VILNIUS - Lithuania celebrates its millennium this year. The reason for the celebration is as follows: in 1009, the name of Lithuania was first mentioned in writing when the German Quedlinburg chronicle stated, "In the year 1009, St. Bruno called Boniface, archbishop and monk, during his eleventh year after having become a monk, was killed by pagans at the border of Russia and Lithuania on March 9, with eighteen of his brethren, all of whom went to heaven." Then Bruno, who later was proclaimed a saint by the Catholic Church, died, providing the occasion for Lithuanians to celebrate in 2009.
There are three simultaneously shown exhibitions celebrating the anniversary in the Museum of Applied Art. The museum's building is referred to simply as Arsenal, by Vilnius' residents because, during the middle ages, arms of the Lithuanian army were kept in that building.
The first exhibition is "The Art of Balts" (until Oct. 20) which presents archaeological excavation treasures which were made a long time before 1009, such as an amber disc of the 3rd century BC, and 700 pieces of Baltic art from the early ages - pins, buttons, brooches, necklaces made from metal, amber, brass, bone and horn.
The second exhibition is "Lithuania in Ancient Historical Sources" (until Oct. 4). It is an exhibition of documents which cover the most significant moments in Lithuania's first thousand years.
The exhibition includes such documents as letters by Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas of 1323, the Act of Kreva of 1385, which created a dynastic union between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland, the Peace Treaty of Melno between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Kingdom of Poland, and the Teutonic Order of 1422, the Papal Bull of Pope Gregory XIII confirming the foundation of Vilnius University in 1579, a 1948 underground publication by Lithuanian anti-Soviet guerrillas, the act of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania declaring the restoration of Lithuania's independence on March 11, 1990.
The third exhibition is called "Wawel in Vilnius. From the Jagiellonians to the End of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth" (until Oct. 4). The exhibition is the result of several years of collaboration between staff at the Wawel Royal Castle and Vilnius museums. The Wawel castle, now a museum, in Krakow, was the main residence of Polish kings who used to be Lithuanian grand dukes at the same time during the existence of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This confederation was officially called the Commonwealth of Both Nations. For hundreds of years, the Lithuanian dynasty of Jagiellonians used to be royals, living in Wawel.
Among the exhibits are portraits of kings and nobility families, the armor of a hussar, clocks, and carpets. Especially impressive are 16th century tapestries with the Polish and Lithuanian coats of arms, woven in Brussels for King Sigismund Augustus. Such tapestry did cost a significant part of the state budget in those times, but they served as the sign of power.
The exhibition presents portraits of Lithuanian nobility. The biggest historical interest are the portraits of the Radziwill family. This was the most powerful family in Lithuania's history. Lithuanians call them in the Lithuanian version of this family name - the Radvila family (plural Radvilos). However, the family members did not call themselves in such a way 's they called themselves by the Polish version - the Radziwill family.
Although this family has pure ethnic Lithuanian roots, starting from the 16th century, they belonged to the highest Lithuanian political elite, which then spoke Polish. It doesn't mean that the family was not patriotic 's just the opposite, they described themselves as Lithuanians and, thanks to them, Lithuania preserved its sovereignty. It is worth mentioning that the linguistic affiliation with patriotism was the invention of the late 19th century's romantic nationalism.
On Sept. 5, the state funeral of the eight Radziwill family members was held in the small town of Dubingiai, north of Vilnius. In the early 18th century, on the eve of war with Sweden, the bones of those eight Radziwills were hidden in the cellar of the Radziwill palace in Dubingiai. In 2004, they were found during archaeological excavations.
After forensic medical experts' research and DNA test comparisons with the DNA of still living Radziwill family members in Poland, it became clear that the bones do belong to the Radziwill family. The most famous among the buried, on Sept. 5, are Nicholas Radziwill the Black and Nicholas Radziwill the Red.
During the two days before the burial, the sarcophagus with the Radziwill bones was guarded by soldiers dressed in costumes of Lithuanian Grand Duke Algirdas epoch of 14th century in the Radziwill Palace (now the Art Museum). Crowds of people came to say their final farewell to the Radziwills.
Radziwill the Black, and later his cousin Radziwill the Red, were chancellors of the Lithuanian Grand Duchy. This post, roughly and unscientifically speaking, can be compared to the current post of prime minister. When the Lithuanian grand duke was in Poland, the chancellor, who at the same time also occupied some other influential posts, held the main power in Lithuania.
Radziwill the Black and Radziwill the Red lived in the 16th century. They were the most influential leaders of Lithuania then. They built plenty more palaces in Belarus and Ukraine - both countries were then Lithuania. This is why the Belarusian ambassador was present at the funeral, beside Lithuanian government and parliament members.
Radziwills were in opposition to the agreement of Lublin of 1569 which created the Commonwealth of Lithuania and Poland. Poland wanted a unitary sate, however, the confederation was created instead - both countries agreed to have a common foreign and military policy as well as common parliament which was electing a common king. Lithuania preserved its separate legal and financial system. However, under the agreement of 1569, Lithuania was forced to pass Ukraine to Poland.
Radziwill the Black and Radziwill the Red were Calvinists (later the Radziwill family returned to Catholicism). They built the towns of Birzai and Kedainiai. There were not enough inhabitants for Kedainiai, so they invited the Scots, who later assimilated with the locals. The Radziwills financed Lithuanian army wars against Russia and Sweden over Livonia (current Latvia and Southern Estonia), which was ruled for some time jointly by Lithuania and Poland.
The Radziwills in many cases were factual leaders of sorts for the country in the 16th-18th centuries. There were 22 chancellors from the Radziwill family during that period.
"We are present at the funeral of factual rulers of Lithuania. They wanted to create a Calvinist Lithuania which would withstand Lutheran Prussia, Catholic Poland and Orthodox Russia," Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius said in his speech at the funeral.
"They promoted tolerance and openness. They became a really cosmopolitan family though they never forgot about their roots. Could you imagine another family which had palaces in Vilnius, Minsk, Warsaw [now the Polish president's palace], Krakow, Berlin and close to Paris?" rhetorically asked Maciej Radziwill, ancestor of Radziwill the Black and now the 13th generation, who now lives in Poland, in his English-language speech at the funeral. He praised the Lithuanian Grand Duchy, which on its vast territory ensured "partnership beyond nationalism."
