Liudas Gira
Encyclopedia
Liudas Gira was a Lithuania
n poet, writer, and literary critic. His is noted for his early poetry, which resembles traditional Lithuanian folk songs
. Gira was active in cultural and political life, gradually shifting towards communism
in 1930s. He supported the Soviet Union
and helped to transform independent Lithuania into the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic. His son, Vytautas Sirijos Gira, is also a known poet and writer.
. He was one of the founders of the Lithuanian Populists' Union and one of the leaders of the Lithuanian Christian Democrats
. In the aftermath of World War I
, Gira joined the Lithuanian army, but was jailed by the Bolsheviks during the Lithuanian–Soviet War
for six months. He briefly headed the Lithuanian intelligence and helped to discover and liquidate the attempted Polish coup d'état
against the Lithuanian government in 1919. Later he worked as theater director (1922–1926) and as secretary of commission responsible for book publishing under the Ministry of Education (1926–1936).
by the Soviet Union
in June 1940. Elected to the People's Seimas, Gira was one of the 20-member delegation sent to petition the Soviet Union to accept the newly proclaimed Lithuanian SSR
into the union. He served as Assistant Commissar of Education until occupation by Nazi Germany
in June 1941. Gira fled to the Russian SFSR and joined the 16th Rifle Division
. After the war he returned to Lithuania, became a full member of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences
and was recognized as the People's Poet.
of Dzūkija
region. Because they resembled songs, several poems were set to music and became popular songs. These works idealize Lithuanian history and have features of romanticism
. The poems also describe emotional, intimate experiences; they are melancholic and elegant. The early poems were published in several collections, including Dul dul dūdelė (1909), Žalioji pievelė (1911), Laukų dainos (1912), Tėvynės keliais (1912). Later works were influenced by symbolism
and feature love and patriotism. Compilations from this period include Žiežirbos (1921), Žygio godos (1928), Šilko gijos (1928), Amžių žingsniai (1929). The last works were produced under the Soviet influence, reflected the official Soviet propaganda, and conformed to demands of Socialist realism
. These poems rejoiced Lithuania's conversion into a soviet socialist republic, praised the Soviet Union, and described heroic Soviet struggle against Nazi Germany. They were published in Žalgirio Lietuva (1942), Smurtas ir ryžtas (1942), Tolimuos keliuos (1945). Gira also wrote several plays, including Kerštas (1910), Svečiai (1910), Paparčio žiedas (1928). These works borrowed plots from heroic episodes of the Lithuanian history and were influenced by Vincas Krėvė-Mickevičius
, Vydūnas
, and Stanisław Przybyszewski. Posthumously his works were published in five volumes in 1960–1963.
Gira began writing for periodicals in 1901. He wrote for and edited newspapers Vilniaus žinios
(1905–1906), Šviesa (1906), and Lietuvos ūkininkas (1907), literary almanac Švyturys (1911–1912), first Lithuanian literary journal Vaivorykštė (1913–1914), Literatūros naujienos (1938–1939). He also translated poems by Alexander Pushkin, Mikhail Lermontov
, Konstantin Balmont
, Władysław Syrokomla, Heinrich Heine
, Taras Shevchenko
into the Lithuanian language. He also experimented in writing poetry in Polish, Russian, Belarusian languages. Gira compiled and published works by Lithuanian writers Antanas Strazdas
, Lazdynų Pelėda
, Ksaveras Sakalauskas-Vanagėlis, Pranas Vaičaitis, and Edmundas Steponaitis. He also compiled several anthologies of Lithuanian poetry, including Lietuva pavasarį, vasarą, rudenį ir žiemą (1911), Cit, paklausykit (1914), Aš deklamuoju! (1929), Mūsų tėvynė (1930).
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...
n poet, writer, and literary critic. His is noted for his early poetry, which resembles traditional Lithuanian folk songs
Daina (Lithuania)
Daina is the traditional name of vocal folk music in the Baltic languages, and is preserved in Lithuania and Latvia. Lithuanian dainas are often noted not only for their mythological content, but also for relating historical events....
. Gira was active in cultural and political life, gradually shifting towards communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
in 1930s. He supported the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and helped to transform independent Lithuania into the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic. His son, Vytautas Sirijos Gira, is also a known poet and writer.
Biography
In 1905, Gira graduated from the Vilnius Theological Seminary, but was not ordained into priesthood. He was active in cultural and political life. Gira participated in the Great Seimas of VilniusGreat Seimas of Vilnius
The Great Seimas of Vilnius , was a major assembly held on December 4 and 5, 1905 in Vilnius, Lithuania, then part of the Russian Empire, largely inspired by the Russian Revolution of 1905. It was the first modern national congress in Lithuania and dealt primarily not with the social issues that...
. He was one of the founders of the Lithuanian Populists' Union and one of the leaders of the Lithuanian Christian Democrats
Lithuanian Christian Democrats
The Lithuanian Christian Democrats or LKD was a Christian-democratic political party in Lithuania. Originally established in 1905, it was closely associated with the Roman Catholic Church...
. In the aftermath of World War I
Aftermath of World War I
The fighting in World War I ended in western Europe when the Armistice took effect at 11:00 am GMT on November 11, 1918, and in eastern Europe by the early 1920s. During and in the aftermath of the war the political, cultural, and social order was drastically changed in Europe, Asia and Africa,...
, Gira joined the Lithuanian army, but was jailed by the Bolsheviks during the Lithuanian–Soviet War
Lithuanian–Soviet War
The Lithuanian–Soviet War or Lithuanian–Bolshevik War was fought between newly independent Lithuania and the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic in the aftermath of World War I. It was part of the larger Soviet westward offensive of 1918–1919...
for six months. He briefly headed the Lithuanian intelligence and helped to discover and liquidate the attempted Polish coup d'état
1919 Polish coup d'état attempt in Lithuania
The Polish coup d'état attempt in Lithuania refers to a failed attempt by Józef Piłsudski to overthrow the existing government of Lithuania, led by Prime Minister Mykolas Sleževičius, and install a more pro-Polish cabinet that would agree to a union with Poland. The coup d'etat was to be carried...
against the Lithuanian government in 1919. Later he worked as theater director (1922–1926) and as secretary of commission responsible for book publishing under the Ministry of Education (1926–1936).
Soviet Collaborator
In 1930s his political views shifted to communism and he supported the occupation and annexation of LithuaniaOccupation and annexation of the Baltic states by the Soviet Union (1940)
The occupation and annexation of the Baltic states by the Soviet Union covers the period from the Soviet–Baltic mutual assistance pacts in 1939, to the illegal annexation in 1940, to the mass deportations of 1941...
by the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in June 1940. Elected to the People's Seimas, Gira was one of the 20-member delegation sent to petition the Soviet Union to accept the newly proclaimed Lithuanian SSR
Lithuanian SSR
The Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Lithuanian SSR, was one of the republics that made up the former Soviet Union...
into the union. He served as Assistant Commissar of Education until occupation by Nazi Germany
Occupation of Lithuania by Nazi Germany
The occupation of Lithuania by Nazi Germany refers to the occupation of Lithuania by Nazi Germany from the start of the German invasion of Soviet Union to the end of the Battle of Memel . At first the Germans were welcomed as "liberators" from the repressive Soviet regime which occupied Lithuania...
in June 1941. Gira fled to the Russian SFSR and joined the 16th Rifle Division
16th Rifle Division (Soviet Union)
The 16th Rifle Division , was a formation in the Red Army created during the Second World War. The division was formed twice, and was given the title 'Lithuanian' during its second formation. It was originally established at Novgorod in October 1939. It was wiped out at Mga in 1941...
. After the war he returned to Lithuania, became a full member of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences
Lithuanian Academy of Sciences
The Lithuanian Academy of Sciences or LAS, founded in 1941 as the Lithuanian SSR Academy of Sciences , as an autonomous, state-subsidized establishment serving as a scientific advisory body to the government of Lithuanian SSR...
and was recognized as the People's Poet.
Works
Poetry is most important of Gira's works. The early works borrowed from traditional Lithuanian folk songsDaina (Lithuania)
Daina is the traditional name of vocal folk music in the Baltic languages, and is preserved in Lithuania and Latvia. Lithuanian dainas are often noted not only for their mythological content, but also for relating historical events....
of Dzūkija
Dzukija
Dzūkija or Dainava is one of five ethnographic regions of Lithuania. Dzūkija is a cultural region defined by traditional lifestyles and dialects of the local Lithuanian population and has never been defined as a political or administrative unit...
region. Because they resembled songs, several poems were set to music and became popular songs. These works idealize Lithuanian history and have features of romanticism
Romanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
. The poems also describe emotional, intimate experiences; they are melancholic and elegant. The early poems were published in several collections, including Dul dul dūdelė (1909), Žalioji pievelė (1911), Laukų dainos (1912), Tėvynės keliais (1912). Later works were influenced by symbolism
Symbolism (arts)
Symbolism was a late nineteenth-century art movement of French, Russian and Belgian origin in poetry and other arts. In literature, the style had its beginnings with the publication Les Fleurs du mal by Charles Baudelaire...
and feature love and patriotism. Compilations from this period include Žiežirbos (1921), Žygio godos (1928), Šilko gijos (1928), Amžių žingsniai (1929). The last works were produced under the Soviet influence, reflected the official Soviet propaganda, and conformed to demands of Socialist realism
Socialist realism
Socialist realism is a style of realistic art which was developed in the Soviet Union and became a dominant style in other communist countries. Socialist realism is a teleologically-oriented style having its purpose the furtherance of the goals of socialism and communism...
. These poems rejoiced Lithuania's conversion into a soviet socialist republic, praised the Soviet Union, and described heroic Soviet struggle against Nazi Germany. They were published in Žalgirio Lietuva (1942), Smurtas ir ryžtas (1942), Tolimuos keliuos (1945). Gira also wrote several plays, including Kerštas (1910), Svečiai (1910), Paparčio žiedas (1928). These works borrowed plots from heroic episodes of the Lithuanian history and were influenced by Vincas Krėvė-Mickevičius
Vincas Kreve-Mickevicius
Vincas Mickevičius , better known by his pen name Vincas Krėvė-Mickevičius, was a Lithuanian writer, poet, novelist, playwright and philologist...
, Vydūnas
Vydunas
Wilhelm Storost, artistic name Vilius Storostas-Vydūnas , mostly known as Vydūnas, was a Prussian-Lithuania teacher, poet, humanist, philosopher and Lithuanian...
, and Stanisław Przybyszewski. Posthumously his works were published in five volumes in 1960–1963.
Gira began writing for periodicals in 1901. He wrote for and edited newspapers Vilniaus žinios
Vilniaus žinios
Vilniaus žinios was a short-lived newspaper published in Vilnius, Lithuania. It was the first legal Lithuanian-language daily newspaper to appear after the Lithuanian press ban was lifted on May 7, 1904.-History:...
(1905–1906), Šviesa (1906), and Lietuvos ūkininkas (1907), literary almanac Švyturys (1911–1912), first Lithuanian literary journal Vaivorykštė (1913–1914), Literatūros naujienos (1938–1939). He also translated poems by Alexander Pushkin, Mikhail Lermontov
Mikhail Lermontov
Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov , a Russian Romantic writer, poet and painter, sometimes called "the poet of the Caucasus", became the most important Russian poet after Alexander Pushkin's death in 1837. Lermontov is considered the supreme poet of Russian literature alongside Pushkin and the greatest...
, Konstantin Balmont
Konstantin Balmont
Konstantin Dmitriyevich Balmont was a Russian symbolist poet, translator, one of the major figures of the Silver Age of Russian Poetry.-Biography:Konstantin Balmont was born in v...
, Władysław Syrokomla, Heinrich Heine
Heinrich Heine
Christian Johann Heinrich Heine was one of the most significant German poets of the 19th century. He was also a journalist, essayist, and literary critic. He is best known outside Germany for his early lyric poetry, which was set to music in the form of Lieder by composers such as Robert Schumann...
, Taras Shevchenko
Taras Shevchenko
Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko -Life:Born into a serf family of Hryhoriy Ivanovych Shevchenko and Kateryna Yakymivna Shevchenko in the village of Moryntsi, of Kiev Governorate of the Russian Empire Shevchenko was orphaned at the age of eleven...
into the Lithuanian language. He also experimented in writing poetry in Polish, Russian, Belarusian languages. Gira compiled and published works by Lithuanian writers Antanas Strazdas
Antanas Strazdas
Antanas Strazdas was a Lithuanian priest and poet...
, Lazdynų Pelėda
Lazdynų Pelėda
Lazdynų Pelėda was the common pen name of two Lithuanian sisters writers:* Sofija Ivanauskaitė-Pšibiliauskienė * Marija Ivanauskaitė-Lastauskienė...
, Ksaveras Sakalauskas-Vanagėlis, Pranas Vaičaitis, and Edmundas Steponaitis. He also compiled several anthologies of Lithuanian poetry, including Lietuva pavasarį, vasarą, rudenį ir žiemą (1911), Cit, paklausykit (1914), Aš deklamuoju! (1929), Mūsų tėvynė (1930).