Kelionė į Algirdo Landsbergio "Kelionę". Archyvai
LTStraipsnyje aptariamas rašytojo, dramaturgo, literatūros kritiko, vertėjo, redaktoriaus, profesoriaus Algirdo Landsbergio (1924–2004) archyvinis rinkinys, saugomas Maironio lietuvių literatūros muziejuje (toliau – MLLM). Remiantis egodokumentais, apžvelgiamas rašytojo gyvenimo ir kūrybos kelias, kuris driekėsi iš Lietuvos per Vokietiją į Jungtines Amerikos Valstijas (toliau – JAV). Savo gyvenimą paskyrė lietuvybės išsaugojimui ir puoselėjimui svetimoje žemėje, įvairiomis priemonėmis kovojo už Lietuvos laisvės atgavimą. Archyvinė medžiaga paryškina kūrėjo biografinį, socialinį-visuomeninį, kultūrinį ir kūrybinį lygmenis. A. Landsbergio asmenybė tampa savotiška metafora visai lietuvių išeivių kartai pristatyti. Reikšminiai žodžiai: Išeivių kūryba, egodokumentai, biografinio lygmens tekstai, lietuvių kalba, kultūra. [Iš leidinio]
ENThe article discusses the archival collection of the emigrant writer, playwright, literary critic, translator, editor, professor Algirdas Landsbergis (1924–2004). This collection is stored at Maironis Lithuanian Literature Museum. By means of egodocuments, the writer’s life and creative path, which stretched from Lithuania through Germany to the USA, have been investigated. The year of 2019 marks A. Landsbergis’ significant anniversary: on June 23, he would have turned 95. An emigrant writer, playwright, literary critic, radio reporter for informational agencies “Free Europe” and “Voice of America”, public and cultural figure, editor and collaborator of various publications, professor Algirdas Landsbergis is an exceptional personality. He was the first Lithuanian admitted to the international PEN organization in 1963, he was the first chairman of the Lithuanian section of emigrants and was its vice-chairman until his death. Thanks to the special efforts of A. Landsbergis, the writer Romualdas Lankauskas and the art and literature researcher Stasys Goštautas, the Lithuanian Writers’ Union was admitted to the PEN club in 1989. A. Landsbergis entered into the history of Lithuanian literature as the author of the first modern novel of the post-war Lithuanian literature “Kelionė/ Journey” (1954), two novella books “Ilgoji naktis/ Long Night” (1956), and “Muzika įžengiant į neregėtus miestus/Music while Entering into the Unseen Cities” (1979). His favourite genre was drama, the stage world was attractive for him as well. He cared to update the theatrical language and dramatic expression of Lithuanian drama. He created his own theatre, where he elevated the aesthetic value of the work above patriotic, ideological attitudes.A. Landsbergis’ play “Penki stulpai turgaus aikštėje/Five Pillars in the Market Square” received controversial assessment: in exile, ardent “patrons of the homeland” called him a communist, and in the Soviet Union he was accused of distorting historical truth. The drama “Penki stulpai turgaus aikštėje” was staged in drama theatres of Broadway, Chicago, Toronto, and Kaunas. In 1961, this drama was staged in Chicago Community Theatre, shown on Chicago television. The play “Vėjas gluosniuose/ Wind in the Willows” was successfully performed in Melbourne (Australia) during the “Lithuanian Days”; the play “Idioto pasaka/The Idiot’s Tale” was staged in Lithuanian and Slovenian theatres. Landsbergis laid the foundations of his life with Christian values that were rooted in the family, the Jesuit gymnasium and Vytautas Magnus University. In his memoirs he wrote that “in Lithuania, the coordinates of life and style were drawn”. Early realizing that the two sides of existence – the tragic and the comic – merge everywhere, he learned to “play life”. In difficult situations, he sought a peaceful and positive solution. After choosing the angel Gabriel as his guardian, he painted his playful figure in manuscripts, letters, and postcards.Writing for him was a great way to tell the world about his native country, its language, traditions, and honourable history. He considered exile, bilingualism, and multicultural perspective as the God’s special gift. A. Landsbergis stated: “Much of my literary endeavour has been the struggle for language and languages. This has changed my writings. Language, life between languages, different languages, different worlds have become a very important topic”. Archival material highlights the creator’s biographical, social, cultural, and creative levels. A. Landsbergis’ personality becomes a kind of metaphor for presenting a whole generation of Lithuanian emigrants. The personalized “ego” documentary – A. Landsbergis’ archival collection – was chosen as the main research object of the paper. Summarizing photos, documents, diaries, memoirs, epistolics, etc. the writer’s biographical level is revealed; a personal and unique attitude towards the surrounding environment, cultural, public and social factors is highlighted; the elements of self-awareness are revealed in a historical context. The cultural heritage of emigrant writers is an integral part of Lithuania’s historical heritage, which we have to preserve for future generations. [From the publication]
