Kauno akademinė inteligentija 1922–1940 m.: kultūrinio tapatumo raiškos vertinimai naujojoje istoriografijoje

ENAfter Lithuania regained its independence, academic journals presented a number of historical facts and assessments of the cultural activities of the inter-war Kaunas university intelligentsia. Analysis of this information makes it possible to identify the attributes of scientific personalities and their input in the expression of cultural identity in their affected communities. This article aims to systematize the knowledge of historiography and disclose essential features of assessment of cultural expression of Kaunas university intellectuals in the society. The analysis of historiography data and estimates show that since 1990 Lithuanian scientific journals started to publish historical data on those famous scientists of the First Republic of Lithuania, assessment of their scientific and public expression, who in Soviet times got little publicity or generally remained not public. Assessment of achievements of the provisional capital in the period of the First Republic of Lithuania in terms of strengthening the Lithuanian cultural identity is primarily associated with the generation educated by professorship and its national selfconsciousness, developed fundamentals of academic performance, formalized and fostered literary language, terminology, etc. Historical literature researchers see a substantial impact of the university community also to Kaunas everyday life: molding the cultural “micro environment”, which attracted and fascinated the city residents, encouraged the formation of informal communication venues of intellectuals, public events and other actions. It is also emphasized that professors sought to not only educate students, but also the wider public, therefore, the university was delivering public lectures, and publicizing literature from the university library. Professors and students encouraged public debate on development issues, criticism of negative phenomena, and were concerned about the city’s prestige. [From the publication]