Garšviai Book Smuggling Society
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Garšviai Book Smuggling Society
The Garšviai Book Smuggling Society was an illegal society of Lithuanian book smugglers during the Lithuanian press ban enacted in 1864. It was one of the oldest book smuggler societies. Active from around 1883 to 1895, it was also one of the longest operating societies. It was based in at the home of Kazys Ūdra in the Garšviai village near Naujamiestis, Panevėžys. Led by Ūdra and Jurgis Bielinis, the society organized a network of trusted associates who would purchase the publications in East Prussia, smuggle them across the Prussia–Russia border, and distribute them in central Lithuania (mainly area around Panevėžys and Biržai). In total, historian Antanas Tyla registered 54 people as members or collaborators. The society smuggled both books and periodicals, delivering them to subscribers, though they were particularly dangerous – they needed to be smuggled frequently and they were deemed to be anti-Tsarist political texts bringing much stricter sentences than smuggl ...
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Lithuanian Book Smugglers
Lithuanian book smugglers or Lithuanian book carriers (, singular: ) smuggled Lithuanian language books printed in the Latin alphabet into Lithuanian-speaking areas of the Russian Empire, defying a ban on such materials in force from 1864 to 1904. In Lithuanian, ''knygnešys'' literally means "the one who carries books". Opposing imperial Russian authorities' efforts to replace the traditional Latin orthography with Cyrillic, and transporting printed matter from as far away as the United States to do so, the book smugglers became a symbol of Lithuanians' resistance to Russification. History After the Polish-Lithuanian insurrection of 1863, the Russian Imperial government intensified its efforts to Russify the Lithuanian population and alienate it from its historic roots, including the Roman Catholic faith, which had become widespread during the years of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. During the summer of 1863, Tsar Alexander II issued Temporary Rules for State Jun ...
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Sovetsk, Kaliningrad Oblast
Sovetsk (; ) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, town in Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia, located on the south bank of the Neman River which forms the border with Lithuania. History Early history Tilsit, which received German town law, civic rights from Albert, Duke of Prussia in 1552,''Słownik geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i innych krajów słowiańskich, Tom XII'', p. 703 developed around a castle of the Teutonic Knights, known as the Schalauer Haus, founded in 1288. In 1454, King Casimir IV Jagiellon incorporated the region to the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland, Kingdom of Poland upon the request of the anti-Teutonic Prussian Confederation. After the subsequent Thirteen Years' War (1454–1466), the settlement was a part of Poland as a fief held by the Teutonic Knights, and thus was located within the Polish–Lithuanian union, later elevated to the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. In the winter of 1678–1679, during the Scanian War, the town was occupied by Swe ...
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Žemaičių Ir Lietuvos Apžvalga
''Žemaičių ir Lietuvos apžvalga'' (literally: ''Samogitian and Lithuanian Review'', original spelling: ''Żemajczių ir Lietuwos Apżwałga''), often abbreviated as , was a Lithuanian-language Catholic newspaper published in Tilsit, East Prussia, in 1889–1896. At the time, Lithuanian press was banned and the newspaper had to be smuggled across the Prussia–Russia border. It promoted and supported the Lithuanian National Revival, but above all defended the Catholic faith. While it was fiercely anti-Tsarist publication when it came to religious and cultural topics, it was a socially conservative publication. It was replaced by a relatively more liberal ''Tėvynės sargas'' established in 1896. History Lithuanian clergy published their own periodical '' Šviesa'' in August 1887 – August 1888. When secular ''Varpas'' appeared in January 1889, the clergy hastened to establish a Catholic periodical. In fall 1889, students at the Kaunas Priest Seminary decided to establish '' ...
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Ūkininkas
''Ūkininkas'' or ''Ukinįkas'' (literally: ''The Farmer'') was a monthly Lithuanian-language newspaper published during the Lithuanian press ban by the editorial staff of ''Varpas'' from 1890 to 1905. ''Ūkininkas'' was printed in Tilsit (current Sovetsk) and Ragnit (current Neman) in German East Prussia and smuggled into Lithuania by the knygnešiai. The two newspapers shared staff and similar ideology, but ''Ūkininkas'' was geared towards less educated peasants and had larger circulation of 1,000–2,000 copies. It contained few political or cultural discourses and concentrated on practical advice regarding farming, husbandry, and forestry. It also published short news from various locations across Lithuania, helping to develop the idea of Lithuania as a single entity. Various writers, including Jonas Biliūnas, Vincas Kudirka, Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė, Sofija Pšibiliauskienė, contributed their fiction. After publication of ''Ūkininkas'' was discontinued, it was re ...
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Moscow
Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents within the city limits, over 19.1 million residents in the urban area, and over 21.5 million residents in Moscow metropolitan area, its metropolitan area. The city covers an area of , while the urban area covers , and the metropolitan area covers over . Moscow is among the world's List of largest cities, largest cities, being the List of European cities by population within city limits, most populous city entirely in Europe, the largest List of urban areas in Europe, urban and List of metropolitan areas in Europe, metropolitan area in Europe, and the largest city by land area on the European continent. First documented in 1147, Moscow became the capital of the Grand Principality of Moscow, which led the unification of the Russian lan ...
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Hrodna
Grodno, or Hrodna, is a city in western Belarus. It is one of the oldest cities in Belarus. The city is located on the Neman River, from Minsk, about from the border with Poland, and from the border with Lithuania. Grodno serves as the administrative center of Grodno Region and Grodno District, though it is administratively separated from the district. the city has a population of 363,718. The modern city of Grodno, founded in 1127, originated as a small fortress and trading outpost on the border of the Baltic tribal union of the Yotvingians. It was also a home to the Dregoviches Slavic tribe. It was a significant city in Black Ruthenia and later part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which joined the Polish-Lithuanian Union in 1385. Grodno faced numerous invasions, most notably by the Teutonic Knights. The city was a key trade, commerce, and cultural center in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and one of its royal residences, and '' de facto'' capital in the 1580s. ...
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Riga
Riga ( ) is the capital, Primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Latvia, largest city of Latvia. Home to 591,882 inhabitants (as of 2025), the city accounts for a third of Latvia's total population. The population of Riga Planning Region, Riga metropolitan area, which stretches beyond the city limits, is estimated at 847,162 (as of 2025). The city lies on the Gulf of Riga at the mouth of the Daugava (river), Daugava river where it meets the Baltic Sea. Riga's territory covers and lies above sea level on a flat and sandy plain. Riga was founded in 1201, and is a former Hanseatic League member. Riga's historical centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, noted for its Art Nouveau/Jugendstil architecture and 19th century wooden architecture. Riga was the European Capital of Culture in 2014, along with Umeå in Sweden. Riga hosted the 2006 Riga summit, 2006 NATO Summit, the Eurovision Song Contest 2003, the 2013 World Women's Curling Championship, and the 2006 IIHF Wo ...
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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 administrative center of the Courland Governorate (1795–1918). Jelgava is situated on a fertile plain rising only above mean sea level on the right bank of the river Lielupe. At high water, the plain and sometimes the town as well can be flooded. It is a railway center, and is also a host to the Jelgava Air Base. Its importance as a railway centre can be seen by the fact that it lies at the junction of over 6 railway lines connecting Riga to Lithuania, eastern and western Latvia, and Lithuania to the Baltic Sea. Name Until 1917, the city was officially referred to as Mitau. The name of Jelgava is believed to be derived from the Livonian word ''jālgab'', meaning "town on the river." The origin of the German name ''Mitau'' is unclea ...
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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. Kaunas was the largest city and the centre of a in the Duchy of Trakai of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Trakai Voivodeship, Trakai Palatinate since 1413. In the Russian Empire, it was the capital of the Kovno Governorate, Kaunas Governorate from 1843 to 1915. During the interwar period, it served as the temporary capital of Lithuania, when Vilnius was Polish–Lithuanian War, seized and controlled by Second Polish Republic, Poland between 1920 and 1939. During that period Kaunas was celebrated for its rich cultural and academic life, fashion, construction of countless Art Deco and Lithuanian National Revival architectural-style buildings as well as popular furniture, interior design of the time, and a widespread café culture. The city in ...
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Nemunėlio Radviliškis
Nemunėlio Radviliškis is a town in Biržai district municipality, in Panevėžys County, northern Lithuania. According to the 2011 census, the town has a population of 566 people. Etymology The name Radviliškis is a place name derived from the last name Radvila. The town was founded in the 16th century by the Dukes of Biržai and Dubingiai, the Radvila family, and is thus named after them. To distinguish it from the town of Radviliškis, the town was given the designation Nemunėlis, thus referring to the river flowing through the town. History Two ancient Roman enamelled bronze brooches were found in the settlement, during archeological excavations. A flat, symmetrical one with an animal head ornament and a similar round one. Nemunėlio Radviliškis was first mentioned in 4 November 1586. It was founded by the Radvila noble family. The Evangelical Reformed Church of was built in 1590, a Catholic chapel in 1719, and the Catholic Church of the Virgin Mary was established ...
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Užpaliai
Užpaliai (traditional , ) is a town in Utena County, Lithuania. According to the 2011 census, the town has a population of 758 people. History The Jewish population was important in the town, for example, in 1897, 691 inhabitants were Jewish out of a total population of 740 people. In July 1941, the Jewish population was massacred in mass executions perpetrated by an Einsatzgruppen of Lithuanian nationalists on different sites. Gallery File:N.Sansonas d'Abbevillis, Lietuvos dalies žemėlapis 1665 m., Vilkmergės pavietas.png, Užpaliai (''Wyspol'') marked in Nicolas Sanson map (1665) File:Užpalių seniūnija.JPG, Parish File:Užpalių centras.JPG, Town centre File:Užpaliai 2.JPG File:Užpaliai1.JPG, Arriving from Utena File:Užpalių cerkvė.JPG, Orthodox church File:Knygnešio namas Užpaliai.JPG, Lithuanian book smuggler Lithuanian book smugglers or Lithuanian book carriers (, singular: ) smuggled Lithuanian language books printed in the Latin alphabet into Lithuanian ...
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Kavarskas
Kavarskas (), with a population of only 700, is the fourth smallest city in Lithuania. The Šventoji River flows through the town. In 1956 near Kavarskas a water lifting station was built and part of the Šventoji River's water was channeled to the Nevėžis River. Nowadays there is a water-power plant operating there. Etymology The name of Kavarskas comes from the surname of Stanisław Kowarski, who owned the Manor of Mažyų Pienionių (manorial place name). Although there are not many place names in Lithuania that are based on the singular of the surname, there are some ( Sudargas, Musteika, perhaps Birštonas). In other languages, the town is known as: . Coat of arms The town flag or coat of arms shows a sword creating two streams of water. The coat of arms is painted on a blue field background. It shows a golden sword stabbed into a green hill and silver water springing from the hole. According to a local legend, a spring of mineral water in Kavarskas was the site o ...
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