Acta Historica Universitatis Klaipedensis

125 years ago, the mission of the Lithuanian literary, political, and scientific newspaper Varpas (The Bell) published under the Czarist occupation was to interpret the issues of the national life, to raise the nation’s spirit, and to awaken and strengthen the national self-consciousness. Among other issues, the publishers devoted great attention to a fundamental human need, i.e. the maintenance of identity and its relationship to faith (Catholicism). Religion and language were interpreted as closely related phenomena and as the nation’s values of utmost significance for the maintenance of the national identity. Religion, language, and customs were so closely related that the destruction of one could undermine the fundaments of the other elements. People who had learnt their native language from their mothers, and later had disowned it, could have also questioned another legacy of the mother, i.e. faith. As demonstrated in the paper, the henchmen of the czarist government tended to simultaneously destroy both Catholicism and Lithuanianness in different ways, especially during the reign of Mikhail Muravjov. The authors of Varpas considered the Orthodox church to be the main factor of Lithuanians’ assimilation which tried to attract Lithuanians in different ways; another important factor of influence was school which taught children different subjects, even religious studies, in a non-native language. In the implementation of that kind of Muravjov’s strategy, some clergy collaborated with the invaders

In diesem Artikel, auf Grund der systematisch durchgeführten Forschungen und zusammengebrachten Archivalien, erforscht man die Wirkung und die Geschichte der Evangelisch theologischen Fakultät der Universität Vytautas der Magnus in Kaunas als Beispiel den konfessionellen Politik die war geführt von der Seite der Litauischen Regierung in dem Gebiet Klaipėda / Memel in der zwischenkrieg Zeit. Das ist die Forschung derer Ziel ist zu erforschen wie durch die Entwicklung der Fakultät waren verwirklicht die Ideen und Modellen des nationalen litauischen Bewusstseins die waren entwickelt von den Stellvertretern der selber Nation aber in den Verschiedenen historischen und konfessionellen umständen. Dieser Artikel ist vorbereitet im Jahre 2014 in Rahmen des Nationalen Projektes „Transfer der Ideen in dem Kontexte der nationalen Wiedergeburt. Dialog zwischen Preußisch Litauen und Litauen.“ – Förderung des Wissenschaft Rates Litauens. Projekt MIP-14122.

Usually, monumentsepigraphs keep a lot of personal and social information about a buried person.This general information may help to better understand the community orresidents of a specific area. This is especially true in the case of Klaipėda region and itsnative population. The results of analysis of survived epigraphs of old Evangelico-Lutherancemeteries in Klaipėdaregion are presented in this article. The research was done using socialstatistical methods, which are usually used to characterize social community.The obtained results allow modeling the stratification organization of formerpopulation.

The article focuses on the state of the old cemeteries in Klaipėda Region and their place in the system of the local culture heritage. All that shall be revealed by actualizing the issue as an outcome of World War 2, when the Region lost almost all local population who were substituted for by settlers with the culture and religion alien to the land. The historical-confessional characteristics of legal evolution of the old cemeteries of the region are discussed by disclosing the transfer of their legal-administrative subordination from church to municipal jurisdiction. General characteristics and problems of the relationship of the new settlers with the old heritage are discussed. The value of the cemeteries in terms of heritage protection is emphasized.

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.