DRAUGAS NEWS Lithuanian World Wide News in English

By Helga Merits. Who would imagine that refugees who had lost everything would create a university so soon after WW II in an almost totally devastated city? The story is not widely known, so I decided to make a documentary film about it: The Story of the Baltic University. At …

Lithuanian Folk Dance Group suktinis marched and danced in Chicago’s McDonald’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 26. They were joined by Lithuanian Grandpa and Grandma— giant puppets created by local artist ugnė Carm. Leading the group were flag bearers Lithuania’s General Consul in Chicago Marijus Gudynas and the Consulate’s Director …

By LEO ALGMINAS. Soon after Lithuania regained its independence in 1991, I traveled there to see for myself what the country of my birth looked like after nearly a half century of Communism. As a self- employed consultant to a particular segment of manufacturing, I also scouted for ...

By Linas Jegelevičius. From a distance, the three teenagers blend in almost perfectly with a crowd of students at a Catholic high school in the Lithuanian capital. Their very dark hair sets them apart from many of their classmates, but the strongest clue to their newcomer status is how they use …

By VIKTORAS JAUTOKAS. A confluence of this summer’s Lithuanian song Festival in Chicago and ongoing news reports about North Korea rattling sabers at south Korea and America rekindled memories of my army service in the Korean war. In the trenches, I experienced the good, the bad and the ugly. Enemy artillery …

by Tadas Janušonis. The sky – an open treasure chest whose riches have been a source of wonder for mankind. Once the sun sets and darkness clutches the earth, thousands of clear sparkling gems adorn the sky. The stars have helped man to orient himself not only in place but …

Personal Memories of World War II, Lithuania, and the Lithuanian Diaspora By VALENTINAS RAUGAS. As a recreational New Jersey wreck diver for ten years, I had the opportunity to do two separate dives on german u-Boat 853. This wreck was a german electric submarine which was sunk on the East …

by Neal Maloney. This year Lithuania gave another strong showing at the Eurobasket, bringing home national pride with a silver medal for the second time in a row. At the last Eurobasket in 2013, Lithuania also took the silver medal. The team this year was a little different than it …

By Sandy Baksys. Sandy Baksys’ new book “A Century of Lithuanians in Springfield, Illinois” is an extensive collection of individual family stories providing a personalized record of the experiences shared by thousands of immigrants who came to United States in the previous century. This is rediscovering of one’s roots on steroids. …

By TADDES KORRIS. Lithuanian-Canadian composer Veronika Krausas is driven to create music that coalesces with other art forms. Be it film, dance, poetry and other mediums, it has been Krausas’ vision to link her music with the arts as a whole. Her relationships with leading figures in the realms of theater, …