Litwini na Uniwersytecie Dorpackim (Juriewskim) do 1918 roku i ich dalsze losy: słownik biograficzny

ENThis book, a biographical dictionary, is devoted to students of Lithuanian origin from the University of Dorpat (Yuriev) in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The basic problem is separating Poles from Lithuanians in the period from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century. An additional problem is the ambiguity of the term “Lithuanian” at that time. For there were two different concepts: historical Lithuanian and ethnic Lithuanian. However, these differ in many respects, primarily social, territorial, historical and ethnic. What we mean by the term ‘historical Lithuanian’ is an inhabitant of the historical area of Lithuania, i.e. the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania prior to the partitions (before 1795), of various ethnic origins, basically of noble origin, raised in a Polish cultural environment, functioning in the world of the Polish language, usually of Catholic faith (and other Christian denominations), and a supporter of the traditional ideology of the Polish-Lithuanian Union of 1569. An ethnic Lithuanian, on the other hand, was a person living in a territory with a compact Lithuanian settlement, i.e. principally in the then Kaunas (Żmudź) governate, in the northern part of Suwałki governate and a small western part of Vilnius governate, excluding Vilnius itself. In social terms, they were mainly Lithuanian peasants, to a lesser extent members of the bourgeoisie, and very few noblemen. This work consists of two parts: a biographical dictionary of Dorpat University students (Chapter I) and pharmacy students (Chapter II). Chapter I presents the collective of 154 Lithuanian students and their later fortunes. The overwhelming majority are Lithuanian in the ethnic sense. Only a few are of other origin, although through their later activities they became involved in Lithuanian culture, science and society.Among these were Poles (three Kownacki brothers, a large part of the nobility), Germans (A. Hegentornas), Jews (P. Berkavičius) or a Latvian born in a family of German pastors (E. Volteris). The aforementioned community functioned at Yuriev University from the very end of the 19th century. With the outbreak of World War I, they usually interrupted their studies or continued them in the first years of the war. The social background of these 154 students is predominantly peasant, with 118 peasants (about 79%). In second place is the nobility, numbering 23 people (about 15%). Students with other origins were extremely rare: bourgeois (6), Jewish (1), the son of a clerk (1) and of a pharmacist (1). As far as territorial origin is concerned, Kaunas governate with its seven districts and the Lithuanian part of Suwałki governate are clearly predominant. The largest number of students came from Panevėžys district – 40, significantly fewer from Šiauliai district – 23, Telšiai and Ukmerge (Wiłkomierz) districts – 14 each, Raseiniai district – 12, Kaunas district and Novalexandrovsk district – eight each. The second most important place of origin of Lithuanian students was the above-mentioned Lithuanian part of Suwałki governate, i.e. the area north of the present-day Polish-Lithuanian border dating from 1919. As far as the Marijampole, Kalwaria and Wladyslawów districts were concerned, 19 students were recorded, one of whom came from Augustow, the Polish part of this governate. Medicine dominated among the fields of study undertaken. Although only 33 doctors out of 154 students graduated with a medical degree, far more studied this subject without graduating (69 people). This makes a total of 102 medical students out of 154 (about 66%). Many of these medical students or graduates went on to have a great scientific, professional, literary, social or political career in free Lithuania.These students often finished their studies at other universities in Russia (e.g. in Moscow, St. Petersburg or Kiev), but most often they went to the newly established (1922) Kaunas University. With 36 students, law was also an important field of study, although but many of these undergraduates did not complete their studies. Law graduates became lawyers or judges, but also chose political careers. Other fields of study included natural sciences, which were studied by 17 people. Other courses were rarely taken by students. Observing the further fate of 154 students and graduates of Yuriev University, one might conclude that they formed a significant part of the Lithuanian political, scientific, cultural and social elite during the interwar period. First of all, it is necessary to note that there were as many as 11 professors, mainly of medicine. Among the scientists, there were also several historians, mainly connected with the Calvinist milieu and researching the history of the Church. One outstanding scholar in the field of archaeology and ethnography was Professor E. Volteris. The pinnacle of a scientific career in Soviet times was the title of academician, i.e. member of the Academy of Sciences, a title which three Dorpat graduates gained. In the field of literature, the eminent writer J. Biliūnas stands out, while D. Alseika, S. Antanaitis and J. Kaškevičius are also worthy of mention. In politics, there are two prime ministers, nine ministers of various ministries and eleven members of parliament. The latter are members of the Lithuanian Seimas in the interwar period with one exception. Many Dorpat graduates made their mark in the Lithuanian army, in local government activities in their cities and towns, and in the Evangelical-Reformed Church, where they held the highest positions. [...]. [From the publication]