithuania, he arranged for a group of children affected by spine disease problems to come to the Shriner’s hospital for Children in Chicago for needed surgery and rehabilitation. This developed into a working relationship between medical staffs of the Shriners Hospital and the Vilnius University Children’s Hospital (VUCH). Dr. Lubicki’s “annual“ working vacation by doing pro-bono “corrective surgeries” in Lithuania, drew attention of three other physicians and several nurses at the Shriner’s hospital . They began to accompany him in these health caring and teaching trips. Besides helping VUCH staff to gain experience with medical surgery and rehabilitation procedures, Dr. Lubicki established at VUCH two fully equipped surgery rooms including appropriate most modern surgery tools, implants, spinal rods, medications, etc.
Another noted assist to Lithuania’s medicine was prof. Harry E. Livingston of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Since 1994, he taught the Kaunas Red Cross Hospital to establish orthopedic operating procedures, knee replacements and rehabilitation of operated patients. His son, Dr. H. Livingston, expanded his efforts by sponsoring teaching visits of Lithuanian surgeons to the U.S. and sending surgery and diagnostic (computerized tomography rare at the time) equipment to orthopedic hospitals in Kaunas and Druskininkai. (138,139)
Jurists — Rising to Challenges
One of the primary concerns of Lithuanian Americans was the fate of Lithuania upon its second occupation by Soviet Russia in 1945. Lithuanian Americans maintained careful watch over U.S policies to assure continued diplomatic recognition of Lithuania’s independence. Any sign of weakening of the U.S position was countered by protest notes, memorandums and visits to the White House and U.S. Congress. Well based legal documents and protest notes would be drafted and reviewed by Lithuanian American jurists to assure consistency and accuracy of claims and statements.
Initial statements on behalf of occupied Lithuania were drawn up mostly by U.S educated Lithuanian American jurists of pre-WWII years who either immigrated with their parents or were U.S born children of early immigrants. While only a few of them were in-depth familiar of what happened to Lithuania and the other Baltic States upon Soviet occupation in 1940, their ranks were multiplied several times by the arrival of over a hundred Lithuanian refugee jurists in the 1949–1953 time frame.
Many of the newcomers were top notch professionals in European law, but their legal education, knowledge and experience were different and inappropriate for them to serve in the U.S legal system. Difficulties speaking English fluently and understanding its legal nuances were additional handicaps. Eventually, only around 16% of them, upon extensive studies of America’s laws and passing appropriate Law Bar exams, gained entry into some form of law practice. In spite of these handicaps, most of the immigrant former lawyers decided in 1951 to establish a new organization: The Lithuanian National Bar Association (LNBA).
LNBA was incorporated as a non-profit, national association of attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students in the U.S. based on common professional interests, regardless of whether they practiced law or not. Lithuanian ancestry was not required for admission into the association as long as the applicant shared the goals and purposes of the organization.
The association aimed to help its members maintain high quality of the U.S. legal system, provide best services to the public, and willingness to address unique issues related to Lithuanian American concerns. Members were encouraged to offer Lithuanian Americans public education programs, continue their own legal education opportunities, and hold and participate in courses that would update its membership with the most recent information regarding interpretations and changes in laws. The organization would also help maintain vigilance on behalf of Lithuanian Americans that the United States continues its position and policy regarding Lithuania’s and the Baltic States independence.
Inasmuch as most of the post-WWII immigrant attorneys had difficulty fitting within the U.S legal system, some found a partial solution by providing legal opinions in the formation and operation of a number of Lithuanian American organizations. In time, upon mastering their English language proficiency, a good number of them found employment as legal researchers in European law at the U.S. Library of Congress, at large law firms and as researchers in analytical lobbying organizations. Others, with high quality experience in academia, found research and teaching positions regarding European law at a number of universities.
One outstanding example is Dr. Domas Krivickas, a former law professor at Kaunas and pro-rector of the Vilnius universities. Before WW-II, he was also a legal advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania and participated in treaty negotiations with Germany, the Soviet Union, and Poland. Upon immigrating to the United States, Dr. Krivickas served from 1951 through 1975 as a Senior Legal Specialist at the European Law Division of the Library of Congress, wrote numerous legal opinions for U.S senators and congressmen on international issues, and provided pro-bono advice to the Lithuanian Legation in Washington, D.C. (140)
In the post-WWII time frame, U.S. educated Lithuanian American attorneys John Zuris, Alfons Wells of Chicago, John Domalakes and J.S. Lopatto of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and Wm. Laukaitis of Baltimore became justices in the U.S. legal court system. Several other attorneys such as attorneys Juozas Laucka and Konstantinas Jurgela employed their legal skills in U.S. public service by organizing and leading Lithuanian language and certain other radio broadcast sections at the Voice of America.
A number of Lithuanian American attorneys in private practice were also participating in America’s political action committees to advocate Lithuanian American concerns at the highest U.S. government levels. They participated in delegations at audiences with the U.S. Presidents at the White House, the U.S. Congress and in a number of instances as delegate members of the Democratic and Republican parties at several national presidential nomination conventions.
Of dozens of Lithuanian American attorneys involved in Lithuanian-American communities’ and organizational life, three recent Chicago based jurists stand out as having devoted a good part of their professional careers in pro-bono service to lead Lithuanian-American organizations and Lithuania’s independence causes.
Paul Zumbakis, a prominent attorney in Illinois, has helped pro-bono numerous Lithuanian immigrants and defectors from Lithuania to solve complex legal immigration problems when they were short of funds to hire defense lawyers. He participated in one of the very famous trials involving the Lithuanian seaman Simas Kudirka, who defected in 1970 from the Soviet Fishing vessel onto a U.S. Coast Guard cutter “Vigilant”. Zumbakis led the legal case against the U.S Coast guard disregarding maritime and asylum laws, when the Captain of the Vigilant allowed the Soviet ship’s armed task force to board the U.S. ship and retrieve Kudirka by brutal force. (141,142)
Saulius Kuprys is a prominent General Law Practice and Tax attorney in Chicago. From his early age, he participated in leading numerous Lithuanian-American organizations and associations, such as Chair of the Lithuanian Catholic Press Council, President of the Lithuanian American Catholic Federation, President of the Lithuanian American Council comprising some 18 different organizations, President of the Joint Baltic Action Committee, chair of by-laws committee of the Lithuanian Foundation, leader and board member of numerous other nation-wide based organizations, etc. (143)
Alexander R. Domanskis is President of Boodell and Domanskis Law firm practicing in business law, real estate law, litigation, estate planning, banking law, restaurant law, and other practice areas. He is one of the top rated Real Estate attorneys in Chicago, IL having met the stringent Super Lawyers selection criteria. He is President of the Lithuanian World Center, Vice President and Member of the Board of Directors of the Illinois Ethnic Coalition, co-organizer of Lithuanian Hot-line, legal Advisor to Knights of Lithuania Supreme Council, and served as president of the Lithuanian American Roman Catholic Federation. (144)
Vitas Mockaitis, not well publically known in Lithuanian-American circles, is a leading trial lawyer specializing in Workers Compensation Claims. Active in many professional organizations, he conducts numerous seminars to labor unions and workers associations on injured workers compensation laws. As an author of several books on the subject matter and successful trial outcomes, he is considered a top authority on compensation law. As a result, he was elected to serve on the Board of Directors of the Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Association, and subsequently, elected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America. He has received from the Illinois State Bar Association a high rating for both legal ability and professional ethics, as cited by Martindale-Hubbell, “the authoritative resource for information on the worldwide legal profession.” (145,146)
Samples of other more visible and active attorneys in Lithuanian American public life between 1945 and 1990 are as follows:
Anthony Olis, John I. Bagdziunas, Stanley Balzekas, III, B.M. Butkus, Pijus Grigaitis, Balys Mastauskas Tony Mankus, John Kucinskas, R. Skipitis, A. Slakis, Rudy Vassalle Bernardas & Regina Narusis; Vytenis Lietuvninkas, Sharon A. Zogas all in Ill.; Paul Domalakes, J.S. Lopatto, F. P. Bradchulis of Wilkes Barre, Pa.; Kazys J. Kalinauskas, Pranas Vainauskas in N.Y.; Rita Gylys, Michael Zawadskas, F.J. Bagocius in Ma; Algis Sirvaitis in Cleveland, Oh.; Jonas Strimaitis, Lisabeth B. Mindera, in Ct.; Anthony Vilutis, Fort Wayne. Ind.; Patricia A. Streeter in Ann Arbor, Mi.; Tomas Bliznikas in N.J.; Simanas Paukstys in Philadelphia; Karolis Zalkauskas in Washington, D.C.; John Alex, Ramune Barkus, in California; Mecislovas Mackevicus in Albuquerque, N.M.; Suzan Brazas, Thomas Darius Vaitys in Wisconsin; Juozas Audenas, Juozas B.Laucka, K. Cesnulis, E Simonaitis, Antanas Razgaitis at different locations at various times, etc. (147)
World Famous Lithuanian American Actors and Producers in 1950–1990
Although the population of Lithuania is just under 3 million, and its immigrants to the U.S. number between 700,000 and 1 mln, it can boast of numerous film and television celebrities of full or partial Lithuanian heritage. They range from famous Hollywood actors and actresses, directors, to even a world famous initiator of Avant-Guarde movement and film maker. The following includes a sample of some of the most recognized Lithuanian American stars that graced America’s stage (their Yiddish counterparts are noted in another section): (148,149)
Mari Aldon, Hollywood ballet dancer and actress
Kaz Garas (Kazimer Gaizutis), actor
Ann Jillian (Ann Jura Nauseda), actress
Ruta Lee (Ruta Mary Kilmonis), actress
Lauren Lapkus, Hollywood comedy movies
Jon George Mikell (Jurgis Mikelaitis), actor
John C. Reilly, actor
George A. Romero, Lithuanian-Cuban filmmaker
Jacques Sernas (Jokūbas Bernardas Šernas), actor
Joanna Shimkus (actress)
Jason Sodeikis, actor
Robert Zemeckis, (actor-producer, director)
Jonas Mekas, Godfather’ of America’s Avant-Garde Film (A poet with a movie camera)
Masters of Pen in Exile
Twentieth century had a very debilitating effect on Lithuania’s art and culture. Two devastating wars in Europe and oppressive Soviet occupation of Lithuania was the cause for a large part of Lithuania’s writers and poets to flee to the West. Eventually, their majority immigrated to the United States in late 1940s and early 1950s. Upon arrival and confronted by a much different culture than in Europe, they experienced dramatic shocks as talents whose skills are of little value without mastery in English. Whatever writing they did in their native language, was reflected by them in themes mostly about the homeland and Russia’s reign of terror, deception, betrayal by some of their own, and the struggles by and fate of the freedom fighters. Many writers emphasized Lithuania’s historical fight for national survival, about people whose spirit will not be broken even if they are forced to stand on the brink of a volcano, their simple ingenuity and cohesion to overcome threats to their existence.
In spite of continued pressures to submit to the will of foreign dictates either at the home country, as deportees to Siberia, or in exile, most writers portrayed Lithuanians standing firm in their conviction of the rightesnous of their cause and always living with a sprinkle of hope that justice eventually will prevail. Other writers, disregarding various disasters befalling the nation, focused on fictionalized images of life gone by either in Lithuania or about their refugee days during the last stages of WWII and/or as lost people in Western Europe after the war. It took some two decades for the new generation of writers to emerge with portrayals of life in the world they live in.
It is virtually impossible or at best very daring to develop a list of best Lithuanian American writers, as there is no criteria to make such judgements. There are hundreds Lithuanian American writers and thousands of published book titles differently pleasing one or another reader or groups of readers. Similar situation existed in their occupied homeland except that their topics had either to glorify the life under Soviet regime or castigate and denounce those fighting for freedom, vilifying any notion of independence and/or condemning the days of the Smetona government and anyone associated with it.
After Lithuania restored its freedom in 1990, the Writers Association of Lithuania during its 2003 national convention, asked the attending writers to name their choice of 60 best twentieth century Lithuanian authors in the world. The huge list of nominations led eventually to the selection of a list of authors receiving the most votes. Of the 60 nominee’s almost one half were authors residing outside of Lithuania. Of these, 16 were residents of the United States with publications in the 1950–1990 time frame. They included the following names:
Jonas Aistis
Kazys Bradūnas
Bernardas Brazdžionis
Marius Katiliškis
Vincas Krėvė
Algirdas Landsbergis
Algimantas Mackus
Henrikas Nagys
Alfonsas Nyka-Niliūnas
Kostas Ostrauskas
Birutė Pūkelevičiūtė
Henrikas Radauskas
Antanas Škėma
Antanas Vaičiulaitis
Tomas Venclova
These writers would not necessarily be the selection as best or most preferred by Lithuanian book lovers in America, but they are considered the best by the writers themselves. The average book lover might have selected from a list of a couple hundred other authors focusing either on prose or poetry to please their taste. Most of the poets and writers can be identified in internet portals by Lithuanian language book titles, authors’ names, or in publications about Lithuanian literature in exile.
Unfortunately, this is much more difficult of writers of Lithuanian origin publishing in the English language. Most of them, except for a few individuals, usually present themselves and the titles of their work using names that would easily catch the American book lovers’ eyes. Thus they and their work are hardly ever recognized and mentioned by Lithuanian American news media and other information sources. There are, however, a few exceptions who are somewhat better known to the American public as novelists and play writers by their names, such as Aloyzas Baronas, Algis Budrys, Algirdas Landsbergis, Jonas Mekas, Vincas Ramonas, Rimvydas Silbajoris, Antanas Skema, Stepas Zobarskas, Karolis Gintaras Žukauskas, and others.
As 1980s began to dawn, a younger generation of American born Lithuanian writers began to emerge with focus on more universal topics rather than on only Lithuania related themes including some publications in English. This tendency was often criticized by many Lithuanian speaking immigrants contending that it diverts the focus from Lithuanian related themes in favor of universalism. It is argued that the literature is one of the primary means of assuring survival of national consciousness of the Lithuanian reader rather than being a means to divert his or her attention to topics of no relevance to Lithuanianess. Regardless of such arguments, the emerging new publications began touching upon more universal themes, although their majority are still written in Lithuanian language. Considerably more literary works in English by younger writers began to appear after Lithuania gained independence in 1990. (150,151,152,153,154,155,156)
One of unique and historically very significant literary work was the publication in 1991 of a 3 volume encyclopedia type book entitled “Lithuanian Religious Life in America: A Compendium of 150 Roman Catholic Parishes and Institutions “. This 1500 pages publication was authored by Boston based Reverend V.Valkavičius (W. Wolkowich.). The title of the publication is somewhat short of the content covered by the book. Even though the primary intent was to cover extensively the development, growth and status of Lithuanian Catholic church and its corresponding parishes in America, the author has included a broad review of activities of all Lithuanian organizations. Valkavicius research describes in detail and in very objective assessment organizations of other faiths, and those of non-believers, agnostics, socialists and even communists. As a researcher, he has been known to socialize with and befriend many of their leaders. Accordingly, the three volume work, elevates Valkavicius to a very objective author, above and beyond advocacy of any religious or political views. (157)
One of the most elusive statistics is the number of Lithuanian Americans having served in the U.S Armed Services in the 1945–1991 time period. During this time, the United States was involved in two sizeable oversees conflicts as well as it has had troops located in peaceful oversees missions in several dozen countries throughout the globe. In these years most U.S. male residents between ages 18 to 26 were required to serve in the Armed services for twelve months, although the draft was on a selective basis and not everyone was called into service.
While official estimates of soldiers of Lithuanian American ancestry do not exist, some crude estimates may be made of how many could have served during the Korean conflict during 1950–53, and the Vietnam war in 1964–73. Most data on nationalities indicate that Lithuanian Americans in the 1950–1990 time frame made up about 0.4% of the entire U.S population (1mln/250mln). Accordingly, it is reasonable to assume that similar proportions of them were also serving as draftees in the U.S. Armed Services. Inasmuch as during the Korean War the total number in U.S military was 5,720,000, 0.4% would indicate around 23,000 to 24,000 Lithuanian Americans having served in the U.S. military. The corresponding number for the conflict in Vietnam was 8,744,000 U.S. soldiers of which around 35,000 were Lithuanian Americans. Using methodology based on the total numbers of U.S soldiers killed and wounded during the Korean conflict, the estimated projection indicates around 150 Lithuanian Americans killed and 400 wounded requiring hospital care. In The Vietnam War, the respective casualties point to around 240 killed and 600 wounded. Much more minor U.S involvement in overseas conflicts do not permit any similar interpretations. Extrapolation of data from the Lithuanian American “Karys” journal and adjustments for its limited coverage indicate that the above noted Lithuanian American casualties in the Korean and Vietnam wars might be on the low side. None of other types of casualty estimates in the two wars, are suitable for direct assessment or extrapolation of loses that Lithuanian Americans experienced as soldiers in those conflicts.
During the post WWII period a number of Lithuanian Americans rose in the U.S military to the ranks of officers either by graduating from U.S. military academies or through officer candidate programs as part of enrollment in ROTC at their universities.
Scan of data in bi-monthly journal “Karys”, published by Lithuanian American War Veterans Association, indicate 123 officers, ranked lieutenant and above, bearing Lithuanian names having served in the U.S. armed services during the 1968–1972 years. Most of the last names and particularly their first names imply them being children of post-WWII Displaced Persons immigrants. The “Karys” listing included also about 480 names of soldiers below the officer rank. Accordingly, a combined total of officers and enlisted men in the U.S. Armed services during that time interval was about 600. These numbers are certainly on the low side, as the listing included only those that a few private writers could find in the news media of several U.S. cities. Even if some files exist on immigrants, the U.S. government does not publish such personal data. More so, statistics identifying any groups of individuals by their ancestral nationality, particularly if they are U.S. born, are neither available nor lawful for the government to collect.
Considering that post-WWII Lithuanian immigrant population was about one-twentieth of the pre-WWII Lithuanians in America, it is reasonable to assume that in the 1945- 1990 time frame at least 12,000 (600x20) men and women with Lithuanian family roots were in the U.S military service. Statistics cited in the journal “Karys” indicate the following distribution of officers of Lithuanian origin serving in the U.S. military: 34% Lieutenants, 31% Captains, 7% Majors, 14% Lt Col-Full Col, fewer than 2% generals-admirals, about 6% medical doctors and about 3% each as chaplains and officer-candidates in military academies. Within the officers rank, females accounted for about 3–4 percent of the total. (158,159. 160. 161)
Ramovenai — Lithuania’s Army Veterans Association in the United States
Former members of armed forces of Lithuania, who arrived as DP-s in America, began to organize as early as 1950 as an association of Lithuania’s war veterans under the name Ramovenai. The association, initially formed in Chicago, named its purpose as 1) establishment of close ties into a society of friends having served in Lithuania’s military, 2) maintaining and conducting their lives by traditions of Lithuania’s army, 3) supporting in public the independence of Lithuania’s statehood, and 4) participating with other organizations in efforts to restore Lithuania’s freedom.
The call to organize found a very good response among Lithuanian immigrant veterans. By 1955, the nationwide association calling itself Ramove with headquarters in Chicago consisted of at least 12 chapters with a total membership of well over 500 of former Lithuanian army officers and enlisted men. It published until 1972, in Brooklyn, N.Y. its own journal “Karys” featuring a variety of military stories in Lithuania’s history, personal experiences in military service and as exiles, as well as views on important political events related to the fate of Lithuania, including a running list of Lithuanian Americans in U.S. military service. Members of Ramove were encouraged through letter writing to raise questions to their U.S. congressional delegates regarding the liberation of Lithuania, participating in public demonstrations by highlighting enslavement of Lithuania and the Baltic States by the Soviet Union, and seeking public support in condemning their occupation. They often participated as organized units at commemorating events highlighting Lithuania’s independence, and other national holidays. The association also provided limited financial support to some of its members in financial straits due to sickness or landing by unfortunate circumstances into deep poverty. The association also provided honor guards during the funerals of their members. Within their limited financial resources, the association contributed to the educational efforts of the Lithuanian Saturday school system.
To maintain awareness of the Lithuanian American public of their homeland’s continuing fight for freedom, the Ramove association erected a memorial in front of the Lithuanian Youth Center in Chicago and established a museum at the Lithuanian Research and Studies Center. The exhibits are highlighting documents and pictures of deadly struggles the Lithuanians had to endure to regain their country’s independence.
An invitation to Ramove from a parallel organization The American Lithuanian Legion (ALL) to join into one common organization was rejected due to entirely different characteristics and purposes of the two entities. Ramove explained that it was oriented primarily towards the reestablishment of Lithuania’s freedom, while ALL was an integral part of the American Legion system with membership in solidarity with the American World War II war effort, limited to American citizens and only to those having served in the U.S. military. (162,163,164)
Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union (Šauliai)
The Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union (LRU) was established in Kaunas on June 27, 1919, as a rifle shooting section within the Lithuanian Sports Union. It was to be an organization of free volunteer citizens dedicated to protect their homeland. On 15 June 1940, as the Soviet Union occupied Lithuania, the riflemen, like the rest of the military, were ordered not to resist. Subsequently, the Soviets liquidated the union. Most active riflemen were arrested as “enemies of the people” and sent to various Gulag camps in Siberia. The Union was resurrected in 1989 in Lithuania, as the USSR began to disintegrate.
Some of the riflemen who escaped from Lithuania during World War II re-established the LRU in Chicago, on March 7, 1954, under the name “The National Guard of Lithuania in Exile (NGLE, Šauliai in Lithuanian)”. Inasmuch as a military-type organization was unacceptable in exile, its continued activity was restricted to patriotic, cultural and educational activities. Šauliai is made up of 17 chapters in the United State. Šauliai promotes continued patriotic togetherness particularly by embedding in the youth segment appreciation of the value of their national heritage and knowledge of Lithuanian language. To facilitate its members continuous interest to participate in and to support the organization’s activities, Šauliai established a large country summer camp at Manchester, Michigan for meetings, training, recreation, memorial festivities, and family type outings. (165, 166)
Upon restoration of the LRU in Lithuania in 1989, Šauliai became a sister organization of LRU.
A Powerful Window to Lithuanianess through Sports
Expanding interest and achievements by Lithuanian Americans in organized sports prior to WWII came to a halt by the eruption of WWII in 1939, extensive U.S. military preparations to enter the war, and due to a large Lithuanian American participation in the armed forces and the armaments industry. Whatever Lithuanian sports existed in America during the war occurred primarily at the local grade and high school levels. The disrupted activities came slowly to life again after WWII ended, but did not extend much beyond participation at local or city levels.
Substantial interest in organized sports arose upon arrival of large numbers of young DP immigrants from Western Europe starting in 1949. The younger segment brought with them a highly organized sports mentality from their extensive athletic and basketball activities at the DP camps primarily in West Germany. There, the activities were organized and coordinated by an informal Physical Education and Sports Committee. Particularly strong was its basketball league, first rivaling many teams of U.S. Army European Command and then seriously challenging European national basketball teams for top spots in the late 1940s and early 1950-s.
Young immigrants, primarily males, soon upon arrival in the U.S., began forming their own local sports clubs and started competing against neighborhood American teams in basketball, table tennis, athletics, chess, etc. Finally, coordination activities of the Physical Education and Sports Committee was taken over in 1952, by a newly formed North American Lithuanian Physical Education and Sports Union (SALFASS in Lithuanian), under the guidance of former star basketball player Z. Puzinauskas. With many individual sporting clubs joining SALFASS, the Union was organized into districts, made up of community sports clubs in specific regions. SALFASS promoted first regional and then nationwide sports festivals. The association became a member of the Amateur Athletic Union of United States in 1957.
Some of the members rose to compete at the U.S. national level such a J. Rutelioniene in table tennis, P. Tautvaisa in chess, R. Vaicaitis in light athletics, and V. Gerulaitis as a superstar in National as well as World tennis competition. Lithuanian men’s soccer clubs of New York and Chicago won in late 1950-s their respective city championships, and the Cleveland women’s volley ball team even the Ohio State Championship. The Lithuanian American select basketball team made an invitational trip to South America in 1959, winning 12 out of 17 matches. A similar trip to Australia in 1964 resulted in 24 wins out of 32 matches, including a defeat of Australia’s Olympic team. Upon return from Australia, the select team defeated the Canadian Olympic team in Toronto, Canada.
By 1966, the Santara-Sviesa faction, made up of liberal view younger Lithuanian intellectuals, organized an informal “American Lithuanian Sports and Cultural Activities Committee”. Its purpose was to break using sport event initiatives through the Soviet erected Iron Curtain into Lithuania. As a nonpolitical organization, it gained permission from Moscow for its basketball team to visit Lithuania in August and September 1967, for a series of matches with local basketball teams. While the tour created great public interest in Lithuania and was liked by the communist party as a break-up of Lithuanian American solidarity, it created serious disagreements at the Lithuanian American community on collaboration with and sellout to Moscow. It resulted in more than a decade lasting disruptions in organized life of the Lithuanian American Sports Federation (SALFASS). In spite of problems of finding agreements by the organization’s leadership at the national level, individual sports clubs kept growing and continued staging sports festivals at regional levels without much interruption.
Finally, as the Soviet Union began its disintegration process in the 1980s, disagreements of Lithuanian Americans toward cooperation with organizations in Lithuania began to vanish. The Lithuanian American Sports Federation regained vitality and organized in Chicago in 1983, the Second World Lithuanian Sports Festival. The festival was a great success. It attracted 1227 athletes from Australia, Canada, South America and the United States. While regional sports festivals in America continued without interruption, Lithuania’s ascendance as a free nation greatly enhanced the nature and structure of large scale sporting events not only in North America, but also by broad participation of its members in Lithuania based major sports events.
Lithuanian sporting activities have little equals in preparing America’s Lithuanian youth for a healthy and socially fulfilling life as well as establishing long-lasting friendships and dedication to their national heritage. Over the years, Lithuanian American Youth had much pride to relate to their American Lithuanian stars in major sport leagues such as Dick Butkus, Lou Rymkus, John Unitis, Joe Jurevičius, Rick Barry, Frank Lubinas, Mariel Žagunis, Mike Ditka, Donatas Banionis, Eddie Miksis, Bill Sudakis, Joe Krakauskas, Eddy Waitkus, Dainius Zubrus, and numerous others.
In the late 1980s, the NBA began drafting star basketball players from Lithuania, such as Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Sarunas Marciulionis, and the all-star “hall of fame” player Arvydas Sabonis. Their excellence opened the door for numerous Lithuanian athletes to be drafted into U.S. professional sports in the 1990s and thereafter. News about them and their widely known achievements inspired numerous Lithuanian American youths to continue participating not only in nationwide sports events but also in more significant interactions with and -in organized amateur and professional sporting activities in Lithuania. (167,168,169,170,171,172, 173, 174)
Epilog
The consequences of Soviet occupation of Lithuania did not directly affect the lives of Lithuanian Americans. However, the brutalization of their ancestral homeland and its people was held as a tragedy. The arriving DP’s in early 1950s, carrying with them little else but a baggage of horrible experiences from Soviet times, vividly relayed that message at all Lithuanian communities in America. This expanded knowledge of the plight of the homeland set a new understanding of the mission that Lithuanian Americans needed to perform in future years. VLIKAS, BALFAS, LAC and other community organizations now began to assume the role of informal diplomacy and as spokesmen for a country that was viciously subdued and silenced by Russian occupiers. Younger generations, mostly highly educated U.S. born children of post-WWII Lithuanian immigrants, realizing that Soviet occupation will not end very soon, began to develop different approaches and strategies of gaining more freedom for their kinfolks while they were still in the claws of USSR. They wanted to understand much better the conditions under which Sovietized Lithuania existed, and how to deal with those who controlled the situation without challenging their authority. They needed to take risky steps towards establishing some informal relationships with them while avoiding confrontations with their own fiercely anticommunist fellow countrymen and their organizations in the U.S. Of most importance was not to provide a reason for U.S. Government to change its policies regarding continuous recognition of the independence of the Baltic States.
With the Soviet Union entering into the liberalization process in the 1980s, contacts with more liberal and younger faction of Lithuania’s communist party began to yield success. The notion of loosening ties with the Soviet Union found supporters even within the Communist party in Lithuania. It also coincided with the widespread thrust for total independence within the Soviet satellite countries in Eastern and mid-European countries. The drive for freedom was further enhanced by the U.S. overview of the Helsinki agreements at the Vienna conference in 1986, in which the U.S delegation condemned the occupation of the Baltic States and reconfirmed the policy of recognition of their Independence. Firm U.S. position on freedom for Eastern and Mid-European countries accelerated the liberation process throughout the entire region.
An ad-hoc liberation movement formed in 1988 by a faction of Lithuania’s Communist Party Congress, soon developed into a formal organization. In spite of Moscow’s threats, deadly assault and occupation by its military of some important Lithuanian communist government buildings, did not deter the dissidents from issuing a declaration of independence of Lithuania on March 11, 1990. The dream and years of effort by Lithuanian Americans to see their ancestral homeland free of Russia’s occupation again was finally fulfilled. (175)
The victory of Independence, however, opened a new page in the survival of Lithuanianess in America. Similar to the years after WWI, the focus, after the restoration of Lithuania’s independence in 1990, suddenly shifted from reliance on self-sustaining life and growth at home to activities primarily supporting similar organizations in Lithuania. Other organizations found little need for their further existence now that Lithuania was free and their continued activities on behalf of its freedom were not needed anymore. In turn, most people, organizations and even politicians in Lithuania showed virtually no understanding of the value and importance that overseas organizations contributed to the survival of the nation both in war and peace. Accordingly, they paid virtually no attention to the importance of sustaining the vitality of organized Lithuanian life of their brethren in America.
Apart from the Jewish diaspora, no European nationality in the USA has been able to avoid continuous assimilation and subconscious submersion of its people into America’s mainstream. Fortunately, Lithuanian diaspora revived its vitality in the decades after 1950 only through the arrival of the post-WWII highly patriotic immigrant generation and by the continuous stream of news about the brutality of the occupier in their ancestral homeland. With the post-WWII DP generation rapidly aging and dying out by the 1990-s, the new immigrant generation from unthreatened homeland showed very low levels of interest in retaining their Lithuanian identity as well as sustaining their ethnic togetherness either by joining still existing Lithuanian Communities or establishing new ones. Accordingly, Lithuanianess in America appears to be destined within a couple of generations to submerge into America’s mainstream similar to the disappearance of other European ethnic groups.
Upon Lithuania gaining its freedom, and with perils to its Independence becoming a distant past and integration into the European Union providing a notion of security, attention to the nations freedom, particularly by overseas Lithuanians, has become of remote secondary importance. As has happened in the1930s, whatever cognizance remains, it is primarily done to benefit Lithuania’s economic purposes. The next few decades will be decisive for Lithuanians in America. Unless some miracle occurs causing Lithuanians in America to rise in defense of their unique ethnic identity and desire to be different, their disappearance in America’s melting pot within four or five decades is now a visible reality.
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