History-1900+

Our Lithuanian Roots: the Lithuanian State: Historical Archives

By Edward Baranauskas I BELIEVE MANY AMERICANS OF LITHUANIAN descent may be wondering how they can learn more about their ancestors and roots. The wonderful adventure of searching for the past may not be as difficult as one may think, but it does require patience. The place to start is …

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Profiles: Lithuania’s Greatest Bohemian

By Tom Gregg Webster’s defines Bohemian as a person, often a poet or artist, with an unconventional lifestyle. World War II Lithuanian refugee and longtime filmmaker and poet Jonas Mekas has consistently qualified. HE BEATNIKS were the hippies of America’s 1950s. If you remember the era, you certainly remember them. …

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Lithuanian Profiles: the Darius and Girėnas Mystery

BY JOHN MILLAR Almost 70 years later, the true cause of the fateful crash of the “Lituanica” and the death of its two pilots remains an unsolved mystery. IN THE YEAR 1993 LIETUVOS BANKAS, Lithuania’s National Bank, issued a Treasury note, valued at 10 litas, on the face of which …

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Folklore: the Ghosts of Trakai Castle: Stories of the Castle Watchman

by Galina Bogdel Stories of the Castle Watchman I WAS BORN AND GREW UP IN an old Karaite house which had been bought and repaired by my father. The house stood between the lakes Totoriškiu and Galve opposite Trakai Castle. Later on, the local authorities tore down the house and …

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Our Lithuanian Roots: for Genealogy Legwork, You Need Legs (Lggs)

By Tom Gregg (Grigonis) Not all professional foot – ball players are motivated outside of athletics. But as the 2001 National Football League season wound down, Joe Jurevicius had not just one big offseason plan but two. First, he would return to college to complete studies for his Fiuman Development …

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Our Immigrant Heritage: the Truth About ‘The Jungle’

BY TOM GREGG Social reform er/novelist Upton Sinclair averaged a book a year over his ninety-year life. But none matched the impact of his disturbing and controversial 1905 blockbuster about Lithuanian im m igrants in Chicago. HE WOULD HAVE BEEN JUDGED a failure at most jobs. Yes, on the one …

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Profiles: a Noble Prize Winner’s Views On Lithuania

BY ALBERT CIZAUSKAS One of the greatest poets o f our time — who regards his boyhood home as the center of his world, and Vilnius as the most astonishing city — reveals some private thoughts about his heritage and the land o f his ancestors. The famous Polish poet …

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Folklore: the Lithuanian-Celtic Connection

By Jonas Balys THE LITHUANIAN-CELTIC CONNECTION For ages Lithuanians lived in close proximity to the Germans and Slavs, and we would think their folklore was greatly influenced by both. Not so, as this article shows. The folklore of the Lithuanians is rich and diverse. About half a million legends, tales, …

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Folklore: the Lithuanian-Celtic Connection

By Jonas Balys For ages Lithuanians lived in close proximity to the Germans and Slavs, and we would think their folklore was greatly influenced by both. Not so, as this article shows. The folklore of the Lithuanians is rich and diverse. About half a million legends, tales, songs, customs, beliefs, …

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Contrasts: a Tale of Two (Small) Cities

By Kazys Almenas A Tale of Two (Small) Cities Actually, when our story opens , one of these is just a charming town, the other — a picturesque village. The town is called Krantas, Cranz in German. Located at the spot where the Curonian Spit begins, 33 km by train …

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