Raštai. T. 4, Mokslinė korespondencija
LTKetvirtame žymaus Lietuvos istoriko Adolfo Šapokos (1906-1961) „Raštų“ tome publikuojamą korespondenciją sudaro 84 laiškai, iš kurių 60 istoriko rašyti trisdešimties metų laikotarpiu nuo 1931 m. sausio 25 d. iki 1961 m. vasario 26 d. Jie saugomi Vilniaus universiteto, Lietuvos mokslų akademijos Vrublevskių, Lietuvos nacionalinėje Martyno Mažvydo bibliotekose, Lietuvos centriniame valstybės archyve, Vytauto Didžiojo universiteto Lietuvių išeivijos instituto archyve, Lituanistikos tyrimų ir studijų centro Pasaulio lietuvių archyve (Čikagoje, JAV), Kanados lietuvių archyve-muziejuje. Korespondencija apima beveik visą A. Šapokos profesionalaus istoriko mokslinės veiklos laikotarpį ir atspindi svarbiausius jos aspektus. Publikaciją papildo 24 laiškai, kurie buvo adresuoti A. Šapokai. Visi laiškų respondentai - istorikai arba istorija besidomėję intelektualai, todėl laiškai yra reikšmingi istorijos mokslo istorijos šaltiniai.
ENAdolfas Šapoka (1906-1961) still is one of the most popular Lithuanian historians from twentienth century. His rememberance in Lithuania has been monumentalized in various forms. The textbook "History of Lithuania”, which was edited by A. Šapoka (1936) in Lithuanian society already emerged as Les Lieux de Memoirs. It was first broad generalization of Lithuanian history that produced in the Republic of Lithuania during period of 1918-1940‘s. On the other hand, this textbook was published after decade of president Antanas Smetonai authoritarian governance. It coincided with contemporary official and popular opinion which is reflected in a slogan, which was expressed like: "let’s find the Lithuanians in the history of Lithuania”. This slogan, A. Šapoka dedicated to the period after 1569 when as a result of the Lublin’s Union the Grand Duchy of Lithuania became the part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In contemporary European opinion, Lithuania had melted into Poland and almost disappeared from the European map. A. Šapoka, according to the famous imperative of famous German historian Leopold Ranke which could be expressed as wie es eigentlich gewesen wanted to reveal the independent existence of Lithuania till eighteenth century. He emphasized the right of every nation to create its own model of history. The first letter is dated on 15 th January of 1931 and was written in Prague to Vytautas Magnus University professor Augustinas Janulaitis, who was the only editor of scholarly periodical publications. A. Šapoka was his disciple. A. Šapoka devoted twenty letters for him where he wrote about his plans for the future, also sent manuscripts and corrections. Eight letters addressed to professor Ignas Jonynas, two of which have not been published by Vytautas Merkys in 1984.The other prominent respondents were co-author of the book "History of the Lithuania” Lithuanian Minister and diplomat in France Petras Klimas, also A. Šapoka’s fellows and colleagues Zenonas Ivinskis, Antanas Vasiliauskas, Konstantinas Jablonskis. Emigration period covers very interesting correspondence with brothers professors Vaclovas and Mykolas Biržiška. Due to absence of A. Šapoka’s wider egodocumentarion (diaries and memoires) these letters fulfill the gaps of private reflections and thoughts of historian. Tills book contains a collection of 60 letters written by Adolfas Šapoka and 24 letters written by his colleagues. They cover a period of 30 years (from 1931 to 1961) almost entirely all his active life as a historian. Letters are preserved in the libraries of the Vilnius university, the Lithuanian Academy of Science, the National Library of Martynas Mažvydas, the Lithuanian Central State Archives, the Lithuanian Emigration Institute of the Vytautas Magnus University, also in the Lithuanian Studies and Research Centre in Chicago (USA) and Museum-Archive of Canadian Lithuanians in Toronto. There are some empty gaps that coincides with following years: 1938,1940-1941 (first Soviet occupation), 1943-1946 (a period before Augsburg's DP in Germany) and 1952-1954 (initial period of living in Canada). Contemporary correspondence did not survive. For publication were selected letters which are important for the history of historiography. All respondents were historians or amateurs engaged in history. This correspondence reveals the very beginning of A. Sapoka's creative work as a scholar - arrangement of very first articles, work at the university, preparation of dissertation, internships in Prague and Stockholm.They cover also further activities - historian's foreign relations, pre paration of the textbook “History of Lithuania” and his studies of the Reform Diet (1788-1792) and the Kėdainiai Union (1655), work at the Vilnius University during the Nazi's occupation, a period in the camp for displaced persons in Augsburg, also reviewing of amateurish historical works during historian's spare time in Canada. This correspondence is rare available source which offers a glimpse in authentic political views of this historian.
