Lithuanian Mutual Aid Society of Vilnius
The society was an integral part of establishing Vilnius as the cultural center of the Lithuanian National Revival.
Starting in May 1896, members of the club submitted repeated petitions to various religious and civil authorities until their demands were met in December 1901.
[2] In 1904, the club decided to establish the legal Lithuanian Mutual Aid Society of Vilnius chaired by Antanas Vileišis.
To raise funds for its activities, the society organized Lithuanian cultural events (theater performances, concerts, dances, etc.).
[3][4] The club was initiated by Catholic priest Juozapas Ambraziejus-Ambrozevičius, nobleman Donatas Malinauskas, and forester Povilas Matulionis [lt].
[5] The club was informal (i.e. it did not have statutes, protocols, or programs), but its main goal was to promote the use of the Lithuanian language in public life and, specifically, in Catholic churches.
[3][9] In primitive conditions, club members staged simple comedies by Józef Bliziński [pl] and by Žemaitė and Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė.
They did not seek to change the Tsarist regime; instead they sought a compromise with the authorities hoping they would allow cultural Lithuanian activities.
Therefore, the first major task of the club was to get permission to hold Lithuanian language masses at the Church of Saint Nicholas.
The problem was raised in the Lithuanian press as early as 1885 in Aušra, but the first known petition with about 300 signatures to auxiliary bishop Ludwik Zdanowicz [pl] was delivered in May 1896 by four members of the club.
[17] This prompted Donatas Malinauskas to request copies of earlier petitions from the diocese so that he could prepare a separate publication about the issue in Russian.
[19] While bishop Zwierowicz was on an ad limina visit in Rome, Lithuanians petitioned Karol Antoni Niedziałkowski [pl], administrator of the Archdiocese of Mohilev.
In April 1901, another petition to bishop Zwierowicz was sent by ten Lithuanian priests in Saint Petersburg (among them were four professors of the Saint Petersburg Roman Catholic Theological Academy – Kazimieras Jaunius, Jonas Mačiulis, Pranciškus Karevičius [lt], and Ignotas Baltrušis).
[21] At the same time, they petitioned the new archbishop of Mogilev Bolesław Hieronim Kłopotowski who was supportive and pushed Zwierowicz to assign a church to the Lithuanian community.
[24][25] On 17 December 1901, the Church of Saint Nicholas was granted to the Lithuanian community and Juozapas Kukta was selected as its rector.
It received government approval on 29 January 1904 and held its founding meeting at the Church of Saint Nicholas on 14 March 1904.
[36] In 1910, the society also received permission to expand its activities outside of Vilnius to the entire Vilna Governorate and to deliver lectures and to establish schools, libraries, shelters, and consumers' co-operative.
The last board meeting took place on 15 August 1915 when it was decided to suspend the activities due to the approaching Eastern Front.
[38] Initially, the society had very narrow goals of providing financial support to its members (e.g. loans, job search assistance, grants in case of sickness or death).
[45] The society raised funds and launched free Lithuanian lessons at four city schools in early 1906.
Officially, the society petitioned the government to allow a shelter for children at the Church of Saint Nicholas which would be used as a cover for the primary school.
[53] The Mutual Aid Society covered the tuition and provided other financial support (e.g. school supplies, proper clothing and shoes) to the impoverished students.
[58] The Society of Saint Zita was organized by the philanthropist Józef Montwiłł,[59] but it was dominated by Polish culture and discouraged and suppressed Lithuanian activities.
[61] Earlier in May 1906, the city duma granted three rooms in the former Franciscan monastery near the Church of Saint Nicholas to the Mutual Aid Society.
[68] The first theater performance (staging of the comedy America in the Bathhouse and one-act farce by Johann Baptist von Schweitzer) was organized on 6 February 1905.
[69] In later evenings the society staged comedies by Joseph Conrad, Juozas Tumas-Vaižgantas, Žemaitė, Michał Bałucki, operetta by Mikas Petrauskas, dramas by Aleksandras Fromas-Gužutis and Juliusz Słowacki, and other plays.
[70] The evenings also often featured Lithuanian choirs directed by Mikas Petrauskas, Juozas Tallat-Kelpša, and Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis.
[74] On 15–16 August 1909, the society organized its largest event – the 10th anniversary celebration of the first Lithuanian theater performance in 1899 in Palanga.
