Lietuvos konsulatas Čikagoje 1924-2004 metais dokumentuose ir nuotraukose
LTDiplomatinės atstovybės yra valstybės veidas užsienyje bei vienas iš užsienio politikos įgyvendinimo mechanizmų. Nepriklausomos Lietuvos valstybės kūrimo pradžioje buvo pradėtos steigti Lietuvos atstovybės, tarp kurių ir 1924 m. konsulatas Čikagoje. Šiandien, t.y. 2004 m., konsulatas Čikagoje mini gražų 80-ies metų jubiliejų. Tai svarbi diplomatinė sukaktis, kadangi šis konsulatas, veikdamas didžiausiame lietuvių telkinyje užsienyje, visą laiką buvo aktyvus Lietuvos valstybingumo reiškėjas, nesustabdęs savo darbo net ir sunkiausiu mūsų valstybės laikotarpiu. Konsulato 80-ties metų jubiliejui paminėti buvo nutarta išleisti knygą, kurioje atsispindėtų ilgametė konsulato istorija. Pasaulio lietuvių archyve Čikagoje buvo surinkta medžiaga, kuri bent iš dalies leidžia įamžinti konsulų veiklą minėtuoju laikotarpiu. Nemažą paspirtį renkant medžiagą šiai knygai suteikė archyve esantis dr. Petro ir Juzės Daužvardžių fondas, kuriame buvo galima susipažinti su konsulato penkiasdešimties metų veiklą parodančiais dokumentais bei nuotraukomis. Lietuvos diplomatijos istorijai vertingų dokumentų yra pateikiama ir iš garbės konsulo Vaclovo Kleizos asmeninio archyvo. [Iš Įvado]Reikšminiai žodžiai: Lietuvos Respublika; Užsienio reikalų ministerija; Diplomatinė tarnyba; Lietuvos okupacija; Išeivija; Konsulatas Čikagoje; Generalinis konsulas; Garbės konsulas; Išeivijos organizacijos; Republic of Lithuania; Ministery of foreign affairs; Diplomatic service; Occupation of Lithuania; Emigrants; Consulate in Chicago; Consul general; Diaspora organizations.
ENDiplomatic representations are the face of the State abroad as well as one of the mechanisms by which foreign policy is implemented. At the beginning of the establishment of independent Lithuania representations were also established, with the consulate in Chicago, in 1924, among them. In the year 2004, the Consulate in Chicago commemorates its 80th anniversary. It is an important anniversary, since the consulate in Chicago served in the largest Lithuanian community outside of Lithuania and over the years actively, never ceasing, expressed Lithuanian statehood, even during the most difficult times in Lithuania’s history. On the occasion of this anniversary, various materials were researched and collected at the Lithuanian World Archives maintained by the Lithuanian Research and Studies Center in Chicago - materials that, at least in part, enable us to record and commemorate the activities of various consuls during the mentioned period of time. The extensive fund of Dr. Petras and Juze Dauzvardis in the Archives, where fifty years of consular activity is documented and preserved, was especially encouraging for the publication of this book. At the beginning of the XX century the priority of the consulate, apart from everyday consular operations, was the propagation of bilateral Lithuanian and U.S. economic relations, including the promotion of Lithuanian exports. This difficult mission fell to consuls Povilas Zadeikis and Antanas Kalvaitis, when, during the time the State of Lithuania was just being established, it was understandably difficult for the fledgling nation to compete with western countries, and it was necessary to find a niche in the American market. Dr. Mikas Bagdonas was sent to Chicago from the legation in Washington, and his service as consul was ultimately quite brief.The book presents the most information about the service of Dr. P. Dauzvardis, which is only natural, as he served as Lithuanian Consul in Chicago for over thirty years. Through his dedication to diplomatic service, his ceaseless propagation of the Lithuanian question in various and numerous arenas of activity, Dr. Dauzvardis and the Lithuanian diplomatic corps in Chicago earned the deep respect and admiration of the city and its academic community. In 1961, the Lithuanian Consulate was granted the status of Consulate General. In 1971, upon the death of the last career diplomat, Dr. P. Dauzvardis, the Consulate became the Honorary Consulate General. Honorary consuls general J. Dauzvardis and Vaclovas Kleiza, who had worked tirelessly for independent Lithuania, continued to actively stand watch in diplomatic service: they promulgated Lithuanian traditions and customs, strove to keep society intimately informed about the occupation of the Baltic States, solemnly performing their duties as representatives of Lithuania in Chicago. Lithuania having regained its independence, in 1998 the Honorary Consulate General of Lithuania once again gained the status of Consulate General, and Giedrius Apuokas was designated Consul General. The activity of the Consulate was defined as consisting of three areas: consular (issuing visas, questions of citizenship, consular aid, etc.), cultural (exhibits and various other cultural and educational events), and economic (stimulation of investments in Lithuania and maintaining ties with business organizations, etc.). On July 1, 2003, Arvydas Daunoravicius was designated Consul General in Chicago. It is hoped that this first informational publication dealing with the history of the Consulate of Lithuania will provide serious encouragement for further study of not only the Consulate General in Chicago but also of the history of Lithuanian diplomacy as a whole. [From the publication]
- Appointment of Vytautas Čekanauskas as Honorary Consul General of Lithuania in Los Angeles in 1977: behind the scenes / Juozas Skirius. Istorija. 2018, Nr. 111, p. 79-96.
- Concept of creation and development of the network of Lithuanian consulates and its implementation in 1919-1940 / Sandra Grigaravičiūtė. Vēsture: avoti un cilvēki 2014, 17, p. 98-108.
- Garbės generalinis konsulas Vytautas Čekanauskas: atstovavimas Lietuvai JAV Vakarų pakrantėje / Juozas Skirius. Vilnius : Vaga, 2021. 480 p.
- Lietuvos Seimas ir konsulinio tinklo kūrimas 1920–1927 metais / Sandra Grigaravičiūtė. Istorija. 2008, Nr. 71, p. 3-12.
- Permainos Lietuvos Respublikos generaliniame konsulate Čikagoje (1970–1971) / Asta Petraitytė-Briedienė. Oikos: lietuvių migracijos ir diasporos studijos 2021, 31, p. 91-108.
