SVIEKA FROM LITHUANIAHistoryThe first known people living in Lithuania were part of the Ice Age. They were hunter gathers but were taken over by the Baltic tribes. Later they traded amber with the Romans and fought with the Vikings.
A tribe known as the Lithuanians united the other tribes and they became Christians with a King called Mindaugas who received his crown from the pope in 1253. After the king’s death the country returned to paganism. During the fifteenth century the Lithuanians joined Poland in an alliance and were ruled by Duke Vytautas. They become the largest state in Europe stretching from the Baltic sea to the Black Sea. They wanted protection from Russia. Unfortunately, by the seventeenth century the country was getting hard to control. After several wars that made the country weak, it was divided between Prussia, Austria and Russia and the main land of Lithuania became part of Russian rule. Russia would not allow the Lithuanians to speak their language and they tried to stop Catholics practising their religion. There were some unsuccessful riots, but it was only after World War I that Lithuania was freed from Russia. Their independence did not last long and during the Second World War Lithuania was occupied by Russia and Nazi Germany. The occupation by the Soviets was a brutal time for the country. It lasted for forty-five years. People were murdered, tortured or sent to Siberia. This left economical scars on the country and psychological scars on the people. |
The currency of Lithuania is the Euro, but they have the Lithuanian Litas too.
CultureThe people of Lithuania are fond of nature. They take pride in their country and in the fact that they survived oppression. The national symbol of the country is a white knight on a horse with a sword. This symbol recognises the country’s struggles. The food of Lithiuania is very simple and not exotic. This shows how poor they have been in the past. Cold beet soup with buttermilk and pork with sour cream are traditional dishes. The Christmas Market and the Kaziukus Fair attract people from all over the world. The Lithuanians enjoy dressing up in their national costume on festival occasions. Famous PeopleCharles Bronson, the actor who studied drama in the Pasadena Playhouse California has starred in movies like the Dirty Dozen and the Great Escape. Ruta Sepelys an American Lithuanian author wrote several novels. Three of them are New York Times best sellers. Her stories include tales of Lithuanian children and the country’s difficult history. Jascha Heifetz is considered to be the finest violinist of modern times. Arvydas Sabonis is known as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He played in America for the NBA Portland Trail Blazers and is a member of the FIBA Hall of Fame. Fun FactsEaster eggs in Lithuania are not brought by an Easter bunny. Traditional Granny Velyku Bobute brings the eggs with the bunnies help. She uses a sun beam whip to drive the pony cart and get the pony moving to deliver the eggs. An oak tree in Lithuania that survived the Crusades is said to be the oldest oak tree in Europe. The Hill of Crosses is a pilgrimage site in Lithuania that has been visited for hundreds of years. Each pilgrim takes a cross and leaves it on the hill. There are over 200 00 crosses there that have been placed by the visitors. GeographyLithuania is mostly a flat country with morainic hills in the west. These hills are ridges made by deposits left after the Ice Age. In the East there are higher regions but no higher thatn 300m. Mixed forests cover 33% of the land. There are many small lakes and swamps. Limestone, clay and sand are the main natural resources. Throughout the country there are three main vegetation areas, coastal pine forests, and bushy plants growing on sand dunes. |