Lithuania
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Revision as of 11:16, 21 October 2007
LITHUANIA
| Country | |
| File:Countrymap.jpg Country | |
| File:Flag.jpg Flag | |
| Capital: | City? |
|---|---|
| Language: | ?? |
| Currency: | ?? |
| More notes about the country | |
Background
General Description of Lithuania
Lithuania is landlocked on three sides with only its western border formed by the Baltic Sea. This border, stretching only118km, gives access to Lithuania’s sole port and maritime border control station at Klaipèda. The most notable feature of Lithuania’s sandy coast line is the Curonian Spit, an 80 km long wooded sand spit which stretches northwards from the Russian town of Zelenogradsk in the Kaliningrad enclave. Within the sheltering arm of the Spit lies the Curonian Lagoon. Separated from the city of Klaipèda by only a narrow channel, which forms the entrance to the lagoon, the northern half of the Spit and lagoon is Lithuanian territory whilst the southern section belongs to Russia. The border is clearly delineated by a set of buoys stretching across the lagoon and, on land, by a series of clearly marked stakes. In 2000 the Curonian Spit was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site as an object of cultural landscape.
History
Lithuania, like its neighbouring Baltic countries, has been fought over for centuries. The struggle between Prussia, Russia and Sweden to exert control over the Baltic Sea area has resulted in many changes in the borders of the countries in that area.
Following early Viking conquests, German influence over the area known as Lithuania Minor, i.e. the coastal areas of Prussia eastwards through Köningsburg (present day Kaliningrad) and the Curonian Spit and onwards to Riga was established. In 1252 the Bishop of Kuršas signed an agreement with the Livonian order. Teutonic Knights initiated the building of Memelburg castle at the Danè river estuary. Soon thereafter, Klaipeda was admitted to the Hanseatic League, Europe’s most powerful trading association.
In the following century the Curonian Spit and Klaipèda were transferred to the German Order of Prussia, later to be incorporated in the Prussian Duchy.
The Middle Ages in Europe was the period of enlightenment and reformation. Lithuania did not avoid this and during the Reformation in Prussia, in 1525, the Lithuanian Protestant Church was established. .
As Sweden, a powerful 17th Century state on the opposite side of the Baltic Sea expanded its European empire Lithuania Minor witnessed many of the struggles between Sweden and Prussia-Brandenburg. Fortunately, wars come to an end as did the warring between Sweden and Prussia-Brandenburg but Lithuania Minor’s troubles did not end there. The following, 18th century was a period of enlightenment but also of darkness as the bubonic plague, known as The Black Death, ravaged Europe between 1709 and 1711. Half the population of Klaipèda and its environs lost their lives to the plague. The King of Prussia, Frederich Wilhelm I, sought to revive the economy of his devastated lands and encouraged settlers from Salzburg to settle in the area. As a result, a language division arose between German speakers and Lithuanian speakers.
Still reeling from the ravages of the plague, other misfortunes assailed Lithuania Minor as the Prussians retreated from Klaipèda castle during the Seven Year War with Russia. Lithuania Minor found itself under Russian military rule.
The latter part of the 18th century was an enlightened period. Trade bloomed and the port of Klaipèda became increasingly important. Lithuania Minor even surpassed Lithuania Major in terms of education and published periodicals. Klaipèda’s importance grew as in 1807 it, once again under Prussian rule, became the royal residence of the King of Prussia, Fredrich Wilhelm III and Queen Luise due to Napoleon Bonaparte’s occupation of other parts of their kingdom.
After the defeat of Napoleon, the English way of life started exerting its influence upon the burgers of Klaipèda. English was widely spoken and the British way of life imitated. A considerable number of English and Scottish merchants settled in the port city of Klaipèda bringing increased prosperity to the area. This was enhanced by the Royal Navy’s need for timber during the period of the American War of Independence when large quantities were shipped from Klaipèda to Britain. Conditions in Klaipèda improved further during the Crimean War (1853-6) when, all Russian ports in the Baltic being subject to the Royal Navy’s blockade had been closed after the Battle of Copenhagen, all Russian exports and imports went through Klaipèda.
The map of Europe was again redrawn at the end of hostilities in 1918 and the following year the Klaipèda region was separated from Germany and placed under the control of the Entente States. Present day Lithuania became a homogeneous state following the 1923 uprising when, on 10th January; one and a half thousand Lithuanian soldiers marched into the Klaipèda region. Officially, as of 8th May 1924, with the signing of the Convention of the Klaipèda Region in Paris, French rule ended and Klaipèda joined the Republic of Lithuania which than became a coastal state.
For 17 years Lithuania struggled to integrate the Klaipèda region into the Republic but efforts were hampered by language barriers as well as the political aims of Germany. Lithuania’s aims were completely thwarted on 23rd March 1939 when the tolling of church bells announced the cession of Klaipèda to the Third Reich in accordance with an agreement signed between Lithuania and Germany the previous evening. Adlof Hitler, certain of the outcome of the agreement had previously embarked on the Deutschland, stepped ashore in Klaipèda the same morning to an enthusiastic welcome.
As the Second World War drew to a close and the outcome became increasingly apparent, Klaipèda felt the dangers of the approaching Soviet army and Germany began the evacuation of its citizens. Klaipèda fell to the Red Army on 28th January 1945 by which time the city was in complete ruin.
Once overrun by the advancing Soviet Army, the city of Klaipèda as well as the rest of Lithuania remained fettered to the Soviet Union until 1990 when the then Soviet Republic of Lithuania regained its complete freedom. The Lithuanian Constitution was adopted in a referendum in 1992. Power in the country is shared between the President, who is elected with a mandate period of five years, Parliament (the Seimas) consisting of 141 members who are elected every fourth year, the government and the courts.
Today, Lithuania’s attentions are directed towards unification with Europe. Since independence from the Soviet Union in 1990 the Republic of Lithuania has become a full member in the European Union and NATO and is looking forward to being fully accepted in the group of Schengen States next year (Jan. 2008) when Lithuania’s borders to other Schengen countries will be completely opened.
Climate & Weather
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Charts
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Any navigation notes here.
Local Radio Nets
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Arrival/Departure procedures
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Immigration & Customs
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Visas
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Health & Security
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Ports & Popular Stops
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Offshore Islands
Lithuania's sand coast is free from off-shore islands
Cruiser's Friends
Submit details/contacts of cruiser's "friends" that can be contacted in advance or on arrival - who can offer information and assistance to our cruising "family".
References & Publications
Books, etc.
Links to CruiserLog Forum discussions
Links to discussions on the CruiserLog Forum
External Links
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