Maironis fiercely criticized political and daily situation in In 1928, ’s President Antanas Smetona Lithuania in his satires such as Kai kam (To Some People): awarded to Maironis the 2nd degree Order of the Duke Gediminas with the Star. You bloodsuckers, scoundrels, a pack of vagrants! The carriers of diplomat luggage! After his return from St. Petersburg in 1909, Maironis Somewhere, someone bought a huge baroque mansion in the corner of the Has changed even his name! Town Square in Kaunas, built in the middle of the 18th Lithuanian Usurers of bribes, who have little scruple! century. For this he used the money earned during his professor’s career in St. Petersburg, also a loan Collectors The poet actively participated in social and cultural from Bank, and money of his sister Marcelė life of Lithuania and its provisional capital. He was Mačiulytė who lived with her brother until the end Coins Covers of all the editions (in 1895, 1905, 1913, and 1920) of Pavasario Balsai (Voices of Spring) often invited to all solemn state events, important of his life. Maironis paid back the loan in 1918, and in meetings of the , and frequently asked 1922, he wrote the will in which he left the mansion Literature) in 1926, continued to read lectures on becomes the King) in 1928. All his dramas were to bless newly built banks, museums, churches, as a gift to the Clergy Seminary in Kaunas, for which Lithuanian history, moral theology, and the history of staged during his lifetime. The trilogy was composed hospitals, and ports. Every time he found the he served as the Rector. TH at Kaunas Clergy Seminary and as a tribute to Vytautas the Great, the king whose right word. When consecrating the M. K. Čiurlionis 50 LITAS COIN DEDICATED TO THE 150 the University of Lithuania in the founding of which personality attracted the poet from early childhood. Museum building in 1925, he spoke of shrines of The poet passed away on 28 June 1932. After four BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF MAIRONIS (JONAS MAČIULIS) he actively participated. Maironis confessed: “Of all my characters, I have in which the soul may find peace, or about his wish years, on the day he died, the Maironis Museum was grown especially fond of Vytautas<…>Our destinies to stop the rattling of guns, wars or vendetta when opened there, which later grew into the national His work in the position of the Seminary’s Rector are somehow interlinked.” consecrating the War Museum in 1921. While in Maironis Museum of the Lithuanian Literature. Silver Ag 925 and as a professor was time consuming; he had 1925, at the foundation pit of the , Quality proof Diameter 38.61 mm less time left for his creative work. Over and over Maironis was an active advocate of Lithuania’s state he said: “Firm principles of honour are needed in The Maironis Memorial Apartment consists of eight Weight 28.28 g again, he planned to give more time to lyrics and and contributed to its restoration. In October 1917, such an institution as a bank in which temptation rooms in which he lived with his sister Marcelė. It still The words on the edge of the coin: theology…. he went as a guest of honour to the ’ may overtake the man. <...> nations that have no contains original furniture used by the poet, works GINKIME KALBĄ, ŽEMĘ, JOS BŪDĄ! (KEEP OUR LANGUAGE, LAND, TRADITIONS!) conference in Berne. He spoke there of the need moral principles get sick, moulder, flounder, and of art, chandeliers, clocks, crockery, drapery, etc. Designed by Rytas Jonas Belevičius But the history of the nation and state were in the to start negotiations with Germans as soon as perish.” The speaker also reminded of money being One can also find there a rich archive that offers an Mintage 3,000 first place for him until the end of his life. Lithuania’s possible and proclaim the independence of the nerve in the life of a state, and the need for this opportunity to learn more about Maironis’ biography Issued 2012 history was the major source of inspiration for Lithuania. However, the poet was disappointed in nerve to function properly. and creative work. Maironis. At the very beginning of his poetic career, the Lithuanian authorities after a couple of years. Information is available at the Bank of Lithuania Tel. +370 5 268 0316 in the verse Praeitis (Past), he wished to unravel the Maironis’ works reveal his wishes and dreams Aldona Ruseckaitė Fax +370 5 268 0314 secrets of the past: about independent Lithuania. He was an idealist www.lb.lt and romantic, and thought everyone would be Its image strikes sometimes like a flash of dedicated and work honestly, and that there lightening and hurts the soul, would be no fights, disagreements or self-interests. And sometimes, its magic smell can be felt in On the other hand, despite all difficulties and The coin was minted at the UAB Lithuanian Mint the air… disappointment, Maironis acknowledged that “future www.lithuanian-mint.lt generations would envy us, who lived in the days of Investigations of the past and its images, desire our political awakening.” Lithuanian Collectors Coins “to have at least one of our ancestors raised from © Lietuvos bankas, 2012 Illustrations in the publication were taken the dead“ inspired Maironis to write a number of The poet was especially sensitive about solders and from the holdings of the Maironis Museum of TH historical verses and poems. He wrote the dramatic volunteers who died for the freedom of Lithuania. Lithuanian Literature 50 LITAS COIN DEDICATED TO THE 150 BIRTH ANNIVERSARY trilogy Kęstučio mirtis (The Death of Kestutis) in 1921, He used to say that even after their death they Designer Klaudijus Gelžinis Published by the Bank of Lithuania, OF MAIRONIS (JONAS MAČIULIS) Vytautas pas kryžiuočius (Vytautas in Captivity of could serve an example to others and that they Gedimino pr. 6, LT -01103 Vilnius Crusaders) in 1925, Vytautas – Karalius (Vytautas would be national heroes forever! Maironis Memorial Apartment: the workroom and the main sitting-room decorated by Tadas Daugirdas Printed by the UAB “Lodvila”, Sėlių g. 3A, LT -08125 Vilnius Maironis was born on 21 October (2 November to himself in the third person he wrote in his Maironis spent the best twenty years of his life waves which retreat back and come to shore over Hill). It took very long for him to write the poem according to the new calendar) in a small estate of biography: “After graduating from gymnasium in in St. Petersburg, ’s capital of that time. The and over again. During a more peaceful period in Mūsų vargai (Our Hardships) – he started writing it Pasandravys, Raseiniai district. He grew together 1883 <…>, he entered St. Vladimir University in studies at the Theological Academy lasted for four Lithuania’s history, the verses of the classic are as if in 1911, but the poem was published only in 1920. with his three sisters in Bernotai village. His parents Kiev to study at the Faculty of Philology which he years after which he worked as a professor there for at rest, but during difficult and elated mood periods The historical situation in Lithuania kept changing Aleksandras and Ona née Kurmauskaitė were free chose because of his attraction to literature<…>. another fifteen years (since 1894 to 1909) to earn in the state’s life Maironis’ poems forge ahead. His during these years; it was deluged with disasters and peasants. The poet’s father was an enlightened and Unfortunately, at that time there were no professors his degree, to become one of the best professors in poetry could be heard cited during the post-war sufferings which offered new themes to the poet. smart man who talked much with his son about to satisfy his hunger for knowledge in literature in moral theology and a vice rector of the Academy. period – the years of Soviet oppression, when Lithuania’s history, dukes and their greatness. He also this faculty, and he returned to Lithuania in 1884 Only his close friends among Lithuanians knew thin volumes with Maironis’ poems were travelling In 1909, Maironis returned from St. Petersburg knew Motiejus Valančius, the bishop. The father used to enter the Clergy Seminary in Kaunas, for his that a prominent professor of theology and the to Siberia in the pockets of deportees who were forever after being invited to take the rector’s to take his teenage son Jonukas to Kaunas to visit vocation to the priesthood, a sentiment he had felt passionate poet Maironis was the same person learning them by heart, as well as during the mass position at Kaunas Clergy Seminary. Before his the Bishop, or secretly bring him books and prayer- since early years.” whose verses called his countrymen to fight meetings organised by Sąjūdis or at the barricades return, he wrote in a letter to his close friend and books. The boy received Confirmation and the name against the tsar’s oppression. on the 13th of January… priest Adomas Jakštas-Dambrauskas: “It is far easier MAIRONIS Stanislovas from the hands of Bishop Valančius who Thus Maironis dedicated his life to the service of in Petrapilis where my job is simple and where (JONAS MAČIULIS) was a poet, playwright, had a huge impact on the creed of the boy. God rather than to literature. The first period of Pavasario balsai (Voices of Spring), a collection of As said, “Maironis belongs to poets I do not need to cast around money; but like a professor of theology, history and literature, his ambitions and achievements as a young man his poems, was issued by Maironis four times – in who never die. <...> Maironis’ verses continue to priest I would never refuse an opportunity to work, prelate, herald of Lithuania’s rebirth, national Jonas Mačiulis graduated from Kaunas Gymnasium came to an end during his last months of seminary. 1895, 1905, 1913, and 1920, each time adding breathe freely in our days; you can still feel the especially among my brothers” (5 Sept. 1908). Upon bard, and one of the most prominent figures and left for studies in Kiev University. Referring In 1888, when leaving for further studies to the new poems to it. In total, the poet wrote about pleasure that their sounds leave in your throat, to his return, he plunged into intensive activities. The of the Lithuanian poetry. The whole epoch of Imperial Roman Catholic Theological Academy 130 verses and left a few translations from other surrender to their rhythm, to follow their echo in most significant task and purpose for him was the poetic culture is associated with his name. in St. Petersburg, Mačiulis rewrote his first poem languages. His lyrics gave rise to a new school of the air”. to improve living conditions for the ordinands of According to Prof. Vanda Zaborskaitė, a famous Lietuva (Lithuania) in calligraphy and gave it to poetry by breaking from the rhymes of the past Kaunas Clergy Seminary, to build new premises, and investigator into Maironis’ life and work, this his beloved and worshiped professor Antanas and improving the language. Poems make up a significant part of his poetic improve the quality of studies there. According to author was the first in our culture “for whom Baranauskas. Later, he used to speak of this poem works revealing the author’s social, historical and Vaižgantas, Maironis spent one million litas for the his human mission identifies completely as the start of his creative career. The professional ambition of Maironis to become a moral stance. He wrote a few works within this seminary renovation. with the poet’s mission”. When preparing the bishop never came true most likely because of the genre, such as Tarp skausmų į garbę (later revised and first volume of Raštai (Collected Writings) for But Maironis’ literary career started with the first ideas he raised in his poems. His enemies, mostly renamed into Jaunoji Lietuva (The Young Lithuania), Maironis dedicated the last ten years of his life mostly publication in 1927, to include his lyrics, the compact history of Lithuania written in Lithuanian foreign-born, told the Vatikan he was “a dangerous Raseinių Magdė (Maggie of Raseiniai), Nuo Birutės to the science of literature: he wrote a textbook poet regrouped the verses so that Ačiū Tau, and called Apsakymai apie Lietuvos praeigą (Short litvoman” who wrote verses for women. According kalno, written in Polish as Z nad Biruty (From Birute Visuotinės literatūros istorija (Universal History of Viešpatie (Thank You Lord) became the first in Stories about the Lithuanian Past) rather than a to a strained interpretation of his famous verse Taip the collection. In it, he thanks the Lord for his book of poems. He finished writing it in 1886, niekas tavęs nemylės (Nobody Will Love You Like I Do), poet’s vocation: but the book was issued only in 1891 under the the poet worshiped and praised a woman rather pseudonym of Stanislovas Zanavykas. The purpose than his homeland Lithuania. Maironis had been I was called, in your mercy, to be a poet first of the book was explained in the preface: “To tell nominated a few times to be appointed a bishop, And then a spiritual leader… my brothers about their past and show Lithuanians however he did never received this honorary title. that their history is worth knowing.” This book He felt hurt: “I could not prevent feeling humiliated The lines suggest that being a poet for about Lithuania’s history, revised by the author later, as the Rome made attempts to get rid of me, as if I Maironis is his major task and purpose of life. its title was Lietuvos istorija (Lithuania’s History) and was some culprit. Jesus Christ! I served the Church Therefore he feels chagrined that “his chants it remained popular for many years. It was released faithfully for all the years, was honestly performing will not be remembered…” Creative work was in 1903, 1906, and in 1926, its text was revised, my duties, was a patriot of Lithuania and never the most significant thing to him, but he never supplemented and hand-rewritten by Maironis and collaborated with the Russian authorities.” called himself a poet in public and was never included in the fourth volume of Raštai (Collected referred to by others as a poet. Everybody Writings). All his life he was interested in Lithuania’s Maironis’ poems have remained popular among continued to address him formally as Dear history, studied it and referred to it in his works. Lithuanian people until today, they still have some Prelate, Professor, and Rector… place in their hearts. His verses remind of the ocean Maironis at home with his guests (somewhere about 1930)