Žiburėlis (

diminutive A diminutive is a word obtained by modifying a root word to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, either to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment, and sometimes to belittle s ...

of ''žiburys'' meaning 'light', 'beacon') later Lietuvos žiburėlis was a charitable society providing financial aid to gifted Lithuanian students. The society grew out of the

Lithuanian National Revival The Lithuanian National Revival, alternatively the Lithuanian National Awakening or Lithuanian nationalism (), was a period of the history of Lithuania in the 19th century, when a major part of Lithuanian-inhabited areas belonged to the Russian ...

, hopes of creating Lithuanian

intelligentsia The intelligentsia is a status class composed of the university-educated people of a society who engage in the complex mental labours by which they critique, shape, and lead in the politics, policies, and culture of their society; as such, the i ...

, and frustration over financial hardships faced by many young students. It was established in 1893 by

Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė Gabrielė Petkevičaitė (18 March 1861 – 14 June 1943) was a Lithuanian educator, writer, and activist. Her pen name Bitė (''Bee'') eventually became part of her last name. Encouraged by Povilas Višinskis, she joined public life and started ...

and Jadvyga Juškytė, and led by

Felicija Bortkevičienė Felicija Bortkevičienė ''née'' Povickaitė (1 September 1873 – 21 October 1945) was a Lithuanian politician and long-term publisher of ''Lietuvos ūkininkas'' and ''Lietuvos žinios''. She became active in public life after she moved to Vil ...

from 1903 until its dissolution in 1940.

History

It was established in 1893 by

and Jadvyga Juškytė with help from

Vincas Kudirka Vincas Kudirka (; – ) was a Lithuanian poet and physician, and the author of both the music and lyrics of the Lithuanian national anthem, "". He is regarded in Lithuania as a national hero. Kudirka used the pen names V. Kapsas, Paežerių Vi ...

and

Jonas Jablonskis Jonas Jablonskis (; 30 December 1860, in Kubilėliai, Šakiai district – 23 February 1930, in Kaunas) was a distinguished Lithuanian linguist and one of the founders of the standard Lithuanian language. He used the pseudonym ''Rygiškių Jonas'' ...

. The meeting took place in Jablonskis' home in Mitau (

Jelgava Jelgava () is a state city in central Latvia. It is located about southwest of Riga. It is the largest town in the Semigallia region of Latvia. Jelgava was the capital of the united Duchy of Courland and Semigallia (1578–1795) and was the ad ...

); at the time he worked as a teacher at

Jelgava Gymnasium Jelgava Gymnasium or Academia Petrina is the oldest higher educational establishment in Latvia. Based on an idea by , it was established in Jelgava, Mitau, capital of the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia, by Duke Peter von Biron in 1775. The duke ...

. At the time it was an illegal organization as all Lithuanian organizations were banned after the

Uprising of 1863 The January Uprising was an insurrection principally in Russia's Kingdom of Poland that was aimed at putting an end to Russian occupation of part of Poland and regaining independence. It began on 22 January 1863 and continued until the last in ...

. Petkevičaitė-Bitė was the driving force of the society; she was helped by many other wealthier women but their involvement was usually short. The funds were raised by various means, including donations from the public and

Lithuanian Americans Lithuanian Americans refer to American citizens and residents of Lithuanian descent or were born in Lithuania. New Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has the largest percentage of Lithuanian Americans (20.8%) in its population in the United States. ...

, card games among intellectuals, various events. For example, the first public Lithuanian theater performance '' Amerika pirtyje'' in 1899 donated some of the proceeds to Žiburėlis. In 1904,

Povilas Višinskis Povilas Višinskis (; 28 June 1875 – 23 April 1906) was a Lithuanian cultural and political activist during the Lithuanian National Revival. He is best remembered as a mentor of literary talent. He discovered Julija Žymantienė (Žemaitė) and ...

suggested to publish and sell postcards. Up to 1900, the society distributed 3,258

rubles The ruble or rouble (; rus, рубль, p=rublʲ) is a currency unit. Currently, currencies named ''ruble'' in circulation include the Russian ruble (RUB, ₽) in Russia and the Belarusian ruble (BYN, Rbl) in Belarus. These currencies are su ...

(1,629 U.S. dollars). By 1906, the amount grew to almost 8,000 rubles. In 1903,

took over the society and headed it until its dissolution in 1940. The death of Višinskis from

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...

that he had contracted as a student at the

Saint Petersburg University Saint Petersburg State University (SPBGU; ) is a public research university in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Russia. Founded in 1724 by a decree of Peter the Great, the university from the be ...

became an impulse to legalize and expand the society. The society legalized its activities and became an officially registered organization on 14 January 1907. After Lithuania became independent, Žiburėlis grew and strengthened. It collected funds from membership fees, donations, proceeds from various events, including lotteries and concerts. After graduation, former aid recipients repaid their support. In 1921, it established a 30-room dormitory in

Kaunas Kaunas (; ) is the second-largest city in Lithuania after Vilnius, the fourth largest List of cities in the Baltic states by population, city in the Baltic States and an important centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaun ...

. The society had sections in other cities, including

Šiauliai Šiauliai ( ; ) is a city in northern Lithuania, the List of cities in Lithuania, country's fourth largest city and the List of cities in the Baltic states by population, sixth largest city in the Baltic States, with a population of 112 581 in 202 ...

Ukmergė Ukmergė (; previously ''Vilkmergė''; ) is a city in Vilnius County, Lithuania, located northwest of Vilnius. It is the administrative center of the Ukmergė District Municipality. Ukmergė (Vilkmergė) was mentioned for the first time as a ...

Panevėžys Panevėžys () is the fifth-largest List of cities in Lithuania, city in Lithuania and the List of cities in the Baltic states by population, eighth-most-populous city in the Baltic States. it occupies with 89,100 inhabitants. As defined by Eu ...

. The society ceased to exist when Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union in 1940.

Supported students

During its existence the society supported some 300 gifted students many of whom who later became prominent figures in Lithuania, including forester Povilas Matulionis, writer

Jonas Biliūnas Jonas Biliūnas (11 April 1879 – 8 December 1907) was a Lithuanian writer, poet, and a significant contributor to the national awakening of Lithuania in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Biography Early life Biliūnas was born near A ...

, painter and composer

Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis (; – ) was a Lithuanian composer, painter, choirmaster, cultural figure, and writer in Polish. Čiurlionis contributed to symbolism and Art Nouveau, and was representative of the fin de siècle epoch. ...

, jurist

Rapolas Skipitis Rapolas Skipitis (31 January 1887 – 23 February 1976) was a Lithuanian attorney and politician. In 1920–1922, he was Ministry of the Interior (Lithuania), Minister of the Interior and was later elected to the Second Seimas, Second and Third ...

, diplomat

Jurgis Šaulys Jurgis Šaulys (; 5 May 1879–18 October 1948) was a Lithuanian economist, diplomat, and politician, and one of the twenty signatories to the 1918 Act of Independence of Lithuania. Šaulys attended Palanga Progymnasium and Vilnius St. J ...

, doctor

Petras Avižonis Petras Avižonis (17 April 1875 – 17 October 1939) was a Lithuanian ophthalmologist, rector of the University of Lithuania (1925–1926) and a political figure. Avižonis studied biology at the Saint Petersburg University but transferred to t ...

, linguist

Kazimieras Būga Kazimieras Būga (; November 6, 1879 – December 2, 1924) was a Lithuanian linguist and philologist. He was a professor of linguistics, who mainly worked on the Lithuanian language. He was born at Pažiegė, near Dusetos, then part of the Russ ...

, operatic tenor Kipras Petrauskas, painter

Adomas Varnas Adomas Varnas (January 1, 1879, in Joniškis, Lithuania – July 19, 1979, in Chicago, United States) was a prominent Lithuanian Painting, painter, photographer, collector, philanthropist, and educator. Author of the world first album of ethnogr ...

, sculptors

Petras Rimša Petras Rimša (, 3 November 1881 in Naudžiai, Vilkaviškis district – 2 October 1961 in Kaunas) was one of the first professional Lithuanian sculptors and medalists. Biography Rimša was born to a family of farmers in Suvalkija, which was then ...

and

Juozas Zikaras Juozas Zikaras (November 18, 1881 – November 10, 1944) was a Lithuanian sculptor and artist, who created the design for pre-war Lithuanian litas coins. He is considered to be one of the first professional Lithuanian sculptors. Biography He was ...

, priest Antanas Viskantas, Prime Minister

Ernestas Galvanauskas Ernestas Galvanauskas (20 November 1882 – 24 July 1967) was a Lithuanian engineer, politician and one of the founders of the Peasant Union (which later merged with the Lithuanian Popular Peasants' Union). He also served twice as Prime Min ...

, Soviet revolutionary

Vincas Mickevičius-Kapsukas Vincas Mickevičius, known under his pen name ''Kapsukas'' ( – 17 February 1935), was a Lithuanian Communism, communist political activist, Opinion journalism, publicist, and revolutionary. As an active member of the Lithuanian National Reviv ...

, poet Julius Janonis.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ziburelis Organizations established in 1893 1893 establishments in the Russian Empire Organizations disestablished in 1940 1940 disestablishments in Lithuania Lithuanian educational societies Scholarships Defunct organizations based in Lithuania