Napoleon Mateusz Tadeusz Orda (1807–1883), Rietavas manor, the end of the 19th c. Reproduction from the archives of the Regional Cultural Initiatives Center

138 RIETAVAS AND OGINSKIAI

Rietavas – town on the eastern part of Samogitian ka (died in 1587) converted to Protestantism. hill and on the western part of Endriejavas ridge. Pas- There is no knowledge of how Rietavas mansion sengers are attracted afar with a sight of the spectacu- was built. It was mentioned in written sources of the lar two-tower neo-romantic white St. Michael the Ar- 16th century. Then the mansion belonged to the changel Church, which was built from the funds of Grand Duke intended vicegerent, where he also lived. the Duke Irenëjus Kleopas Oginskis. In the manor document dated in 1588, the man- Rietavas is the municipal centre. It is small (about sion is said to be owned by King Stephen Bator's 4000 residents here live permanently) town with an (1533–1586) wife, the queen Ona Jagiellon (1523– honourable and old history. Historian Dr. Vytenis 1596). At that time, the estate area, which was sur- Almonaitis in his book "What the Sea Roars", pub- rounded by fir fence, was near the town. The inven- lished in 1994, writes "for centuries wooded village tory indicated 14 manor buildings: two small woo- neighbourhood was sparsely populated by Curonian den dwelling houses with windows, another small and Samogitian tribal periphery". house, six barns, sauna, shed, barn, 2 stables. It is believed that the first Rietavas town spread a During the period 1588–1613 Rietavas elder was few kilometres to the northwest of the current Rieta- the Grand Chancellor, Grand Hetman, Lithuanian vas, near the mound of the Skroblas village. Statute III compiler Leonas Sapiega (1557–1633). In historical archives, Rietavas was mentioned for In 1590, Sigismund III Vasa (1566–1632) gran- the first time in 1253, in document signed by the ted Rietavas the privilege to hold markets. Bishop of Courland and Livonia. Historians S. Za- Based on the description of 1611, all the buil- janczkowski and H. Lowmianski in their works state dings in the Rietavas manor were one story and cen- that, in the 13th, Rietavas was an important admi- tral residential building – similar to the two ends of nistrative centre of this region. This is one of the ol- the Samogitians landowner. It was a wooden farm- dest settlements in Samogitia. During the middle house with two ends. This house had several multi- ages, it belonged to the Ceklis land. purpose rooms. From the porch, the way was into In the 14th–15th c. Rietavas was one of the main the living room, with four glazed windows, green centres of Samogitian defense. In addition, through tiled stove, tables and benches. The floor was made the village went important trade routes. out of wood, except for one room, which was floo- Historical sources of 1436 calls Rietavas area as "Rita". red with ramming clay. Another building of the ma- In 16th-the beginning of the 19th c. Rietavas was a nor was covered with shingles and was already star- state territory. In 1527, Sigismund the Old (1467– ting to collapse. It had seven rooms: the guest ro- 1548) writes that Rietavas is a village and a parish cen- om, two living rooms, kitchen, hallway and two ro- tre, which belongs to the Grand Duke of Lithuania, oms without windows. Some windows were glazed, and in 1533 Rietavas has been officially named a city. stoves decorated with ordinary tiles. Among this and There is reason to believe that around the year 1529 such houses, stood straw and wooden shavings co- in Rietavas may have built the first church (this fact vered old barn. On one side, people laid grain, on is not documented). the other – agricultural implements. A fence of sharp The surviving historical sources indicate that in stakes surrounded the homestead. Cherry and ot- 139 1554 Rietavas governor (?) Mark Laurinavièius Vnuè- her gardens grew near the manor. Behind them, in the west, were the bakery and the distillery. nik Jurgis Konarskis (around the year 1710–?). In 1613, after the death of Leonas Sapiega, Rieta- In 18th c., after the digression of the local popula- vas went to the Voivode of Minsk, Joniðkis comman- tion, a number of Jewish people settled in Rietavas der the Duke Aleksandras Masalskis (1593–1643). town. By the middle of the 18th c., there was alrea- In the same year, under the rule of A. Masalskis, Rie- dy a strong Jewish community, gathering all Samo- tavas was granted the privilege to collect the customs gitian Jewish families and communities. fare and organize city events. In 1732, Rietavas was passed on to the Samogitian In 1643 after the death of Aleksandras Masalskis, Castellan Juozapas Benediktas Skuminas Tiðkevièius Rietavas was passed on under the management of one (1694–1754). Later, Rietavas was ruled by the scribe of the richest and most influential at that time Lithua- of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Vitebsk Voivode nian nobility figures – the scribe and treasurer of the Grand Samogitian Castellan Juozapas Benediktas Skuminas Duchy of Lithuania Mikalojus Kiðka (1588–1644). Tiðkevièius' (1694–1754) younger brother Jurgis Ka- From 1645, Rietavas was governed by the nephew zimieras Skuminas Tiðkevièius (~ 1701–1765)281 and of M. Kiðka nephew Jonuðas Radvila (1612–1655). his second wife Lettaw Hanna282. In 1661, under the Seimas decision, Rietavas was For a short time, Antanas and Regina Duninai al- sold to the Marshal of Vilnius Povilas Sapiega (1609– so governed Rietavas. 1665) for a hundred thousand golden coins. Writ- In 1736, Rietavas was ruled by the Polish-Lithua- ten sources state that the manor had a wooden porch, nian Commonwealth state and military figure Jurgis two farmed wooden houses, stables with wheels, barn, Kazimieras Skuminas Tiðkevièius' (1716–1790) son orchard, gardens, a pond with a mill and other bo- Juozapas Tiðkevièius. In the same year, he became dies of water. Povilas Sapiega died in Rietavas in 1665. the second governor of Vilnius and married his first After his father's death, Benediktas Sapiega (1643– wife Benedikta Oginskytë. During this period, Rie- 1707) took control of the city. tavas manor was neglected. Since the year 1667, Rietavas Powiat is mentio- In 1748, owner of Rietavas became K. Ðemeta ned in the historical sources. (Ðemiota). In 1750, K. Ðemeta for a hundred thou- In 1715, under the privilege signed by Augustus sand golden coins sold to the Samogitian elder Juo- II, Rietavas Elder Mokylas Juozapas Sapiega (1670– zapas Tiðkevièius, who bought it to his son, elder of 1738) took over after Benediktas Sapiega died du- Rietavas Kristupas Skuminas Tiðkevièius (1729– ring the fever epidemic. In the surviving description 1762). He ruled Rietavas manor from1750 to 1763. of Rietavas manor, dated 1718, it is noted that the During that period, a bigger part of the manor buil- houses were abandoned, some of its buildings col- dings were repaired and rebuilt and a millpond was lapsed and are covered by the overgrown ponds, and built. In 1760, a shingle-covered one-hewn logs gardens were abandoned. In earlier dated documents, mansion was built. It had an attic, a large hall, 10 we can establish the fact that under the previous ow- rooms, two porches, porch for two (one on each si- ners the manor lavished and was taken care of. de). Under the manor there were two vaulted cellar In 1721, M. J. Sapiega built a new wooden church room. The house had oak doors, white and azure in Rietavas when the old one burnt down during the tiles were for furnaces. By the manor palace officine Great Northern War. Rietavas manor was leased to stood covered with shingles. It had two rooms, porch, the Brest province Stolnik R. Faustinas Kosciuszko stove; rooms were decorated with brown and pur- for three years (some sources indicate that it was lea- ple tile stoves. The manor was surrounded by a gar- sed to the Kiev flagger Faustino Benedict Kosciuszko den. Behind the officine was the second folwark; (1672–1754/5). The majority homestead buildings there were bread bakery, icehouse, barn, distillery had been repaired; rooms, the distillery and ponds and sauna in it. In territory, there stood also three were cleaned, cherry garden replanted. piggeries, small stables, livestock barn. In 1731, the manor was leased to the Mozyr Stol- Oginskiai history in Rietavas began in the middle

281 Polish researchers wrote that he died in 1735. 140 282 Lettaw Hanna (died in 1733) of the 18th century, when Tadas Pranciðkus Ogins- from the weather, they could not keep the shovel in kis married the widow of Kristupas Skuminas Tiðke- their hands. I felt sorry for these people, even though vièius Jadvyda Teresa Zaluska Tiðkevièienë (1726– they were strangers to me. When it was left to Rie- 1771). She received Rietavas manor as a wedding gift tavas the remaining 90 versts283, I noticed a num- in 1763. Mykolas Kleopas Oginskis' grandfather Tra- ber of carriages and men walking on foot. I recogni- kai Voivode and Castellan Tadas Pranciðkus Ogins- zed them – it was peasants sent from my Rietavas kis (1712–1783) took control of the manor. At that manor. Workers approached my carriage. I told the time, the first T. P. Oginskis wife Izabelë Kotryna equestrian to stop. People were begging for mercy Radvilaitë (1711–1761) was already dead. because they died of hunger and fatigue. They wept Total of five generations of Oginskiai ruled Rie- like children and with bitterness complained that tavas – from 1763 until the beginning of the 20th there are about 90 versts from their homes and they century. T. P. Oginskis raised a lot of livestock and were not allowed to return there for about six we- poultry in Rietavas. The manor had farm buildings, eks. During that time, they already have eaten all barns complex that at those times were in the other their food stocks. In Rietavas I learned that there side of the Plungë road. were 150 chariots used by the transport of mate- From 1767, the town had already organized seven rials accompanied 300 people and those them. fairs a year. Rietavas land holdings were densely populated. Of In 1792, the Four-year Seimas granted Rietavas what that took place there, cannot be called otherwi- Magdeburg rights and a coat of arms. The King of se than barbaric, because people were forced to live Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth S. A. Poniatow- and work in slave-like conditions. ski confirmed these rights. On the backside of the I started to give the money, which at the time I coat of arms were words "For the nation, the King had with me. They wept in gratitude and joy. They and Freedom" and a golden lion running with a had hope that maybe with the money they could see silver sword in its mouth. their families again. When T. P. Oginskis died, his widow Jadvyga Ogins- Immediately after I reached Rietavas I wrote a let- kienë up until her death (1794) ruled the Rietavas ma- ter to the Head of the District, requesting that my nor. Later the manor was passed to T. P. Oginski's son peasants would be returned as soon as possible. from his first marriage Pranciðkus Ksaveras Oginskis Thinking about the sad things I have seen, I con- (1740–1814), who was Mykolas Kleopas' uncle. Af- tinued my trip through Rietavas. Samogitian roads ter the second partition of the Polish-Lithuanian in many places went through the clayey areas. Clay, Commonwealth, for some time, Rietavas hosts were mixed with the soaked ground, turned into mud, the Counts Zubovai. What kind of reorganization to- where the horses would sink to the abdomen. My ok place after the manor was passed on to Mykolas carriage, pulled by six horses, had been often stop- Kleopas Oginskis (1765–1833), is not known. ped to rest the horses. Mykolas Kleopas was a rare guest in Rietavas. Un- That was what the roads, which were soaked in der his ruling the 1817 Rietavas manor and the situa- people blood, were like. tion of the town plan has been preserved. At the time, A few days after I arrived in Rietavas, I saw peasants the palace stood in the central part of territory, the returning. They hardly had the strength to stand on eastern side had two officinas, and on the western part their own. Some were injured with frostbitten feet or were barns, stables and other outbuildings. In unpub- other fever, and the suffering they endured marked all lished childhood memoirs Mykolas Kleopas writes: the pale faces. Part of the horses was dead, and those "On my way from Vilnius to Rietavas (in the late returned could barely stand on their four legs. This exam- November of 1820) I saw how the snowflakes fell ple shows how it was treated with Samogitian landlords and disappeared one after the other onto the Samo- and their people who had neither shelter nor care." gitian ground. The weather was misty and cold. Pe- When in 1814 under the Tsar Alexander I decree asants worked continuously in the cold; trembling Rietavas eldership was sold to M. K. Oginskis for

283 Verst is equal to 1,067 km. 141 277,600 silver roubles, he paid only a part of that amount at the end of the 19th century. The palace held more right away. Later M. K. Oginskis annually had to pay than 20 rooms and halls. Floors in many places were part of the debt and pay the interest. In 1818–1819, made from oak parquet and ceilings were decorated he paid neither the debt nor the interest. with moulding; the walls were decorated by punctu- In 1822, preparing for his trip to Italy, red cloth. On the left side of the palace, there was a M. K. Oginskis Rietavas manor wrote to his wife, large banquet hall. In the Knights' Hall Oginskiai fa- Maria de Neri-Oginskienë and children Amelia, mily held an exhibition of weapons collections from Ema, Ida and Irenëjus Kleopas. the various eras. Rietavas nobility gathered family por- Maria de Neri ran his manor while he was in Italy traits, four of which were very big and 22 smaller ones. and St. Petersburg. It was difficult in the short time left Archaeological mineral collection, consisting of the to settle the debts, so during the second Mykolas Kleo- minerals found in Samogitia and other places of Lit- pas departure to live abroad, she appealed to the Tsar, huania, as well as the palace archive could have be found asking for preferential conditions for payment of the in the library. The palace had several salons. One of debt. The Tsar granted her request, allowing the pay- them was called the Yellow one. Here both the furni- ment of the debt within 12 years, starting with 1824. ture and the upholstery were yellow; the ceilings were However, because of her fragile health she had to also painted yellow. The room was decorated with map- return to Italy, so she passed on the manor to Myko- le and ebony oak mosaic parquet and English tile fi- las Kleopas son Irenëjus Kleopas. E. Ravickienë in replace. Next to it was the Blue salon. Its huge, multi- her book "Centuries Trails" (Klaipeda, 1997, p. 66) glazed glass doors were seen from the conservatory. writes that to "Rietavas parish belonged 52 300 tit- The manor was famous for its deer antlers sitting hes of land, Rietavas, Endriejavas, Veivirþënai towns, area, which furniture was brought from Amsterdam in 93 villages, 1200 farmsteads and 9200 peasants."284 1857. The palace had also representational rooms, be- Mykolas Kleopas' son Irenëjus Rietavas manor cho- drooms, a small dining room, gorgeous billiard room. se as the main residence and moved here together Its doors and parquet were made from ash wood, two with his children Bogdanas and Mykolas from their glass windows 16 panes of glass, walls covered with pink residence in Zalesye. At the beginning of the 19th wallpaper that in 1857 were changed to blue. The ro- c., Rietavas played an important role of science, cul- om was nice billiard table cell with canaries, gilded cand- ture, technology; it was the centre of techniques, lesticks, and a small statue of Napoleon. Gold accented which contributed the country's progress. framed mirrors and expensive watches adorned many of Irenëjus and his wife Olga Kalinowska redecora- the palace rooms. Everywhere you looked, you could ted the main manor building and built a neo-roman- feel the luxury. Even the dishes were decorated with tic style church. The design work was entrusted to coats of arms and monograms of the relatives. the architect S. Blek. The main construction work After the construction of the new palace, the old has been completed in 1850. entrance to the palace was left in the same place – The new neo-style stone houses stood almost at over the milldam. The newly designed area opened the same spot where stood the old wooden palace. as a flower garden. Much later, the old trees growing Beside there was built an office building. This buil- in ponds were trimmed off this way opening a view ding as well as the palace had beautiful, same height, from the palace to the town centre. The two-storey similar proportions, horizontally decomposed towers. officine was built on the site of the old wood-storage. These towers differed only in the form: palace tower During the Oginskiai time, a Volost board held their was octagonal, administration building – square. meetings there; manor and Volost treasuries were also Of the surviving written sources central building established there. Near the central building, stood be- layout and interior view was restored. They were ex- autiful two-storey stone manor artisans house, next to it ceptionally ornate and beautiful as suggests Napole- was the building for the Vaitas. On the west side of the onas Orda Rietavas, who created the manor drawing homestead stood stone brewery and stables, near the

284 E. Ravickienë, Ðimtmeèiø takai, Klaipëda, 1997, p. 66. 142 On the right: St. Archangel Michael Church of Rietavas. 2014. Photo by Danutë Mukienë 143 pond – a stone mill. The entire area was fenced by ho- Oginskis died. Bogdanas with his relatives began to mestead brick wall. The manor had two accesses through sue for his legacy. During that time, Bogdanas' he- gates, which were decorated with bronze statues of li- alth problems started to show up. He failed to over- ons. On the road to Plungë Oginskiai built a small sto- come the tension and fell ill with severe mental il- ne chapel. In 1848–1849, a park of 83 hectares was lness. For this reason, Rietavas music school and Rie- formed surrounding the entire manor. It was "created tavas symphony orchestra were closed in 1903. by the Ferdinand Gypelt from Saxony, Frederick Brown Bogdanas Oginskis died in 1909. He was buried and Hungarian subordinate August Ulrich." (E. Ravic- near the manor in the family chapel-mausoleum. kienë "Centuries Trails", Klaipëda, 1997, p. 67). In the same year, Rietavas palace caught fire again. At the eastern end of the palace there were at that No funds have been found to restore it. time the richest in the Baltics winter garden (conser- After Bogdanas' death, his wife Maria Potulicka- vatory), in which for more than 200 rare species of Oginskienë took care of the manor but she could not plants, including subtropical have been cultivated. deal with the entrusted duties and the manor began The winter garden was connected with the officine to deteriorate, the park was left abandoned. by the glazed gallery. The homestead was full of gre- Documents, dated 1911–1912, state that the ma- enery, flowers. Buildings, parks, gardens and kitchen nor is in bad condition, in some places the ceiling gardens were well-maintained and kept up to date. began to rotten. When Rietavas manor and the town centre were Bogdanas had no children, and by laws of that redesigned, I. Oginskis turned his attention to the new time, his manor was divided to his relatives. Accor- city stone church, draft of which was already prepared ding to the court's decision, the last Rietavas manor for construction works. In 1846, he turned to the bis- hosts were assigned Maria Potulicka-Oginskienë, Vi- hop of Telðiai asking for permission. In 1850, the sockiai, Juozas and Karolis Zaluski. church building committee (the chairman Irenëjus Shortly after the division of the manor, Maria mo- Oginskis) was created. Church construction started in ved to Austria (now the Polish territory) and settled the 1853 – on the 9th of June, bishop Valanèius con- in the Bobrek manor. She died in 1927 in Potulice secrated the cornerstone of Rietavas church altar. (Poland) at the age of 74 years old. In the summer 1853, Rietavas celebrated Irenëjus When in 1915 Kaiser German army occupied Lithu- Kleopas Oginski's son Bogdanas Pranciðkus (1848– ania, Rietavas mansion was looted, many valuable items, 1909) name giving. Irenëjus Oginskis, as we men- musical instruments, art works were taken to Germany. tioned before, renewed Rietavas fundamentally. Even the copper roof of the palace was torn off and swans, From 1863, after his death, his second wife Olga pheasants lived in the park were shot. At that time, the Kalinowska-Oginskienë took over the manor, and af- palace was even promised as a gift to the German General ter her death, his sons – Bogdanas and, before set- Staff chief Paul von Hindenburg (1847–1934). With tling in Plungë, Mykolas. the lack of true supervision, the palace wearied out. During the Bogdanas ruling, the manor had some During the war, the children broke the windows of the new buildings, the old part was renovated, and the town palace leading to destruction of the palace interior – eve- has developed in the industry. In 1872, large reconst- ryone tried to take everything that had any kind of value. ruction works of the conservatory took place, since the After the war and the land reform, Rietavas manor fire at that time burned a big part of the ceiling. In the buildings were expropriated – in 1924, became the state last decades of the 19th century, disasters started pur- property. In 1926, the central part of the manor was suing Rietavas central manor. One night, the palace passed on to the Lithuanian Catholic Women's Associa- caught fire when the servants were making alcoholic be- tion. During this period, the music school building be- verage krupnik. That time a large part of the library was came the girls school of agriculture, musicians' dormito- destroyed, nevertheless, the palace was restored. ry – gymnasium, after that – the elementary school, a In 1902, Bogdanas Oginskis' brother Mykolas former brewery were transformed into stables. The ma-

144 On the right: Chapel of Rietavas Dukes Oginskiai. 2014. Photo by Danutë Mukienë 145 nor house and the park were under no one's supervision. Near the road to Plungë Oginskiai family built a In 1926, during the Land reform, the manor was stone chapel – a mausoleum (supposedly built by the officially divided. The manor owners have been left architect Leon Bukno (Leon Boucneau) and is now with only 80 hectares (homestead, the park and its restored by the architect Þivilë Maèionienë's design. former forest part). Although experienced many hardships, Rietavas ma- In the same year, 1926, Lithuanian Catholic Wo- nor park survived to our days. At one time, it was do- men's Association for 20.000 LT sold the palace at omed to destruction. The Soviet economy Rietavas auction to Povilas Jurgaitis, property owner from Technical School building complex deteriorated the Budriai village. Under his directions, the palace was area: educational housings, residential buildings and demolished and the bricks were sold as building ma- hostels built in 1971–1975 in the former territory of terial for the townspeople and settlers. Intellectuals the manor. During these constructions, not only the learned about the horrific Rietavas palace destruc- architectural image of the manor was destroyed but tion and publicly complained, but they did not re- also the western water park access system was dama- ceive any support – in 1927 the central manor buil- ged. In the 70's of the 20th c., the intellectual society ding was destroy and the park over time had been began to protest against the destruction of the cultu- completely deserted. They kept destroying the ma- ral heritage left by Oginskiai family. nor ensemble and the following years, especially du- Oginskiai Memorial Chapel was defended from the ring the Second World War. barbaric destruction. During the 1973–1976 with so- To our day only those buildings that had super- me initiative people began cleaning the Mill Pond from visors had remained. In particular, the historical the construction waste and other garbage, repair works Oginskiai Music School building, where is now set- for the ruined park protective wall along the Plungë and tled the Oginskiai Cultural History Museum of Rie- Oginskiai (at the time they were called Nation and Kom- tavas. Survived to our days are the Bogdanas Ogins- somol streets respectively) started to take place. kis music school dormitories, built in the 19th cen- In 1975, a long-term B. Oginskis music school tury, officine building (building from the middle building rescue campaign was initiated. of the 19th c.), brewery-laundry (building from the During these activities pre-war period Rietavas high second half of the 19th c.). school students – theater fan Adolfas Liaugaudas, et- One of the most striking architectural highlights of hnographer Justinas Kontrimas and Professor Roma- the manor – a water tower built by Oginskiai, survi- nas Chomskis played a vital role in the society's eyes. ved as well. In the street called after the Oginskiai stands Most of them by that time lived in Kaunas. Thanks to the house of a former worker of the manor, which by them, intellectuals were joined not only from Rietavas, locals is often called "kryþiauna". During the Ogins- but also from Vilnius, Kaunas, Plungë, and Palanga. kiai ruling, all of the 60 hectares of the park area was In those days, Lithuanian Cultural Fund established surrounded by 2-meter high fence. Today only its frag- Rietavas Club "Pilalë" importance was exceptional. ments remain – the White and the Red Gate – and In 1990, "Pilalë" ensured that the abandoned near to them (from the side of the church), guard hut B. Oginskis Music School restoration works were car- still stands (built in the 19th c.) Former manor offici- ried out. The building of the music school was left in ne now operates as Rietavas hospice, in the former bre- the emergency state. To the rescue came intellectu- wery-laundry-water tower private apartments were es- als gathered by Vytas Rutkauskas – they joined their tablished, different companies now manage the first forces and established restoration fellowship called "Rie- and the second house, some space was left for the mu- tuva". It took great effort to correct the mistakes that nicipal administration offices, in the restored part of the pseudo restorers worked before had left defect. the mansion Rietavo culture, business and tourism cen- "Rietuva" also had to carry out basic and other tre is running. objects of the manor restoration and rehabilitation

146 On the right: black marble stela commemorating the eternal rest place of Irenëjus Kleopas Oginskis in Rietavas (1808–1863). 2014. Photo by Danutë Mukienë 147 148 Rietavas (26-09-2015). Photo by Mykolas Juozapavièius work, when, in 1991–1992, began the preparation nian monuments" specialists, led by the director Al- for Lithuania's first power plant 100-year anniversa- fonsas Jocys and Klaipëda's electricity network staff ry. In that year, the celebration was held in the terri- (director Vytautas Girdvainis), designers Kæstutis Lin- tory of the former palace: southern part of the colon- kus, Nijolë Ðvegþdienë, architect Algirdas Þebraus- nade was restored, Ground floor fountain was resur- kas, sculptor Regimantas Midvikis and Rietavas resi- rected from the ruins, the northern part of the white dents had to give up a lot of their time and effort that gate and the water tower facade were restored as well. the restoration works could have been successful. Implementation of this program has become a key In 2000, Rietavas city municipality was restored. turning point in Rietavas Genius Loci – return of Its council positively evaluated the work that has al- Oginskiai cultural heritage. ready been done and decided to set up the Oginskiai The success came in large part due to the fact that Cultural History Museum of Rietavas, which is hou- the program of the Organizing Committee was hea- sed in a restored B. Oginskis music school. This was ded by an extraordinary personality – the first inde- yet another important step in actualizing Oginskiai pendent Lithuanian Energy Minister Prof. Leonas Að- cultural heritage and rallying the society for a new mantas and his deputy Saulius Kutas. JSC "Lithua- meaningful work.

On the left: fragment of St. Archangel Michael Church of Rietavas and fountain sculpture. 2014. Photo by Danutë Mukienë. 149