Vasario 16-osios gimnazijos svarba formuojant lietuvių tapatybę Vokietijoje
LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Lietuviška gimnazija; Lietuviška gimnazija, lietuvių tapatybė, Vasario 16-osios gimnazija, Vokietija; Lietuvių tapatybė; Vasario 16-osios gimnazija; Vokietija (Germany); February the 16th Gymnasium; Germany; Lithuanian Gymnasium; Lithuanian Identity; Lithuanian gymnasium, Lithuanian identity, the Gymnasium of February the 16th, Germany; The February the 16th Gymnasium.
ENThe article addresses the significance of the Gymnasium of February the 16,K in constructing the identity of Lithuanians. Part one of the article tells the story of how the Gymnasium was founded, part two deals with the creation of the Lithuanian identity amidst its community. In 1944 and 1945, nearly 60,000 Lithuanians fled the country in an attempt to escape from the repressions. This turned their lives and their spiritual self- awareness around, the change in their immediate setting affecting the orientation of the expats as far as their value system was concerned. The refugees from Lithuania and their friends in misery from the other Baltic countries, Ukraine, and Poland found shelter in Germany, its displaced persons’ camps providing temporary haven to tens of thousands of war refugees. Clustered in camps, Lithuanian exiles were very active in organising different educational activities, setting up day-care centres, elementary schools, pro-gymnasiums, gymnasiums, all kinds of courses. As the political situation shifted, Lithuanian emigrants fanned out around the world, and the number of schools dwindled until there was but one Lithuanian gymnasium left in Germany. It is estimated to date back to 1950, when a Lithuanian gymnasium with a dormitory was established at the Diepholz airfield camp; at first, the dorm only accommodated 30 students, and the total number of pupils attending the gymnasium was 51, with 6 teachers to school them.Aiming to relocate the gymnasium from Diepholz to a more convenient location, the German local authorities on 1 April 1953 bought a manor complete with a five-hectare park - Hüttenfeld. In February 1954, the Gymnasium of February the 16,h was relocated to homestead Rennhof. In conclusion, it can be said that in establishing the February the 16th Gymnasium, the active Lithuanians of the world and the representatives of the German regional authorities laid a solid foundation on which the Lithuanian identity could be preserved in Western Europe. Even today, resource analysis reveals a surprising amount of consciousness and civil spirit in young people. After all, many of them had only heard about Lithuania from the stories their parents or grandparents used to tell. This kind of determination and enthusiasm of youth shows how important the job that the Lithuanians, forced to flee from their homes, did to maintain their Lithuanian roots was. To sum up, it can be stated that the importance of the Gymnasium of February the 16th in constructing the Lithuanian identity is self-evident, what with the global Lithuanian community, the German Lithuanian community, the Gymnasium, active Lithuanian public figures working hand in hand. The Rennhof homestead was the place where the Lithuanian identity was shaped and conserved. [From the publication]
