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Arvydas Vilkaitis (January 15, 1929–February 11, 1997) left a deep mark in the memory of his relatives and those who knew him, in the literature of exile. January 15 this year. to a native of Biršton, an intellectual, an intellectual, a forester, recognized as one of the best of the 20th century. the second half of Lithuanian foresters, the former exile would turn 95.
30-year-old A. Vilkaitis worked in Birštonas forestry, and he was lured to the resort by meeting his future wife, teacher Elena. Birštonians remember him as a kind-hearted, modest, warm person, who extended a helping hand to more than one person, who was an example of hard work, honesty, and strong values. How much strength of spirit did A. Vilkaičius need to preserve humanism while fighting cruelty and cynicism during 15 years of exile and suffering, where human dignity was worthless?
A. Vilkaitis, then twelve years old, in 1941. in June exiled with his family. Parents were teachers, father Vincas Vilkaitis worked as rector of Dotnuva Agricultural Academy. In 1943, in Eastern Siberia, Yakutia, his father died of starvation, and five years later, his mother. Arvydas survived with his younger sister in Audinge, pursued education. in 1952 Arvydas entered the Yakutsk Forestry Technical School, graduated with honors, received permission from Moscow to go to Sverdlovsk, entered the Ural Forestry Technical Institute. My sister studied at the Yakutsk Medical School. in 1956 after returning to Lithuania, he continued his studies at the Faculty of Forestry of the Lithuanian Academy of Agriculture.
His memories of the uninhabited island of Trofimovsk at the mouth of the Lena River and his studies were included in the books "Tremtinii dalia" and "Gyvensim". As the writer himself stated, "These are stories and images from the life of exiles. When I started writing, twenty or more years had passed since the events. So I can't stay roughly accurate, so the surnames and first names of most of the people in action have been changed. After all, the most important thing is that it was."
We invite you to come to the library and read these unique testimonies of inestimable value, from which you can draw strength of spirit. We invite you to visit the exhibition where, in honor of the memory of A. Vilkaitis, we display photos and present facts from the life of this honorable man. The exhibition will be open throughout the month of January.
