Lithuania — books & literature

The story of Lithuania

Lithuania's story begins with Baltic tribes who settled the shores of the Baltic Sea millennia ago. In 1253, Mindaugas was crowned the first and only King of Lithuania, unifying the surrounding lands into a single state. Lithuania went on to become the last pagan nation in Europe, holding out until its Christianization in 1387. Under Grand Duke Vytautas the Great, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania grew into one of the largest states in Europe, stretching from the Baltic to the Black Sea, and in 1410 its forces helped crush the Teutonic Knights at the Battle of Grunwald. The 1569 Union of Lublin joined Lithuania with Poland into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, a union that lasted until the partitions of the late 18th century absorbed Lithuania into the Russian Empire. Independence was declared on 16 February 1918, but the 20th century brought Soviet occupation, Nazi German occupation, and a second, decades-long Soviet occupation. Lithuania became the first Soviet republic to declare the restoration of its independence, on 11 March 1990, and joined the EU and NATO in 2004. Today it is a confident Baltic nation proud of its ancient language and hard-won freedom.

Timeline — key moments

1. 1253

   Mindaugas is crowned King of Lithuania, the first and only king, unifying the Lithuanian lands.

2. 1387

   Lithuania is Christianized , the last pagan nation in Europe to convert.

3. 1410

   Battle of Grunwald (Tannenberg): Polish-Lithuanian forces under Vytautas the Great defeat the Teutonic Knights.

4. 1569

   Union of Lublin creates the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

5. 1795

   Third Partition of Poland-Lithuania; Lithuanian lands absorbed into the Russian Empire.

6. 1918

   Act of Independence declared on 16 February.

7. 1940-1990

   Soviet occupation (1940), Nazi German occupation (1941-1944), then renewed Soviet occupation (1944-1990).

8. 1989

   The Baltic Way: an approximately 600 km human chain links Vilnius, Riga, and Tallinn in peaceful protest.

9. 1990

   Act of the Re-Establishment of Independence (11 March) , Lithuania is the first Soviet republic to declare independence.

10. 2004

    Lithuania joins the European Union and NATO.

Top 10 things to know about Lithuania

1. Lithuania was the last pagan nation in Europe, converting to Christianity only in 1387.
2. The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was once one of the largest states in Europe, reaching the Black Sea.
3. Lithuanian is one of the oldest living Indo-European languages, preserving features linguists say are close to Proto-Indo-European.
4. Vilnius Old Town is one of the largest surviving medieval old towns in Northern Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
5. Lithuania was the first Soviet republic to declare the restoration of independence, on 11 March 1990.
6. The 1989 Baltic Way human chain linked roughly 2 million people across Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.
7. Basketball is often called Lithuania's "second religion" , the national team is one of Europe's most successful.
8. The Curonian Spit, a UNESCO-listed strip of sand dunes, is shared between Lithuania and Russia.
9. Amber gathered from the Baltic coast has been called "Lithuanian gold" and traded since ancient times.
10. Trakai Island Castle, rebuilt on a lake near Vilnius, is one of Europe's few island castles.

Famous people from Lithuania

Say it in Lithuania's language

Did you know?

• ★Lithuania held out as the last pagan nation in Europe until its official Christianization in 1387.
• ★A 1989 French geographical calculation placed the geographic centre of Europe just north of Vilnius.
• ★Basketball is such a national passion in Lithuania that the sport is nicknamed the country's "second religion".

Lithuania culture

• Joninės (St. John's / Midsummer festival) features bonfires and wreath-floating rooted in pre-Christian solstice traditions.
• Cepelinai (potato dumplings) and šaltibarščiai (cold beet soup) are considered national dishes.
• Amber jewelry, worked from Baltic Sea amber, is a hallmark of Lithuanian craft.
• The Lithuanian Song and Dance Celebration (Dainų šventė), a mass choral and dance gathering held every few years, is recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage.

Why read Lithuania's books

Lithuanian literature carries the voice of a nation that preserved its language and stories through repeated occupations , from Adam Mickiewicz's Romantic epics to the dissident poetry of the Soviet era. Reading Lithuania's books is a way into that endurance.