Honoring a Legacy: Gargždai Unveils Sculptural Tribute to M. Vaitkaus

This year marks the 140th anniversary of the birth and 50th death of M. Vaitkaus, so the Seimas has declared 2023 as the year of Mykolos Vaitkaus. This anniversary was given meaning by a sculptural composition placed near the grand staircase of Gargždai Park.

“A meaningful day and a meaningful end to it. Probably, from now on, this place will be one of the favorite places of Gargždi residents and city guests, where people will come to hang out, take pictures, and at the same time remember Mykola Vaitkas. And, perhaps, this is our goal – that we all remember this outstanding person who was born in Gargždai”, said Klaipėda District Mayor Bronius Markauskas during the unveiling ceremony.

Photo of Klaipėda District Municipality/Sculpture to Mykol Vaitka

The sculptural composition was created by the sculptor Lukas Šiupšinskas. According to the artist, his work will stand in the most beautiful place – it will look at the picturesque valley of Minija. M. Šiupšinskas hopes that people will like this work and it will become a part of the city.

Not only the sculpture of M. Vaitkaus was built, but also a table with chairs, reminiscent of a fragment of the creator’s room. On the table there is a candle, a cup of tea, sheets of paper with the words of M. Vaitkaus on them, and four books symbolizing four cultures – Curonian, Lithuanian, German, Jewish. And the backs of the chairs depict the theme of the four waters.

Also on Friday, the scientific conference “Nušvitusi dulke” was held in the Gargžda cinema “Minija”, aimed at introducing the public to the writer’s work and the most important events in his life. In addition, the book “Reminiscences” about M. Vaitka published by J. Lankutis public library was presented. Its publication was financed by the municipality of Klaipėda district.

About Mykola Vaitkäs

Mykolas Vaitkus, a talented writer whose books are a bibliographic rarity, described in his memoirs the no-longer-existing palace of the Barons Renias Manor, their owners, Gargždai Park.

Mykolas Vaitkus, 1925 Maironis Museum of Lithuanian Literature

His memoirs (a total of 8 volumes published in the 70s of the last century) are extremely valuable, because they clearly show the interwar period, which is still too little known to the general public, with a burning determination to create a free democratic state, with all the colors and behind the scenes of the spiritual, political and artistic world. .

M. Vaitkus was in close contact with the most prominent political, church, cultural and public figures of the first half of the last century – Antan Smetona, Augustin Voldemarus, Maironius, Vaižgants, Adom Jakštus-Dambrauskas, Sofija Kymantaite-Čiurlioniene, Salomėja Nėrimi, Kipras Petrauskas, later – with most creators of the diaspora, especially Bernardus Brazdžionius, who encouraged him to write his memories, which became the most valuable part of his creative legacy. Vaitkus also wrote novels, dramas, poems, and is considered the pioneer of the direction of aestheticism in Lithuania.

in 2018 Mykolas Vaitkas was given the title of honorary citizen of the city of Gargžda, and there is a street named after him.

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