Sūduvos krašto istorinė Kimenavos žemė

LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Kimenava; Kimenavos žemė; Sūduva; Vokiečių Ordinas (Teutonic Order; Kryžiuočių ordinas); Kimenava; Kimenava land; Sudovia; Teutonic Knights; The Kimenava land.

ENIt is impossible to present briefly the significance of Sudovia in the formation of Lithuanian nation. All the communities living in this area and their cultures influenced the process. The analysis of the name Sudovia is presented in the book ‘Sūduvos kraštas nuo priešistorinių laikų iki XX a. III dešimtmečio’ (The Land of Sudovia from Prehistorical Times until 1930s’). The author confirms that Sudovia is not only the legacy of the past. It is still alive with its deep ethnic roots and rich cultural and historical heritage. There are castle hills, burial grounds, archaeological finds, and mythology. The Sudovian language is known from ‘Catechisms 2 and 3’, as well as from the remaining place names and hydro names. The spiritual life, traditions and customs of Sudovians are presented in the book ‘The Little Book of Sudovians’, published in 1520. The Kimenava land is a historical part of Sudovia located west of Kirsnava in the territory of Marijampolė (now known as the castle hill Rudamina). The defenders of the Kimenava castle were never the prisoners of the Teutonic Knights as they withdrew from the battle field and moved to the other side of the Nemunas River. [From the publication]