Figure 1.-- |
|
Lithuania has for years been associated with Russia. Until 1918 it was part of the Russian Empire. As a Baltic country, Lithuania was exposed to Western influences
more than most areas of Russia. It was briefly independent until seized by Stalin in 1940 and then occupied by the NAZIs in 1941. After World War II it was administered as a Republic of the Soviet Union. As a result of its historical experience, Lithuanian fashions have been stronly influemced by Russian and German fashions. Hopefully our Lithuanian readers will provide further information.
Lithuania is the most southerly of the Baltic republics. It is bordered by Russia (Kalingrad), Poland, Belarus, and Latvia. The largest city and capital is Vilna. The majpr port os Memel. Other important cities incluse Kaunas, Panevezys. The cpintry is a generally flat, well watered plain. Before the Sovie occuoation Lithuanian was an agricultural country with virtually no mineral resources, Considerable industrialization took place during the Soviet era.
Before World War II the population of about 3 million was about 80 percent Lithuanian. The ethnicity of the Lithuanians is a matter of conjecture but appaer to be related to the Letts of Latvia and the Slavs of Poland and the Beylorus and western Russia. The Lithuanian language is highly inflected with a clear relationship to Sanskrit. There was an important German minority in Lithuania--part of the Baltic Germans or Balts. Most returned to the Reich in 1939-40. Lithuania had an important Jewish community, but was virtually totally destroyed by the NAZI holocaust during World War II. Lithuania like the other Baltic republics achieved independence as a result of the turmoil associated with World War I and the Russian Revolution. At the time the population was primarily ethnic Lithuanian. The NAZI-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact (1939) permitted Stalin to carry out a series of aggressions, including the occupation of Lithuania (1940). Stalin ordered the KGB to arrest and deport many Lithuanaians. Many never returned. Stalin also encouraged the emmigration of ethnic Russians to alter the ethnic ballance. Many Russians came to Lithuania because living conditions were generally above that common in Russia. As a result, after World War II the poulation of Russians increased substantially and affected the ethnic ballance in the country.
About 80 pecent of the population was Roman Catholic before World War II. The reamibser was Jewish, Lutherans (the German minority), and Orthodox (the Russians). As a result of the World War II, few Jews or Luthers exist in the country, but the influx of Russians has ben more Orthodox Christains. The 50 years of Soviet rule, however reduced the importance of religion in the national life.
Lithuanian boys' clothing, as in the case in many countries at high northern lattitudes, is strongly influenced by the climate. The climate in Winter can be severe, but the country also has a relatively hot summer.
Estonia has for years been associated with Russia. Until 1918 it was part of the Russian Empire. As a Baltic country, Lithuania was exposed to Western influences more than most areas of Russia. It was briefly independent until seized by Stalin in 1940 and then occupied by the NAZIs in 1941. After World War II it was administered as a Republic of the Soviet Union. As a result of its historical experience, Lithuanian fashions have been stronly influenced by Russian and German fashions.
Lithuania was a medieval grand duchy ( -1385), a grand principality of Poland (1385-1795), a part of the Russian Empire (1795-1918), an independent republic (1918-40), a republic of the Soviet Union (1940-1991), and finally an independent republic again (1991- ). Linguistic work suggests that the Lithuanians may have first appeared on the basin of the upper Dnipper River. Archeological work suggests that the Lituanians arrived in the baltic about 2500 BC. The first known historical reference to Baltic peoples is by the Roman historian Tacitus in his work Germania (1st century AD). The first specific mention of Lithuanians occurs in a medieval Prussian manuscript--the Quedlinburg Chronicle (1009). Medieval lords in Prussia and Russia began to pressure the Baltics. A loose federation of Lituanian tribes emerged as a defensive measure. The Lithuanians more effectively resisted the Teutonic Knights than other Baltic tribes (13th century). The Teutonic knights were attempting to Christanize the Baltic tribes and to seize their land making them feudal vassals. Mindaugas forged a loose federation of the still largely pagan Lithuanian tribes (1251). He was crowned king, the only Lithuanian ever to achieve that status. Mindaugas defeated the Teutinic Knights in a major battle (1260). The Jagellons, a dynasty of Lithuanian grand dukes forged an enormous empire streaching from the Black Sea to the Baltic. The Empire was begun by Gediminas ( -1340) and expanded by his sons, Olgierd ( -1377) and Keitutas. Olgierd's son Jagello assasinated his uncle and became the reigning duke. Jagello married Polish Queen Jadwiga and accepted Roman Catholocism (1386). Gramd Duke Witold (Vytautas the Great) revolted against the Jagello (1390). He created a huge state by conquest one of the largest states in Europe (1400). The Lithuanians gained a crushing military victory against the Teutonic Knights at the Battle of Tannenberg (1410). Casimir IV, Jangello's son, negotiated an alliance with lithuania. Alexander I who succeeded as Polish king in 1501 gave the two countries a single ruler. It was agreed at Lublin to have an elected king and a common legislature (1569). It was at this time that Poland becan to experience increasing military pressure Grand Dukes of Moscow--the predecessors of the Tsars. Poland's inability to compete with powerful neighbors resulted in partition (1772, 1793, and 1795). Most of Lithuania became a part of the Russian Empire with small part going to Prussia as well. During and after the Napoleonic Wars there were nationalist insurrections (1812, 1831, 1863, and 1905). The German Army achieved major victories on the Eastern Front during World War I and occupied Lithiania. In the disorders following World War I and the Russian Revolution, Lithuania declared independence (February 1918), but was forced to engage the Germans, Poles, and Russians (Bolsheviks). The Poles captured and held Vilnus. A League of Nations plebecite confirmed Polish possession of Vilnus, but Lithuania did not drop its claim. Relations with Poland were not established until 1938. Even before World War II, NAZI Germany seized Memel with its large German population. The Soviets seized the country in 1940 as invisioned under the NAZI-Soviet Non-aggression Pact. The Soviets arrested large numbers of Lithuanians and deported whole families. When the NAZIs invaded the Soviet Union (June 1941), many Lithuanians greeted them as liberators and supported the NAZI war effort. Some Lithuanians joined the German military. When the Soviets retook Lithuania (1944) those that collaborated or were suspected of collaborating with the NAZIs were dealt with harshly. Estimates suggest that 10 percent of the Lithuanian people were arrested or deported. The Soviets also promoted Russian emmigration to Lithuania. The Soviet seizure of Lithuania and the other Baltic states was never recognized by the United States and other Western European countries. Lithuania finally achieved its indepoendence again withbthe dissolution of the Soviet Union (1991).
We have noted Lithuanian boys wearing the same basic garments and styles as those worn in Germany, Russia, and other neigboring countries. Lithuanian boys during the Soviet era seem to have been dressed a little more stylishly than boys in other areas of the Soviet Union. We noted that vests were seen as very stylish in the 1970s. After World War I many boys wore short pants, often with long stockings. Suspender and H-bar shorts were common for younger boys.
We notice a lot of boys with close-cropped hair in the early and mid-20th century. This was especially common among working-class families. We believe that one of the reasons for the popukarity of this style was the prevalent sanitary conditions. Also it was inexpensive becaise mother could clip the boy's hair and he did not have to be sent to the barber. Boys in more affluent families were more likely to have at least enough hair to comb. Note the moddle-class family here. After World War II, bangs became a popular style for boys.
The educational system was heavily influenced by the Soviet system. We note boys without school uniforms right after World War II, but presumably as the country began to recover from the War, the standard Soviet school uniform became more common. Since independence, Lithuanian school children no longer wear uniforms, although many private schools do have uniforms. I'm unsure just what other changes have taken place in education since independence. One change is there are now schools that operate in the Lithuanian as well as the Russian language.
Lithuania had a diverse population which included Poles, White Russians, Germans, and Jews. Hitler ordered the Baltic Germans back tp the Reich (1940) aand most complied. Lithuania's vibrant Jewish minority was largely killed by the NAZIs and collaborating Lituanian militias during the Holocaust. Stalin deported many ethnic Lithuamiasns and promoted Russian emigration so that there is today a significant Russian minority.
Related Baltic Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[Estonia]
[Latvia]
[]
[Prussia]
Related Chronolgy Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[The 1880s]
[The 1890s]
[The 1900s]
[The 1910s]
[The 1920s]
[The 1930s]
[The 1940s]
[The 1930s]
[The 1940s]
[The 1950s]
[The 1960s]
[The 1970s]
[The 1980s]
Related Style Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[Smocks]
[Long pants suits]
[Knicker suits]
[Short pants suits]
[Socks]
[Eton suits]
[Jacket and trousers]
[Blazer]
[School sandals]
[School smocks]
[Sailor suits]
[Pinafores]
[Long stockings]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Page
[Return to the Main European country page]
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Satellite sites]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]