LITHUANIAN HERITAGE Issue-Mar-Apr-2018.Pdf
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SUPPLEMENT TO DRAUGAS NEWS MAR/ APR 2018 VOL 6 (S2) In this issue: Views of East Prussia Antanas Gustaitis and his ANBO Planes Opposites Pro-independence P.R. in 1919 –22 USAF Lt. Col. and Physician Banionis Babka: The Easter Queen Lithuanian Portraits The late Prof. Kazys Almenas, nuclear physicist, engineer, and essayist, exploring the ruins of a church in Gross Ottenhagen in East Prussia, now part of the Kaliningrad Oblast. Volume 6, Number S2 Mar / Apr 2018 FEATURES Views of East Prussia by Romanas Borisovas 6 by Kazys Almenas The paintings cover a period when cataclysmic change swept over East Prussia, a time when the cultural heritage of an entire historical era was being mercilessly destroyed. 11 Antanas Nori Būti Ore – Gustaitis and ANBO by Mindaugas Sereičikas During his years in the Lithuanian Air Force, Antanas Gustaitis built and made trial flights in 9 different types of ANBO planes. They became one of the best-known symbols of nationhood in Lithuania in the years 6 before the Second World War. page 15 Opposites by Constantine K. Kliorys I lectured in Lithuania both behind the Iron Curtain and after it was lifted. Luckily mathematics is the same, 2 + 2 is still 4 for both com - munists and capitalists. Most other things are different. 18 P.R. in the Fight for Lithuania’s Independence by Eric Sibul In order to change this situation, and to influence the American government to support de jure recognition of Lithuanian independence, Lithuanian Americans enlisted the assistance two of the foremost pioneers in the fields of public relations, public opinion, and propaganda, Edward Bernays and Carl Byoir. 21 USAF Lt. Col. and Physician, Arūnas Banionis by Henry L. Gaidis Since Dr. Banionis is not the kind of person who brags about his ex - ploits, a guy like myself has to do it for him. page 11 25 Babka: The Easter Queen by Ona Daugirdienė Velykų boba , or what many of us call babka, is one of the most traditional cakes baked at this time and without a doubt, the queen of the Easter table. Cover Credits: FRONT COVER: East Prussian ruin (R. Borisovas) BACK COVER: Baby foxes in spring (V. Knyva) INSIDE FRONT COVER: K. Almenas in Prussia. (R. Borisovas) INSIDE BACK COVER: Shrove Tuesday girl monsters. (shutterstock, MNStudio) page 25 March / April 2018 LITHUANIAN HERITAGE 1 L A B A S Those magnificent men in their flying machines PUBLISHER Lithuanian Catholic Press Society as a British comedy set in 1910, replete with antics surrounding Chicago, IL a fictional London to Paris air race. The first part of the 20th century was a time when planes were a source of awe and in - EDITOR Wspiration, as evidenced by the symbolic power of the transatlantic flights Jonas Daugirdas of Steponas Darius and Stasys Gir ėnas in 1933, and of Feliksas Vaitkus two years later. In the January 2015 LH , Henry Gaidis described the ad - ASSOCIATE EDITOR ventures of World War I flying ace Vytautas Grai čiūnas. In the January Ona Daugirdienė 2016 issue (“Gliders on the Dunes”), Mindaugas Serei čikas recounted the exploits of Lithuanian Air Force pilots using gliders launched from sand dunes for training as well as fun. In the present issue, Serei čikas Wondering about your Estate Plan? writes about a unique individual whose engineering prowess did much Remember the Draugas Foundation and to advance Lithuanian Air Force readiness during the interwar years. His assure the future of our Lithuanian-Amer- name was Antanas Gustaitis, and his ANBO series of plane designs was ican Press. Since 1992, the Foundation has internationally recognized and renowned. In another story in this issue, served to sustain the Lithuanian language Gaidis writes about a Lithuanian American U.S. Air Force Lt. Colonel, Draugas and now comes to the aid of Ar ūnas Banionis, who was inspired by these aviation heroes from an Draugas News and Lithuanian Heritage as earlier time. well. Over the years, it has supported capi - tal improvements and invested in printing The centenary celebration of Lithuania’s declaration of independence hardware and computers. When times on February 16, 1918 continues, and Eric Sibul tells us how Lithuanian were especially rough, it helped to pay op - Americans pulled off a remarkable feat – getting the U.S. Congress and erating expenses. The Draugas Foundation President to officially recognize the three Baltic nations as fully inde - is our lifeline and guarantor of the future pendent countries in 1922. To achieve that goal, state-of-the-art public of Draugas’s unique set of publications. relations methods were used, and our grandparents called up two of the For the Draugas Foundation to fulfill its nation’s premier experts in the field of P.R. (one of whom would earn mission, it needs your support and in - the title of “The Father of Public Relations”). volvement. A few legacy gifts of moderate The importance of fighting for one’s freedom and cultural identity size will ensure the health of Draugas is brought home by the realization that such struggles are not uniformly News, Draugas, and Lithuanian Heritage for years to come. successful. The fate of the Prussian nation comes to mind, as poignantly recounted by the late Professor Kazys Almenas, and illustrated by the All donations are tax deductible. The beautiful watercolors of Romanas Borisovas, whose work enhances not Draugas Foundation (http://www.draugo- only the pages of Almenas’ article, but also the cover of the current fondas.org) is a charitable, 501(c)(3) organization. You can write the foundation issue of LH . into your will by specifying: “Draugas Some of us who are older had the opportunity to visit Lithuania Foundation,” EIN number: 36-3916303. while it was under Soviet occupation, and can compare what we saw For questions, please call: Marija Remiene, then with how we experienced the country after independence. Con - President, Draugas Foundation, stantine Kliorys, Professor of Management at Gannon University, re - tel. 773-585-9500. members his brief sabbaticals in Lithuania during both periods, and re - minds us how different things were, using restaurants as an example. Jonas Daugirdas, Editor Lithuanian Heritage is published by the Lithuanian Catholic Press Society (DRAUGAS), 4545 W. 63rd Street, Chicago, IL 60629-5532. Lithuanian Heritage is available as a bimonthly (six times per year) supplement to Draugas News (http://www.draugas.org/news). Please consult our website or the back page of this magazine for subscription information. Copyright 2018 by the Lithuanian Catholic Press Society. 2 LITHUANIAN HERITAGE March / April 2018 able manner, allowing our readers to easily go back and find their fa - Heritage vorite stories. When people write for one of our newspapers, their con - Mailbo x tributions will remain accessible. For example, I’ve been very impressed with articles I’ve been reading from the Draugas cultural supplement, Suggestions for the annual printed of Draugas News / Lithuanian Her - Mokslas, Menas, ir Literatūra, which calendar itage magazine. Thank you for mak - began in 1949, and which continues I would like to see a calendar of ing it available to those of us of to this day as Kultūra . Lithuanian costumes and the regions Lithuanian heritage who unfortu - to which they belong. I saw one in nately cannot speak the language. Lithuania but could not find one for Have taken classes when available, myself. but they never lasted long enough. Thank you, Frances Petkus Mary Ann Lariviere Dayton, Ohio Waterbury, Connecticut Editor’s responses: Lithuanian Heritage as a Christ - To Mary Ann: Great idea for mas present the calendar and we’ll keep it in Dear Draugas : (translated from mind. In the meantime, I found this Lithuanian): We’re sending along our on the Web: www.slideshare.net/lpla - subscription renewals to Lithuanian diene/llkostiumas-6116088. Heritage , which are Christmas pres - To Marija and Kazimieras: We ents to our children. Wish you all really appreciate your idea of giving the best. We all value your efforts subscriptions to Lithuanian Heritage highly and are grateful for them. to your children for Christmas. Too Marija and Kazimieras often, Christmas gifts turn out to Marcinkevicius have little lasting meaning, and we Chagrin Falls, Ohio at Draugas believe that gifting sub - Hanging apple cheese. Like the publications scriptions is an important way of Re Rimvydas Laužikas’ apple not only increasing our subscriber cheese recipe Dear Ona and Jonas: I want to base, but also, helping ensure that from the Radvila tell you how much I and my wife Lithuanian culture and will continue kitchen, as described in the enjoy receiving and reading Lithuan - to impact our children, relatives, and Sept/Oct 2017 issue: Ona actually ian Heritage magazine. I appreciate friends. made this, after making a few mod - all the work that you two are doing To Jonas: Many thanks for the ifications to the original instructions. as associate editor and editor. I rec - kind words, and thanks also for your She added hazelnuts (and, in re - ommend all Lithuanians and those generous gift of $1,000 to help de - sponse to my brilliant suggestion, interested in Lithuania to subscribe fray the costs of constructing the pistacchios). You can see the results to the English language Draugas Draugas digital archive. of our (her) effort pictured above. News and Lithuanian Heritage . To Fran : No contest that a Keep up the good work! printed journal is better. However, John V. Prunskis, M.D. with Draugas , we have been faced Knight of the Order of Merit with slow and unreliable USPS de - We welcome letters and comments Hon. Consul of Lithuania livery, and this now is affecting even from our readers. Please address cor - Dean, Aspen Consular Corps respondence to: Lithuanian Heritage , delivery of Draugas News and c/o Draugas News , 4545 W 63rd St., Internet is fine, but print is even Lithuanian Heritage.