Banknotes of the Lithuanian litas
Encyclopedia
The modern banknotes of Lithuania
are denominated in litas
. All banknotes are of the same size (135 mm x 65 mm) except for the 500 litų banknote. They bear signatures of Minister of Finance and of Chairperson of the Bank of Lithuania Board. 10, 20, and 50 litų banknotes have 4 releases. This is mainly due to security reasons: number of security features was gradually increased from virtually 0, to 9, 14 and eventually to 17. Only the first release is now completely withdrawn from the market and cannot be used either for trade or for banking transactions. The first release bears the date "1991" but were actually released to the public in 1993 for a very brief time (June-October). Since they were replaced in the same year, the first release is dated to 1991 and the second to 1993.
The banknotes are not printed in Lithuania. At first they were printed by the United States Banknote Corporation, later by the UK-based Thomas De La Rue and Co., Ltd.
and the Germany-based Giesecke & Devrient GmbH.
.jpg)
The reverse of the 10 litų banknote features Lithuanian heroes, Steponas Darius
and Stasys Girėnas
. In 1933 they flew from New York
over the Atlantic Ocean with a small plane called Lituanica
. However, the plane mysteriously crashed in Germany (now Poland). The duo did not survive. The obverse depicts Lituanica flying over the Atlantic Ocean
with visible shores of the North America
and Europe
.
This banknote was noticed by the international press covering the introduction of the litas. Journalists made a metaphor
that the litas should do better than the pilots, i.e. the litas, hopefully, would not crash. In later years, the banknote received unexpected media attention when the gay community
started to send this banknote as a souvenir to foreign friends.
The most recent release clearly shows Darius wearing the cap with an insignia from the Palwaukee Municipal Airport
located in Wheeling, Illinois
http://www.michigancoinclub.org/palwaukee.html. It attracted some attention from topic collectors.
The banknote was designed and redesigned by Giedrius Jonaitis. The very first draft of new Lithuanian currency had Darius and Girėnas on the 5 litai banknote. It was released in different designs four times (in 1993 (twice), 1997, and 2001). The first banknote design started an international scandal. In 1992, these banknotes were printed and ready to be released to the public. However, it was discovered that they were virtually unprotected. It delayed the introduction of the litas as the banknotes had to be reprinted. The banknotes bearing the date "1991" were released for a very short time and were quickly replaced by the 1993 issue. The major design ideas have not changed throughout the issues.
In 1993, on the 60th anniversary of Lituanica's flight, the 10 litų silver commemorative coin was issued featuring the pilots. It was the second commemorative coin issued by "Lithuanian Mint" (the first was for Pope John Paul II
's visit to Lithuania).
.jpg)
The banknote features a portrait of the Lithuanian romantic poet
Maironis
(real name Jonas Mačiulis, 1862-1932) who was a great patriot and made efforts to "wake up" the nation, to inspire resistance to Russification
policies and fight for the independence of Lithuania from Imperial Russia.
The obverse features the Vytautas the Great War Museum
in Kaunas
, with its carillon
tower (the most famous exhibit in the museum is a wreckage of "Lituanica" airplane). The reverse also depicts the Statue of Liberty by Juozas Zikaras
, commemorating the declaration of Lithuania's independence
in 1918. The 20 litų banknote released in 1930 also featured the same Statue of Liberty on the back, just it is on the left hand side. The obverse of the 1930 banknote featured Vytautas the Great
himself.
The banknotes printed in 1991, together with the 10 litų banknotes, started an international scandal. The 1991 release was replaced very quickly. The 1993 release was designed by Justas Tolvaišis. The last issue was designed by Giedrius Jonaitis. The major change in 2001 issue was moving the Statue of Liberty from the left hand side to the right on the back.
.jpg)
The obverse bears a portrait of the national patriarch
, scholar, statesman and signatory of Lithuania's Declaration of Independence
of February 16, 1918, Dr. Jonas Basanavičius
(1851-1927). Sometimes he is nicknamed as "father of independence" as he was the chairman of Council of Lithuania
when the declaration was signed.
The back of the banknote depicts Vilnius Cathedral
and its belfry, Monument to Grand Duke Gediminas, Gediminas Castle
and the Hill of Three Crosses. All these objects are considered as the heart of Vilnius and are strong national symbols
.
The 50 litų banknote released in 1928 also features Basanavičius and Vilnius Cathedral. It makes this banknote the only one that closely represents a banknote released in the interwar Lithuania.
The 1991 release faced the same destiny as 10 and 20 litų banknotes. They were released for a very short time. The 1993 release was designed by Ray Bartkus
. At first the reverse depicted only Vilnius Cathedral and indistinctive houses of Vilnius Old Town. In 1998 release, however, the view of the cathedral shifted to include the other monuments. The 2003 issue is the newest banknote added to the banknote family. Quite possibly it will be the last one, as Euro is expected to replace the litas in 2008 or later. Despite that, the view featured on the banknote appears outdated as it fails to display the Royal Palace
, still under construction.
.jpg)
It features Simonas Daukantas
(1793–1864), the initiator of the national rebirth movement
(when Lithuanians started to realize that they are one nation), historian, who wrote the first history of Lithuania
in the Lithuanian language
. The reverse shows the Vilnius Old Town
, which is included in the UNESCO
list of World Heritage Site
s. The focus is the architectural ensemble of Vilnius University
with St. John's Church and its belfry. This makes Vilnius
featured twice.
The first 1991 release of the 100 litų banknotes did not meet the same destiny as 10, 20, or 50 litų banknotes. It was decided that it had sufficient security measures to be released and used. However, it did not spread widely and today together with other 1991 banknotes is withdrawn from the market. It could be exchanged for a new 100 litų banknote only at Bank of Lithuania central office. The new banknote with 19 security features was introduced only in 2000. The appearance changed quite a bit. The back of the new banknote zooms in more on the Vilnius University campus and leaves less space for other houses in Vilnius Old Town. Also, the colors are brighter and sharper. In format it now resembles more 200 and 500 litų banknotes than 10, 20, or 50.
(real name Vilhelmas Storosta, 1868-1953), a prominent Lithuanian philosopher, writer, poet, playwright, musician, pedagogue and culture educator. He was spreading idealistic philosophy and ideas of humanism
through his works.
The back depicts the Klaipėda
(Memel) lighthouse erected in 1796 and reconstructed in 1819. The lighthouse was 29.2 m high and its beams stretched up to 35 kilometers. The lighthouse was a symbol of the city and was popular among tourists. However, it has not survived and is not well known today. However, it is very likely that Klaipėda was chosen because Vilnius
was featured twice, Kaunas
once, and Klaipėda is the 3rd largest city in Lithuania.
The designer is Rytis Valantinas and it is the only release.
.jpg)
The banknote depicts a portrait of Vincas Kudirka
(1858-1899), a Lithuanian writer, participant of the national rebirth movement and author of Tautiška giesmė
, the national anthem.
The back of the note shows Bell of the Freedom in the background of Nemunas loops, a well-known scenery. The bell is inscribed in Lithuanian: "O skambink per amžius vaikams Lietuvos, kad laisvės nevertas, kas negina jos" (in English: "Thou shall ring through the centuries to the children of Lithuania: he who does not defend freedom is not worthy of it"}. This four-line poem was created by Bronius Kazys Balutis (1879-1967) and became the motto of Bell of Freedom, a newspaper published by one of the partisan
groups. Also, Kudirka was one of the publishers of Varpas
("bell") newspaper to educate and inspire Lithuanians to for a nation and fight for independence during the Lithuanian national revival
.
This banknote is slightly bigger than the rest (147 mm x 70 mm) and has 22 security features (other banknotes have 16-19). At first it was doubted if Lithuania needs 500 litai banknote as it was more than a minimum monthly salary. The designer of the banknote is Giedrius Jonaitis and it is the only release.
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
are denominated in litas
Lithuanian litas
The Lithuanian litas is the currency of Lithuania. It is divided into 100 centų...
. All banknotes are of the same size (135 mm x 65 mm) except for the 500 litų banknote. They bear signatures of Minister of Finance and of Chairperson of the Bank of Lithuania Board. 10, 20, and 50 litų banknotes have 4 releases. This is mainly due to security reasons: number of security features was gradually increased from virtually 0, to 9, 14 and eventually to 17. Only the first release is now completely withdrawn from the market and cannot be used either for trade or for banking transactions. The first release bears the date "1991" but were actually released to the public in 1993 for a very brief time (June-October). Since they were replaced in the same year, the first release is dated to 1991 and the second to 1993.
The banknotes are not printed in Lithuania. At first they were printed by the United States Banknote Corporation, later by the UK-based Thomas De La Rue and Co., Ltd.
De La Rue
De La Rue plc is a British security printing, papermaking and cash handling systems company headquartered in Basingstoke, Hampshire. It also has a factory on the Team Valley Trading Estate, Gateshead, and other facilities at Loughton, Essex and Bathford, Somerset...
and the Germany-based Giesecke & Devrient GmbH.
10 litų
Steponas Darius
Steponas Darius was a Lithuanian-American pilot....
and Stasys Girėnas
Stasys Girenas
Stasys Girėnas was a Lithuanian-American pilot....
. In 1933 they flew from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
over the Atlantic Ocean with a small plane called Lituanica
Lituanica
Lituanica was an Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker airplane flown from the United States across the Atlantic Ocean by Lithuanian-American pilots Steponas Darius and Stasys Girėnas in 1933...
. However, the plane mysteriously crashed in Germany (now Poland). The duo did not survive. The obverse depicts Lituanica flying over the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
with visible shores of the North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
This banknote was noticed by the international press covering the introduction of the litas. Journalists made a metaphor
Metaphor
A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
that the litas should do better than the pilots, i.e. the litas, hopefully, would not crash. In later years, the banknote received unexpected media attention when the gay community
Gay community
The gay community, or LGBT community, is a loosely defined grouping of LGBT and LGBT-supportive people, organizations and subcultures, united by a common culture and civil rights movements. These communities generally celebrate pride, diversity, individuality, and sexuality...
started to send this banknote as a souvenir to foreign friends.
The most recent release clearly shows Darius wearing the cap with an insignia from the Palwaukee Municipal Airport
Palwaukee Municipal Airport
Chicago Executive Airport , formerly known as Palwaukee Municipal Airport, is a public airport located 18 nautical miles northwest of Chicago, in the village of Wheeling in Cook County, Illinois, United States...
located in Wheeling, Illinois
Wheeling, Illinois
Wheeling is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, and a suburb of Chicago. The population was 34,496 at the 2000 census, and 38,555 at the 2006 special village census.-Geography:Wheeling is located at ....
http://www.michigancoinclub.org/palwaukee.html. It attracted some attention from topic collectors.
The banknote was designed and redesigned by Giedrius Jonaitis. The very first draft of new Lithuanian currency had Darius and Girėnas on the 5 litai banknote. It was released in different designs four times (in 1993 (twice), 1997, and 2001). The first banknote design started an international scandal. In 1992, these banknotes were printed and ready to be released to the public. However, it was discovered that they were virtually unprotected. It delayed the introduction of the litas as the banknotes had to be reprinted. The banknotes bearing the date "1991" were released for a very short time and were quickly replaced by the 1993 issue. The major design ideas have not changed throughout the issues.
In 1993, on the 60th anniversary of Lituanica's flight, the 10 litų silver commemorative coin was issued featuring the pilots. It was the second commemorative coin issued by "Lithuanian Mint" (the first was for Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
's visit to Lithuania).
20 litų
Romantic poetry
Romanticism, a philosophical, literary, artistic and cultural era which began in the mid/late-1700s as a reaction against the prevailing Enlightenment ideals of the day , also influenced poetry...
Maironis
Maironis
Maironis is one of the most famous Lithuanian romantic poets. He was born in Pasandravys, Raseiniai district municipality, Lithuania. Maironis graduated from Kaunas high school and went on to study Literature at Kiev University. However, in 1884, after one year of studies at the university, he...
(real name Jonas Mačiulis, 1862-1932) who was a great patriot and made efforts to "wake up" the nation, to inspire resistance to Russification
Russification
Russification is an adoption of the Russian language or some other Russian attributes by non-Russian communities...
policies and fight for the independence of Lithuania from Imperial Russia.
The obverse features the Vytautas the Great War Museum
Vytautas the Great War Museum
The Vytautas the Great War Museum is a museum in Kaunas, Lithuania. It was opened on 16 February 1936 and named after Vytautas the Great, Grand Duke of Lithuania. The museum displays historical artefacts pertaining to Lithuania and Kaunas from prehistoric times to the present day, including a...
in Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
, with its carillon
Carillon
A carillon is a musical instrument that is typically housed in a free-standing bell tower, or the belfry of a church or other municipal building. The instrument consists of at least 23 cast bronze, cup-shaped bells, which are played serially to play a melody, or sounded together to play a chord...
tower (the most famous exhibit in the museum is a wreckage of "Lituanica" airplane). The reverse also depicts the Statue of Liberty by Juozas Zikaras
Juozas Zikaras
Juozas Zikaras was a Lithuanian sculptor and artist, who created the design for pre-war Lithuanian litas coins. He is considered to be one of the first professional Lithuanian sculptors.-Biography:...
, commemorating the declaration of Lithuania's independence
Act of Independence of Lithuania
The Act of Independence of Lithuania or Act of February 16 was signed by the Council of Lithuania on February 16, 1918, proclaiming the restoration of an independent State of Lithuania, governed by democratic principles, with Vilnius as its capital. The Act was signed by all twenty...
in 1918. The 20 litų banknote released in 1930 also featured the same Statue of Liberty on the back, just it is on the left hand side. The obverse of the 1930 banknote featured Vytautas the Great
Vytautas the Great
Vytautas ; styled "the Great" from the 15th century onwards; c. 1350 October 27, 1430) was one of the most famous rulers of medieval Lithuania. Vytautas was the ruler of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania which chiefly encompassed the Lithuanians and Ruthenians...
himself.
The banknotes printed in 1991, together with the 10 litų banknotes, started an international scandal. The 1991 release was replaced very quickly. The 1993 release was designed by Justas Tolvaišis. The last issue was designed by Giedrius Jonaitis. The major change in 2001 issue was moving the Statue of Liberty from the left hand side to the right on the back.
50 litų
Pater Patriae
Pater Patriae , also seen as Parens Patriae, is a Latin honorific meaning "Father of the Country," or more literally, "Father of the Fatherland".- Roman history :...
, scholar, statesman and signatory of Lithuania's Declaration of Independence
Signatories of the Act of Independence of Lithuania
The signatories of the Act of Independence of Lithuania were the twenty Lithuanian men who signed the Act of Independence of Lithuania on February 16, 1918. The signatories were elected to the Council of Lithuania by the Vilnius Conference in September 1917 and entrusted with the mission of...
of February 16, 1918, Dr. Jonas Basanavičius
Jonas Basanavicius
Jonas Basanavičius was an activist and proponent of Lithuania's National Revival and founder of the first Lithuanian language newspaper Aušra. He was one of the initiators and the Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the 1905 Congress of Lithuanians, the Great Seimas of Vilnius...
(1851-1927). Sometimes he is nicknamed as "father of independence" as he was the chairman of Council of Lithuania
Council of Lithuania
The Council of Lithuania , after July 11, 1918 The State Council of Lithuania , was convened at the Vilnius Conference that took place between September 18 and 23, 1917. The council was granted the executive authority of the Lithuanian people and was entrusted to establish an independent...
when the declaration was signed.
The back of the banknote depicts Vilnius Cathedral
Vilnius Cathedral
The Cathedral of Vilnius is the main Roman Catholic Cathedral of Lithuania.It is situated in Vilnius Old Town, just off of Cathedral Square. It is the heart of Lithuania's Catholic spiritual life....
and its belfry, Monument to Grand Duke Gediminas, Gediminas Castle
Gediminas Castle
Gediminas Castle is the name applied to:* Gediminas Tower in Vilnius, Lithuania* Lida Castle in Lida, Belarus...
and the Hill of Three Crosses. All these objects are considered as the heart of Vilnius and are strong national symbols
Symbols of Lithuania
The symbols of Lithuania are used in Lithuania and abroad to represent the country and its people, history, culture, and nature. These symbols are seen in official capacities, such as flags, coats of arms, postage stamps, and currency, and in URLs...
.
The 50 litų banknote released in 1928 also features Basanavičius and Vilnius Cathedral. It makes this banknote the only one that closely represents a banknote released in the interwar Lithuania.
The 1991 release faced the same destiny as 10 and 20 litų banknotes. They were released for a very short time. The 1993 release was designed by Ray Bartkus
Ray Bartkus
Ray Bartkus is a Lithuanian artist. He graduated from the Vilnius Academy of Art in 1986. He is the designer of the Lithuanian 50 Litas bill....
. At first the reverse depicted only Vilnius Cathedral and indistinctive houses of Vilnius Old Town. In 1998 release, however, the view of the cathedral shifted to include the other monuments. The 2003 issue is the newest banknote added to the banknote family. Quite possibly it will be the last one, as Euro is expected to replace the litas in 2008 or later. Despite that, the view featured on the banknote appears outdated as it fails to display the Royal Palace
Royal Palace of Lithuania
The Royal Palace of Lithuania was a palace in Vilnius, Lithuania, built in the 15th century for the rulers of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The Royal Palace in the Lower Castle evolved over the years and prospered during the 16th and mid-17th centuries. For four centuries the Palace was the...
, still under construction.
100 litų
Simonas Daukantas
Simonas Daukantas or Szymon Dowkont was a Lithuanian writer, ethnographer and historian. One of the pioneers of the Lithuanian national revival, he is credited as an author of the first book on the history of Lithuania written in the Lithuanian language...
(1793–1864), the initiator of the national rebirth movement
Lithuanian National Revival
Lithuanian National Revival, alternatively Lithuanian National Awakening , was a period of the history of Lithuania in the 19th century at the time when a major part of Lithuanian inhabited areas belonged to the Russian Empire...
(when Lithuanians started to realize that they are one nation), historian, who wrote the first history of Lithuania
History of Lithuania
The history of Lithuania dates back to at least 1009, the first recorded written use of the term. Lithuanians, a branch of the Baltic peoples, later conquered neighboring lands, establishing the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and in the 13th century the short-lived Kingdom of Lithuania. The Grand Duchy...
in the Lithuanian language
Lithuanian language
Lithuanian is the official state language of Lithuania and is recognized as one of the official languages of the European Union. There are about 2.96 million native Lithuanian speakers in Lithuania and about 170,000 abroad. Lithuanian is a Baltic language, closely related to Latvian, although they...
. The reverse shows the Vilnius Old Town
Vilnius Old Town
The Old Town of Vilnius , one of the largest surviving medieval old towns in Northern Europe, has an area of 3.59 square kilometres . It encompasses 74 quarters, with 70 streets and lanes numbering 1487 buildings with a total floor area of 1,497,000 square meters...
, which is included in the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
list of World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
s. The focus is the architectural ensemble of Vilnius University
Vilnius University
Vilnius University is the oldest university in the Baltic states and one of the oldest in Eastern Europe. It is also the largest university in Lithuania....
with St. John's Church and its belfry. This makes Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
featured twice.
The first 1991 release of the 100 litų banknotes did not meet the same destiny as 10, 20, or 50 litų banknotes. It was decided that it had sufficient security measures to be released and used. However, it did not spread widely and today together with other 1991 banknotes is withdrawn from the market. It could be exchanged for a new 100 litų banknote only at Bank of Lithuania central office. The new banknote with 19 security features was introduced only in 2000. The appearance changed quite a bit. The back of the new banknote zooms in more on the Vilnius University campus and leaves less space for other houses in Vilnius Old Town. Also, the colors are brighter and sharper. In format it now resembles more 200 and 500 litų banknotes than 10, 20, or 50.
200 litų
The banknote features a portrait of VydūnasVydunas
Wilhelm Storost, artistic name Vilius Storostas-Vydūnas , mostly known as Vydūnas, was a Prussian-Lithuania teacher, poet, humanist, philosopher and Lithuanian...
(real name Vilhelmas Storosta, 1868-1953), a prominent Lithuanian philosopher, writer, poet, playwright, musician, pedagogue and culture educator. He was spreading idealistic philosophy and ideas of humanism
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
through his works.
The back depicts the Klaipėda
Klaipeda
Klaipėda is a city in Lithuania situated at the mouth of the Nemunas River where it flows into the Baltic Sea. It is the third largest city in Lithuania and the capital of Klaipėda County....
(Memel) lighthouse erected in 1796 and reconstructed in 1819. The lighthouse was 29.2 m high and its beams stretched up to 35 kilometers. The lighthouse was a symbol of the city and was popular among tourists. However, it has not survived and is not well known today. However, it is very likely that Klaipėda was chosen because Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
was featured twice, Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
once, and Klaipėda is the 3rd largest city in Lithuania.
The designer is Rytis Valantinas and it is the only release.
500 litų
Vincas Kudirka
Vincas Kudirka was a Lithuanian poet and physician, and the author of both the music and lyrics of the Lithuanian National Anthem, Tautiška giesmė. He is regarded in Lithuania as a National Hero. Kudirka used pen names - V...
(1858-1899), a Lithuanian writer, participant of the national rebirth movement and author of Tautiška giesmė
Tautiška giesme
Tautiška giesmė is the national anthem of Lithuania, also known by its opening words "Lietuva, Tėvyne mūsų" and as "Lietuvos himnas"...
, the national anthem.
The back of the note shows Bell of the Freedom in the background of Nemunas loops, a well-known scenery. The bell is inscribed in Lithuanian: "O skambink per amžius vaikams Lietuvos, kad laisvės nevertas, kas negina jos" (in English: "Thou shall ring through the centuries to the children of Lithuania: he who does not defend freedom is not worthy of it"}. This four-line poem was created by Bronius Kazys Balutis (1879-1967) and became the motto of Bell of Freedom, a newspaper published by one of the partisan
Partisan (military)
A partisan is a member of an irregular military force formed to oppose control of an area by a foreign power or by an army of occupation by some kind of insurgent activity...
groups. Also, Kudirka was one of the publishers of Varpas
Varpas
Varpas was a monthly Lithuanian-language newspaper published during the Lithuanian press ban from January 1889 to December 1905...
("bell") newspaper to educate and inspire Lithuanians to for a nation and fight for independence during the Lithuanian national revival
Lithuanian National Revival
Lithuanian National Revival, alternatively Lithuanian National Awakening , was a period of the history of Lithuania in the 19th century at the time when a major part of Lithuanian inhabited areas belonged to the Russian Empire...
.
This banknote is slightly bigger than the rest (147 mm x 70 mm) and has 22 security features (other banknotes have 16-19). At first it was doubted if Lithuania needs 500 litai banknote as it was more than a minimum monthly salary. The designer of the banknote is Giedrius Jonaitis and it is the only release.