PROBLEM ZAKAZU DRUKÓW LITEWSKICH 1864–1904

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PROBLEM ZAKAZU DRUKÓW LITEWSKICH 1864–1904

Journal Title: Przegląd Wschodni - Year 2014, Vol 13, Issue 51

Abstract

After crushing the Uprising of 1863 against Russian rule, the Tsar’s repressions were especially painfully felt on the territory of the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania. These repressions were marked by thousands of arrests, deportations and expropriations. The authorities suspected that the main instigators of the “revolt” could be found amongst the Polish nobility. They mercilessly punished them. But at the same time, it is worth noting that they also levelled their repressions against the Lithuanian peasant class. At the time, the Governor General of Vilnius, Mikhail Muravyov, came upon the idea to prohibit books and other publications in the Latin alphabet. Now publications could only appear in the Russian Cyrillic alphabet. It was felt by Muravyov’s advisors, that in this way – having to write in Cyrillic – the Lithuanians would quickly and easily absorb the Russian language. They were gravely in error. The first thing published was a Lithuanian language textbook. The result was a freakish linguistic nightmare. Although supposedly written in Lithuanian, it contained unrecognizable words and phrases, very similar to Russian. Subsequently a few more books were published, but the Lithuanians emphatically began to boycott them. In these circumstances, a small, but increasingly wider group of Lithuanian activists discovered that they could print books, and later Lithuanian newspapers, on the other side of the nearby border... of Eastern Prussia. The border towns of Tilsit and Ragnit became the mainstays of Lithuanian publishing. The area was inhabited by many Lithuanians. The Lithuanians from Russia found many active accomplices among them. Publication activity increased and was characterized by two phenomena – supply and demand. To begin with, books of a religious character were dominant, though later there came to be a growing number of secular books. The crux of the matter was to smuggle them over the border – which was closely watched – to the Russian side and then distribute them to readers. This meant that the smugglers often had to reach remote villages and then deliver the books right to the doors of peasant huts. In order for this to work, a large number of well-organized people were needed who were not afraid of punishment or responsibility. The prohibition of printing in the Latin alphabet was finally discontinued in 1904. The Lithuanians then gave vent to their vital strength and the movement they created led to the shaping of a modern nation.

Authors and Affiliations

Piotr Łossowski

Keywords

druk Rosja cenzura

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