Virginija Cijunskiene, Director, Lithuanian State Historical Archives, was born in 1954 year in Panevezhys, Lithuania. In 1977, she graduated from Vilnius University, obtained qualifications as an historian and lecturer of history and social science. From 1977-1979, Virginija worked in the Lithuanian State Audio-Visual Archives as a junior research assistant. She was head of the department in Lithuanian State Historical Archives beginning in 1979 and became the archive’s director in 2011.

She has been a lecturer at  Vilnius University, Communication faculty, offering courses in preservation of documents and archival science since 2000. In 2007 – 2015 she was a member of the UNESCO “Memory of the World” program national committee.

Website: http://www.archyvai.lt/en/news.html

“Jewish History Resources in Lithuania State Historical Archives” (Wed-170), 10:30-11:45 A.M.

The presentation deals with the Jewish history sources preserved in Lithuanian state archives.  Documents of Lithuania National Documentary Fond is preserved in 15 Lithuania state archives. The system of state archives covers all historical periods and all state, self-government institutions, religion communities, civil register offices, private persons and families’ documents from XV c. till current time. That is more than 500 years. The main sources for Jews history in Lithuania state archives can be divided in to these main groups: documents of state institutions; documents of religion institutions; documents of Jewish public organizations; documents of Nazi occupation period 1941-1944 year.

Litvak SIG Luncheon*: “Jewish genealogy sources in Lithuania state historical archives” (Thurs-136), 12:00-1:30 P.M.

The presentation deals with Jewish genealogy sources preserved in Lithuania State Historical Archives. This archives preserves the eldest documents of Lithuanian National Documentary Fond dated from XV c. till 1918 year. There are archives of institutions, organizations, private persons and families of Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Russian Empire, and collections of documents. Each category of holding mentioned above contains different information about Jews life. Archives preserves the main Jewish genealogical sources: vital record books of Wilno, Kovno and Suvalki provinces Jewish communities, revision lists of Wilno and Kovno provinces, the 1897 year Population census lists. There are additional sources too such as conscription, tax, merchants, different localities residents’ lists and other.

Category: Beginning genealogists

*Attendance at SIG luncheons requires registration for the event and an additional fee of $44 (non-Kosher meal) or $54 (Kosher meal) per person.

“Glimpses of Lithuania Jews XIX c. history” (Fri-118), 8:30-9:45 A.M.

The presentation deals with some aspects of XIX c. Jewish history. In 1795 year the last partition of the Lithuania – Polish state Commonwealth took place. Lithuania became a part of Russian Empire. The XIX century under the rule of Russian administration made many changes in Jews life and forced them even to change their living places. The reason was the legislation which restricted the territories where Jews could live. In the end of XIX c. the Jewish population in Lithuania grew nearly 25 times larger. The biggest community of Jews in XIX century was in Vilnius. Here lived about 63000 Jews, it was about 45 per cent of all town population. This town became Jewish economic, social, cultural, science and religion center. Vilnius became also the center of the Jewish enlightenment in the East Europe and was called by Jews “The Northern Jerusalem”.

Topics: Jewish history and culture