Figure 1.--
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Figure 1.-- |
Lithuania is a small country about 3 milliom people. About 90 percent are Lithuanian, 8 percent Russian, and 2 percent Polish. Vilnius is the capital of the Lithuania and most of Russian and Polish citizens live there. Lituania was for years part of the Russian Empire but obtain independence as part of the World War I Peace settlement and disorders associated with the Russian Revolution. Independent Lituanian was incorprated by the Soviets in 1940 after the NAZI-Soviet Non-Agession Pact of 1939. Soviet rule was short-lived as the Germans quickly occuplied Lituanian after they invaded the Soviet Union in 1941. The Soviets did not reistablish Communist rule until 1944. The United States and other western countries never recognized Soviet jurisdiction and Lithuania became an indepedent country in 1992 when the Soviet Unin was disolved. As a result of these many different political changes there have been many changes in Lithuanian schools. Our information on Lithuanian schools and the changes over time is very limited.
Most of Lituania was acquired by Tsarist Russia as part of the 18th cebntury Polish partitions. It was thus for years part of the Russian Empire. Lithuasnia was ruled as a Grand Duchy. We have no information on schools in Lithuanian durng the period of Russian rule. We do know that considerable diversity was tolerated within the Russian Empire, although this vasried over time. Tsar Alexander III in the late 19th century began a program of Russifcation, bit we are unsure hoe education in Lithuania was affected.
Lithuania declared indeoendence as part of the World War I Peace settlement and disorders associated with the Russian Revolution. We do not have much information on education in Lithuania during this period. There may have been separate schools for the major minorities such as the Poles. We know there were separate Jewish schools and most Jewish children attended these schools.
Independent Lituanian was incorprated by the Soviets in 1940 after the NAZI-Soviet Non-Agession Pact of 1939. We have little information at this time as to what happened in the schools. We believe that schools teachers were among the groups that the Soviers targeted for arrest and deportation.
Soviet rule was short-lived as the NAZIs quickly occuplied Lituanian after they invaded the Soviet Union (June 1941). We do not know what happened in Lithuanian schools during this period. Unlike the Poles, the NAZIs did not target the Lithuanians for racial reasins. I believe the schools fiunctioned. THe NAZIs did not, however, allow the Lithuamians to set up a government. The country was riled by military authorities.
The Soviets did not reistablish Communist rule until 1944. The United States and other western countries never recognized Soviet jurisdiction. The Communists incoporated Lithuanian schools into the Soviet education system. I'm not sure how the Soviets hanfeled the languafe question. Stalin promoted Russian emigration.
Lithuania became an indepedent country in 1992 when the Soviet Unin was disolved. There are separate Polish, Russian, and Lithuanian language schools. Only in gimnaziums (there are 2 Russian and 3 Lithuanian gimnazium in Lithuania) do pupils wear uniforms. Other Lithuanian schools do not require uniforms. HBC does not yet have information on Soviet and pre-Soviet schools.
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