DRAUGAS NEWS Lithuanian World Wide News in English

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, …

by Rimas Cernius with photos by Jonas Kuprys and Arvydas Zabulionis Lithuanian song festivals in North America are special and rare events. The first one took place in Chicago’s Coliseum in 1956. This year the 10th Lithuanian Song Festival took place at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago on July 5th. …

By DALIA CIDZIKAITĖ. The title of this article is not an allusion to the Talking Heads song from 1980 “Once in a Lifetime,” which is included in the list of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s “500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.” I heard these words from Daniela Šablinskas, …

By CECELIA LANKUTIS.   When one considers Lithuanian American communities in the United States, ethnic enclaves in cities such as Chicago, New York and Boston come to mind. I too can claim part of my heritage from Chicago, since that is where my mother grew up and where all of …

by Zigmas Tamakauskas. The word himnas, which is what Lithuanians call their national anthem, comes from the Greek word hymnos, a holy and solemn song used to worship the gods in ancient times. Here we will focus on Lithuania’s current anthem, while mentioning songs that at one time or another were …

By VIDA KUPRYS. Pursuant to the infamous Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact of 1939, 75 years ago, the Soviet Union unilaterally occupied and annexed the Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The brutality of the occupation became manifest, when in June of 1941, thousands of Lithuanians, as well as their fellow Balts, were …

By DR. STASYS BAČKAITIS. Sometimes history can’t be put to bed even though agreements to end wars have been concluded, boundary lines drawn by victors, promises made …whether it’s intentional or not, things in time get either forgotten or swept under the rug as if they weren’t there. Such is …

by Philip Spendley. It is late August 2014 and time to make our yearly pilgrimage to Lithuania to spend some quality time with my wife’s family in Kaunas. We have made the trip every year for the past seven years, ever since my wife and I met whilst studying at …

DR. STASYS BAČKAITIS. Sometimes history can’t be put to bed even though agreements to end wars have been concluded, boundary lines drawn by victors, promises made …whether it’s intentional or not, things in time get either forgotten or swept under the rug as if they weren’t there. Such is the …