Australian Lithuanian History

Panevėžiecių vitražas, įruoštas vysk K. Paltarako atminimui.  Panevežio katedra ir didžiajame altoriuje esantis Kristus Valdovas. Panevėžys stained glass, in memory Bishop K. Paltarakas.  Panevezys’  Cathedral, is in the background. Bishop Kazimieras Paltarokas was born in 1875, he was bishop of Panevezys for over 30 years. Funds for this window was organised by I Račiunas.  Designed by sculptor Ieva Pocius.   Ieva was from the Panevežys region. This window was sanctified in June 1971.

Lietuvos krikšto vitražas. Vytauto bažynčia Kaune. Sukaktuvinis Vytauto Didžiojo medalis. Mindaugo krikštas. This window is titled the Baptism of Lithuania.  It features Vytautas Didysis church in Kaunas, and King Mindaugas’ baptism. Vytautas "the Great" c. 1350 – October 27, 1430) was one of the most famous rulers of medieval Lithuania. Vytautas was the ruler (1392–1430) of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania which chiefly encompassed the Lithuanians and Ruthenians. In modern Lithuania, Vytautas is revered as a national hero and was an important figure in the national rebirth in the 19th century. Mindaugas (ca. 1203 – fall 1263) was the first known Grand Duke of Lithuania and the only King of Lithuania. War ravaged the country at that time.  Duke Mindaugas became concerned about the onslaughts on the battlefield and tried to save Lithuania by diplomacy.  As an initial step, he accepted Christianity in 1251, thereby depriving the Order of their only excuse for further...

Žemaičių vitrazas. Vysk M. Valančius.  Kražių skerdynių pavaizdavimas.  Žemaitijos herbas. This window features the Bishop Mikolas Valančius, Bishop of Samogitia, Kražiai symbols and the Samogitian coat of arms. The originator of Lithuanian fiction prose M. Valančius was born on February 16, 1801, in a village of Nasrėnai near Salantai (Kretinga district) in the family of a rich peasant. He studied at the Dominican School in a town of Žemaičių Kalvarija, Varniai Clerical Seminary, and at Vilnius Clerical Academy. In 1828 M. Valančius became a priest. He was holding high posts as a professor at Vilnius and St. Petersburg Clerical Academies, rector of Varniai Clerical Seminary, and in the year of 1850 he became the Bishop of Samogitia.  He was establishing parochial schools, took care of publishing and distribution of Lithuanian books, organized a wide net of temperance societies that tried to divert the peasants from alcohol. M. Valančius died on M...

The Lithuanian Catholic church of St Casmir in St Peters has numerous statues, and detailed coloured stained glass windows, that tell many stories of Lithuanian history.  The windows have been created in memory of individuals who contributed greatly to the Lithuanian Catholic centre or in memory of Lithuania. In 1969 Father Spurgis came from Chicago to lighten the duties of the ailing priest at that time Father Kazlauskas.  Father Spurgis initiated a comprehensive works program.  Under his guidance a national shrine was erected, a baptistery and five stained glass windows commemorating the five diocese of Lithuanian were added to the chapel.   Father Spurgis had envisaged a church decorated in stained glass depicting Lithuania.   In total the windows cost over $10,000, produced in the early 1970’s.  The windows were built by artist Stasys Kerulis. The largest of the stained glass windows depicts St Casmir, patron saint of Lithuania.  The win...

Freed Lithuanians' ideas of the future Security and the unimpeded pursuit of happiness are the fervent wishes of four new Australians in Adelaide, who recently completed their two-year contract with the Commonwealth Govern ment and are now 'free to go where they please, and when'. The four men, all Lithuanians  and single, came to Austra lia with the first batch of DPs from Germany in November, 1947.  Their contract was short ened by two months.   To capture those elusive en tities, security and happiness, they intend now to —   Master the English language. Get the best job possible. Save a lot of money and buy a home. Marry an Australian girl and have a family. All are eager to become natu ralised Australian citizens and clip the 'new' from 'new Aus tralian.' They like Australia, say they have been 'as happy as pos sible in the circumstances.' Wants to study law These are the men and their stories: — Sta...

Painter, Stage Director, graphic and poker work artist. Born in St Petersburg in 1915, he and his parents returned to Lithuanian after WWI. (His immigration papers state he was born in Zarasai on 22 June 1917). He studied art at the Vilnius Academy of Art for three years.  During WWII he was captured by Nazis, conscripted into the German Army and taken prisoner of war by the American Army. In 27 April 1948, he arrived in Australia on board the ship  General Black .  He fulfilled his two year work contract as a sugar cane cutter in Queensland.  During that time he painted in oil a large picture, titled Holy Mary , a copy of the revered painting in Vilnius.  He donated his work to the parish of Freshwater in 1948 to mark the first Lithuanian Day celebrations in Australia. Žemaitė Julija Beniuševičiūtė-Žymantienė, famous Lithuanian author In 1949, he exhibited four graphic art works at a Gympie exhibition and won first prize. While still in Queensland he p...

This week I had the pleasure of talking to a PhD student in cultural heritage from Deakin University.  She came to look at the Adelaide Lithuanian Museum and in particular to find one object, which she will look at the history, display etc.  I enjoy these types of talks as it often leads to different perspectives on things.  We spoke of the history of the museum and how things have changed over time.   Initially the Museum was established to teach children of Lithuanians in Adelaide about their heritage, it collected all things Lithuanian, everything was in Lithuanian.  I can understand this, as being an occupied country there was a real fear of loosing touch with their heritage.  Slowly the Museum has changed, their is a need for text to be in two languages, second and third generations no longer have a strong command of the Lithuanian language.  Visitors are interested in their families past as it relates to the community here...

There are many places around Australia that allow you to record in some way your descendants name in a public monument.  The Maritime Museum in Sydney has the Welcome wall, and Adelaide has Settlement Square at the Migration Museum.  Recently my mother purchased a paver with my maternal grandparents name and year of arrival in Australia stamped on it.  My grandparents were both cremated with their ashes scattered.  There is no place to lay flowers, no place I can see their names, until now.     Whether your family has always been here, came as early colonists or are recent arrivals, there’s a place for you in the Migration Museum’s Settlement Square. The pavers that form a striking ‘Tree of Life’ pattern in Settlement Square are engraved with the names, places of origin and dates of arrival of thousands of South Australian immigrants. Settlement Square and its companion database of information about the families thus recorded is a testament...