Rasos Cemetery
Encyclopedia
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...
, Lithuania
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...
. It is named after the Rasos district where it is located. It is separated into two parts, the old and the new cemeteries, by a narrow Sukilėliai Street. The total area is 10.8 ha
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
. Since 1990 new burials are allowed only to family graves.
History
The year 1769 is widely cited in many sources as the date when the cemetery was founded. However, some historians believe it is a typo and the real date should be 1796. On April 24, 1801 the new cemetery was consecrated. Two days later John Muller, the mayor of Vilnius, became the first person to be buried there. A formal document was signed in July 1801. It specified that the cemetery received 3.51 haHectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
of land and that the cemetery will be free of charge to all city residents. It was the first cemetery in Vilnius not located next to a church.
In 1802-1807 two columbarium
Columbarium
A columbarium is a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns . The term comes from the Latin columba and originally referred to compartmentalized housing for doves and pigeons .The Columbarium of Pomponius Hylas is a particularly fine ancient Roman example, rich in...
s were built. They reached up to five stories in height and were joined at a right angle. At the end of the 19th century the columbariums began deteriorating. Instead of restoring them, the Soviet authorities demolished the right columbarium after World War II and the left columbarium in 1970s. In between the columbariums, a neo-gothic red brick chapel was built in 1844-1850. In 1888 a matching belltower was added to the chapel. At first the cemetery was surrounded by a wooden fence, but it burned down in 1812. A brick fence was rebuilt in 1820 and portions of it survive to this day.
In 1814 the cemetery was expanded as authorities bought additional land from a city resident. The addition is now known as the Hill of the Literaries (Lithuanian: Literatų kalnelis). In 1847, members of the Eastern Orthodox church opened their own cemetery next to Rasos. It was used to bury soldiers from a nearby monastery hospital and poor city residents. Therefore it became known as the Cemetery of Orphans (Lithuanian: Našlaičių kapinės).
The Soviets closed the cemetery in 1967 and the cemetery suffered from neglect. The whole necropolis was to be destroyed in the 1980s as the Soviet authorities planned a major motorway to be built directly through the cemetery. Due to public outcry and economical difficulties the destruction was halted. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union
Dissolution of the Soviet Union
The dissolution of the Soviet Union was the disintegration of the federal political structures and central government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , resulting in the independence of all fifteen republics of the Soviet Union between March 11, 1990 and December 25, 1991...
, Lithuanian and Polish authorities collaborated in an effort to restore the cemetery.
Polish war cemetery
In 1920 a war cemetery was built near the entrance for 164 soldiers who died in the city during the Polish-Bolshevik War and Polish-Lithuanian WarPolish-Lithuanian War
The Polish–Lithuanian War was an armed conflict between newly independent Lithuania and Poland in the aftermath of World War I. The conflict primarily concerned territorial control of the Vilnius Region, including Vilnius , and the Suwałki Region, including the towns of Suwałki, Augustów, and Sejny...
. It was rebuilt in 1935–1936 by Wojciech Jastrzębowski
Wojciech Jastrzebowski
Wojciech Jastrzębowski , was a Polish biologist, author of the term "Ergonomics".-Selected writings:* Rys ergonomji czyli nauki o pracy, opartej na prawdach poczerpniętych z Nauki Przyrody Wojciech Jastrzębowski (1799 Gierwaty - 1882 Warsaw), was a Polish biologist, author of the term...
, who also designed the tombstone where the heart of Józef Piłsudski is enshrined.
Until September 18, 1939, when the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
entered the city, an honorary guard of three soldiers stood there at all times. Three unknown soldiers who refused to give up their arms to the Soviet
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....
s in 1939 were shot on the spot and are now buried next to Marshal Piłsudski's heart. Part of the cemetery contains graves of Polish Home Army soldiers, who fell during the Second World War. Their graves, demolished after World War II, were rebuilt by the funds of Republic of Poland in 1993.
Notable interments
There are many famous LithuaniansLithuanians
Lithuanians are the Baltic ethnic group native to Lithuania, where they number around 2,765,600 people. Another million or more make up the Lithuanian diaspora, largely found in countries such as the United States, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Russia, United Kingdom and Ireland. Their native language...
, Poles
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
, and Belarusians
Belarusians
Belarusians ; are an East Slavic ethnic group who populate the majority of the Republic of Belarus. Introduced to the world as a new state in the early 1990s, the Republic of Belarus brought with it the notion of a re-emerging Belarusian ethnicity, drawn upon the lines of the Old Belarusian...
buried there, including over fifty 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....
professors. Those interred there include:
- Jonas BasanavičiusJonas BasanaviciusJonas 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), physician, scientist, patriot, activist, signer of the Act of Independence of LithuaniaAct of Independence of LithuaniaThe 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... - Kazys BorutaKazys BorutaKazys Boruta was a Lithuanian writer and poet.His most notable work, Baltaragio malūnas , was adapted as a play, a movie Devil's Bride, and a ballet....
(1905–1965), writer and politician - Janina Burchardówna (1883–1924), journalist, teacher and freedom-fighter
- Mikalojus Konstantinas ČiurlionisMikalojus Konstantinas CiurlionisMikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis , also known as M. K. Čiurlionis was a Lithuanian painter and composer. Čiurlionis contributed to symbolism and art nouveau and was representative of the fin de siècle epoch. During his short life he composed about 250 pieces of music and created about 300 paintings...
(1875–1911), painter and composer - Petras Cvirka (1909–1947), writer
- Wacław Dziewulski (1882–1938), physician, professor at Vilnius University
- Antonina Fiszer (1824–1840), actress
- Laurynas GucevičiusLaurynas GuceviciusLaurynas Gucevičius was an 18th century architect born in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and most of his designs were built there....
(Wawrzyniec Gucewicz) (1753–1798), architect - Czesław Jankowski (1857–1929), poet
- Adam Jocher (1791–1860), founder of the first public library in Vilnius
- Joachim LelewelJoachim LelewelJoachim Lelewel was a Polish historian and politician, from a Polonized branch of a Prussian family.His grandparents were Heinrich Löllhöffel von Löwensprung and Constance Jauch , who later polonized her name to Lelewel.-Life:Born in Warsaw, Lelewel was educated at the Imperial University of...
(1786–1861), historian, professor at Vilnius UniversityVilnius UniversityVilnius 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.... - Józef Łukaszewicz (1863–1928), professor at Vilnius University and revolutionist
- Juliusz Kłos (1881–1933), architect, author of the first guidebook to Vilnius
- Józef Montwiłł (1850–1911), humanist and sponsor of hospitals, orphanages and museums
- Vincas Mykolaitis-PutinasVincas Mykolaitis-PutinasVincas Mykolaitis known by his pen name Putinas was Lithuanian poet and writer. He was also a priest, but renounced his priesthood in 1935.-Biography:...
(1893–1967), writer - Jan O'Connor (1760–1802), physician, professor at Vilnius University
- The heart of Józef Piłsudski (1867–1935), Polish statesman. Also his mother, two brothers, and first wife are buried at Rasos cemetery.
- Maria Piłsudska (née Koplewska; 1865–1921), first wife of Józef Piłsudski
- Karol PodczaszyńskiKarol PodczaszynskiKarol Podczaszyński was a Polish-Lithuanian architect, a representative of the neoclassical architecture and a professor of the Imperial University of Vilna, as well as one of the pioneers of industrial design....
(1790–1860), architect, professor at Vilnius University - Franciszek SmuglewiczFranciszek SmuglewiczFranciszek Smuglewicz or Pranciškus Smuglevičius, October 6, 1745 – September 18, 1807) was a Polish-Lithuanian draughtsman and painter. Smuglewicz is considered a progenitor of Lithuanian art in the modern era. Some consider him as a spiritual father of Jan Matejko's school of painting....
(1745–1807), painter, professor at Vilnius University - Balys SruogaBalys SruogaBalys Sruoga was a Lithuanian poet, playwright, critic, and literary theorist.He contributed to cultural journals from his early youth...
(1896–1947), Lithuanian writer and concentration camp survivor. - Jędrzej ŚniadeckiJedrzej SniadeckiJędrzej Śniadecki was a Polish writer, physician, chemist and biologist. His achievements include the creation of modern Polish terminology in the field of chemistry.-Life and work:...
(1768–1838), physician, chemist, biologist, writer - Władysław Syrokomla (1823–1862), writer
- Juozas Tallat–Kelpša (1889–1949), composer
- Count Eustachy TyszkiewiczEustachy TyszkiewiczCount Eustachy Tyszkiewicz was a Polish–Lithuanian noble, archaeologist and historian from the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania, then part of the Russian Empire...
(1814–1873), historian, archaeologist - Antanas VileišisAntanas VileišisDr. Antanas Vileišis was a Lithuanian public figure. After graduating from Moscow University in 1898, he settled in Vilnius and practiced medicine. He contributed to and distributed illegal Lithuanian press during the press ban imposed by the Tsarist authorities...
(1856–1919), physician, activist - Jonas VileišisJonas VileišisJonas Vileišis was a Lithuanian lawyer, politician, and diplomat.-Early life and career:Vileišis was born in Mediniai, near Pasvalys. In 1892 he graduated from the Šiauliai gymnasium. During 1892-1894, he studied physics and mathematics at Saint Petersburg University. Later he transferred to the...
(1872–1942), Lithuanian politician, mayor of KaunasKaunasKaunas 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...
, signer of the Act of Independence of LithuaniaAct of Independence of LithuaniaThe 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... - Petras VileišisPetras VileišisPetras Vileišis was a prominent Lithuanian engineer, political activist, and philanthropist.His early schooling took place in Panevežys. He then completed his secondary education at the Šiauliai Gymnasium, graduating with honors. In 1874, he completed his studies at St. Petersburg University, with...
(1851–1926), engineer, Lithuanian activist - Povilas VišinskisPovilas VišinskisPovilas Višinskis was a Lithuanian writer, journalist, theatre director, and politician. His pen names include A. – s, Blinda, P – V, P. A., Apaštalas, P. Šiaulietis. He was one of the founders of the Lithuanian Democratic Party...
(1875–1906), book smugglerLithuanian press banThe Lithuanian press ban was a ban on all Lithuanian language publications printed in the Latin alphabet within the Russian Empire, which controlled Lithuania at the time. Lithuanian-language publications that used the Cyrillic alphabet were allowed and even encouraged...
, writer - Antoni WiwulskiAntoni WiwulskiAntoni Wiwulski was a Polish- Lithuanian architect and sculptor.He was born February 20, 1877 in Totma near Vologda in Imperial Russia, where his father, of Lithuanian origin, served as a forest superintendent...
(1877–1919), architect and sculptor - Tadeusz WróblewskiTadeusz WróblewskiTadeusz Wróblewski was a Polish–Lithuanian noble, politician, lawyer, bibliophile and cultural activist. He supported the democratic wing of krajowcy movement. Wróblewski sponsored a large library in Vilnius .- Life :...
, (1858-1925)lawyer, bibliophile - Bronisław Wróblewski (1888–1941), lawyer
There is also a mass grave of Poles kidnapped in 1919 from Vilnius by the Bolsheviks and shot at Daugavpils
Daugavpils
Daugavpils is a city in southeastern Latvia, located on the banks of the Daugava River, from which the city gets its name. Daugavpils literally means "Daugava Castle". With a population of over 100,000, it is the second largest city in the country after the capital Riga, which is located some...
.