Klaipėdos universitetas

This article analyses commemorations of World War II events in the northern part of former East Prussia, comparing discourses and practices of commemoration in post-war Klaipėda region and Kaliningrad oblast. It reviews the socio-cultural developments in this region and distinguishes between private and public forms of commemoration. Author argues that two main plots were important in the public commemoration of war: the plot of “liberation” and that of the victory achieved in the “struggle against Fascism”. Analyzing the public commemoration of these plots, it distinguishes and exhaustively examines its three functions: legitimation of territorial subordination, founding myth, and payment of homage to the warriors as strategies of regime legitimation and the formation of valuable orientations.

The article analyzes the extent to which the historiographic topic of the post-World War II settlers of the Klaipeda region has been studied. Existing research is examined to determine which topics have been re-searched and which have not yet been studied. The research of the post-World War II settlers of the Klaipėda region is compared to research of the former East Prussian territories including the Kaliningrad region, Varmia and Masuria.

The article analyses available information concerning the Regional Museum Society in Klaipėda (1924-1939). The paper presents the archaeological material that the Society’s members collected, investigated and presented, as well as evaluates the proceedings of the Society. In 1924, the only public organization seeking to establish a museum – Regional Museum – was founded in Klaipėda. German, as well as Lithuanian intellectuals took part in the activities of the Society during the initial stage. In 1931, the Society achieved its main goal – Regional Museum was opened in Klaipėda. The character of the Society’s activities predetermined its adoption of an East Prussian public-scientific organizational structure. Political events of 1933-1934 in Germany (National Socialist Party came to power) and in Klaipėda (pro-Lithuanian government established) changed the character of the Society – it became a regional studies organization with its activities restricted to a local scale.

The objective of the article is verification of the images related to the pro-Nazi orientation of population of Klaipėda Region in 1930’s which was formed in propaganda discourse and Lithuanian Soviet historiography during the interwar and post-war period. Disassociating the material from the incriminatory attitude, which prevailed in Soviet historiography, the authors analyse the support for National Socialism in Klaipėda Region, define the reasons for this support, characterize the motives for involvement in the local pro-Nazi structures of the local population, and the aims of the NSDAP for maintaining these structures. The article distinguishes three stages of adaptation of National Socialism in Klaipėda Region as well as peculiarities of this adaptation.

The article is devoted to the new sociological research results on the Polish Diaspora as a factor of ethnical identity. After the restoration of independence of Lithuania, numerous national communities have emerged in Klaipėda region. The Polish Diaspora plays an important role in the socio-cultural grid of the city. The Honored Consulate of the Polish Republic in Klaipėda and the city’s municipality support and promote friendly relationships between Lithuania and Poland. Interstate programs of cooperation of the Polish community include cultural relations (tutoring the Polish language, the education of specialists in Poland, ethno-cultural development of the Diaspora members) and economic ties (logistic, business, relationships of the cities-ports). All those relationships promote the political stability of the Baltic region countries.