''Naujoji Romuva'' ( lt, New Romuva) was a weekly Catholic cultural and arts magazine which was published in Lithuania between 1931 and 1940. Its title was a reference to a Catholic association entitled Romuva. The magazine was one of the most significant publications in the country during its lifetime.

History and profile

''Naujoji Romuva'' was started as a weekly magazine in

Kaunas Kaunas (; ; also see other names) is the second-largest city in Lithuania after Vilnius and an important centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the largest city and the centre of a county in the Duchy of Trakai ...

in 1931. was both the founder and editor of the magazine which targeted public figures, scholars, teachers, and artists. Soon after its start, the magazine became very popular. Its goal was to present a contemporary version of the Catholic belief. However, its content was secular. It attempted to organize the right-wing intellectuals and to harmonize the relations between the Christian Democrats and the

Lithuanian Nationalist Union The Lithuanian Nationalist Union ( lt, Lietuvių tautininkų sąjunga or LTS), also known as the Nationalists (), was the ruling political party in Lithuania during the authoritarian regime of President Antanas Smetona from 1926 to 1940. The part ...

. ''Naujoji Romuva'' featured not only articles but also rich visual materials to reinforce a conservative approach in Lithuanian art. In addition to the writings of the Lithuanian authors, the magazine covered translation of the works by Paul Valéry, Franz Kafka, James Joyce, Jean-Paul Sartre,

Marcel Proust Valentin Louis Georges Eugène Marcel Proust (; ; 10 July 1871 – 18 November 1922) was a French novelist, critic, and essayist who wrote the monumental novel ''In Search of Lost Time'' (''À la recherche du temps perdu''; with the previous Eng ...

and Aldous Huxley. Following the screening of the American pacifist film ''

All Quiet on the Western Front ''All Quiet on the Western Front'' (german: Im Westen nichts Neues, lit=Nothing New in the West) is a novel by Erich Maria Remarque, a German veteran of World War I. The book describes the German soldiers' extreme physical and mental trauma du ...

'' in Lithuania, ''Naujoji Romuva'' published an interview with the German pacifist philosopher

Friedrich Wilhelm Foerster Friedrich Wilhelm Foerster (2 June 1869 – 9 January 1966) was a German academic, educationist, pacifist and philosopher, known for his public opposition to Nazism. His works primarily dealt with the development of ethics through education, sexo ...

who claimed that '' The Big Parade'', a 1925 pacifist film, was much better than ''All Quiet on the Western Front'' criticizing the latter's depiction of Germany. ''Naujoji Romuva'' sold 5,000 copies in 1933 and 10,000 copies in 1939. The headquarters of ''Naujoji Romuva'' was moved from Kaunas to Vilnius in 1940. The magazine was closed by the Soviet authorities the same year shortly after the invasion of Lithuania. A quarterly magazine with the same title was established in Lithuania in the 1990s.

Contributors

The contributors of ''Naujoji Romuva'' included Vytautas Alantas, ,

Juozas Balčikonis Juozas Balčikonis (24 March 1885 in Ėriškiai, Panevėžys District – 5 February 1969 in Vilnius) was a Lithuanian linguist and teacher, who contributed to the standardization of the Lithuanian language Lithuanian ( ) is an Eastern ...

, ,

Bernardas Brazdžionis Bernardas Brazdžionis (1907 January 11 in Stebeikėliai - 2002 July 11 in Los Angeles) was a Lithuanian poet. Bernardas Brazdžionis also used various pen names, such as '' Vytė Nemunėlis'', ''Jaunasis Vaidevutis''. Biography Bernardas Braz ...

, Bronė Buivydaitė, ,

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 Minis ...

Juozas Grušas Juozas Grušas (November 16, 1901, Žadžiūnai-Kalniškiai, Kovno Governorate – May 21, 1986, Kaunas) was a Lithuanian writer, editor, dramatist and playwright. Biography Grušas' first inspirational teacher was the Lithuanian poet Jovaras, ...

Liudas Gira Liudas Gira (27 August 1884 in Vilnius – 1 July 1946 in Vilnius) was a Lithuanian poet, writer, and literary critic. His is noted for his early poetry, which resembles traditional Lithuanian folk songs. Gira was active in cultural and political ...

, Juozapas Albinas Herbačiauskas, , , , ,

Antanas Maceina Antanas Maceina (27 January 1908 – 27 January 1987) was a Lithuanian philosopher, existentialist, educator, theologian, and poet. Developed philosophy of culture of Stasys Šalkauskis, adjusted Christian philosophy and existentialism Existe ...

, Juozas Miltinis, , Balys Sruoga, , Matas Šalčius,

Adolfas Šapoka Adolfas Šapoka (13 February 1906 – 9 March 1961) was a prominent Lithuanian medieval historian. He attended lectures at both Prague University and Stockholm University before becoming a prominent lecturer himself at the Vytautas Magnus and Vi ...

, , Antanas Vienuolis,

Juozas Tumas-Vaižgantas Juozas Tumas also known by the pen name Vaižgantas (20 September 1869 – 29 April 1933) was a Lithuanian Roman Catholic priest and an activist during the Lithuanian National Revival. He was a prolific writer, editor of nine periodicals, univers ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Naujoji Romuva 1931 establishments in Lithuania 1940 disestablishments in Lithuania Defunct magazines published in Lithuania Defunct Catholic magazines Defunct conservative magazines Defunct visual arts magazines Lithuanian-language magazines Magazines established in 1931 Magazines disestablished in 1940 Mass media in Kaunas Mass media in Vilnius Conservatism in Lithuania Weekly magazines