The return of Russian culture of Lithuania from oblivion

Abstract

During the Soviet period Russian culture figures and Russian culture, the press, public and literary associations in Lithuania in the XIX century and during interwar period were ignored and due to ideological taboos could not become the object of scientific research. Exceptions were made for individual members, institutions or events that were of interest as a local version of the all-Russian phenomenon or because they had a positive impact on the development of the Lithuanian culture: the language and folklore of the Old Believers, Ivan Trutnev and Vilnius drawing school, Vilnius theatre in the XIX century, Vilnius University professor Ivan Loboyko, philosopher and historian Lev Karsavin. The radical change in the social status of the Russian population in Lithuania, the changes in the socio-political life of the country, in the hierarchy of cultural values and in the paradigm of humanitarian studies led to the returning of Russian culture in Lithuania from oblivion.
The socio-political atmosphere of the late 1980s actualized the issue of national, cultural and state self-identity, the historical continuity of the Russian minority in Lithuania and the Baltic countries. Lithuanian public and political discourse of the Renaissance was based on several myths: the myth of the Lithuanian society as extremely tolerant towards ethnic minorities (this myth could have been illustrated by Old Believers, and such figures as Lev Karsavin, Mstislav Dobuzhinskiy and others who have found refuge from persecution in Lithuania), the myth about interwar Republic of Lithuania as the apogee of Lithuanian state and Lithuanian nation development, the myth of Russians as a foreign segment of society to Lithuania.
Finding the most appropriate and psychologically comfortable options for self-identity of Russians was supported and promoted by the first of these myths, especially since it had a prospect of implementing the new historical conditions. At the same time the third myth was strongly refuted, an opinion on the nature of imported Russian culture in Lithuania was denied, long-standing presence of Russians in the country and a significant contribution to the development of its culture were supported. Construction of ideas about Russians as a national segment of the Lithuanian society began, starting with Ruthenians of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Russian wives of Lithuanian princes and distribution of Orthodoxy, and the succession of Russian society and Russian culture.  Imagined community of Lithuanian Russians or Russians in Lithuania include modern Russian minority, Kaunas ballet dancers and scientists of the first half of the XX century, artists and officials litterateurs of the XIX century, the Old Believers of the XVIII century. “Battle for autochthony” was conducted mainly in the press, radio and television programs, accompanied by a variety of exhibitions, conferences and other events to promote and memorialize individual figures. 
Old Believers tradition enjoyed increased attention, because it was not enforced by the authorities, evidenced the presence of Russian culture in Lithuania for a long time, and its existence forms brought extra touch of authenticity. Compilative publications about the Orthodox churches, caused by changes of the church position in society, also contributed to the discourse of continuity. The study and promotion of Russian culture and its figures during the interwar period were particularly important, as the independent Republic of Lithuania in 1918–1940 was a reference point for reviving Lithuanian state, served as proof of the possibility of the existence of Russian population and the development of Russian culture in terms of the independence of Lithuania, was a model of relations between minority and society, minority and state in the new situation.
At the same time, studies of Russians abroad were developed in the mid-1980s, in which the history of Russian culture in Lithuania was considered as a part of Russians in foreign countries, usually in the context of the Baltic countries. Meanwhile, in the academic research of Lithuanian scientists, history of Russian culture as a segment of the cultural history of Lithuania got free from methodological enforcement and ideological limitations. By the mid-1990s, the first period of the returning of Russian culture from oblivion and the construction of cultural and historical continuity was over. The signs of it are the socio-political and academic legitimacy of individual figures of Russian culture in Lithuania and Russian culture in Lithuania in general, and the memorialization of most prominent figures of Russian culture in Lithuania. It has resulted in the establishment of memorial tables, naming several schools after Russian culture figures and formation of school museums, gradual shifting of Russian cultural history and historical continuity from the mass media to the area of academic research.