Lietuwißka Ceitunga
Encyclopedia
The Lietuwißka Ceitunga was an influential Lithuanian-language newspaper published for Prussian Lithuanians
, an ethnic minority of East Prussia
, a province of the German Empire
. It was established in 1877 by Martynas Šernius (Martin Szernus) and Heinrich Holz in Klaipėda
(Memel) and continued to be published until September 30, 1940.
Initially it promoted pro-Lithuanian ideas and invited writers from Lithuania Major. Its early contributors included Jonas Basanavičius
, Jonas Šliūpas, Georg Sauerwein
. The newspaper published news from the region, Germany and Lithuania, until 1918 part of Russia. It also included articles on Lithuanian history, culture, language, and patriotic poems, including Lietuvininkai we are born by Sauerwein and works by Antanas Baranauskas
. After Aušra
, the first newspaper with contributors from both Prussian and Russian Lithuania, appeared in 1883, Lietuwißka Ceitunga became more pro-German and largely abandoned patriotic topics, leaving only articles concerning general news and religious matters. The shift in political attitude was also influenced by threats and economic pressure from German authorities. To counter this, a new more pro-Lithuanian newspaper, Nauja Lietuwißka Ceitunga, was published in Tilsit
in 1890–1923. Šernius was editor-in-chief of Lietuwißka Ceitunga until it was acquired in June 1905 by the Siebert Press, publishers of vehemently pro-German Memeler Dampfboot. After the Klaipėda Region
was attached to Lithuania in 1923, Lietuwißka Ceitunga was a highly conservative pro-German newspaper. Reportedly, it was not profitable and was funded by Berlin
.
In later years contributors included Pastor Martin Keturakaitis, Jonas Kikilius, Endrikis Radžiūnas, Kristupas Lokys, Ieva Simonaitytė
. Lietuwißka Ceitunga published various supplements, including German-language Beilage zu der Lietuviszka ceitunga and supplements for farmers (Laukininkų prietelis in 1896–1900, Lietuvos ūkininkas in 1900, Laukininkas in 1929–1939). It also published free booklets to its subsribers, including shortened The Jewish War by Josephus
in 1881 and Nusidavimai apie senuosius prūsus (on history of Old Prussia) by Nikodemas Jaunius in 1906. The newspaper used traditional German blackletter
script and Lithuanian language heavily influenced by German vocabulary and style. For example, the word ceitunga is a Lithuanianized version of German Zeitung (newspaper). Lietuwißka Ceitunga also capitalized all nouns in the German fashion
and used German alphabet
, including letters w and ß that do not exist in today's Lithuanian alphabet
. Initially it was published once a week, then bi-weekly (1900–1913), three times a week (1913–1932), and daily (1932–1940). Its circulation was about 700 copies in 1897, 700–800 in 1912, 5200 in 1931, and 3850 in 1935.
Prussian Lithuanians
The term Prussian Lithuanians or Lietuvininkai refers to a Western Lithuanian ethnic group, which did not form a nation and inhabited a territory in East Prussia called Prussian Lithuania or Lithuania Minor in contrast to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and later the Republic of Lithuania .Unlike most...
, an ethnic minority of East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
, a province of the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
. It was established in 1877 by Martynas Šernius (Martin Szernus) and Heinrich Holz in Klaipėda
Klaipeda
Klaipėda is a city in Lithuania situated at the mouth of the Nemunas River where it flows into the Baltic Sea. It is the third largest city in Lithuania and the capital of Klaipėda County....
(Memel) and continued to be published until September 30, 1940.
Initially it promoted pro-Lithuanian ideas and invited writers from Lithuania Major. Its early contributors included Jonas Basanavičius
Jonas Basanavicius
Jonas Basanavičius was an activist and proponent of Lithuania's National Revival and founder of the first Lithuanian language newspaper Aušra. He was one of the initiators and the Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the 1905 Congress of Lithuanians, the Great Seimas of Vilnius...
, Jonas Šliūpas, Georg Sauerwein
Georg Sauerwein
Georg Julius Justus Sauerwein Georg Julius Justus Sauerwein Georg Julius Justus Sauerwein (15 January 1831 in Hanover – 16 December 1904 in Christiania (now Oslo) was a German publisher, polyglot, poet, and linguist. He is buried at Gronau....
. The newspaper published news from the region, Germany and Lithuania, until 1918 part of Russia. It also included articles on Lithuanian history, culture, language, and patriotic poems, including Lietuvininkai we are born by Sauerwein and works by Antanas Baranauskas
Antanas Baranauskas
Antanas Baranauskas was a Lithuanian poet, mathematician and a catholic bishop of Polish town Sejny. Baranauskas is best known as the author of the Lithuanian language poem Anykščių šilelis. He used various pseudonyms, including A.B., Bangputys, Jurksztas Smalaūsis, Jurkštas Smalaūsis, and Baronas...
. After Aušra
Aušra
Aušra or Auszra was the first national Lithuanian newspaper. The first issue was published in 1883, in Ragnit, East Prussia, Germany East Prussia's ethnolinguistic part - Lithuania Minor. Later it was published monthly in Tilsit...
, the first newspaper with contributors from both Prussian and Russian Lithuania, appeared in 1883, Lietuwißka Ceitunga became more pro-German and largely abandoned patriotic topics, leaving only articles concerning general news and religious matters. The shift in political attitude was also influenced by threats and economic pressure from German authorities. To counter this, a new more pro-Lithuanian newspaper, Nauja Lietuwißka Ceitunga, was published in Tilsit
Sovetsk, Kaliningrad Oblast
Sovetsk , known by its historical German name of Tilsit in East Prussia before 1946, is a town in Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia, located on the south bank of the Neman River. Population: -History of Tilsit:...
in 1890–1923. Šernius was editor-in-chief of Lietuwißka Ceitunga until it was acquired in June 1905 by the Siebert Press, publishers of vehemently pro-German Memeler Dampfboot. After the Klaipėda Region
Klaipėda Region
The Klaipėda Region or Memel Territory was defined by the Treaty of Versailles in 1920 when it was put under the administration of the Council of Ambassadors...
was attached to Lithuania in 1923, Lietuwißka Ceitunga was a highly conservative pro-German newspaper. Reportedly, it was not profitable and was funded by Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
In later years contributors included Pastor Martin Keturakaitis, Jonas Kikilius, Endrikis Radžiūnas, Kristupas Lokys, Ieva Simonaitytė
Ieva Simonaitytė
Ieva Simonaitytė or Ewa Simoneit was a Lithuanian writer. She represented the culture of Lithuania Minor and Klaipėda Region, territories of German East Prussia with large, but dwindling, Lithuanian population...
. Lietuwißka Ceitunga published various supplements, including German-language Beilage zu der Lietuviszka ceitunga and supplements for farmers (Laukininkų prietelis in 1896–1900, Lietuvos ūkininkas in 1900, Laukininkas in 1929–1939). It also published free booklets to its subsribers, including shortened The Jewish War by Josephus
Josephus
Titus Flavius Josephus , also called Joseph ben Matityahu , was a 1st-century Romano-Jewish historian and hagiographer of priestly and royal ancestry who recorded Jewish history, with special emphasis on the 1st century AD and the First Jewish–Roman War, which resulted in the Destruction of...
in 1881 and Nusidavimai apie senuosius prūsus (on history of Old Prussia) by Nikodemas Jaunius in 1906. The newspaper used traditional German blackletter
Blackletter
Blackletter, also known as Gothic script, Gothic minuscule, or Textura, was a script used throughout Western Europe from approximately 1150 to well into the 17th century. It continued to be used for the German language until the 20th century. Fraktur is a notable script of this type, and sometimes...
script and Lithuanian language heavily influenced by German vocabulary and style. For example, the word ceitunga is a Lithuanianized version of German Zeitung (newspaper). Lietuwißka Ceitunga also capitalized all nouns in the German fashion
German nouns
A German noun has one of three specific grammatical genders and belongs to one of three declension classes, only partly dependent of gender. A fourth declension is used for plural declension. These features remain unaltered by inflection but must be considered in this process. The grammatical...
and used German alphabet
German alphabet
The modern German alphabet is an extended Latin alphabet consisting of 30 letters – the same letters that are found in the Basic modern Latin alphabet plus four extra letters.In German, the individual letters have neuter gender: das A, das B etc....
, including letters w and ß that do not exist in today's Lithuanian alphabet
Lithuanian alphabet
Lithuanian employs a modified Roman script. It is composed of 32 letters. The collation order presents one surprise: "Y" is moved to occur between I Ogonek and J....
. Initially it was published once a week, then bi-weekly (1900–1913), three times a week (1913–1932), and daily (1932–1940). Its circulation was about 700 copies in 1897, 700–800 in 1912, 5200 in 1931, and 3850 in 1935.