Highlights - Fourth Quarter 2025

The Lithuanian Research Center (LRC) received 36 separate archival donations during the quarter. A few stand out due to their volume or unique character: the library of Liudas Kairys (donated by his daughters Žiba and Daiva), the archives of Vincas and Kęstutis Žemaitis (donated by Aleksis Žemaitis), and the archives of the Chicago Lithuanian Women‘s Club (organized by Erika Brooks), original archives and artwork from Valentinas Ramonis, and the archives of Izabelė Motekaitienė and Manigirdas Motekaitis (donated by Kazys Motekaitis).

Unique donations include the violin and case of Rytas Babickas (donated by the Daugirdas family), a complete and beautiful set of a young girl‘s national costume, many paintings, especially of Jadvyga Paukštienė (thanks to Deivė Butvila), and several historic maps.

LRC’s collection of Lithuanian piano rolls has been officially recognized as a documentary heritage of national significance and added to the UNESCO “Memory of the World” National Register. The project was submitted by the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania in partnership with LRC, the American Lithuanian Cultural Archive (ALKA), and the Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture.

These rolls preserve the earliest examples of professional Lithuanian music — including works by Vincas Kudirka, Juozas Naujalis, and Stasys Šimkus. All known Lithuanian piano rolls were produced in the United States between 1915 and 1932. Researchers have identified around 370 Lithuanian rolls featuring more than 400 musical compositions. LRC safeguards 120 of these rolls — about 30 of them are unique and can be found only in our collection.

LRC is the official repository of the archives of the Lithuanian American Community, Inc. (LAC). LRC participated in LAC’s annual meeting of its Board of Directors in Los Angeles on October 3-5, where Lithuanian archival preservation issues in the US were extensively discussed. Above left are Lithuania’s Ambassador to the United States Gediminas Varvuolis and LRC Chairman and Member of LAC’s Board Dr. Robertas Vitas.

LRC declared 2024-2025 as the Year of the Displaced Person with a series of presentations throughout the year that are now on LRC’s YouTube channel. In-depth interviews with DPs were also carried out in Chicago and elsewhere to capture their recollections for our archives. Eight such interviews were conducted in Los Angeles by Gaile and Robertas Vitas on October 6-9. Those interviewed from top left to bottom right: Dr. Rolandas Giedraitis, Dalilė Valančiūtė Polikaitienė, Rymantė Barauskaitė, Violeta Gedgaudienė, Danutė Barauskas Mažeika and Antanas Mažeika, Milda Grigalevičiūtė Mikėnas and Kęstutis Mikėnas, Jūratė Venckienė, and Danguolė Masionytė Navickienė.

Lithuanian Research Center Chairman Dr. Robertas Vitas presented “Recreating Lithuania” on the experience of the post-World War II Displaced Persons (DPs) via Zoom for the Lithuanian Heritage Club at the Lithuanian World Center in Lemont, Illinois. About 60 individuals participated from across the US. They conducted a very lively question and answer session.

German Army Lieutenants Leon Noel Witt and Christina Jeremic visited LRC on October 10, where Lieutenant Witt conducted research on the Lithuanian American Council for his master‘s thesis at the German Federal Armed Forces University in Hamburg.

The Fifth Lithuanian Archives Conference organized by the Lithuanian American Community (LAC) and LRC was held in our Lemont facility on October 11 with participants from across the US and Lithuania. The Lithuanian Foundation, a long-time partner of LRC, funded the project. Above left: Lithuanian State Historical Archives Director Darius Žeruolis, LRC President & CEO Kristina Lapienytė, Lithuanian Genealogy & Heraldry Society President Kristina Giedraitienė, LAC VP Regina Butkus who chaired the conference, Kaunas Regional State Archives (KRSA) Chief Document Specialist Edita Škirkaitė and KRSA Director Gintaras Dručkus. Above right in the first row: Lithuanian Foundation Chairman of the Board Juozas Kapačinskas and Attaché of the Lithuanian Consulate General Saulius Jaškelevičius. Bottom left: Lithuanian Alliance of America Chairman of the Board Antanas Dambriūnas. Lower right: Kristina Lapienytė and Regina Butkus.

LRC was active at the Los Angeles Lithuanian Days on October 11-12. Many visited to discuss their archives and the preservation of our Lithuanian-American cultural history. Among the guests visiting with Gaile and Robertas Vitas from LRC were (from top left to bottom right): Saint Casimir Lithuanian School Director Marytė Newsom, Consul General Sandra Brikaitė, Consulate First Secretary Justina Jakavonytė, Honorary Consul General Daiva Čekanauskaitė Navarrette, Danutė Scola, Milda Mikėnienė, Dr. Rolandas Giedraitis and Vilius Žalpys.

LRC was visited during the weekend of October 18-19 by not just one, but two officials of the Lithuanian government: Consul General Dovydas Špokauskas of New York (left with his son and Rasa Statulevičienė of the Lithuanian World Center) and Member of Parliament Dr. Vytautas Sinica.

November 16 saw a joint event hosted by LRC and the American Legion Don Varnas Post No. 986. Post Commander Glenn Cekus presented on the Lithuanian Air Force. Glenn’s use of photos, videos, diagrams and models made for an interesting and informative session. Top row photos show Glenn after the session with Post Officers Jon Platakis, Sergio Senese, Jr., Sergio Senese, Sr, and Robertas Vitas.

LRC welcomed a team working on the Ateitininkai organization’s history during the week of November 17. They reviewed documents, photographs, and publications that trace the organization’s rich legacy in the diaspora. We are glad our collections can support this important work. At right: Dr. Gediminas Mikelaitis, Dr. Arūnas Streikus, Dr. Ilona Strumickienė, Ph.D. Candidate Ignas Stanevičius and LRC Archives Director Dr. Indrė Antanaitis Jacobs.

LRC assisted the organizers of the Lithuanian Pavilion at the Holiday Folk Fair International in West Allis, Wisconsin on November 22-23. LRC shared a musical folk instrument (top middle) from its collections along with its displays covering the history of the North American Folk Dance Festivals (bottom with pavilion organizer Ramutė Kemeža-Kazlauskas). LRC Volunteer Coordinator Gaile Vitas joins Ramutė at upper right, and Genutė & Algirdas Razumas play kanklės and bells (upper left). Genutė is a former director of LRC’s Musicology Archive.

LRC hosted the Lithuanian Writers Society’s Fall Poetry event on November 23. Rev. Valdas Aušra (addressing the participants above left) organized the gathering, which brought together Lithuanian poets to share their poems and ideas. Algimantas Remeika (above right) is always ready to capture images and Sandra Avižienytė (bottom) shares her poetry.

A ceremony was held December 6 at the Chicago Lithuanian Center (CLC) to illuminate a stained glass window by the renowned artist Vytautas Kazimieras Jonynas. In 2008, the Lithuanian Church of the Mother of God in Maizeville, Pennsylvania was closed, leaving behind several stained glass windows by Jonynas. Vilius Žalpys, head of the Roots project, approached CLC in hopes of saving this artwork. CLC became the owner and, together with LRC, the Čiurlionis Gallery, and Baltic Art Studio, transported the window to Chicago. The Lithuanian Foundation sponsored the project.

Above left: Antanas Rašymas, President of CLC, Alfredas Sutkus of Baltic Art Studio, Kristina Lapienytė, President & CEO of LRC, Viktoras Kaufmanas, President of the Lithuanian Foundation, and Vilius Žalpys of the Roots Project. Above right: Saulius Jaskelevičius, Attaché of the Consulate General of Lithuania, and Viktorija Černičenko, Director of the Čiurlionis Gallery.

LRC again participated in the Annual Holiday Fair at the Lithuanian World Center in Lemont, Illinois on December 6-7. At left are: LRC President & CEO Kristina Lapienytė, Roots Project Director Vilius Žalpys, Lithuanian American Community Executive Director Loreta Timukienė and Attorney Stephen Frost. At right: LRC Volunteer Kristina Vaičikonis and Ona Daugirdienė.

Erika Brooks, a long-time friend of LRC, donated the archives of the Chicago Lithuanian Women‘s Club and will oversee its cataloging. Above left are programs from their Amber Balls in the 1970s.

LRC’s dedicated volunteers carry out much of our work and we are very grateful for their loyalty and efforts. Here they gathered with LRC’s staff and partners for our Annual Advent Luncheon on December 3. Clockwise from left: Robertas Vitas, Kristina Lapienytė, Ramunė Kubiliūtė, Gaile Vitas, Indrė Antanaitis Jacobs, Liuda Flores, Algis Kazlauskas, Gediminas Indreika, Julius Butkus, Regina Butkus, Laima Smilgytė, Kristina Vaičikonis, Andrius Račkauskas, Ramunė Račkauskas, Daiva Bulicz and Marytė Utz.

Congratulations to Joseph Frimel on completing his master's degree at Oklahoma State University. Part of his research dealt with Lithuanian Americans and LRC was happy to assist him with his survey work. He also presented on the topic at our Fifth Lithuanian Archives Conference in October.

The year ended with Paula and Kamilė Juzėnas filming a promotional video for the 17th Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival of North America at LRC. They noted that LRC has the archives of the previous festivals and will house the programs, photos and documents of the 2026 festival, as well. This and their other videos are on LRC‘s and the Dance Festival‘s Facebooks. Their mother is LRC Archivist Laima Smilgytė. The Festival will take place on July 12 at McCormick Place in Chicago.