Kunigas Juozas Bakšys (1884-1925)

LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Dvasininkas; Dvasininkiją; Juozas Bakšys; Lietuvių nacionalinis judėjimas; Nepriklausomybės karai; Pirmasis pasaulinis karas, 1914-1918 (Didysis karas; World War I); Tautinis tapatumas; Vilniaus kraštas; Vilnija; Vilnius; Clergy; First World War; Independence Wars; Juozas Bakšys; Lithuanian National Movement; National identity; The clergyman; Vilnius; Vilnius region.

ENJuozas Bakšys was bom in the village of Asmalai, the Kuktiškiai district, the Utena County. He attended the primary school in Kuktiškiai, and then graduated from the high school in Švenčionys. He studied privately in Vilnius for two years. In 1904 he entered the Seminary in Vilnius where his national identity and matured views were formed. In 1908 he graduated the seminary and was ordained. When he leamt German and French he went to study theology at the University of Innsbmck (Austria), where he received his doctor’s degree in theology in 1912. He passed the state exams at the Catholic Theological Academy in St. Petersburg and was appointed a vicar of the All Saints Church in Vilnius. In 1914 he resigned and held the position of a chaplain in several schools in the city. He began the cooperation with the Lithuanian press: the newspapers “Vienybė” (“Unity”) and “Aušra” (“Dawn”). The authorities of the Vilnius diocese looked upon him with disapproval. They decided to move him to Białystok, but through the intercession of the professor P. Kraujalis he was able to stay in Vilnius. He was a social activist, organized the meetings, the associations of Lithuanians, and lectured for Lithuanian teachers. In 1914 the Lithuanian intellectuals initiated and established the “Lithuanian Committee to Help the Victims of the War”.He became the Vice-President. He spoke German very well, thus he was constantly involved in various negotiations with the occupying German authorities. In 1916 he was arrested by the German police for the propagation of the independence, but because of the lack of evidence he was soon released. In 1917, together with other Lithuanian activists, he published the first issue of the newspaper “Lietuvos aidas” (“Echo of Lithuania”). In the same year he participated in the national conference in Vilnius when the Council of Lithuania was elected. The Council declared the independence of Lithuania in February 1918. During the struggle for the independence of Lithuania he urged young people to join the army. He was an active member of several organizations. In 1921 he organized the school in the village of Merkinė and became its first director. He was shot by unknown people in December 1924 and as a result of his injuries he died on 7 January 1925. [From the publication]

• Teologija / Theology
• Istorija / History