Klaipėdos universitetas

Kad neliktų užmarštyje kai kurie praėjusio šimtmečio faktai, tikslinga juos priminti, pateikiant trumpą lietuvių kalbos dėstymo apžvalgą Italijos universitetuose, ypač akcentuojant lygiai prieš keturiasdešimt metų prasidėjusį etapą, kuriame po pasyvaus lietuvių kalbos mokymosi iš knygų ji ėmė gyvai skambėti Milano katalikų universiteto auditorijose. Vėliau lietuvių kalba pradėta dėstyti kaip baltų filologijos kursų sudedamoji dalis Florencijos ir Pizos universitetuose, o nuo 2005 m. Parmos univesitete ji dėstoma kaip savarankiška disciplina.

The article analyzes the links between the hymnals of Prussian Lithuanians (M. Mažvydas, B. Vilentas, A. F. Šimelpenigis and others) and local German publications until 1750. It is assumed that the Prussian Lithuanians prepared their official hymns by using books relied on indigenous Germans. The main conclusion was that Prussia and all diferent national groups had a common treasure of hymns, which could be freely adjusted and supplemented.

Kristijonas Donelaitis (1714-1780), who was born and lived in Prussian Lithuania, was a Lutheran priest, therefore, it was not surprising that his poem “The Seasons”, as it was observed a long time ago, reflected the Lutheran ideology prevailing in Prussia at that time. To date, the links of Donelaitis’ poetry with the that time hymnals of Prussian Lithuania have not been paid sufficient attention to, although the texts of a high artistic level published in the hymnals, mainly translated from the German originals, were bound to contribute to the mature poetic expression demonstrated in the writing of the poem to be considered the first masterpiece of the Lithuanian belles lettres. The issue was raised in the monograph by L. Gineitis “Kristijonas Donelaitis ir jo epocha” [Kristijonas Donelaitis and his Epoch], however, the author did not indicate the particular hymnals by means of which Donelaitis could have become acquainted with the church hymns that influenced his poetic imagination. That is understandable, since, during the Soviet times. Some important hymnals stored in the foreign libraries were unknown to, or unavailable to, Lithuanian scholars.