Lithuanian book smugglers


Lithuanian book smugglers or Lithuanian book carriers transported 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 Lithuanians it literally means the one who carriers the 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 I 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 Junior Schools of the Northwestern Krai, ruling that only Russian-language education would be allowed there. In 1864, the Governor General of the Vilnius Governorate, Mikhail Muravyov, ordered that Lithuanian language primers were to be printed only in the Cyrillic alphabet. Muravyov's successor, Konstantin Kaufman, in 1865 banned all Lithuanian-language use of the Latin alphabet. In 1866, the Tsar issued an oral ban on the printing or importing of printed matter in Lithuanian. Although formally, the order had no legal force, it was executed de facto until 1904. During this time, there were approximately fifty-five printings of Lithuanian books in Cyrillic.
Most of the Latin-alphabet Lithuanian-language books and periodicals published at the time were printed in Lithuania Minor and then smuggled into Lithuania. When caught, the book smugglers were punished by fines, banishment, and exile, including deportation to Siberia. Some were simply shot in the head while crossing the border or executed on the spot.
In 1867, Motiejus Valančius, the Bishop of Žemaitija, began to covertly organize and finance this printing abroad and sponsored the distribution of Lithuanian-language books within Lithuania. In 1870, his organization was uncovered with the help of Prussian authorities, and five priests and two book smugglers were exiled to remote areas of Russia. Other book smugglers carried on his work.
During the final years of the ban, an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 books were smuggled in annually. About one-third of them were seized by authorities. Lithuanian books reached every settlement in Lithuania, and many legal institutions served as undercover transfer points for the books. A number of secret organizations distributed the books throughout Lithuania, including Sietynas, Atgaja, Teisybė, Prievarta, Aušrinė, Atžala, Lizdas, Akstinas, Spindulys, Svirplys, Žiburėlis, Žvaigždė, and Kūdikis.
In East Prussia since 1864 up to 1896, more than 3 500 000 copies of publications in Lithuanian language was published: about 500 000 primers, more than 300 000 scientific secular editions, 75 000 newspapers and other types of publications.
The ban's lack of success was recognized by the end of the 19th century, and in 1904, under the official pretext that the minorities within the Russian Empire needed to be pacified after the failure in the Russo-Japanese War, the ban on Lithuanian-language publications was lifted.
In 1905, soon after the ban was lifted, one of the book smugglers, Juozas Masiulis, opened his own bookstore in Panevėžys. This bookstore is still operational, and a chain of bookstores operates in Lithuania under his name.
This historical episode was widely suppressed during the years when Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union.

Book smuggler societies

SocietyLocationYears activeMembers
Of Motiejus ValančiusKovno Governorate1867–70?
Of Martynas SederavičiusSudargas; active in Samogitia and SuvalkijaEarly 1870s – beg. of the 20th century?
Of GaršviaiGaršviai; active in Panevėžys and Ukmergė regions1883–955–7
Atgaja Šiauliai region1889–953–11
Šviesa Bookstore Jurgežeris, Kalvarija District1880?
Rural Society of PlowmenŠiauliai region1891?
Panevėžys region18929
Panemunė volost, Marijampolė1892?
Nemunėlis and ApasčiaBiržai region1893–?7–?
Teisybė 1893 – after 18965–15
AušrinėKovno Governorate1893–947
Prievarta 1894?
Darželis Krikliniai1894–9516
Atžala Grinkiškis18946–10
Sietynas Marijampolė district1894–9770
Žiburėlis Panevėžys region?18975–15
Marijampolė district189815
Kovno Governorate189927
Žvaigždė Panemunėlis1900–0220
Lithuanian YouthRaseiniai region1900–0115
Spindulys Marijampolė district1900?
Artojai Marijampolė1901–0513–48
Aušrelė Panemunėlis1900–035–15
Union of Lithuanian FarmersAukštaitija190113–20
Kovno Governorate1902?
Mužikėlis Kairiai1903?
Vienybė Kairiai1903–055–7

Remembrance

The book smugglers were an important part of the Lithuanian National Revival. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, book smugglers were honored in Lithuania with museums, monuments, and street names. A statue dedicated to "The Unknown Book Smuggler" stands in Kaunas. Special relationship of Lithuanians and the book is still seen in the highly popular Vilnius Book Fair.
Book smuggler Jurgis Bielinis, who created a secret distribution network for banned Lithuanian books, was born on 16 March 1846, and this date is commemorated in Lithuania as the Day of the Book Smugglers.
In 1988, the Lithuanian Knygnešiai Association was established at the Lithuanian Culture Foundation. Among its goals was to collect information about all Lithuanian book smugglers and printers., four volumes titled Knygnešys were printed. In 1997, the "" was unveiled at the Vytautas the Great War Museum. and in 1998 a book Šimtas knygnešių. Knygnešių sienelės vardai was published.
During 1959–2000 there was a magazine named which provided information about books and book publishers.
In 2018 London Book Fair the tactics of Knygnešiai was used to distribute books of the Lithuanian authors and spread the information about the Lithuanian pavilion.