Latin America
Statistics on the number of Lithuanians in Latin America vary wildly, putting the number anywhere between 60 000 to 1 000 000. It depends on who is to be considered Lithuanian as there is generally less participation in Lithuanian activities than in the USA or Western Europe. Many people of Lithuanian descent are now assimilated as in many cases they did not form ethnic enclaves and spread across large territories.
There have been Lithuanians in Latin America as early as the start of 19th century participating in the independence movements. Ignatas Domeika (also known in Polish as Ignacy Domeyko and in Spanish as Ignacio Domeyko) has a mountain named after him in Chile.
The real birth of Latin America's Lithuanian community was the interwar period (1920s - 1930s). In 1908 USA curbed immigration and Lithuanians opted for Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay instead. Argentina and Uruguay were as rich as Western Europe at the time and not far behind the USA. Brazil was poorer but had jobs in its extensive plantations.
60% of all 1926-1940 Lithuanian emigrants emigrated to these three countries. They published Lithuanian newspapers and created institutions. In general, they were poorer than Lithuanians in the USA and had less civil rights. Some used South America as a trampoline to the USA.
Latin America of the early 20th century still had vast unpopulated spaces so Lithuanians also participated in the establishment of new towns, e.g. Ijui (Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil) and Esquel (Chubut, Argentina). In the cities, they established Lithuanians were soon outnumbered by other immigrant communities. Lithuanian culture survived better in the region's metropolises (Buenos Aires, Rosario). There is a Lithuanian district in Sao Paulo, Brazil (Villa Zelina) centered around a Lithuanian church. Lithuanian parishes, dance troupes, and clubs exist in multiple Argentine and Uruguayan cities.
The last sizeable Lithuanian migration to Latin America was that of refugees in late 1940s who established the Lithuanian communities in Colombia and Venezuela. Never numbering more than 2000 they were nevertheless influential as most of their members were elite (artists, professionals). Antanas Mockus, a university professor, former mayor of Bogota and presidential candidate is a Lithuanian Colombian.
In the same era, J. Stalin invited interwar Lithuanian emigrants to return (for propaganda purposes), falsely promising riches. Some returned; those who could then left again for South America soon but this option was not possible to everyone.
After 1950s Lithuanian Latin Americans were never replenished by new immigrants. In 1945-1990 emigration was banned by occupational Soviet authorities. After 1990 Latin America was already relatively poor and Lithuanians favored the USA, Western Europe, and Australia as their new foreign homes. Intermarriage in the older communities triggered assimilation but some did marry within the community and there are 4th generation Lithuanians who still speak Lithuanian at home.
There has been upsurge in interest in Lithuanian roots after Lithuania joined the European Union as the Lithuanian passport now provides a possibility to work in Western Europe.
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Argentina
Lithuanians began migrating to Argentina before World War 1 (about 5000 migrated) but the main wave of migration took place between the World Wars (~30 000), after USA has curbed immigration while much of the rest of the world was ravaged by World War 1 (whereas neutral Argentina thrived). One in five of the emigrants from interwar Lithuania ended up in Argentinian cities, creating significant Lithuanian heritage there.
The main "Lithuanian" cities were Buenos Aires, Berisso, Rosario, and Cordoba, more or less in this order. Unique Lithuanian heritage also exists in Patagonia, the southernmost inhabited region of the earth that had its first towns and cities built in the 19th century and Lithuanians were among their founders.
Esquel Lithuanian museum building in Patagonia
While the strong Lithuanian-Argentine community ensured some 3500 Lithuanian refugees were invited to Argentina after World War 2, most of them drifted away to the USA once it became possible, making the current Lithuanian-Argentine community almost entirely consisting of the (great) grandchildren of the 1920s immigrants.
Buenos Aires Lithuanian heritage sites
Buenos Aires is the capital of Argentina and one of the top 20 cities of the world in terms of population. Its wide avenues and grand architecture still breathe in the grandeur of the age gone by, of times when it was also one of the richest cities in the world and attracted many immigrants, among them Lithuanians.
Lithuanian-Argentinian Center with the patriotic symbol of Columns of Gediminas on its facade
Buenos Aires and its suburbs has the most massive Lithuanian heritage in Argentina and probably entire South America (except for Sao Paulo, perhaps). Three major Lithuanian heritage sites and hearts of the Lithuanian community are the Lithuanian Center, the Alliance of Lithuanians in Argentina and the Our Lady of Vilnius Lithuanian church. Each of the three is not merely a building but an entire complex of various premises, institutions, and activities. All three operate for more than 70 years and thus are full of Lithuanian symbolism and history.
Main stairway of the Alliance of Lithuanians in Argentina
"Secular" Lithuanian clubs operate on Saturdays. They include bars, libraries, Lithuanian item exhibitions, event halls for dancing and choir singing. Their activities are almost exclusively Lithuanian (save for the times the premises are rented out). On the other hand, the church (the complex of which also includes a Lithuanian museum, school, and monastery) has slowly drifted away towards a more general membership. Still, many of the parishioners have Lithuanian roots and the complex is arguably the richest in Lithuanian artworks.
Buenos Aires Lithuanian church
Furthermore, the greater Buenos Aires has 5 streets named after Lithuania, the longest of which is 4 km long. That's the biggest number of Lithuania-named street among the conurbations worldwide. The main streets have been renamed under the initiative of the Lithuanian community of Buenos Aires.
Berisso Lithuanian heirtage sites
A small (pop. 100 000) city of Berisso is unique in Argentina as most of its inhabitants are descendants of the ~1900-1940 immigrants and they care about their roots more than in nearly all other cities of the world. In Berisso, it is very important to belong to an ethnic club (this is popular among the youth and kids as well), to participate in the annual Immigrant festivals. Lithuanians, ~3000 of whom once migrated here, are no exception.
Berisso Lithuanian club Nemunas
There are not one but two Lithuanian clubs - "Mindaugas" and "Nemunas" - each with their small-but-nicely-built club HQ buildings, adorned with Lithuanian bas-reliefs. These clubs not only perform Lithuanian activities but also create new objects of Lithuanian heritage in Berisso, e.g. a Lithuanian traditional cross memorial in 2009.
Bas-relief of club Mindaugas depicts the first Lithuanian Christian king Mindaugas with a cross and a sword
Rosario Lithuanian heritage sites
Rosario has a Lithuanian club and a complex of Lithuanian church (that includes a school and a kindergarten). This makes Rosario one of just 4 cities in the entire Latin America to have a Lithuanian church. Rosario also has a Lithuanian club.
Rosario Lithuanian community used to be smaller than in Buenos Aires and so the buildings are somewhat humbler. Still, the Roasrio Lithuanians were influential enough to ensure one of the streets in the city was renamed after Lithuania and another one after a famous local Lithuanian priest Margis.
Rosario Lithuanian street commemorative plaque
Cordoba Lithuanian heritage sites
Lithuanian community also exists in Cordoba. However, both Lithuanian clubs that existed there have closed down ~1980s, only their buildings remaining. While they still existed, the Cordoba Lithuanian community successfully lobbied for renaming one street after Lithuania, however.
Patagonia Lithuanian heritage sites
Patagonia's Lithuanian history is very different from that of Argentina's main cities. Lithuanians migrated to Patagonia before World War 1 when the region still had no cities. This group of Lithuanians was led or invited by Šlapelis family, more than a single member of which left a deep enough trace in Patagonian history to have numerous places named after Šlapelis surname. Most of these sites are in or around the city of Sarmiento, where the local museum has significant Šlapelis-related exhibits as well.
Šlapelis family images in Sarmiento museum
The second Lithuanian heart of Patagonia is Esquel and the local Lithuanian farmstead-museum where one can spend some nights in Lithuanian-inspired bungalows near the Andes and visit an impressive Lithuanian museum that is interesting both to Argentinian and to Lithuanian alike. All that was created by a private initiative of a single Lithuanian-Argentinian family.
Lithuanian-Argentinian newspaper printing exhibits in the Esquel Lithuanian museum
Other cities of Argentina Lithuanian heritage
Although Lithuanian club organizations operate in a few more Lithuanian cities, they lack their own premises and these cities have no Lithuanian heritage sites. Tandil Lithuanian club was established by descendants of Lithuanians researching their roots and they never had any premises - however, the Flag square of Tandil now also includes a Lithuanian flag.
Commodoro Rivadiavia has a club uniting several Eastern European ethnicities, among them Lithuanians.
Among the pre-WW2 Lithuanian immigrants it was popular to invest into hotels. Such Lithuanian hotels, often located at Argentine resorts, also became hubs for Lithuanian activities as Lithuanian-Argentines would come en-masse to spend holidays there ~1940s-1970s. While most of such hotels are no longer operational, some have left deep traces. Villa Paranacito town at the Parana delta still has a semi-abandoned Hotel Lietuva (accessible solely by water), while the Epecuen mineral water resort had a "Residencial Lituania", the building of which has collapsed when the whole town was submerged by a rising nearby lake. Still, it is reminded in the local museum.
Abandoned hotel Lietuva in Villa Paranacito
Several more cities had Lithuanian organizations that have folded. The Lithuanian club of Bernal folded ~2000s, its building sold. Historically, the official Lithuanian-Argentine community had its branches in Temperley (1951), Avellaneda (1954), Villa Lugano (1954), Palomar-Hurlingham (1952-~1963), Berisso, most of these locations located in the greater Buenos Aires area and their activities now essentially integrated into the remaining organizations.
Lithuanian folk dancers rehearsing in the Lithuanian Center of Argentina
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Brazil
Brazil‘s Lithuanian community is the largest in South America, although its exact numbers are disputed. Lithuanians migrated to Brazil mainly between WW1 and WW2, when 35% of Lithuanian emigrants chose this country, some 25000-50000 in total.
At the time, Brazil was rather poor and Lithuanians were attracted by jobs and promises of cheap land. Although the reality was less rosy, Lithuanians, eventually drifting to Sao Paulo, not only built homes and raised children but also created some of the most extensive Lithuanian sites outside Lithuania.
Sao Paulo is the home to Vila Zelina – a Lithuanian district that is furthest away from Lithuania. Sao Paulo suburbs host Lituanika, a unique Lithuanian-majority village. Additionally, tens of streets all over Brazil have been named after Lithuania and Lithuanians; Lithuanians have built numerous important buildings while their influence on Brazilian society is represented in several museums.
This article covers everything.
Sao Paulo Lithuanian district – Villa Zelina
Sao Paulo (Latin America's largest city) hosts the only true Lithuanian neighborhood in South America - Vila Zelina. Its construction was carried out ~1934 when the Lithuanian immigration had peaked.
The district is centered at the Lithuanian Republic Square (Praca Republica Lituania), so-named on 1976 10 31. The square is adorned by a Lithuanian Freedom Monument with the Columns of Gediminas symbol and lyrics of a song "Lithuanians we are born, Lithuanians we want to be" written on it.
The Monument is a copy of a similar monument in Kaunas. When the Sao Paulo monument was unveiled in the December of 1985, the original had been long since destroyed by the Soviet Union occupational regime, giving the erection of the monument in communist-free Brazil a symbolic meaning. The original monument in Kaunas has since been reconstructed, however.
Freedom Monument (right) and the Lithuanian church in the Lithuanian Republic Square ©Augustinas Žemaitis.
Lithuanian Republic square is a convergence of 7 streets. One of them is named after a Lithuanian priest Pijus Ragažinskas (Pio Raganzinskas, 1907-1988). He had established a Lithuanian-Brazilian newspaper "Mūsų Lietuva" (Our Lithuania) that was published from the January of 1948 until 2016. Rising above the square is St. Joseph Lithuanian church, constructed in 1936 under the direction of priest Benediktas Sugintas. A Lithuanian wooden cross (UNESCO-inscribed art form) stands in front of the church (1949). In the interior one may find various Lithuanian details and paintings. The St. Joseph Lithuanian community (parish) has been established in 1931 and organizes secular as well as religious Lithuanian activities.
St. Joseph Lithuanian church of Sao Paulo and Lithuanian cross
It was the construction of the church that helped make Vila Zelina a Lithuanian district. The real estate developer of the district gifted a land plot to the Lithuanian Catholic Community (est. 1928) on the condition that the church would be built in two years. This proved to be not a simple charity but also a wise economic move: soon afterward, the nearby plots were acquired by Lithuanians who sought to build homes not far away from a Lithuanian church and activities.
The interior of the church has many Lithuanian signs. Next to the entrance, there is a commemorative plaque for Benediktas Sugintas, the builder of the church (bilingual Lithuanian-Portuguese, adorned with his bust), as well as a commemorative plaque for priest Juozas Šeškevičius (Portuguese only, created 1998) who was a long-term leader of the Lithuanian Catholic community since 1954.
Commemorative plaque for Benediktas Sugintas inside the St. Joseph Lithuanian church. ©Augustinas Žemaitis.
The altar of the church is surrounded by paintings of Our Lady of Vilnius (copy of the sacred painting on Vilnius Gate of Dawn), St. Casimir (the patron saint of Lithuania. The painting also includes an image of Vilnius castle). There is also an image of the Divine Mercy. One of the stained glass windows (front right) includes St. Casimir and the Gate of Dawn. The church has been decorated by a Lithuanian artist Antanas Navickas after World War 2.
The interior of Sao Paulo St. Joseph Lithuanian church. ©Augustinas Žemaitis.
Most of the holy masses in the church today are held in the Portuguese language. However, a bilingual mass is held (with a Portuguese-speaking priest but Lithuanian-language Bible readings).
Stained glass window with the Gate of Down and St. Casimir (left)
As the main period of Lithuanian migration to Brazil was in the 1920s and 1930s, nearly all of the current Lithuanian-Brazilians are born in Brazil. Still, parts of the elder population speak Lithuanian. Other Lithuanian activities are more popular, including several ethnic dance groups (Nemunas, Rambynas), a parish choir (established in 1936). Those activities are taking place in the parish buildings behind the church, which were constructed under priest Juozas Šeškevičius (1921-2008), who also organized festivals for Lithuanian-Brazilian youth in the 1960s-1970s.
Some shops around the church still sell Lithuanian food (e.g. a shop at Rua Monsenhor Pio Ragazinskas 17, which also stocks a uniform for the Lithuanian sports team, traditional colored Lithuanian easter eggs, and more).
Lithuanian food in a shop at Vila Zelina. ©Augustinas Žemaitis.
There is a multitude of Lithuanian motives in the nearby Bar do Vito (Avenida Zelina 851). It uses a stylized Vytis (Lithuanian coat of arms) as its symbol, while the interior houses many Lithuanian banknotes, postcards of Lithuanian song and dance festivals, and more. The bar consists of two halls, one of which has a scene for concerts with Vytis behind it. The bar is a meeting place for both Lithuanian-speakers and non-Lithuanian-speaking Lithuanians. Bar do Vito has been established in 1942, putting it among the older still-operating bars in Sao Paulo. By contrast, due to wars and occupations, no restaurant or bar in Lithuania itself has operated for so long.
Bar Do Vito
The interior of Bar do Vito
The main avenue of the Vila Zelina district is known as Avenida Zelina (it passes through the Lithuanian Republic Square). There are more Lithuania-inspired names on that street. Some of them are in fact not made by Lithuanians. Yet because the district is known as Lithuanian, some non-Lithuanians also named their businesses after Lithuania. There is an optician's shop "Lithuania", real estate agencies "Lithuania" and "Kaunas". One 22-floor apartment building in the area is also named "Kaunas" (in Brazil, each apartment block has its name).
Apartment building Kaunas (on the right) is surrounded by an electrified fence (as it is common in Brazil for security reasons). ©Augustinas Žemaitis.
As the years passed, the Lithuanian-Brazilian community has been active in suggestions to commemorate various people and events important to Lithuanians. In 1991, after Lithuania had restored independence, such lobbying was successful in achieving a renaming of one small street into Free Lithuania passage (Passagem Lituania Livre).
Street name sign of the Free Lithuania passage. ©Augustinas Žemaitis.
The Lithuanian tradition of Vila Zelina, however, has been targetted in Russian propaganda campaigns. Russian Empire ruled Lithuania in 1795-1915, persecuting the local inhabitants. Russian-ruled Soviet Union has occupied Lithuania in 1940-1941 and 1944-1990 and has been responsible for a genocide there, killing hundreds of thousands. Any references to "Lithuanian Freedom" are thus mainly references against the Soviet/Russian occupation of Lithuania. As such, Sao Paulo Russians tried to lobby (unsuccessfully) for the renaming of Lithuanian placenames of Vila Zelina such as "Free Lithuania passage". They have also planted trees around the Lithuanian Freedom Statue so the statue would be obscured and organized protests "in the name of ecology" when Lithuanians tried to cut down the trees. Furthermore, they disseminated letters to Vila Zelina shopkeepers trying to convince them not to sell Lithuanian food; the headline of these notes was "Lithuanian cuisine - Nazi cuisine" (following a popular Soviet/Russian propaganda trope that independent Lithuania is a fascist country). They have tried to erase the word "Lithuanian" from the references about Lithuania, calling it the "Eastern European district of Sao Paulo" instead, even though few other Eastern Europeans lived there. They successfully lobbied for renaming one square after Russian poet Pushkin. Lithuanians of Vila Zelina greatly oppose these Russian campaigns which they see as attempts to occupy Vila Zelina; these conflicts have been described in the mainstream Brazilian press as well.
Previously Vila Zelina area had two Lithuanian schools.
Historically, Sao Paulo had six Lithuanian schools.
One of them, the Vytautas the Great Lithuanian school, operated in a purpose-built building of the 1930s (Rua Santo Amasio 327, ~1 km away from Vila Zelina in Vila Bela). The building used to be adorned by a bas-relief of Vytautas the Great (the Medieval grand duke of Lithuania who ruled Lithuania at its largest territorial extent). Unfortunately, even though the building is still owned by the Lithuanian community, it is now leased out for a Pentecostal church, so the bas-relief has been removed. Only the doors and windowsills remain authentic.
The former Vytautas the Great Lithuanian school. ©Augustinas Žemaitis.
Vytautas the Great school as it looked before World War 2
Another Lithuanian school in Vila Zelina itself - St. Michael the Archangel - has been established in 1938 by Lithuanian Franciscan nuns who arrived from Pittsburgh (USA) under the invitation of a local Lithuanian priest Pijus Ragažnskas. The school is operational; it has some 1000 students in grades ranging from kindergarten to pre-university level.
St. Michael the Archangel school in Vila Zelina
The medium of instruction is Portuguese (with some English classes) and the share of Lithuanian pupils declined over time, but Lithuanian surnames are still well visible in the student lists. The school corridors still have historic images of Lithuanian history, while the schoolyard has a post with wishes of peace in 4 languages, among them Lithuanian. The St. Michael the Archangel school remains an important center of the Lithuanian community. Every year, the Lithuanian independence day (February 16th) is celebrated in the school hall by the Vila Zelina community.
The plot of St. Michael the Archangel school also hosts a Franciscan sisters monastery, where the sisters who take care of the school live. The monastery has a "Lithuanian room" with Lithuanian memorabilia and a Lithuanian-inspired cross outside.
Lithuanian inscription 'Let the peace prevail over the world' in the schoolyard of St. Michael the Archangel
However, the order of Lithuanian Franciscan sisters has undergone similar changes that the school underwent. It had been established in Pittsburgh in 1922: Lithuanian nuns helped with the education and health of the Lithuanian-Americans, as in the USA, these services were expensive. The sisters operated multiple hospitals and many schools. After Lithuanians began migrating to Brazil the order sent some Lithuanian-American nuns to Brazil. However, as time passed, health and pre-university education became free in the USA and the need of the nuns decreased, following by their numbers. In 2017, the motherhouse in Pittsburgh was demolished. In Brazil, however, non-Lithuanians began joining the order - eventually, the main language became Portuguese and the non-Lithuanians formed the majority of nuns. Few Lithuanians are in the order today but the Lithuanian history is still respected. Now the global HQ of this Lithuanian-established order is in Brazil.
This image that hangs on the school wall shows Vila Zelina district during its construction in the 1930s; the Lithuanian church is already built while the rest is still mostly a field. Lithuanian Franciscan nuns stand in front, soon after their arrival to Brazil
Although it is now harder to hear Lithuanian spoken in the Vila Zelina area, a significant part of the local population still consists of the descendants of Lithuanians. Unlike in the USA, Brazilians often spend their entire lifetimes in a single city or district, meaning that Vila Zelina is still largely populated by those, whose forefathers moved there in the interwar or postwar period. One may still often spot Lithuanian surnames adorning the offices of various specialists (e.g. dentists, brokers).
Real estate agency 'Lithuania' in Vila Zelina. ©Augustinas Žemaitis.
The single location that has the most Lithuanian surnames is probably the cemetery Cemiterio Ceramica of the São Caetano do Sul suburb. The cemetery is not Lithuanian-only. However, as it serves as the final resting place for people of the surrounding districts, a significant part of graves belong to Lithuanians. Like in all the Brazilian cemeteries, gravestones are large and often replaced entirely by family chapels (far from just the richest families who own them). However, the cemetery has been damaged by vandals and drug addicts who have stolen a large share of metal plates listing the surnames of the dead.
Cemiterio Ceramica of the São Caetano do Sul suburb. ©Augustinas Žemaitis.
Cemetery. A close-up shot of one of the Lithuanian family chapels. ©Augustinas Žemaitis.
Another, simpler cemetery with Lithuanian burials is the Vila Alpina cemetery.
Lithuanian-Brazilian Union and Mooca district of Sao Paulo
Although Vila Zelina is the symbol of Lithuanian-Brazilians and nowhere in Sao Paulo the Lithuanian history is as evident, only a minority of total Lithuanian-Brazilians lived in Vila Zelina.
The second Sao Paulo district by Lithuanian heritage is the nearby Mooca
There operates the second one of the three major Lithuanian-Brazilian organizations: Lithuanain-Brazilian Union (1931). It has a two-floored edifice with a stylized Vytis whereas the street where the building stands is named after Lithuania (the address is Rua Lituania 67). It is the larger of two Lithuania streets in greater Sao Paulo. Two restaurants/shops next to the Union are also named after Lithuania.
Lithuanian-Brazilian Union building. ©Augustinas Žemaitis.
The building has a library and an archive with various materials and Lithuanian memorabilia from Lithuanian-Brazilians and interwar Lithuania. The hall hosts Lithuanian events. Originally, the building was constructed for Vincas Kudirka Lithuanian school (1929).
Historically, the Lithuanian-Brazilian Union represented leftist Lithuanians.
Restaurant Pricess of Lithuania next to the Union
The religious Lithuanian hub in Mooca used to be the Lithuanian Jesuit house. Currently, the building stands empty but it is still adorned by Crosses of Vytis
The building once housed Lithuanian Jesuits who used to hold mass there in 1968-1978. Formally it was the second Lithuanian parish in Brazil - St. Casimir parish. In contrast to St. Joseph parish of Vila Zelina which served its district, St. Casimir parish was meant to „serve all Lithuanian-Brazilians except those who live in Vila Zelina“. Priests from the Jesuit House would travel throughout Brazil listening to the confessions and doing other religious services. They had a large database of Lithuanian catholic families living throughout Sao Paulo and Brazil.
Cross of Vytis symbols at the Jesuit House (the house itself is beyond the fence)
Such services were especially important while far from every Lithuanian-Brazilian spoke Portuguese. As that generation passed away, however, the need declined and the St. Casimir parish was closed. However, the Jesuit House continued to house Lithuanian priests long after that (Salesians rather than Jesuits). After Lithuania regained independence, however (1990) significant numbers of Lithuanian priests moved from abroad to Lithuania in order to rebuild the Soviet-destroyed parishes and religious life there.
Since 1965, Jesuit house also housed a Lithuanian language school.
Next to the Mooca district, there is Cuarta Parada cemetery where the Lithuanians of the district also were buried. Also, Mooca district houses Sao Paulo museum of immigration which is described in a separate section at the bottom of this article.
Lithuanian-Brazilian schools in the other districts of Sao Paulo
Before World War 2 Lithuanians used to live in at least three more Sao Paulo districts. In each of them, the Lithuanian life used to be centered around Lithuanian schools that were constructed with the support of the interwar Republic of Lithuania: the country sought to ensure that the Lithuanian culture survives among its emigrants to South America.
Parque das Nações Maironis Lithuanian school is being opened (historic image)
Unfortunately, Sao Paulo Lithuanian schools operated for a very short time. In 1940, Soviet Union has occupied Lithuania
Parque das Nações district had Maironis Lithuanian school (established 1937, used to own 1000 sq. m land lot, 56 pupils; the building sold after its closure). There is no information if the building survives – if you know, please write in the comments. In this district, Lithuania is still reminded by Lituania street, Lituania bus stop and Vilna street (named after Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania). However, they appeared on the map probably not as much because of Lithuanian influence but rather because all the streets in the district are named after foreign countries and locations.
Lituania street in Parque das Nações
Lithuanians had their own school at Bom Retiro district near Sao Paulo center as well (Bandeirantes 92) – currently, an apartment building stands at that address.
The Lithuanian school of the three that survived the longest in Lithuanian ownership was in the Vila Anatacio district 9 km from the center. Named after Jonas Basanavičius and decorated in Lithuanian inscriptions, the building was used for Lithuanian activities long after the school closure. Unfortunately, in 2011 it was sold and demolished.
A fragment of J. Basanvičius school building facade with a Lithuanian inscription (now-destroyed). Photo by Alexandre Fejes Neto.
Lituanika, a Lithuanian village near Sao Paulo
Some Sao Paulo suburbs are also teeming in Lithuanian heritage and Lituanika next to Atibaia lacks any peers.
It is the only truly Lithuanian village beyond the borders of Lithuania and neighboring countries!
The gate of Lituanika
The village consists of some 60 homesteads. Originally, all were Lithuanian-owned and today some 80% still are. The total area of Lituanika is 260 000 square meters, i.e. 26 ha.
Lituanika panorama
Even the names of Lituanika streets are related to Lithuania. There is a street named after Darius and Girėnas, the first Lithuanians to cross the Atlantic ocean by plane (their plane was called Lituanica and the entire village is named after it). There is also „Miškų brolių“ (Forest brothers) street named after the partisans
A street name in Lituanika
In addition to the private homes, the village also has numerous Lithuanian public buildings.
A small brick St. Anthony Lithuanian chapel with a belfry, according to a plaque near the entrance, constructed through a donation of priest Dr. Antanas Milius. The chapel interior has a Lithuanian cross and a Lithuanian chapel-post with the sun, a traditional Lithuanian symbol that crossed from the Pagan era into Christian symbolics.
Inside the Lithuanian chapel of Lituanika
A small- hotel-like Guest house (1979), Seniors‘ residence (1992), House of picnics with sleeping places and washrooms (1978), a Lithuanian library (the building highly decorated in Lithuanian wooden ornaments).
Lithuanian library
Most of the buildings are decorated in Lithuanian style: Lithuanian wooden ornaments and Lithuanian-language inscriptions. As of now, the senior‘s residence and the library are both closed. The Seniors‘ residence has been built on the initiative of a Lithuanian-Brazilian priest Juozas Šeškevičius who spent his own senescence there and took care of other elderly Lithuanians as well as held mass in the chapel for them.
Currently, the chapel and the picnic building are operating only during festivals.
Lithuanian chapel
Many of the Lituanika‘s private houses are also decorated in Lithuanian ways, e.g. Towers of Gediminas. Some have Lithuanian names (e.g. „Marijampolė“ – after a town in Lithuania, „Saulutė“ – little sun)
A house in Lituanika
It also became popular among Lithuanian-Brazilians to get buried in „Lituanika“. Next to the chapel, there is a common Lithuanian grave with a list of Lithuanian names buried there (urns are buried after cremation), among them are several priests from St. Joseph Lithuanian church. Any Lithuanian is allowed to get buried there and this is the only Lithuanian cemetery in Latin America.
Common Lithuanian grave in Lituanika
In addition to Lithuanian spaces, there are numerous spaces for the comfort and relaxation of the inhabitants and guests. A pool (according to a commemorative plaque, built by Jonas Rimša in 1982 03 28), three ponds full of fish for fishing and bathing, an avenue of trees, small forests, and nice views from the heights over the surrounding areas.
Lituanika relaxation zone with a pool and ponds
Lituanika also serves as a venue for Lithuanian events and festivals: not only for the Lituanika residents but (once or twice a year) also for Lithuanians of the whole Sao Paulo (e.g. Joninės celebrations) and once in several years for Lithuanians of the whole South America (e.g. meetings of the South American Lithuanian youth). Usually, the festivities take place in the picnic building where it is also possible to spend a night.
Lituanika symbol at the picnic building
Before ~2005 Lithuanian scout camps used to take place in Lituanika twice a year, attracting ~100 scouts who would camp there.
Lituanika was established in 1977 by two of the three major Lithuanian-Brazilian organizations: the Lithuanian-Brazilian community (ethnic-based) and Lithuanian Catholics (religion-based). Together they have acquired this land using money that they saved during the organization of the Global Lithuanian Congress in Brazil.
A house in Lituanika
Before the 21st century, Lituanika was difficult to reach by road. Typically, Lithuanians would come there for spending summer vacations but currently, some live there all the time. Some Lithuanians sold their properties in Lituanika over time but the goal is to retain the Lithuanian majority. As some Lithuanian sell homes, willing Lithuanian buyers are searched for. Lituanika is a common property of all its inhabitants, as well as the Lithuanian Community and Lithuanian Catholics. According to the Brazilian laws, this means that the owners‘ majority may set the rules that are binding to the rest (e.g. on the styles of private buildings permitted). This helps to retain the Lithuanian character of Lituanika even if a certain share of the buildings is no longer Lithuanian-owned.
A house in Lituanika
Streets and monuments for Lithuanians all over Brazil
Some Lithuanian-Brazilians have left such a big mark on their cities and towns that streets and squares were named after him. Many of these people are unknown in Lithuania itself.
Basketball player Waldemar Blatkauskas has a street in Campinas, a street in Sao Paulo, and a sports gall in Piracicabas named after him. He represented the Brazilian national basketball team at the times Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union and thus had no national team of its own: 1959-1963. Twice he won Olympic bronze with the Brazilian team and twice he won gold at the world championships. In 1963, he died in a car accident. His surname must be very difficult for Brazilians to spell as it appears differently on different plaques even in the same street. Even officially the Campinas street is called „Waldemar Blatkauskas“ whereas the Sao Paulo one „Waldemar Blakauskas“. Other sources also list his name as "Valdemar" and his surname as "Blatskauskas".
Basketball champion Waldemar Blakauskas street in Sao Paulo
Jacarei town of Sao Paulo state has a street named after Vicente Klimeika who is said to have been a famous photographer in the town.
In the Osasco suburb, a street is named after Analice Sakatauskas, a young Lithuanian girl who visited people in poverty or disease and prayed for them. She died riding a bicycle just 19 years old but managed to leave such indelible memory in the city that it has named a street after here.
Analice also probably has a certain folk religiosity aimed towards her, with an Analice Sakatauskas chapel built near the Romeiros road, at 46 km towards Pirapora (-23.412756, -46.950771), the location where she died. The chapel includes a large statue of Christ on top of a small hill and Analice Sakatauskas name. Romeiros road has numerous other religious sculptures on its sides as well.
Chapel-monument for Analice Saktauskas at Estrada dos Romeiros
Chapel-monument for Analice Saktauskas at Estrada dos Romeiros
Analice Sakatauskas name on her monument
Sao Paulo also has Vincas Kudirka square. Vincas Kudirka, the author of the Lithuanian national anthem, had nothing to do with Brazil, however, the street was so named under the initiative of Vicente Tubelis, honorary consul of Lithuania in Sao Paulo.
Vincas Kudirka square. As is often the case in Brazil, name (rather than surname) is written in larger letters
A Lithuanian who left the biggest mark in the Sao Paulo area probably was priest Aleksandras (Alexander) Arminas. Initially (1931) he was a priest in Vila Zelina but afterward, he moved into non-Lithuanian Brazilian parishes.
Being a fan of architecture, Arminas often significantly reconstructed the interior of the churches he was a priest at, among them those in Joanopolis (St. John the Baptist) and Piracaia (St. Anthony). Piracaia one was redecorated by Lithuanian artist Navickas. The impressive and unique interior includes a vault covered with images of every pope (with a larger image of the reigning pope, updated every time the pope changes), a Christ image behind the altar with a blinking heart, etc. A plaque near the entrance declares that the renovation was completed by Arminas in 1951.
A fragment of Navickas's ceiling of Piracaia church
Navickas-created interior of the Piracaia church
A commmorative plaque for the reconstruction of Piracaia church, mentioning priest Arminas
The final work of Aleksandras Arminas was the Church of Immaculate conception at Maua suburb of Sao Paulo, where he was a pastor in the years 1954-1975. Arminas is buried there and respected; next to the church Aleksandras Arminas bust stands while the square in front of the church is known as Aleksandras Arminas square. A college he established next to the church is known as Monsignor Alexander V. Arminas College, abbreviated as „Monsignor college“. The priest also wrote Lithuania poetry about Brazil under the nickname of Venacijus Ališas.
Maua church built by Aleksandras Arminas (on the right), a college named after him (in the middle) and a bust for him (on the left) in Aleksandras Arminas square
Aleksandras Arminas bust (on the left)
Dona Alba street in Raul Soares town of Minas Gerais state may not seem to have anything to do with Lithuania(ns) but, in fact, it is named after a Lithuanian woman Albina Vasiliauskaitė from Sasnava, who, after immigrating to Brazil in 1929, married to a local influential businessman and developer Manoel Maximo Barbosa.
While the majority of interwar Lithuanian immigrants to Brazil would be poor and would have taken free tickets in exchange for free (some say slave-like) work afterward, there were a few who immigrated buying their own tickets and acquired lands in Brazil (that were cheap at the time), becoming rich farmers. Angatuba town in Sao Paulo has streets named after Lithuanian farmers Jonas Vilkas and Antanas Senvaitis (on the street name his surname appears as Senwaittis; on some maps, the names of the streets are turned into Portuguese as Joao Vilka and Antonio Savate).
Jonas Vilkas street in Angatuba
Sorocaba has a viaduct named after Julio Gaidukas, who drowned while trying to save his cousin.
There are streets named after Lithuania all over Brazil, some 30 in total. However, they have little relation to Lithuania and Lithuanians: just like in Parque das Nacoes district of Sao Paulo, they are typically located in areas where streets are named after various countries of the world. Such practice was common during the massive urbanization of Latin America in the 20th century.
Antanas Senvaitis street in Angatuba
Rio de Janeiro Lithuanian monument
Rio de Janeiro had merely ~500 Lithuanians, but they managed to build a massive Lithuanian Monument dedicated to Lithuanians who died in emigration or exile.
Rio de Janeiro Lithuanian monument in Catumbi cemetery
The monument is easily accessible in the historic Catumbi cemetery among historic graves of the Rio de Janeiro elite. The massive black slab has Lithuanian symbols such as the Coat of Arms, Columns of Gediminas on it, with the Our Lady of Vilnius being the most prominent.
The front of the Rio de Janeiro Lithuanian monument
The monument also serves as a common grave for at least 24 Lithuanians, among them priest Jonas Jamilionis who was the creator of the monument's idea. This makes the monument one of merely two places in the entire Latin America where Lithuanians are buried together based on the ethnic basis (the other such place is in Lituanika).
A fragment of the monument with priest Jamilionis bust and Columns of Gediminas
On the front of the monument, those buried under are listed, while priest Jamilionis has his bust. The front of the monument also mentions the Lithuanian Community, one of three key Lithuanian-Brazilian organizations.
The side of the monument has a plaque with its Portuguese dedication, benefactors, and history. The plaque was dedicated in 1965 02 14 for the 400 years of Rio de Janeiro foundation, in the participation of the consul of then-Soviet-occupied Lithuania Frikas Mejeris. The back of the monument has a plaque with dedication in Latin and Lithuanian languages ("This monument is erected to remember Lithuanian emigrant and exile who died abroad. Rio 16/2/1965"). The date inscribed there is not the centenary of Rio (February 14th) but rather Lithuanian independence day (February 16th), however.
Lithuanian commemorative plaque on the back of the Rio de Janeiro Lithuanian monument
Litvak (Jewish) synagogue in Sao Paulo and museums in Brazil
In addition to ethnic Lithuanians, Jews from Lithuania also came to Sao Paulo.
The heart of Litvak religious life in Sao Paulo is Itzhak Elchonon synagogue, established in 1936, with its current modernist building opened in 1956 (Rua Prates 706). It is named after the chief rabbi of Kaunas, Lithuania (Itzhak Elchonon held this position for 32 years: 1864-1896).
Litvak synagogue of Sao Paulo
Unlike many of the synagogues of the Americas where Litvaks participated in the foundation, Sao Paulo Itzhak Elchonono synagogue still is mostly attended by Litvak descendants and keeps its relation with Litvak history and traditions. In most other places of the Americas, Litvaks assimilated into wider local Jewish communities and did not retain a relation with Lithuania in particular or separate Litvak organizations.
Synagogue pews are traditionally assigned to various people. The plaques on the walls also have names of the deceased synagogue luminaries. Some of the surnames have Lithuanian endings, e.g. is
The synagogue has three floors, the top of which is dedicated to women, the middle of which is the main one for the men while the cellar is a social space with numerous books, as well as artworks created by the synagogue‘s congregation (religious events are also held there these days). The prayers are daily. On the outside of the synagogue stands a large tower with symbols of the 12 tribes of Israel. Such symbols are also on the ceiling of the second floor.
Main floor of the Itzhak Elchonon synagogue
Itzhak Elchonon synagogue stands in Bom Retiro district. In the interwar period, when immigrants from Lithuania would move en masse to Brazil, this used to be a Jewish district. Still, the district has some 10 open synagogues. Jewish immigrants would typically form communities based on the country they immigrated from and established synagogues on this basis.
Over time, in Bom Retiro Jews were more and more replaced by Koreans. The descendants of Litvaks who would move to other districts would often join local synagogues and the Itzhak Elchonon synagogue is thus no longer full but during the Jewish festival, it is still attended by some 70 people.
Arguably the most famous Litvak of Brazil is Lasar Segall, to whom the Lasar Segall museum is dedicated. Some of the works exhibited there are dedicated to Vilnius (the capital of Lithuania), where Segal spent his childhood (he was born in 1891 and emigrated to Germany when 15 years old, later moving to Brazil).
'Houses of Vilnius' by Lasar Segal in the Museum of Lasar Segall in Sao Paulo
Sao Paulo also has a museum of art collections Ema Klabin, while a museum of her sister Eva Klabin stands in Rio De Janeiro. Although it is said that both women were Lithuania‘s Jews, they were born in Brazil; their parents once lived in Lithuania. Expositions have no Lithuania-related details.
Ema Klabin museum
Eva Klabin museum entrance in Rio de Janeiro
Sao Paulo museum of immigration and immigration history
More information about the immigration into Sao Paulo may be discovered at the Immigration museum of Sao Paulo (Rua Visconde de Parnaiba 1316, Mooca) - however, few things of the exposition there are related to Lithuanians in particular. Still, thousands of Lithuanians passed through what is now a museum, as it used to be the building ("guesthouse") where immigrants would be brought in from the Santos port and spend a few days before being taken by their employees (typically to the farms). The museum also has archives where all the immigrants are recorded; the archives are popular among those searching for information about their Lithuanian immigrant relatives.
Rather opulent former immigrant guesthouise, now the Museum of Immigration
The true number of Lithuanian-Brazilians is heavily disputed with various sources claiming 30 000, 150 000, 300 000, or even 1 000 000. Presumably, the larger numbers include everyone who had at least a single grandfather or great grandfather from Lithuania. Lithuanian-Brazilian Community election of 1970 had 821 participants, while its counterpart in 1999 had 177 participants (however, the Community is just one of three large Lithuanian organizations in Brazil).
Sao Paulo hosts the only Lithuania's consulate general in Latin America (Avenida Irai, 438, cj. 34). It was established after the Lithuanian embassy in Argentina was closed down as a cost-saving measure in 2013. The larger number of Lithuanian-Brazilians was cited as a reason for the move to Sao Paulo although the decision has received criticism from the Lithuanian-Argentine community which holds itself to be more lively and keen at safeguarding Lithuanian traditions.
In addition to the surviving Lithuanian communities in Sao Paulo, a large share of Lithuanian-Brazilians lived in smaller towns and villages rather than in Sao Paulo. There, they used to be attracted firstly by the promises of cheap lands. These Lithuanian communities largely assimilated over a couple of generations as they always lived intermixed with other larger groups. Lithuanian rural settlement was largely limited to the states of Sao Paulo, Parana, and the Rio Grande do Sul.
The initial migration of Lithuanians to Brazilian villages actually happened even prior to 1918 independence (1870s-1910s) and consisted of some 800 to several thousand people. In the Rio Grande do Sul, these "first wave" Lithuanians participated in the establishment of the Ijui city (pop. 100 000) where they were later joined and outnumbered by other European ethnicities.
In the interwar period, some Lithuanians immigrated in larger groups to form what they called "Lithuanian colonies". Often this was a marketing trick of Brazilian landowners who would advertise their own lands in various European countries promising not only the land itself but also the ability to live among other people from the same country. The most famous of the few "colonies" was arguably Nova Lituania near Costa Machado town (developed by local landowner Dr. Labieno da Costa Machado), while another similar area existed north of Barao do Antonina, both in Sao Paulo state. In any case, little visibly Lithuanian remains there, while "Nova Lituania" name is not included on any maps today: arguably, there were too few Lithuanians or too many of them chose to leave for the cities for these to be viable Lithuanian communities.
In 1925, there were 8146 Lithuanians in Brazil, while in 1930 the number already stood at 40288, showing the massiveness of that key migration wave that defined the Lithuanian-Brazilian community.
In 1954, there were some 50 000 Lithuanian Brazilians, of them 30 000 in Sao Paulo, 20 000 in the countryside, and 300 in Rio. Most were interwar migrants, many once lured in by a free boat trip (in exchange for a long-term contract) and plantation company promises of "American riches" (some believed the entire American continent to be as rich as the USA, while in fact, Brazilian GDP per capita was 1/6th of the US one in 1929 and the wages in Brazil were lower than in Lithuania but cheap land compensated this to some).
500 post-World War 2 refugees in the 1940s became the final major immigration of Lithuanians to Brazil (some of them later emigrated to the USA when it became possible).
According to the 1950s data, among the Lithuanian immigrants, 95% would have married another Lithuanian (some of them were married in Lithuania already). However, in the Brazilian-born generation of their kids, only 32% did so (and that is counting only those who participated in the Lithuanian activities and replied to the questionnaire).
Interwar cups at the premises of Lithuanian-Brazilian Union. ©Augustinas Žemaitis.
Lithuanians of Brazil attracted filmmaker interest. In 2002, the Brazilian documentary Eldorado - Lituanos no Brazil (Eldorado: The Lithuanians in Brazil) was created. Several books on Lithuanian-Brazilians have been published in both Lithuania and Brazil.
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Uruguay
Uruguay is the smallest American country to have significant Lithuanian heritage.
Some 5000 – 10000 Lithuanians immigrated to Uruguay between WW1 and WW2. Most of them settled in Montevideo.
Montevideo thus has significant Lithuanian heritage. The most important among it is the Our Lady of Fatima Lithuanian church (1954), Lithuanian cultural society building (1941) and the Republic of Lithuania square (~1960).
Cerro district (east of downtown) forms the heart of Montevideo Lithuanian community and heritage. An industrial center, the district attracted numerous other European ethnicities as well between WW1 and WW2. At that time, Uruguay was richer than most European countries.
Montevideo Lithuanian cultural society building with a Lithuanian mural
Our Lady of Fatima Lithuanian church
Our Lady of Fatima Lithuanian church (address: Bélgica 1765) is the most impressive Lithuanian building in Cerro of Montevideo and entire Uruguay.
Montevideo Lithuanian church
At the time the church was constructed (1952), Lithuania was recently occupied by the Soviet Union. This inclined Uruguay Lithuanians to create an especially Lithuanian interior in order to create a small piece of Lithuania outside of the lost homeland. Although the church is modern from the outside, its interior thus reminds of some small Baroque church typical to the UNESCO-inscribed Old Town of Lithuania’s capital Vilnius.
Montevideo Lithuanian church interior
Grand stained glass windows of the church are full of Lithuanian symbols, even secular ones.
One of the windows depicts the most famous buildings of Lithuania’s largest cities Vilnius and Kaunas (Vilnius Cathedral, the Three Crosses monument, the castle of Gediminas [all in Vilnius], Kaunas Ressurection church, Kaunas Vytautas church that still didn’t have the current high tower).
Another stained glass window depicts Our Lady of Vilnius (a miraculous painting of Virgin Mary in Vilnius) and the Gate of Dawn where the painting is located; the tricolor flag of Lithuania; the Lithuanian crops; Vilnius coat of arms.
A fragment of a stained glass window in Montevideo Lithuanian church
A fragment of a stained glass window in Montevideo Lithuanian church
The third stained glass window depicts St. Casimir (Lithuania’s patron saint), Lithuanian Coat of arms and the old coat of arms of Kaunas (European bison).
The church has been constructed in the 1950s when Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union and many of these patriotic symbols were banned, giving their placement in free Uruguay special importance.
There are 5 additional stained glass windows that are less related to Lithuania.
Another Lithuanian stained glass window is located above the choir and organ. It depicts a cross made out of Lithuanian tricolors.
Montevideo Lithuanian church stained-glass window above the choir
Lithuania is also depicted in the murals around the altar. On the one side, Vilnius (Cathedral, the castle of Gediminas) is depicted. On the opposite side, there is the world-famous Hill of Crosses
Closer to the entrance there as a Lithuanian altar to the Virgin Mary. The vault of the church is painted in Lithuanian patterns.
The altar of the Lithuanian church of Montevideo with murals on the sides
Lithuanian words also adorn all the stations of the cross that represent the final moments of Jesus’s life. On them, the Spanish inscriptions describe these final moments (e.g. „Jesus falls the second time“), however, the Lithuanian inscriptions are not direct translations but rather prayers to God (e.g. „Raise me from my sins“).
Lithuanian station of the cross in Montevideo Lithuanian church
Church walls have Lithuanian commemorative plaques to the numerous Lithuanian priests that served the church: the founder of the church Vladas Mikalauskas (1918-1956), the final Lithuanian priest of Montevideo Jonas Giedrys (1921-1998). After Giedrys’s departure Montevideo church no longer has a Lithuanian mass, although for some years after his death a semi-Lithuanian mass used to be celebrated (there, the priest would speak English but the congregation would speak Lithuanian). During some festivals, the semi-Lithuanian mass is still held. The church continues to be served by Jesuit priests. However, after Lithuania restored its independence from the Soviet Union (1990), the center of Lithuanian Jesuit activity moved to Lithuania, so the current Jesuits who control the church are non-Lithuanian Uruguayans. By the way, in 2013 a second plaque for Jonas Giedrys has been unveiled in the church (near the altar, in both Lithuanian and Spanish). A Lithuanian tricolor still stands beside the altar.
Priest Mikalauskas memorial plaque in the Lithuanian church of Uruguay
Priest Giedrys memorial plaque in the Lithuanian church of Uruguay
Yet another memorial plaque in the church reminds the Lithuanian-Uruguayan artist Vytautas Dorelis (Spanish-only).
The exterior of the church is adorned by a wooden traditional Lithuanian cross (a UNESCO-World-Heritage-inscribed art form). Over the entrance under the Virgin Mary statue, a Spanish inscription declares „Our Lady of Fatima parish. The church constructed for the exiled Lithuanians in 1954 10 31“. At the time, most of the Lithuanian diaspora was seen as „exiled people“ as, due to the Soviet occupation of Lithuania, they were unable to return to Lithuania without facing persecutions or death.
Except for the aforementioned details, the church exterior is modern and not Lithuanian; it has been created by a local architect Perez del Castillo.
Lithuanian church of uruguay with a tradtional Lithuanian cross next to it
The Montevideo Lithuanian church is open only for the Holy Mass (Saturdays and Sundays).
The church construction has been supported by Lithuanian-Americans. As the Lithuanian-Uruguayan community was rather small (some 50000-10000 people immigrated in the interwar years) and poorer than the Lithuanian-American community. Still, Lithuanian-Uruguayans also donated for the church what they could. The names of the donors now adorn every pew and stained glass window.
Cerro Lithuanian cultural society
Cerro Lithuanian club (Cultural society) at Rio de Janeiro street 4001 may look to be just a simple 1-floored edifice from the front but it has a long Lithuanian history. Before World War 2 already the building housed Jonas Basanavičius Lithuanian school. It was funded by the Republic of Lithuania in order to keep Lithuanian spirit and culture among Lithuanian-Uruguayans.
In 1940, however, the Soviet Union has occupied Lithuania and so the school quickly folded without its support. In 1941, however, the building was acquired by Lithuanian-Uruguayan Cultural Society, thus saving its Lituanity.
Montevideo Lithuanian club
The club has a multitude in rooms which serve as a hub of the entire Lithuanian activities in Uruguay. There, Lithuanian language lessons, Lithuanian exhibits and events take place, Lithuanian choirs, dance troupes, craftsmen troupes used to rehearse or still rehearses. There is the main event hall, many Lithuanian symbols. The club survives financially not only on Lithuanian donations but also by renting outs its premises and by owning a public bar in the front of the building.
One of the halls of Montevideo Lithuanian club
At first, the Lithuanian Cultural Society used to be socialist (not communist; while being leftist, it supported Lithuania‘s independence). Eventually, it was also joined by Catholic Lithuanians who generally had their community based around the Lithuanian church.
For long, the Lithuanian club had no Lithuanian details in its exterior. On 2019 02 16, however, while celebrating the Lithuanian independence day, the club has converted one of its walls into a ~40-meter long mural. Local Lithuanian artist Gabriel Vuljevas led the work.
A part of the Lithuanian mural of the Montevideo Lithuanian club
A part of the Lithuanian mural of the Montevideo Lithuanian club
The mural contains many Lithuanian symbols. From left to right: a traditional Lithuanian cross (UNESCO-inscribed artwork), Easter eggs, folk costume, Užgavėnės carnival mask, basketball balls, Lithuanian (and Uruguayan flags), hills in the colors of Lithuanian flag, a Medieval castle, Three crosses (representing the Three crosses monument in Vilnius), amber.
Cerro Lithuanian club is open every day, especially in the evenings when the bar is open. Lithuanians who arrive at the club, even from other countries, are generally welcome to visit all the premises although it is better to agree on time so people would be inside.
Cerro immigrant heritage
Cerro district on the other side of a gulf from Montevideo downtown has been established in 1838 and became the prime zone for immigrants. Thus, the streets and squares there are named after foreign countries. There is a small Lituania street and, not far from it, a Republic of Lithuania school.
The center of Cerro is marked by Immigrant square with a general sculpture of an immigrant (brought in on December 1987).
Cerro Immigrant square and memorial. Before the construction of Lithuanian church, Cerro Lithuanians used to attend the church in this square
Surnames from many nations (among them many Lithuanian surnames) may be found in Cerro cemetery.
Every year, Montevideo hosts Immigrant festivals and once in two years, Immigrant Olympics. The so-called „immigrants“ in this case are actually grandchildren and great-grandchildren of immigrants (they should probably be more accurately referred to as minorities but the term immigrant stuck in Uruguay and is used with pride by those representing the communities even though they were all born citizens of Uruguay). As Cerro district is not rich and not very safe, many immigrant clubs
Cerro slaughterhouses that once were the main attraction for Lithuanians to immigrate to Montevideo have now all closed but it is still possible to see their remains. One of the more impressive ruins is visible from Jose Gurvich street next to the ocean.
Abandoned slaughterhouse where many Uruguay Lithuanians used to work at as seen from the Jose Gurvich street
Republic of Lithuania square and Lithuanian sites in central Montevideo
Although most of Uruguay‘s primary Lithuanian sites are in Cerro, one of the most important - Republic of Lithuania square (Plaza Republica de Lituania) – is not far away from central Montevideo.
The square has two monuments. The older one - Stone adorned in columns of Gediminas (a traditional patriotic symbol of Lithuania
The old Lithuanian monument in the Republic of Lithuania plaza of Montevideo
The other, newer, is an abstract sculpture „Into the third millennium“, the metal forms of which symbolize hands in prayer position. To commemorate the Lithuanian independence restoration day (March 11th) of 2002, the sculpture has been gifted by a Lithuanian sculptor Eduardo Lopaitis who created it together with Jose Erman. A Spanish plaque tells that the sculpture was given by the Republic of Lithuania to the Oriental Republic of Uruguay.
New Lithuanian monument in the Republic of Lithuania Plaza of Montevideo
The square has been established around 1960. As Uruguay had never recognized the Soviet occupation of Lithuania, it allowed such symbolic initiatives.
That‘s why Uruguay hosted one of merely a few legations of Lithuania that were not closed during the cold war. It was moved to Uruguay from Argentina after Argentina has recognized the occupation of Lithuania. The legation closed in 1977 after the last Lithuanian diplomat who joined the diplomatic service before the Soviet occupation of Lithuania has died.
The central Montevideo also has Jose Gurvich museum (while Cerro has a street named after Jose Gurvich).
Gurvich was a Jew born in Lithuania (town of Jieznas) while his real name was Zusmanas Gurvičius (with Lithuanian endings). However, Zusmanas was taken away from Lithuania by his parents when he was just 5 years old (1932), therefore, he did not have many memories of Lithuania, he did not speak Lithuanian, and Lithuania is not present in his works. However, the museum regularly mentions the fact that he was born in Lithuania.
The total numbers of Lithuania‘s Jews who moved into Uruguay are unclear. They do not participate in common activities with Lithuanians and have assimilated into a wider Jewish community of Uruguay. However, that community itself have dwindled by well over 50% these years as many Jews have emigrated to Israel (Gurvich himself has also emigrated to Israel and USA eventually). Some Lithuanian-Uruguayans also emigrate from Uruguay to Lithuania or Spain.
A Gurvich work in Gurvich museum, following a typical Gurvich style where larger figures are composed of seemingly unrelated smaller things
A large abandoned building in Montevideo old town near the port is Immigrant guesthouse where, once they arrived, immigrants (Lithuanians included) would freely stay for a few days until they could find jobs.
Abandoned Montevideo Immigrant guesthouse near the port of Montevideo
By the way, previously the Lithuanian community also had a campsite in Shangrila suburb where Lithuanian youth used to congregate. At the beginning of the 21st century, the campsite was sold.
Uruguay Lithuanian communist clubs and memorial
Although Uruguay had many Lithuanians who supported a free-from-the-Soviets Lithuania, Uruguay‘s Lithuanian community also possibly had the largest communist influence among all the Lithuanian communities in foreign countries. Their influence was one of the reasons why the Lithuanian church was established so late in Montevideo.
Uruguay actually had two Lithuanian communist clubs – one near Republic of Lithuania square and another one in Cerro (near the corner of Grecia and Ecuador). This one was established later, ~1950, when Uruguay‘s Lithuanian communists were also supported by the Soviet Union.
Lithuanian communist club in Cerro
Both clubs have been closed in 1975 by the Uruguayan government as a reaction to communism that was spreading in Latin America (revolution of Cuba, etc.). In that time, the Uruguayan government was deposed by military and communism was banned. Although at least one building of the former communist club remains, there is nothing proving its past.
There were also Lithuanians who have joined the local far left of Uruguay – the Tupamaros movement that fought against the Uruguayan government and elite. The organization used to be especially strong in Cerro district and they used to call the borderline between Cerro and the rest of Montevideo to be „latitude 38“ (analogous to the real 38 northern latitudes that separated South and North Koreas). There, Tupamaros used to fight police, perform bank heists, policemen killings, human abductions, and other counter-government and counter-business operations. Many far left activists themselves were killed or disappeared during the conflict (disappearance typically meant death as, at that time in Latin America, the authorities would typically not return the bodies of those who, for example, were shot by police, to their relatives; often, it is still not clear where such people are buried). One of the „disappeared ones“ was Viktorija Grišonaitė (Grišonas) (her "disappearance" case is described here).
In the early 21st century, after the Uruguayan politics turned left, a memorial to the disappeared ones has been constructed in Cerro. It includes the name of Viktorija (as Victoria Grisonas).
Viktorija Grišonaitė name on the memorial to the disappeared ones
Interestingly, Grišonaitė did not descend herself from a Lithuanian family with far-left beliefs. On the contrary – her father was a secretary in the Lithuanian legation to Uruguay and he worked lots in order to liberate Lithuania and to condemn communism.
By the way, at least one Lithuanian (Ildefonso Kazlauskas) was also among the policemen of Uruguay who were murdered by the far left in the era.
Some Lithuanian communists of Uruguay returned to Lithuania ~1950 when Stalin invited them back. They were joined by some non-communists who were attracted by the Soviet propaganda and promises of a supposedly great life in „Soviet Lithuania“. In reality, the Soviet paradise reminded hell to many returnees and most promises were left unfulfilled. Those who managed often returned to Uruguay again but not everyone managed that.
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Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago lacks Lithuanians, but Tobago has a Great Courland Bay and Little Courland Bay. Their name derives from a Bronze Age Baltic tribe that lived in Western Lithuanian and Latvia.
Thus name has an interesting history. Long after the original Couronians (Lithuanian: kuršiai) have already merged into Lithuanian and Latvian nations the land they once inhabitted was still refered as Courland. In 1561 a Duchy of Courland and Semigallia has been established in modern-day Latvia (as a fief of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania). To the German Dukes of largely Latvian-inhabitted Courland and Semigallia, known for their opulent palaces, Europe was never enough. Even though their duchy had merely 200 000 inhabittants they have amassed a navy one third of the legendary Spanish armada to become the smallest colonial power to partake in the Conquest of Americas.
They have selected Tobago island in the Carribean as their colony which they named New Courland and also called one of its bays a Great Courland Bay. Colonization attempts lasted merely from 1637 to 1656 when Courland-Semigallia, together with the rest of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth suffered a Swedish-Russian invasion. Settlers in New Courland then surrendered to the Dutch who also had a colony there. Courland-Semigallia never reacquired its former glory but this interesting episode of colonization by a Lithuanian fief left a geographic name in the New World.
In 1978 Latvians built a commemorative plaque for their settlers at the Great Courland Bay. Just as various plaques built by Lithuanians in the USA it had a symbollic meaning during the occupation of the Baltic States, reminding of their nicer past.
Courland-Semigallia also had another colony in Gambia.
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Buenos Aires, Argentina
Buenos Aires is the capital of Argentina and one of the 20 largest cities of the world. Its streets are still filled with a crumbling grandeur of early 20th century, the era most Lithuanians immigrated to Argentina.
Among those old buildings stand two Lithuanian centers, a Lithuanian church and small museum, five streets named after Lithuania. As everything had been created in 1930s-1970s, it also has a grand history.
Some 30 000 Lithuanians have immigrated to Argentina during a very short period in the middle of the interwar period (1925-1930). At that time, Argentina was possibly the second-richest country of the Americas (after the USA) and, unlike the USA at the time, it did not limit immigration.
Afterward, Argentina slowly became comparatively poorer and poorer. Now it is significantly poorer than Lithuania itself. Thus Lithuanians have long stopped migrating there and the current Lithuanians of Buenos Aires are nearly all descendants of the pre-WW2 migrants.
Lithuanian Center of Buenos Aires with a patriotic Columns of Gediminas symbol on the facade
Buenos Aires Lithuanian Center
Art-deco-inspired Lithuanian Center of Argentina (Centro Lituano) at Tabaré 6950 1439, Villa Lugano neighborhood, may be one of the most impressive Lithuanian secular buildings in South America.
Its façade is marked with Columns of Gediminas (a Medieval Lithuanian symbol). Inside, it has two floors, with a bar on the first floor and a dance hall above, where the Lithuanian traditional dance troupes rehearse.
Lithuanian dancers at the Lithuanian Center
The interior is full of Lithuanian décor: the coats of arms of Lithuania and Lithuanian cities, artworks representing the Lithuanian national anthem and the Battle of Žalgiris (the largest battle where Lithuania participated, winning against the Teutonic Knights in the Medieval era). A nice symbolic artwork has been created by priest Antanas Lubickas (1981) while the coats of arms were created by Antanas Grigonis.
Grigonis’s coats of arms in the Lithuanian Center
The organization of Lithuanian Center of Argentina has been established in 1926 10 10. At the time, the largest wave of Lithuanian immigration to Argentina was commencing. The center was mostly established by intellectuals and the building itself was erected in 1957-1962, although the idea to erect it dates to 1920s when a Republic of Lithuania consul Jonas Skinkis created a "Lietuva" society. However, the plans to build the Lithuanian Center were precluded by the Great Depression (~1929) that had hit Argentina hard. While the plans were rejuvenated ~1934, they went on slowly in the 1930s and 1940s.
The building is officially named after Jonas Basanavičius, considered to be the patriarch of the Republic of Lithuania.
In 2014, a bas-relief to commemorate Lithuania has been created in the yard of the center. It incorporates many elements of Lithuanian history and culture, including its coat of arms, the famous castle of Trakai, the traditional wooden image of worried Jesus that tends to adorn Lithuanian roadsides (Rūpintojėlis), Hill of Corsses at Šiauliai, a couple dancing Lithuanian folk dances, etc.
Bas-relief of the Lithuanian center
Lithuanian Center is open on Saturdays when dances and other events are held. At other days of the week, the premises are rented out, allowing it to operate.
Our Lady of Vilnius church complex
Many of the Buenos Aires Lithuanians settled in the Avellaneda suburb. There they have opened an Our Lady of Vilnius parish in 1942. It is better known as Our Lady of Mercy as the Spanish name now omits references to Vilnius. Still, right over the church entrance, there is an image of the Gate of Dawn in Vilnius, the city gate famous for the miraculous Virgin Mary image (Our Lady of Vilnius) that adorns it and that inspired the naming of the church. One of the side altars is also dedicated to this image.
Buenos Aires Lithuanian church
Gate of Dawn image over the Buenos Aires Lithuanian church entrance
Under each of the stained glass windows, a name and surname of the Lithuanian who helped to fund it are inscribed. Under some stained glass windows US cities are mentioned as well – as the Lithuanian-Argentine community was not as rich as the Lithuanian-American community, the church also received many donations from the USA Lithuanians.
One of the stained glass windows of the Lithuanian church with a donor’s name
Currently, the Mass in the church is Spanish-only but the Lithuanian flag still stands inside.
The interior of the Lithuanian church with the image of Our Lady of Vilnius (another one is behind the altar)
Together with the church a Lithuanian Marian Fathers monastery and school were built (1948). Both buildings are still operating although they are no longer Lithuanian. The complex is still cared for by Marian fathers – however, now these fathers are Argentinians whereas the Lithuanian Marian fathers now operate in Lithuania alone. Still, the Marian order would not exist today if not for Lithuanians. At one time, Lithuanian Jurgis Matulaitis was the only remaining active Marian and it was through his charisma that the Marian order expanded once again, attracting Lithuanians, Poles, and now Americans, Argentines as well. For this reason, Jurgis Matulaitis is depicted on one of the church’s stained glass windows. The church also has St. Casimir (Lithuania’s patron saint) and Divine Mercy (a Christian cult centered around a painting that is in Vilnius, Lithuania) altars.
Lithuanian parish school of Buenos Aires
Lithuanian school building does not have many Lithuanian details, however, Lithuanian religious symbols do exist (Jurgis Matulaitis, Our Lady of Vilnius painting) while the stadium outside is adorned with a cross painted in Lithuanian flag colors. The school is now attended by ~800 pupils, most of them not of Lithuanian ancestry. Initially, the school building (the event hall on the second floor) also served as a Lithuanian club.
Cross painted in the colors of Lithuania’s flag in the stadium of Buenos Aires Lithuanian church
Lithuanian monastery also houses a Lithuanian museum which has no regular opening times (one should ask at the sacristy to be allowed inside although that is only possible when the museum’s hall does not double as a parish hall). The museum has been established in 1955 by A. Mikelionienė. Most of its exhibits are things collected by Lithuanian-Argentines that reminded them of the Homeland they left: traditional Lithuanian wooden crafts, ethnic strips, old Lithuanian books (some dating to the 19th century) and other things. At one time, the museum was larger and had over 1000 exhibits, including sculptures, folk costumes, etc. Later, however, the area was repurposed as a parish hall and thus fewer exhibits remained. Once, the building also housed the publishing house for “Argentinos lietuvių balsas” (the Voice of Lithuanian-Argentines), the major Lithuanian-Argentine newspaper. After it stopped publishing, the printing technics were moved to a Lithuanian museum in Esquel (Patagonia).
Lithuanian museum / parish hall (some half of the room is visible)
A cozy churchyard (closed from outside and accessible only through the sacristy) includes a traditional Lithuanian wooden cross (rebuilt in 2015) and Monument for those who died for Lithuania that incorporates Lithuanian Columns of Gediminas and Cross of Vytis symbols and Virgin Mary image (~1969). On the yard side, the church is adorned with memorial plaques for St. Cecilia Lithuanian choir that used to operate in the parish. Both monuments also have numerous Lithuanian memorial plaques.
Lithuanian cross in the Our Lady of Vilnius church yard of Buenos Aires
Monument for those who died for Lithuanian freedom in the Our Lady of Vilnius church yard of Buenos Aires
Historically, the teachers of the Our Lady of Mercy school were Lithuanian nuns from the order of St. Casimir, established by Lithuanian-Americans. Sent to the Lithuanian-Argentine community in 1941, they also had their convent in Avellaneda but, as the numbers of the nuns declined, the convent was sold and the remaining nuns relocated to smaller premises.
The street in front of the church is named Lithuanian Alley (Pje Lituania). At its end where the passage is nearest to the church, there is a memorial plaque commemorating the fact that the street was named in honor of the Lithuanian community.
Comemorative plaque of the Lithuanian Alley of Avellaneda
Lithuanian Alliance in Argentina
Lithuanian Alliance of Argentina also has its hub in Buenos Aires (Av. San Martin 3175, Lanus Oeste district).
Lithuanian Alliance of Argentina
Externally the building may look simple but it hosts large premises inside. The building has been dedicated to Vincas Kudirka (the author of Lithuanian national anthem), therefore, at its heart lies a rather monumental stairway with a large Vincas Kudirka portrait above and balustrades with Columns of Gediminas symbols.
Staircase of the Lithuanian Alliance of Argentina
The second floor includes an interesting small exhibition of old materials representing Lithuania: interwar postcards, caricatures, postmarks and more. A large part of those are things that were used by interwar Lithuania to promote itself among foreigners. There is also some information on the occupation of Lithuania. The information is available in numerous languages – Lithuanian, English, German, Spanish (many of the inscriptions were originally in those languages). Browsing all that you may feel as if you’d be transported into some 1950, see the original texts and images Lithuania then used to introduce itself to the world with little-if-any new commentary. These were collected by Juozas Šiušis.
Lithuanian Alliance of Argentina gallery of interwar Lithuanian introductions to foreigners
The second floor of the Lithuanian Alliance of Argentina also hosts a library (according to locals, established by Juozas Pauga who smuggled Lithuanian books into Lithuania at the time they were banned by the occupying Russian Empire). There are also many commemorative plaques to commemorate various important events, such as presidential visits. As the Lithuanian Alliance of Argentina is a potent symbol of Lituanity in Argentina, it has been visited by more than a single Lithuanian president, among them Algirdas Brazauskas (1996) and Dalia Grybauskaitė.
Comemorative plaques in the Lithuanian Alliance of Argentina
The first floor of the Lithuanian Alliance of Argentina has an event hall, a pool, a bar, a Lithuanian yard named after its architect Alfredas Stanevičius.
Lithuanian Alliance of Argentina is the oldest Lithuanian organization of the greater Buenos Aires (excluding Beriso). It has been established in 1914, still a decade before the main wave of Lithuanian immigration. However, at that time there were just some 5000 Lithuanians in whole Argentina – not enough to own a separate building in Buenos Aires. Therefore, the Lithuanian Alliance of Argentina used to rent halls. However, as over 10000 new Lithuanians immigrated to Buenos Aires alone in years 1925-1929, the Lithuanian Alliance of Argentina quickly grew in ranks. After the new immigrants found jobs and gained steady income, Lithuanians collected enough money to buy own land lot (1941, a lot of 3779 square meters) and then construct their own building.
The building of the Lithuanian Alliance of Argentina has been opened in 1952 07 12 (on the occasion of the 38th anniversary of the organization). At the time, Lithuanians also owned the nearby land at the location of the current 25 de Mayo street. Later this land was nationalized by the city in order to build the street; in return, the city gave Lithuanians more land at the other side of the building (northwest), making the lot long.
In 1983, the building was expanded northwestwards by building a pool (architect Kaminskas). It used to be popular to spend time there in summer, however, as time passed, the pool has ceased operations.
Stanevičius Lithuanian yard in Buenos Aires
Lithuanian Alliance of Argentina is open on Saturdays and willing accepts Lithuanian guests from elsewhere. In addition to regular Saturdays, there are some 5-10 annual larger festivals, among them the independence days of Lithuania (February 16th, March 11th), Mother’s day, also a now-traditional Beer festival in October. During the main festivals, some 200 people come to the Alliance (some 350 during the Beer festival). The organization has 400-500 members.
Lithuanian Alliance of Argentina bar
Not far away from the Lithuanian Alliance of Argentina, there is the longest one of the Buenos Aires area’s streets named after Lithuania - Lithuania Avenue (Avenida Lithuania).
Historically, since 1936, Lithuanian Alliance of Argentina had additional "sections" in other districts: 2nd section in Avellaneda (where the Lithuanian church is), 3rd in Lugano (where the Lithuanian Center is), 4th in Barracas, 5th in Villa Scasso, 6th in Cordoba, 7th in Wilde, and 8th in Temperley. Of these, all besides the one in Cordoba were located in greater Buenos Aires and lacked their own buildings. Eventually the sections withered and the Buenos Aires activities became concentrated in the Lithuanian Alliance building at Lanus where the 1st section used to be based.
Lanus district itself also had a Lithuanian school named after Tumas-Vaižgantas. It was established in 1938 by the Republic of Lithuania that sought to keep the Lithuanian spirit alive among its emigrant communities. However, soon afterwards, Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union (1938) and thus no teachers or money could come to the school from there. The school closed down, although the building still remains.
Tumas-Vaižgantas school building
Other Lithuanian sites of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires (together with the surrounding suburbs) have more streets named after Lithuania than any other city. In addition to the two streets mentioned above (Lithuanian Avenue and Alley), there are also Lithuanian streets in Don Bosco, Temperley and Villa Urquiza neighborhoods. Only the last one of these districts is part of the official city of Buenos Aires – the remaining ones are considered suburbs. In general, in Buenos Aires, it is popular to name streets after various foreign places, especially those places where many immigrants to the city hail from.
Next to its port, Buenos Aires has a Museum of Immigration that operates in the same building where immigrants used to stay back in the interwar era after they had arrived from Europe. The immigrants used to stay there as long as they would find a job. Thousands of Lithuanians spent their first days in Argentina there as well. However, the exhibition of the museum (which also doubles as a museum of modern art) does not have anything particularly related to Lithuanians – yet, it is still possible to learn more about the Lithuanian migration to Argentina as the experience of different immigrant ethnic groups at the time used to be similar.
Recreated lines of bunks that used to be temporary homes for thousand s of Lithuanians in what is now the Buenos Aires museum of immigration
Argentina had some Lithuanian immigrants even before the main wave and arguably the most famous among those was Robertas Adolfas Chodasevičius (Roberto Adolfo Chodasewicz) who used a hot air balloon in the war in Argentina for the first time. He is buried in the same crypt as other veterans of the War of Triple Alliance in the famous Recoleta cemetery where Eva Peron is also buried. However, his name is not inscribed on that common grave but it may be seen in the electronic cemetery records system near the entrance, where the fact he had been born in Vilnius is also mentioned.
In 2002 Lithuania opened its embassy in Buenos Aires (relocated from Caracas, Venezuela), which served as sole Lithuania’s embassy in entire South America. It used to organize various cultural activities and, according to the local Lithuanians, it had reignited Lithuanity. However, in 2013, the embassy has been closed down as a cost-saving measure and replaced by a consulate-general in Sao Paulo (Brazil).
The Buenos Aires suburb of Bernal once had the third Lithuanian club of the Buenos Aires area, named Circulo Lituano. By far, it was the most controversial one, as it was communist. With Lithuania occupied by the Soviet Union since 1940 and 1944, and Soviet Union performing a genocide in Lithuania, communism became as hated among most Lithuanians of the time as Nazism is hated by Jews. Thus, "Circulo Lituano" was effectively isolated from other Lithuanian-Argentine organisations (and it did not seek such cooperation either). Except for the name, it felt as "Circulo Lituano" represented a different nation than did all the other Lithuanian-Argentine organisations, as it used the Soviet-imposed symbols of Lithuania rather than the ones of 1918-1940 independent Lithuania. To Circulo Lituano members, Soviet-occupied Lithuania was still Lithuania (perhaps even the "ultimate Lithuania"), while most of Lithuanian Argentines saw the period as temporary hell when Lithuania was not free. Spectacularly, "Circulo Lituano" had outlasted the Soviet Union by far but ~2010, some 20 years after Lithuania restored its independence, it closed down for good. The residential-house-looking building that once housed Circulo Lituano became a house for seniors.
Circulo Lituano building in Bernal
The "holiest place of Argentina" Lujan basilica near Buenos Aires since 1998 has converted its cellar into a shrine where the famous Virgin Mary images from various countries are represented. Among those images is that of Our Lady of Vilnius from Lithuania - its copy, Lithuaian flag, and short history are presented. The cellar may be accessed with tours.
Our Lady of Vilnius in Lujan Basilica cellar
To the north of Buenos Aires lies the unique massive area of Rio Parana Delta. There, many villages and farmsteads could be accessed only by boat. The area was both popular among some Buenos Aires Lithuanians to acquire lands for farming and also for recreating. A hub for such recreatin was Hotel Lietuva near Villa Paranacito. It was created by Nalivaika family. Nailivaika himself had been sent by Lithuania as a teacher in Tumas-Vaižgantas Lithuanian school but after Lithuania was occupied had nowhere to return to and moved to live in the islands. His hotel served as a hub of Lithuanian activities, although Lithuanians needed to spend 4 hours to arrive there from Buenos Aires by boat. Currently Hotel Lietuva is no longer in operation, but the building still stands with Lithuanian symbols and inscriptions remaining on the facade. The hotel is near Villa Paranacito but may only be accessed by boat from that town.
Facade of Hotel Lietuva
There are more Lithuanian places in the cities of Rosario and Berisso that are near Buenos Aires. They are, however, described in separate articles.
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Venezuela
Venezuela has a city named after St. Casimir, the only Lithuanian saint and the patron saint of Lithuania. The city, known as San Casimiro de Güiripa, has been established in 1783. The naming is not directly related to Lithuania and owes more to the fact that the cities of the Catholic Spanish Empire were often named after saints. That said, St. Casimir is quite little known in the West and there are no other large cities named after him. The city festival is on St. Casimir day (4th of March), therefore coinciding with the traditional St. Casimir fair of Vilnius.
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Panama
Bocas Del Toro, Panama‘s top resort, is accessed by car using a ferry named after Palanga, the top Lithuanian resort, o an another ferry named „Baltija“ (Lithuanian language word for the „Baltic (sea)“). In fact, the entire ferry service and wharfs are marked on some maps as „Ferry Palanga“.
Ferry Palanga
Behind this is a rather unique history about how Lithuanian ferries effectively transformed the entire province, making it accessible.
Until 1990, the entire Bocas Del Toro province of Panama was inaccessible by cars and trucks from the remainder of Panama, as there was no road. The only way to access it was through Costa Rica, which took some two days (border crossings included). In 1990, this changed, as Panamanians acquired the „Palanga“ ferry from Lithuania. This ferry, built in Klaipėda in 1987, originally was used to connect Klaipėda to Smiltynė, some 15 minutes run. In Panama, it got a very different mission: a 4 hour run from Chiriqui Grande to Almirante (in Bocas Del Toro), sailing parallel to the coast where there was no road.
Advertisement for Palanga ferry at the entrance of Almirante town
In 2000, however, such a road connecting Almirante to the rest of Panama was built but „Palanga“ was neither retired nor sold: instead, it was relocated to connect Almirante with the Bocas Del Toro town (provincial capital) that stands on an island. The run takes 2 hours and one ship does just a single run per day.
In 2010, when an additional ferry was needed for this mission, Panamanians turned to Lithuanians again, buying Palanga‘s sister ship Baltija, which was being replaced in Lithuania by a new Bulgarian-built ship. Uniquelly, neither Palanga nor Baltija was renamed (something that is usually done by new owners), retaining their Lithuanian names.
Ferry Baltija in Almirante
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Colombia
Lithuanian community in Colombia saw its birth ~1948, when Colombia accepted some 550 Lithuanians who fled the Soviet Genocide in their own country. These Lithuanians saw themselves as exiles and thus worked hard to keep the Lithuanian traditions and spirit afloat.
As such, despite the small size of their community, the Lithuanians of Colombia managed to build Lithuanian buildings and memorials. Where the community truly excelled, however, was in its disproportionally massive numbers of great and influential personalities: unique artists, large-scale farmers, and businessmen, as well as a Colombian politician who is arguably the most successful ethnically Lithuanian politician outside Lithuania itself. Some of their names have been (or likely will be) etched in the maps of Colombia.
Colombia also has numerous locations named after Lithuania.
Medellin Lithuanian House and other sites
Colombia‘s only Lithuanian House (Casa Lituana) has been constructed in its second-largest city of Medellin, with the construction beginning in 1957. It consists of a chapel for Lithuanian religious Mass, secular halls, as well as an apartment building to house poor Lithuanians and is located on the corner of Carrera 72A and Calle 32A.
Lithuanian House of Medellin
The chapel is the most impressive site of the Lithuanian House with its stained-glass windows that incorporate Lithuanian patriotic symbols such as Vytis.
Near the entrance of the Lithuanian House, a Lithuanian cross has been built in 2010, commemorating the 1000 years anniversary of the first mentioning of the word „Lithuania“ in the written sources. The cross was donated by Klemas, Kulvietis, and Šernaitis families; moreover, the dedication thanks the community of Medellin region for its hospitality.
Lithuanian cross at the Lithuanian House of Medellin
The celebration of the anniversary of name „Lithuania“ was, however, also the final major Lithuanian event in the building. For several decades, Lithuanians were gradually losing their Lithuanian House. The fact is that while the building was built by Lithuanians, the construction was directed by Lithuanian Salesian priests and, therefore, the building was formally owned by the Salesian Order. While this order had numerous Lithuanian priests, Lithuanian community were the de facto owners of the building, using it at will not only for religious but also for secular circumstances (dance clubs, etc.). However, as the numbers of Lithuanians among the Salesians dwindled, it became more difficult to use the Lithuanian House. Salesians required difficult-to-get permits for secular events, while, as no Lithuanian priests were left, there was no Lithuanian-language mass anymore either. Without their own building to freely access at will, Lithuanian activities in Medellin began to die out.
A glimpse of Vytis stained-glass window inside the Medellin Lithuanian House
Eventually in the 2010s Salesians left the building and rented it out to a government institution that uses the Lithuanian chapel as a warehouse. It is no longer accessible for any events.
That said, if not Lithuanian (especially Salesian) priests, the Lithuanian-Colombian community would likely not exist at all. The first known Lithuanian in Colombia was priest Saldukas who came ~1930. After World War 2, he complemented his missionary work with striving to help all the displaced Lithuanians who were living in the European refugee camps. He thus spread the word that Colombia may be a good place to settle safely and helped Lithuanians to come there. Afterward, Lithuanian priests directed the major Lithuanian construction works which arguably few other people could have done as only the status of a priest offered an „automatic“ position of trust in the Catholic Lithuanian community.
Dedication of the cross at the Medellin Lithuanian House
The small square next to the Medellin Lithuanian House used to be known as Lithuanian Square but this name does not appears in the maps nor is anyhow marked anymore.
Medellin also has an apartment building named Edificio Lituania located at Carrera 77 near Calle 33A. The name „Lituania“ is written near the entrance.
Edificio Lituania apartment building in Medellin
Bogota Lithuanian heritage sites
Bogota has Colombia‘s largest Lithuanian community. Among its members is Antanas Mockus, two times mayor of this 7-million-strong metropolis, as well as many other intellectuals and businessmen. That said, no Lithuanian church, chapel, or club was built there. For some ten years after immigration, a club worked in the Santa Fe area, while Lithuanian priests held a Lithuanian mass in non-Lithuanian chapels. The plans to build a Lithuanian House like in Medellin, however, did not come to fruition, and various Lithuanian institutions on rented locations gradually faded away as the declining (due to emigration to the USA) Lithuanian community rendered them difficult to sustain. E.g. Lithuanian masses used to be held in a non-Lithuanian chapel on Carrera 5 between Calle 19 and 20, but the chapel has since been demolished.
The top Lithuania-related sites of Bogota are thus related to particular famous Lithuanians.
The home of a Lithuanian-Colombian artist Nijolė Šivickas (mother of Antanas Mockus) is kept in a state it was when she died at Carrera 43A-#22A-46. It is full of her sculptures as well as drawings and paintings. It can be visited with a prior arrangement (imockus@hotmail.com). A film „Nijolė“ has been created about Šivickas in 2018.
Works by Nijolė Šivickas. 'Ponia' ('Lady') on the left is part of the exhibits at her home, while 'Confluir' (right) is built in the Chia school (named Los Caobos)
No streets in Bogota are named after Lithuanians as the streets in Bogota are typically numbered. Juozas Zaranka, a Lithuanian philologist and Ancient Greek expert, has a condominium named after him on the initiative of his wife. Some of the other famous Lithuanians were caricature painter Juozas Olinardas Penčyla (buried in Jardines del Recuerdo).
Lithuanians are mostly buried in Jardines del Recuerdo cemetery, and some of the earliest burials took place at the German cemetery (Calle 26). There is no common area where Lithuanians are buried and the graves are spread across cemeteries.
Edificio Juozas Zaranka in Bogota
Villavicencio Lithuanian heritage sites
Interestingly, a small provincial city of Villavicencio (pop. 300 000), the capital of Colombia‘s farming plains (Los Llanos), arguably trumps even Bogota in Lithuanian heritage sites.
While Villavicencio only had several Lithuanian families, these families managed to build a modest Lithuanian chapel, where priest Vaičiūnas, invited by them, used to live and work ~1960s. In 1980, no longer served by a priest, the chapel was sold and is now a residential home, with a family store built in front of it. It is located at 4.184924089249816, -73.6074087879908.
The former Lithuanian chapel of Villavicencio
At ~ 4.2029183, -73.5752209, a 130 ha farming complex is called Granja Lituania („Farm Lithuania“). It was established by the family of Vaclovas (translated into Spanish as Wenceslao) Slotkus, a Lithuanian immigrant who started as a farmworker and moved on to amass a large landhold. The landhold was later spread among his seven children, so the Granja Lituania today has multiple houses and areas with different agricultural activities, ranging from fruit growing to cattle ranching. Multiple Lithuanian symbols exist there. Most are, however, in private area, but the sign "Granja Lituania" is visible at the entrance.
Moreover, Vaclovas Slotkus donated some 5 ha of his land to build a school nearby. Believing in anonymous donations, he did not allow the school to be named after him, although the school‘s library was later named after Wenceslao Slotkus. The Los Portales school is attended by ~250 students, ~20 per grade and is now a rather prestigious school in the area.
School library dedication to Vaclovas Slotkus
The Slotkus family grave area at Jardines de la Esperanza cemetery is marked by a large Lithuanian sun-cross, very unique for that Colombian cemetery where graves are marked solely by small plaques. Among the graves, there is that of Vytas Slotkus, one of Vaclovas‘s sons, who was murdered during the bloody communist (FARC) rebellion in the 1990s.
Slotkus graves at Jardin de Esperanza
Colombian villages named after Lithuania
Colombia leads the world in the number of localities named after Lithuania. The maps show four additional such localities (named „Lituania“ as the country is known in Spanish), one of which, in Valle de Cauca, is a rather large village. The other places seem to be in rather faraway locations, one of them in the Los Llanos area inaccessible by roads.
So far, we have been unable to establish the circumstances of how these localities received their names and when. Lithuanian-Colombians have provided different guesses, among them:
*The places were named after Lithuania due to the work of Lithuanian priests-missionaries, the first of whom arrived in the 1930s. In fact, it was them who invited Lithuanian refugees to Colombia in the late 1940s but beforehand they may have worked in various inaccessible places of Colombia, possibly establishing villages.
*The places were named due to Lithuanian-Colombian post-WW2 farmers who named their own farms „Lituania“ (as in the case of „Granja Lituania“).
*The places were named by „randomly“ assigning a name by e.g. looking at a map of Europe.
It may be that different localities were named „Lituania“ for different reasons.
If you know more about the circumstances of the naming of Colombian localities „Lituania“, please write in the comments.
'Global True Lithuania' authors and Slotkus family at the Granja Lituania sign
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Berisso, Argentina
Berisso is a unique city in Argentina and arguably entire world in the significance it puts on its immigrant cultures.
The city may have a population of merely 100 000 yet it has two Lithuanian clubs and many other ethnic clubs (Polish, Greek, Italian, Armenian, Croat, etc.).
Berisso adopted the title “capital of the immigrants” and its ethnic minorities are traditionally called “immigrants”. In reality, however, today there are very few immigrants and most of the immigrants are actually sons/daughters, or, more likely, grandsons/granddaughters or great-grandsons/great-granddaughters of the original immigrants. That’s because the massive wave of immigration to Berisso took place prior to World War 2 and immigrants used to work at the slaughterhouses (which closed down in 1982) and the petroleum plant (which still operates). It was then when most of the forefathers of today’s people of Berisso immigrated. It is said some 3000 Lithuanians also were among these migrants. Although generations changed, their attachment to Lithuania did not disappear. A significant part of Berisso life revolves around the ethnic clubs which regularly prepare their traditional dishes and, once October comes, participate in the Berisso Immigrant festival. It is a very important city event and a fire similar to Olympic fire burns throughout it.
Even children of mixed ancestry often join one of the ethnic clubs in order to be able to participate in the Immigrant festival together with the ethnic dance and singing teams. Sometimes the youth would even join a club not based on their ancestry but instead based on where their friends belong to. As an example, some ~20% of Lithuanian club “Mindaugas” members have no Lithuanian ancestry at all yet they participate in Lithuanian activities and, in some cases, even try to learn Lithuanian language.
Lithuanian folk dancers in Berisso
Lithuanian club „Nemunas“
“Nemunas” is the oldest Lithuanian organization in Argentina (established 1909 08 17, long before the main wave of Lithuanian migration into Argentina of the 1920s-1930s). Despite this, “Nemunas” has some of the youngest active member ranks in Argentina and probably the entire Lithuanian diaspora from the areas with no current Lithuanian immigration. Third-generation Lithuanian-Argentines and fourth-generation Lithuanian-Argentines participate in its activities and leadership roles. They not only dance the Lithuanian dances but soem of them speak Lithuanian language as well.
Lithuanian club “Nemunas” of Berisso
The façade of the “Nemunas” club is adorned by a bas-relief “Lithuania” that has been created by Cristian del Vito, Karina Ankudowicz, G. Ponce and Kristina Natale in 2001 to commemorate the 92nd anniversary of the establishment of the club. The bas-relief depicts the “School of sorrows” (an illegal Lithuanian school operating at the times of Russian Imperial rule in Lithuania when Russians banned the teaching in Lithuanian – 1863-1904), traditional Lithuanian crops, crosses, roof and wooden homes of small Lithuanian towns. Lithuanian inscription declares „Mūsų vienybė yra mūsų stiprybė“ – “Our unity is our strength”.
Bas-relief Lithuania on the façade of the club Nemunas
The heart of “Nemunas” club is its main hall, adorned in Lithuanian symbols, and the second-floor premises with a library (balustrade of the second floor incorporates the Columns of Gediminas symbol). The building is rather small (7,5 m in width and 12 m in length) but it includes many things and activities. For instance, it has the largest number of Lithuanian folk dancers in South America.
Coluns of Gediminas balustrade in the Lithuanian club “Nemunas”
The club building was originally constructed in 1928 (the lot acquired in 1926), upgraded in 1949. The second floor was added in 1955.
Prior to 1928, the club members would meet at the homes of fellow members. Like other similar organizations, “Nemunas” began its history as a self-help society (prior to the reign of president Juan Peron in 1940s-1950s, Argentina lacked social security and so immigrants of the same ethnicity would pool parts of their salaries in order to help the members in dire straits, especially those injured and widowed). Naturally, ethnic activities also took place under the same roof as all the members were immigrants who grew up surrounded by the same Lithuanian culture. Many of them did not even speak Spanish well.
After World War 2, as social security laws were implemented, the need to have a self-help community dissipated and thus the ethnic heritage took the upper hand in “Nemunas” activities. At the time, people who grew up in Argentina slowly took over the ranks of the organization and to them, the Lithuanian culture was not really unquestionable-and-single-one but rather something they saw a reason to save. For instance, since 1940, the club documents are all written in Spanish as the language was already better understood than Lithuanian to more and more members. However, this did not mean Lithuanian language was forgotten - even some of the youngest members still speak Lithuanian to this day, contrary to a vast majority of similar 100-year-old Lithuanian organizations worldwide that were not replenished by new immigrants.
Main hall of the club “Nemunas”
Historically, “Nemunas” was known as “Vargdienis” (literally “poor man”) and was associated with the tautinininkai (moderate nationalists) and leftists. In 1939, the club renamed itself “Lithuanian tautininkai community Vargdienis”, in 1944 once again simply “Vargdienis”, in 1950 “Nemunas” after Lithuania’s longest river. Currently, the organization lacks a political alignment.
„Nemunas” has some 150 members.
Lithuanian Catholic club “Mindaugas”
The building of Lithuanian club “Mindaugas” is similar-in-design to that of “Nemunas” but the premises are larger. In addition to a larger main hall “Mindaugas” also has a bar, a library with old books. The bar sometimes serves Lithuanian dishes: in Berisso, it is a tradition that the ethnic communities rotate in offering their own meals. City dwellers of various ethnicities then go to taste the meals and this also helps to draw funds to the clubs.
Lithuanian club “Mindaugas” of Berisso
The building of “Mindaugas” is painted in the colors of the Lithuanian flag. The most beautiful artwork in the club is the 2010 bas-relief located in the main corridor and depicting king Mindaugas of Lithuania carrying a cross and a sword. King Mindaugas was the first leader of Lithuania who adopted Christianity. As “Mindaugas” was established by Lithuanian Catholics, he is thus a symbolic figure. The bas-relief was created by C. Del Vio, M. Santucci, and C. Gomez who created more such thematic artworks in Beriso.
Club “Mindaugas” bas-relief
Lithuanian club “Mindaugas” was established in 1931 03 29. Among the reasons for a separate club was the fact that the leftist tendencies of "Nemunas" were viewed with suspicion by potential employers.
"Mindaugas" acquired the current building in 1943 (at that time, it was a smaller partly-wooden building). The main hall was built in 1974-1979. Although Berisso never had a Lithuanian church, Lithuanian priests from Buenos Aires Lithuanian parish of Our Lady of Vilnius (less than 100 km away) used to come here to cater to the Lithuanian Catholics of “Mindaugas”.
Club “Mindaugas” hosts numerous interesting artworks by priest A. Lubickas, each of them depicting Lithuanian topics. The most important of these works is in the main hall. Created in 1980, it depicts the most famous Lithuanian buildings, Lithuanian folk costumes, both secular and religious Lithuanian symbols. The club also has a painting “The coronation of Mindaugas” by A. Varnas.
A fragment of priest Lubickas main work
The main hall of “Mindaugas” has even more ethnic décor, such as a stylized castle of Gediminas, Vytis, a window glowing in colors of the Lithuanian flag, Columns of Gediminas on the floor, etc. The glass entrance to the hall is adorned by Mindaugas with a sword in hands. There is also a copy of Lithuania’s declaration of independence.
The hall of club “Mindaugas”
Beyond the main hall, there are recreational premises and meat preparation grill (meat BBQs, known as asado, are especially important in the Argentine culture). A Lithuanian traditional cross was erected there in 2019.
Nowadays the club hosts Lithuanian dances and choir. “Mindaugas” has unusual Lithuanian folk costumes; as immigration from Lithuania to Argentina took place at the time when colored depictions were still uncommon in print, Berisso Lithuanians of the generations born in Argentina had to create their clothes based on black-and-white depictions alone.
„Mindaugas“ has some 80 members.
Bar of "Mindaugas"
Berisso Lithuanian monuments
The heritage of Berisso immigrants is enshrined in many names and monuments. The most important Lithuanian monument has been erected in 2009 to commemorate the 1000-year-anniversary of the first mentioning of word “Lithuania” in writing. It was built jointly by both Lithuanian clubs of the city and serves as the location for annual Lithuanian Independence Day celebrations.
The sculptural composition includes a traditional Lithuanian chapel-post with Rūpintojėlis figure of pensive Christ on top. It is surrounded by four oak trees (oak being the national tree of Lithuania) and a commemorative plaque painted in colors of Lithuanian flag that explains the meaning of the monument, as well as its dedication to the Lithuanians of Berisso and nearby La Plata and Ensenada cities. The composition is on the east coast of Saladero river, approximately at coordinates -34.868401, -57.887988.
Berisso Lithuanian chapel-post
Berisso also has a Lituania Street - however, only some maps show this name. In other maps, the same street is called “169th Street” or “Larrea Street”. For a long time, no local sign "Lithuania" existed but a sign was put in place in 2020s with both of the official street names - 169th and Lituania. Larrea is the former name, used before the name Lithuania was given.
Lituania Street in Berisso
In the center of Berisso, there is a common Immigrant monument adorned with flags of all the source-countries of Beriso’s immigrant communities. It is here where the Olympic-like fire burns during the Immigrant festivals which are among the key reasons why the immigrant heritage continues to be "cool" for the young generations of Berissoans. A plaque explains that these festivals take place since 1977.
The flamboyant month-long immigrant festivals of Berisso are arguably the largest in Argentina. They include events such as a symbolic disembarcation of immigrants (now re-enacted by their (great) grandchildren), the parade of the immigrant flame (which, like the Olympic flame, begins at the Greek club and goes from club to club), ethnic dances and various competitions such as a girl pageant, where each girl represents a particular ethnic group of Berisso.
Berisso Immigrant memorial with the flags, among them Lithuanain flag
Berisso Museum has lots of artifacts related to Berisso Lithuanians, including many old pictures, things donated by Lithuannians, as well as information. In the long list of town's ethnic clubs, Lithuanian "Nemunas" is declared to be the oldest one, together with the Greek club.
An image in Berisso museum showing "Nemunas" (then "Vargdienis") members
Berisso Greek club. Many of the Beriso’s ethnic clubs have interesting and artful ethnicity-inspired facades
Historically, many of the immigrants to Berisso lived in Calle Nueva York which became sort of open-air museum now. The buildings of the stockyard where most Lithuanian men worked are still intact. Just after passing the gates one may see a large mural depicting the ethnic communities of Berisso. The mural incorporates Lithuanian dancers in fol costumes, two Lithuanian flags, as well as general experiences of the early 20th century immigrants such as a disembarkation from a boat.
Stockyards of Berisso
A fragment of the stockyard mural in Berisso
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Rosario, Argentina
Rosario (Argentina) is the fourth city of Latin America by the significance of Lithuanian heritage. Only Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, and Montevideo have more.
Traditional Lithuanian cross in front of the Rosario Lithuanain church and a Lithuanian coat of arms on the church facade
Rosario St.Casimir Lithuanian church and Margis street
St. Casimir Lithuanian church is the largest Lithuanian building of Rosario. It is rather simple in its design: the interior is mostly white, without grand stained-glass windows and murals. Lithuanian spirit is accentuated by details: a Lithuanian coat of arms on the façade (next to the Argentine coat of arms) and the image of St. Casimir (the patron saint of Lithuania); a traditional Lithuanian cross in front of the church (Lithuanian wooden crosses are UNESCO world heritage); inside the church, on top of the altar, a unique symbol that joins cross and Columns of Gediminas is depicted. Also, the church interior hosts three memorial plaques to Lithuanian priests – the founders of the church Jeronimas Jakaitis and Kazimieras Vengras, as well as Pranciškus Brazys who later became a bishop for Lithuanians abroad.
Rosario Lithuanian church
The interior of the Rosario Lithuanian church
Columns of Gediminas over the image of the Christ in the front of the church
The church has been constructed in 1953-1954. For as much as 35 years (1957-1963 and 1967-1996) Juozas Margis served as its pastor (in Argentina, he was known as Jose Margis). This priest became famous all over Argentina (beyond the Lithuanian community) for the exorcisms he performed. Near the church a street has been named after Margis. Akin to many Lithuanian priests of South America, Margis was not born in Argentina – he was born in the USA, however, he decided to serve the Lithuanian-Argentines. Margis is interred in the St. Casimir church – the side altar under an image of Divine Mercy (the original image of Divine Mercy is in Vilnius, Lithuania). The church also served as a hub of an official Lithuanian community for both the religious an patriotic Lithuanians, they did their secular ethnic activities on the parish grounds as well.
Margis Street with the Lithuanian church in the background
Priest Margis grave under an image of Divine Mercy
After Margis’s death, the St. Casimir Lithuanian church of Rosario no longer had Lithuanian priests nor Masses, however, it is still served by Marian Fathers. This order has been saved from extinction by Lithuanian priest Jurgis Matulaitis who was the only active member of the order at one time. It was the Lithuanian Marian Fathers who established the St. Casimir parish of Rosario.
Bishop Brazys commemorative plaque in the church
In 1962-1964, a Republic of Lithuania school has been opened near the church, expanded in 1968, to be joined by St. Casimir kindergarten in 1985 and Jose Margis school in 2008. The buildings are even humbler. St. Casimir church served as a community center, therefore, instead of investing in its lavishness, the community decided to build more buildings that would serve the community. The school was never exactly Lithuanian as such (in Argentina, all schools have the same program), however, it was attended by the kids of the Lithuanians who were parish members. The teachers were Lithuanian St. Casimir Sisters from a Lithuanian-American order of nuns. The school hall also served as a venue for Lithuanian folk dances. Parts of school still has Lithuanian names such as Patio Antonio Švedas, St. Casimir garden and Salon Padre Jose (named after Margis).
At the present time, the parish has mostly non-Lithuanian members. It is quite far from the downtown so Lithuanians who moved to other districts typically joined the parishes there.
St. Casimir kindergarten near the church
Rosario Lithuanian Social Club
The building of Rosario Lithuanian club has been built around the era of First World War. It was acquired by Lithuanians in 1947. Most Lithuanians immigrated to Rosario (just like to other cities of South America) around the years 1925-1930, therefore, by 1947 the community was already established enough to have its own premises.
Rosario Lithuanian club
In 1972 the club was expanded with an annex that includes a large event hall.
Rosario Lithuanian club hall
In 2009, to commemorate the 1000 year anniversary of the first mention of name “Lithuania” in written text, the Lithuanian government funded a restoration of the club building, where a new smaller hall dedicated to the millennium of Lithuania was opened. However, after the money was exchanged into Argentine peso, the peso deprecated and therefore inflation precluded from completing the project. Thus the second floor of the club, originally intended to be a small guest house for visiting Lithuanian bands and artists, was not completed.
Club corridors are adorned by old pictures of the club and commemorative plaques that remind of the key events in the club history.
The symbol of Rosario Lithuanian club
The club is open on Saturdays and Sundays. Four times a year bigger festivals are held (for example, the anniversary of the club establishment festival in May). These attract some 200 people. The club has ~120 members.
Historically, the club was associated more with the leftists, although it was never exclusively socialist. Still, some of the more religious or patriotic members of Lithuanian parish avoided the club, while the more leftist members of club avoided the Lithuanian church. However, more moderate Lithuanians participated in both the church and the club.
Lithuania Street of Rosario and other sistes
The Lithuanian community of Rosario achieved that a street not too far from the club was renamed Lituania street in 1962. In the center of the street, near the monument to Eva Peron, there is a commemorative plaque indicating it was gifted by the Lithuanian community to “Rosario, the city of the flag”. The plaque depicts the coat of arms of Lithuania as well as the Flag memorial that is located in the center of Rosario.
Lituania street commemorative plaque in Rosario
Lituania Street
Rosario is known as “the city of the flag” because it was the site where the Argentine flag was first raised. On the exact spot, the Flag memorial was built. In front of that memorial, other flags are also respected. Its interior houses a gallery of American flags whereas the flags of the countries that have consulates in Rosario are raised in front of the memorial during the national holidays of these countries.
Every year on February 16th the Lithuanian flag is also raised there while the Lithuanian national anthem is playing.
Flag memorial of Rosario
Rosario still has surviving slaughterhouses which have originally attracted Lithuanians to this city that stands in the center of the Argentine meat growing area. One of them is the Swift slaughterhouse.
Swift slaughterhouse in Rosario
In the southern part of Rosario a second Lithuanian club once operated known as Aušros žvaigždė (Star of dawn). It began as a small library of Lithuanian books acquired from Chicago back in 1907, known as Krivių Krivaičio. However, as some Lithuanians departed Rosario area ~1911 the activities dwindled. The organization was named and restored in 1918 and agreed to build a clubhouse in 1928. It had 150 members, a number which declined to 70 in the 1960s. ~1970 the building was sold and replaced by a library.
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Cordoba, Argentina
Cordoba is the second-largest city in Argentina, known for its historic university. As a major city, it also attracted a sizeable Lithuanian community before World War 2. This community has established two Lithuanian clubs, however, they have since folded, making Cordoba the only conurbation in Argentina to have lost its Lithuanian clubs. The buildings of the clubs survive to this day.
The older Lithuanian club had been called Neptūnas after the Lithuanian name of the Ancient Greek god of the sea. Established in 1928 during the wave of Lithuanian immigration, it built its current building at Charcas street in 1938. As the years passed and generations changed, however, the Lithuanian activities declined. In the early 1980s the building of „Neptūnas“ was illegally occupied by squatters. Under the Argentinian law, such squatters may gain legal title to the building if they use it long enough, eventually taking the possession of Neptūnas building. While Lithuanian signs were removed, the facade inscription „Sociedad Lituana Neptūnas“ is still somewhat legible on the building.
Neptūnas building
Still-visible name of Neptūnas on the building
„Neptūnas“ was associated with far-left political beliefs. This became especially controversial after Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union in 1940. The Soviet occupation and genocide in Lithuania made significant numbers of Lithuanians to abandon „Neptūnas“. They founded the second Lithuanian club of Cordoba as the World War 2 ended in 1945. This was the Sixth section of the Lithuanian Alliance in Argentina (Susivienijimas). It was associated with the Lithuanian Alliance in Argentina (Susvienijimas), an organization that has its HQ in Lanus near Buenos Aires
Lithuanian Alliance Sixth Section building
While Lithuanian activities were still strong in Cordoba, one rather long street has been renamed Lituania after the country. A metal commemorative plaque located next to the intersection of Lituania and Patria streets tells the story that the street was so named in 1969, the 50th year since Lithuania became independent from the Russian Empire (1918) albeit by this time Lithuania was once-again occupied (by the Soviet Union). This only made the independence anniversary more important for Lithuanian-Argentines, however, as they sought to remind the world that Lithuania was an illegally-occupied free nation.
Calle Lituania sign in Cordoba
Cordoba never had a Lithuanian church, however, a Chicago-based order of St. Casimir Lithuanian nuns had a presence in Cordoba. These nuns would teach Lithuanian language even after the Lithuanian clubs folded. They had their convent and chapel at the location of current Sanatorio Allende. However, as their numbers dwindled, they sold the convent building and it has been demolished since.
While there are no exact numbers of how many Lithuanians arrived to Cordoba, local Lithuanians assume there were about 200 families, of which 80 went to „Neptūnas“ and 80 to the Susivienijimas, with some 40 not participating in the Lithuanian activities altogether.
Cordoba regon Lithuanians have been replenished by migration of Lithuanian-Argentines from elsehwere, especially Buenos Aires. One such family, the Kekutts, have established hotel „Anita“ in Villa Giardino town near Cordoba back in 1942, some 12-14 years after they immigrated to Argentina. The hotel was named after the wife of its owner Miguel Kekutt whose name was Ona. It operates to this day owned by the same family, with many of the authentic 1942 furniture and the images of builders of the hotel still inside.
Hospedaje Anita in Villa Giardino
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Tandil and Epecuen, Argentinian Pampas
The vast pampas of southern Buenos Aires province of Argentina host several interesting far-away Lithuanian sites.
Tandil town is unique in Argentina for having a Lithuanian flag in the flag lineup of its Square of the Flags (Plaza de las Banderas), despite never receiving direct immigration from Lithuania. The Lithuanian community of Tandil was established in 2014 by the descendents of the original immigrants who came to Argentina in 1920s and relocated from Buenos Aires city to Tandil in some 1960s. In fact, Tandil has the most active such "rediscovered roots" Lithuanian community in the world, as the third and fourth generations practice Lithuanian dances, crafts, and other activities and some have even learned Lithuanian language.
The plaza of flags in Tandil
However, as historic Lithuanian community did not exist here, no Lithuanian clubs or churches were ever built. The modern-day Lithuanians of Tandil thus are renting premises at the largely-defunct Yugoslav club for their activties, while the city also allows its ethnic minorities of using a building at Jardin de la Paz for their activities.
Tandil is the capital of a touristic hilly region, actually, the closest hills to Buenos Aires city and thus popular among tourists. Another tourist area nearby has a sadder history although also with a Lithuanian touch. Before World War 2, the town of Epecuen boasted the largest such spa facility in Americas on the coast of its namesake lake. This lake that gave rise to Epecuen resort was, however, also what destroyed it. Since 1978, the lake levels began to rise. Initially, the new levees helped but in 1985, the lake flooded the entire town. Local people expected the water to fall back but this never happened, and one after another the buildings gave in to water pressure and collapsed. The water kept rising and at its peak reached the 2nd floors of the buildings. Only in 2000s did it recede, opening up a scene of total devastation. Epecuen is now again a tourist site albeit a very different one, with "dark tourism" connotations of destroyed and abandoned cities.
Destroyed Epecuen
One of the buildings that succumbed in Epecuen was Residencial Lituania. It was constructed by Lithuanians in 1950s and operated by them, attracting Lithuanian-Argentine tourists from Buenos Aires. It was sold in 1970. In 1970-1985, non-Lithuanian owners owned and upgraded it, however, they have never rebuilt it or changed the name. While the building itself is now totally destroyed, images of submerged "Lituania" and its sign are prominent in the museum of Epecuen located at the town's former railway station.
Sign of Residential Lituania in Epecuen museum
Submerged Lituania
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Patagonia, Argentina
Patagonia (the southern end of South America) is one of the most remote parts of the world where Lithuanian heritage exists. Population density of Patagonia is merely 2 people per. Sq. km. Moreover, Patagonia was conquered by Europeans late in history – only by the 19th century. Thus the first Patagonian cities were established in a time when Lithuanians already began their massive migration into the Americas and Lithuanians thus participated in the creation of such cities.
Patagonia is partitioned between Argentina and Chile. Almost all Patagonia’s Lithuanians and Lithuanian heritage are located in the Argentine part.
Entrance to the Lithuanian farmstead of Esquel
Esquel Olgbrun Lithuanian farmstead-museum
The Olgbrun Lithuanian farmstead-museum of Esquel is both the newest piece of Lithuania in Patagonia and also the largest. A complex of nice wooden buildings is used for tourism (the houses may be rented) in the area rich in lakes, Andes mountains and some of the oldest trees in the world.
Esquel Lithuanian farmstead. House ‘Trakai’ is on the right while hills are visible on the left
Each of the houses of the farmstead are named after some Lithuanian town or city (Vilnius, Trakai, Palanga, Marijampolė, Šeštokai). Lithuanian symbols are available both inside and outside. Farmstead’s souvenir shop also has lots of both Lithuanian-inspired and Argentine items.
House Palanga of the Lithuanian farmstead
The real heart of the complex is the Olgbrun Lithuanian museum. It has collected many items from closed-down Lithuanian-Argentine institutions, Lithuanian diplomatic and consular missions in Argentina, as well as Lithuanian-Argentine families. There are Lithuanian books (even those published in the USA in the 19th century while Lithuanian language was still banned by the Russian Imperial government in Lithuania itself), musical records, technics. There is also lots of information about the life of Lithuanian-Argentines and the Lithuanian sites in Argentina. The museum is interesting both to the Lithuanians from Lithuania and the Argentinians.
The building of Esquel Lithuanian museum
The museum consists of five halls. The first hall includes the main exhibits of the museum – the exhibition of “Argentinos lietuvių balsas” (Lithuanian-Argentine Voice), the prime Lithuanian newspaper of Argentina that used to be published between the years 1927 and 2001. There are three authentic ~100-year-old pieces of machinery used to print the newspaper, various examples of the newspaper, pictures from the publishing house and the wider Lithuanian-Argentine community. There are also items from other Lithuanian-Argentine institutions such as the stamping machinery of the pre-WW2 consulate of Lithuania in Buenos Aires (which is now used to make museum stamps for tourists) or the plaque that once marked the Lithuanian embassy to Argentina (closed in 2012).
Argentinos lietuvių balsas exhibits in the Lithuanian museum of Esquel
The second hall of the museum has old Lithuanian-Argentine books and more information about the Lithuanians of Patagonia as well as the owners of the museum. The museum was established by Bronius (Bruno) and Olga Lukoševičius who moved to Esquel from Buenos Aires in 1985. Both have been born in Argentina. Only Bronius is a Lithuanian, however, Olga also helps a lot in the creation and operation of the museum. When Lithuania was re-establishing independence ~1990 the Lukoševičius family used to inform the Argentine people and media about what is going on in Lithuania. They even created an “Esquel Sąjudis” organization, named after Sąjūdis, the Lithuanian organization that was instrumental in restoring the independence after the Soviet occupation decades. Esquel Sąjūdis is now commemorated by a plaque at the museum entrance. In 1998, when the museum owners visited Lithuania, they met Vytautas Landsbergis who is called the patriarch of Lithuanian independence restoration; he is also well introduced in the museum. At that year, while visiting the Rumšiškės folk culture museum in Lithuania, Lukoševičius saw a house very similar to one where his parents lived. Later Lukoševičius learned that it is indeed the same house (Rumšiškės museum used to take old wooden houses and relocate them into the museum territory from all over Lithuania). It was then Lukoševičius had the idea of creating a similar museum in Patagonia. The house where the museum is in, therefore, is called “Rumšiškės” and it was built to remind the Bronius’s parents house that stands in Rumšiškės. In the museum, the names of the other houses of Esquel Lithuanian farmstead are also explained. There is also more information about the journey of self-discovery Bronius took in Lithuania and images from that journey.
The third hall of the museum has information about the famous Lithuanian-Argentinians and their influence in the Argentine history / Patagonian colonization.
Interesting details about the Lithuanian participation in Argentine life. Newspaper clippings about a Lithuanian girl who represented Argentina in Miss World pageant in 1965
Museum’s fourth hall is full of information about Lithuania. Ethnic clothes, pieces of amber (some with fossils), Lithuanian Litas banknotes, articles from the local press about the museum, images of people who visited the museum from Lithuania (among them politicians, diplomats). It became a nice tradition for Lithuanians who travel by car across Patagonia to also visit the Lithuanian farmstead and museum of Esquel. It is not difficult as Esquel is on one of merely two paved north-south roads in Argentina (the famous 40th road, Ruta 40, that has been compared to Road 66 of the United States although it is even more atmospheric).
Lithuania hall of the Esquel Lithuanian museum
The fifth and final hall of the Esquel Lithuanian museum is dedicated to the natural sciences and includes stones, shells, fossils and more. Some things there are from Lithuania but far from everything – in fact, officially the entire museum is called “Museum of Lithuania and natural sciences”. The connection is Ignacio Domeyko (Ignas Domeika), a geologist who emigrated from Lithuania to Chile and became famous there. A part of the hall is dedicated to him and various places named after him in Chile.
In the museum, visitors may also listen to old Lithuanian records.
Items marked in Lithuanian symbols for sale at the museum’s shop. Many of them have been created in the ecological farm owned by museum owners
There are Lithuanian symbols on the exterior of the museum as well. Stork, the national bird of Lithuania. A possibility to look into a traditional farmstead of a 19th-century Lithuanian family. Interpretations of chapel-post and Rūpintojėlis, two forms of traditional Lithuanian crafts. All that is not simply exhibits – these items also help create the atmosphere of the entire farmstead.
Unlike many other Lithuanian museums abroad, the Esquel one is officially open and has regular opening hours. It is included in “Tripadvisor” and is primarily oriented at the people of Argentina who like to visit it (all the information in the museum is in Spanish, except for the old books and documents themselves). However, it is also interesting to Lithuanians from elsewhere.
In 2005 the owners of the museum ensured that one of the Esquel crossroads would be renamed “Lithuanian Square”. A wooden Lithuanian square post was erected there. Initially the post was made of marble, however, that one was stolen and then replaced by a cheaper wooden one.
Lithuanian square commemorative plaque in Esquel
Sarmiento and its Šlapelis settler family
Although the massive wave of Lithuanian migration to Argentina took place in years 1925-1930, some 5000 Lithuanians lived in Argentina beforehand. Argentina was rich then as well – however, before World War 1, it was rather easy to emigrate to the USA and so Lithuanian migrants used to choose the USA as the destination. Still, some chose Argentina.
At that time Patagonia (Argentina’s south) was just conquered from Native Americans during a war known as “Conquest of the Desert”. Patagonia lacked cities or towns and the Argentine government, wishing to populate the region (that could have been potentially disputed by Chile or the imperial powers of Europe), would give the land for free to people (including immigrants who would become subjects of Argentina).
The most famous “Lithuanian” town of Patagonia is Sarmiento (pop. 8000). One of its founders was Izidorius Šlapelis, a Lithuanian who was first expelled by the Russian Empire (which ruled Lithuania back then) to Siberia but managed to escape from there, eventually reaching Argentina in 1877, receiving land in Patagonia and settling there with his family of 10.
Later, Šlapelis invited more Lithuanian families into Patagonia and the Šlapelis family itself gave Sarmiento and Argentina more great personalities who inscribed their own names into the maps of Argentina. Sarmiento has a monument to Kazimieras Šlapelis (without any name marked, however). Kazimieras was a daredevil pilot grandson of Izidorius who, according to local histories, used to fly patients for free to the far away hospitals, throw candies to the local kids out of his airplane. He also had many books about Lithuania and its freedom struggle. Sarmiento has Šlapelis street (written as Szlapeliz; because Šlapelis emigrated at the time there was still no standard Lithuanian orthography, the spelling of his name varies), Šlapelis district.
The bust of Kazimieras (Casimiro) Šlapelis in Sarmiento
Not far away from Sarmiento, there is a V. Šlapelis petrified forest (an open space full of fossilized trees), a hill known as Cerro Szlapelis. These sites are more difficult to visit as paved roads are rare in Patagonia and the gravel roads to far-away places are difficult to pass without an SUV.
Sarmiento museum has a multitude of Šlapelis-related exhibits. Kazimieras gifted many of his family items to the museum. There is even a poem dedicated to him (called “Condor of the skies”), family photos, newspaper clippings about his flights (among the first ones in entire Patagonia), etc. Kazimieras Šlapelis became somewhat of a legend of Sarmiento. Stories about him have been printed in the city history book and even mentioned in adverts of the local candy shop.
Šlapelis family pictures in Sarmiento museum. Pictures of this type were popular in the 19th-20th turn-of-the-centuries
Like many cities and towns of Patagonia, Sarmiento has an Immigrant square with flags from the countries that gave the most immigrants to the area (one of those flags is Lithuanian). The masts of the flags are like rays from a center where Argentine flags waves.
Another Kazimieras Šlapelis street is in Comodoro Rivadavia city (the closest larger city to Sarmiento). Kazimieras Šlapelis used to fly to Comodoro Rivadavia with his plane. By the way, even the street name plaques on the same street have different variants of his name: one plaque writes it as “Casimiro Szlapelis”, another one as “Casimiro Slapelis”. Commodoro Rivadavia also had a larger Lithuanian immigrant community in the first half of the 20th century. This city also has Lituania Street.
Kazimieras Šlapelis street in Commodoro Rivadaivia. Casimiro Slapelis version of his name (on the other crossroad, Szlapelis version is used).
Šlapelis street in Sarmiento
Another city where Šlapelis used to fly to was Alto Rio Senguer, a town even more remote than Sarmiento (population ~1500). The local airport has been named D. Casimiro Szlapelis Airport and the town also has Casimiro Szlapelis agricultural school
Among the families invited to Patagonia by Izidorius Šlapelis were Baltuška family. Two farms in the area are still named after it.
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Map of Lithuanian heritage in Southern Latin America
Map of Lithuanian heritage in Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay.
More information on the Lithuanian heritage in Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay.
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- Lithuanian streets and monuments outside Lithuania
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Andrew / Kunta Kinte island Bar Do Vito Sao Paulo Gardinas Palaces Golshiany Palace Grodno Palaces Kengyr Gulag uprising monument Kosava Palace Krėva / Krevo Palace Lida (Lyda) Castle Lida Palace Lithuanian chapel of Washington National Shrine Lithuanian colonies in Africa Lithuanian colony in Gambia Lithuanian consulate general in Latin America Lithuanian district of Sao Paulo Lithuanian embassy in the USA Lithuanian embassy to the European Union Lithuanian Martyrs chapel in Rome Lithuanian migration to Brazil Lithuanian migration to Uruguay Lithuanian shopping malls in Georgia Lithuanians in Bayonne (New Jersey) Lithuanians in Brazil Lithuanians in Jersey City Lithuanians in Kearny (New Jersey) Lithuanians in St. Lawrence (Verano) cemetary Lithuanian Uruguayan cultural society Lituanica (Lithuania) square in New York City Minnesota Lithuanian community Mir (Myras) Castle Navahrudak (Naugardukas) Castle Nesvizh (Nesvyžius) Palace New Jersey St. Paul and St. Peter Lithuanian church Our Lady of Vilnius chapel in Rome Peshchenlag Lithuanian prisoners monument Ruzhany (Ružanai) Palace St. Michael Lithuanian church Bayonne Steplag Lithuanian prisoners monument Transfiguration church in Brooklyn Transfiguration church in Queens Vila Zelina in Sao Paulo Villa Lituania in Rome Vilnius square in Tbilisi (Georgia) Vilnius University model in Mini-Europe park (Brussels) Wilno village in MinnesotaMain sponsors this year:
Department of Cultural Heritage of Lithuania
Lithuanian Foundation, Inc.
Media Fund of Lithuania
State Chancery of Lithuania