Viduklės krašto knygnešiai

ENDue to specific geographical location of Raseiniai region: a long border with Prussia and proximity of publishing centres, the paths, used the most intensively for transportation of prohibited press to Lithuania, extended throughout the territory. A lot of residents of this frontier region were involved in the book carrying movement. The first known book carriers in Vidukle district - Karolis Rimkevičius, the noble and participant of the revolt of1863, and Stasys Neteckis, the halidom salesperson, were associated with the book carriers' organization founded by Bishop of Samogitia Motiejus Valančius. This organization served as a starting point for the most powerful book carrying movement, which later spread all over Lithuania. The movement survived for 40 years of Lithuanian press prohibition providing the most important sources of information, Lithuanian books and newspapers, to almost every part of Lithuania. Stasys Neteckis also encouraged Juozas Sakalauskas, a resident in Vidukle, for the book carrying activities, and both of them joined Garšviai partnership of book carriers. Since 1886, the book carriers' route Tilsit - Vidukle - Garšviai was formed and rhythmically functioned for about ten years. Although both book carriers were persecuted by the Tsarist authorities: punished by pecuniary penalties, confined and exiled, devoted to Lithuanity, they never stopped their book carrying activities until the withdrawal of prohibition of Lithuanian press.