Lietuvių emigrantų kelionės į JAV ypatumai

LTStraipsnyje nagrinėjami lietuvių emigrantų kelionių į Jungtines Amerikos Valstijas 1868–1914 metais ypatumai. Remiantis lietuvių emigrantų atsiminimais, senąja periodika, dokumentais, mokslo studijomis ir Lietuvos jūrų muziejuje saugomais eksponatais, darbe pateikiamas susistemintas kelionės proceso, kuriame dalyvavo daugiau nei 300 000 lietuvių emigrantų, aprašymas. Reikšminiai žodžiai: kontrolės stotis, laivakortė, lietuvių emigracija, migracijų tyrimai, migrantai. [Iš leidinio]

ENThe article analyses the peculiarities of Lithuanian emigrants’ journey to the United States between 1868 and 1914. During this time, more than 300, 000 Lithuanians emigrated to the United States, however, the migration process has not yet been thoroughly investigated. The emigrants’ journey was a complex and dangerous process. It can be said that it started with the purchase of a ship ticket. Lithuanians who decided to emigrate packed their belongings and travelled to the Russian-German border on foot, by carriage, train or steamship. After illegally crossing the border, migrants were taken to one of the border control stations. At these stations, their health was checked, their clothes and things were disinfected. Lithuanians with illnesses or disabilities were deported back to Russia. Migrants travelled to the port in special carriages, often the entire train was given to them. Most Lithuanians emigrated through Bremen and Hamburg in Northern Germany. When Lithuanians arrived in the port city, they stayed at migrant stations. The largest institution of this kind in Europe was in Hamburg. It could accommodate up to 5,000 people at a time. The migrants’ health was checked at the stations and the luggage was disinfected. Before traveling by ship, migrants stayed at these stations. ng by ship, migrants stayed at these stations. At the beginning of the period, some Lithuanians sailed to the USA in sailing boats. The journey sometimes lasted for several months. However, most Lithuanians crossed the Atlantic on steamboats. On these steamboats, the journey was much faster, usually taking one to two weeks. Although the journey was reduced, conditions remained poor. Most Lithuanians were poor, so they could only afford the cheapest ticket for the journey in the interdeck (i.e., rooms between decks for cabins and cargo).In the interdeck rooms, due to poor ventilation and dim illumination, it was dark, stuffy and smelled bad. Although the journey was often exhausting, Lithuanians came up with the idea of having a more pleasant time. Passengers communicated, sang, danced, and played cards. Lithuanians came to the USA through one of the main ports: New York, Boston, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. Some passengers disembarked at the Canadian ports of Halifax and Montreal. There were migrant checkpoints in these port cities. Since 1892, the largest migrant station was opened in New York. After disembarking in the port, the migrants took a small steamer to Ellis Island, where they were awaited by the last inspection. The inspectors of the station checked whether the migrants did not suffer from contagious diseases, did not have serious physical body defects or mental disabilities. Sick people were treated at the station’s hospital or deported to Europe. The most common reason for deportation was trachoma, an easily contagious eye disease. Those suffering from it made up about 80 per cent of all deportees. The migrants who had successfully passed the checks bought a train ticket at a cash office on the island and took a steamer to one of the train terminals. A similar procedure took place in other ports of arrival. At train stations, newcomers waited for departure in separate halls and usually travelled only on trains intended for them. Lithuanians used them to travel to coal mining towns in Pennsylvania, Chicago and other settlements in various states. A new life awaited them there. [From the publication]