First Conference on Baltic Studies 4
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FIRST CONFERENCE ON BALTIC STUDIES 4 Summary of Proceedings EDITED BY IVAR IVASK University of Oklahoma TACOMA, WASHINGTON 196 9 SorachwissBnsciiftlUicljj® xTWnJnlrorsilal Bonn Inv.-Nr, 20 OCH^ TABLE OF CONTENTS EDITOR'S REMARKS V NOTE ON THE ORGANIZATION OF THE CONFERENCE VI by Janis Gaigulis Section 1: GENERAL SESSION: INTRODUCTIONS ... 11 The First Conference on Baltic Studies, by Peter P. LejinS ...... 12 A Case for Baltic Studies in the United States, by V. Stanley Vardys ...... 16 Section 2: COMMUNISM AND NATIONALISM IN THE BALTIC REPUBLICS: CONFLICT OR CONVERGENCE? . 21 The Problem of the United Baltic States, by Karlis R. Dzelzltis ...... 22 'Nonresident Alien's Bight to Inherit under Latvian and American Law, byJuris Padegs .......23 The Influence of the Baltic Emigration on Developments in the Baltic Republics, by Janis J. Penikis ...... 26 Education and Nationalism in the Baltics, by Jaan Pennar ....... 28 Dysfunctional Aspects of Soviet Political Socialization in Lithuania, by Ginutis Procuta ...... 29 Defining and Implementing Republic Interests within the Centralized Soviet System-. The Case of Lithuania, by Thomas Remeikis ...... 31 Centralism versus Nationalism in the Estonian Communist Party, by Rein Taagepera . 33 Section 3: THE BALTIC PEOPLE, THE SOVIET UNION AND THE CHANGING SOCIAL REALITY 35 Folklore Research in the Baltic Countries, especially Lithuania, in the Soviet Period, by Jonas Balys ....... 36 A Baltic University in the USA—Potential Project, by Karlis R. Dzelzitis • . .40 The Function of Immigrant Nationalism in the Postmodern World, by.Peter Freivalds ...... 41 Research on Folk Architecture in Lithuania under the Soviet Regime, by Jurgis Gimbutas ...... 42 VIII SUMMARY OF PROCEEDINGS Physical Education in Soviet Latvia, by Elfrida Karlsone-BerzinS .44 Section 4: MODERN BALTIC HISTORY: SOME PROBLEMS AND ASPECTS 47 The Role of the Baltic Historians Abroad: Fresent Situation and Perspectives, by Edgar Anderson ...... 48 Soviet Estonian Historiography with Special Reference to the Treatment of the 1917-18 Revolutionary Period, by Olavi Arens . .51 The Nationality Question in Bolshevik Ideology, by Andrew EzeTgailis . .52 Power Politics on the Baltic Sea, by Bronis J. Kaslas . .. 53 The Development of Estonian Nationalism and Russian Policy toward It: 1900-1918, by Emanuel Nodel ...... 55 Estonia's First Fifty Years, ' by Rein Taagepera ...... 57 The First Latvian Mass Deportation in 1941, by Nicholas ViksnipS . .58 Section 5: THE CONTEMPORARY RELIGIOUS SITUATION IN THE BALTIC STATES AND ABROAD ... 61 The Direction of the Church following the Second Vatican Council: TheSix Changing Concept's, by Vytautas J. Bagdanavicius .62 Suffering and Hope: Two Recurrent Themes in the Religious Writings of Latvian Lutherans in Exile, by Egil Grislis . .63 The Religious Situation in Soviet-Occupied Lithuania, by Joseph Prunskis . f . .64 National Parishes, " by Casimir Pugevitius ...... 66 The Situation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Latvia Today, byAleksandrs Veinbergs ..... 68 Section 6: DEVELOPMENTS IN THE POSTWAR BALTIC LITERATURES . 71 The Soviet Latvian Literary Scene in the Sixties, by Rolf Ekmanis ... .72 The Soviet Estonian Intellectual Scene in the- Sixties, by Hellar Grabbi . .73 Literature in Estonia, by Mall Jiirma ....... 74 IX An Indian Summer: Recent Developments in Latvian Prosd Fiction in Exile, by Ojars KratipS . .76 A Decade of Latvian Dramatic Literature, by Juris Silenieks . .77 Death in Exile: Theme and Variations, by Rimvydas Silbajoris .79 Recent Developments in Soviet Estonian Drama, by Mardi Valgemae ...... 79 The Controversy about the Poet Jdnis Raims, by Arvids Ziedonis, Jr. .91 Section 7: SOME NEW PROBLEMS IN BALTIC LINGUISTICS . 8jJ Baltic, Germanic, and Slavic, by An tanas Klimas ...... 84 The Current Status of Mathematical Linguistics in the Baltic States, by Hilda Radzina .85 Lexical Change in Estonian during Soviet Rule, by Paul F. Saagpakk ... .86 Linguistic Problems in Translation, with Special References to the Translation from Lithuanian and English, by William R. Schmalstieg ..... 88 Section 8 POSTWAR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS IN THE BALTIC COUNTRIES 91 Current Urban and Regional Planning Issues in the Baltic Republics, by Sigurds Crava . .92 Estonian Economy since 1944—Policies, Structural Changes, and Standard of Living, by Elmar Jarvesoo . .93 Management of the Latvian Economy and Political Power, by Gundar J. King ...... 95 Forestry of Latvia under the Present Russian Communist Regime, byRudolfs Markus ...... 97 Fisheries Industry in Present-Day Lithuania and Some Comparisons with Latvian and Estonian Fisheries, by Povilas A. Maieika . .99 Section 9: SOME SCIENTIFIC DEVELOPMENTS IN THE BALTIC STATES 101 Fate of Geology in Latvia: 1944-1968, by Aleksis Dreimanis ...... 102 Astronomy and Mathematics in the Baltic States since 1944, by Eugene Leimanis ...... 103 X SUMMARY OF PROCEEDINGS Computer Technology in Latvia, by Andris Padegs .......105 Developments and Attitudes in Chemistry in Latvia since 1950, by Janis J. Skujins ...... 107 Geophysics by Baltic Scientists 1948-1968, by Leonids Slaucitajs ...... 108 Oil Discoveries in Latvia and Lithuania, by Ilgvars J. Spilners ... 109 Section 10: GENERAL SESSION: CONCLUSION ... Ill Minutes Recorded by Janis Caigulis ..... 112 Appendix I: TWO PROPOSALS FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF BALTIC STUDIES 117 The Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies, by Edgar Anderson ...... 118 Suggestions for Future Baltic Conferences, by Herbert Valdsaar . 119 Appendix II: DATA ON SPEAKERS, PANEL MODERATORS, AND SECTION CHAIRMEN 123 SOME SCENES FROM THE CONFERENCE: Between pages 96 and 97 — I Participants of the Session on Pure and Applied Sciences U Members of the Panel on Baltic literature, from left to right: R. Silbajoris, A. Aspel, C. SalinS, I. Ivask, and P. Birznieks III On the way to the next session: V. Vardys, E. Anderson, A. Rusis, B. Abers, and J. Caigulis IV Concluding session /" V Some of die organizers of die First Conference on Baltic Studies: p 1. J. Balys, I. Ivask, P. Lejips, J. Caigulis, P. Zunde, V. Bag- danavicius, E. Anderson 2. Z. Vaituzis, A. Ambre, N. BriSka, R. Miezis, A. Tsirk, H. Valdsaar, M. KruminS Photos: Maigonis KruminS I — IV Varolin V .