Lithuanian book smugglers

Jurgis Šaulys ( 1879–1948) was a Lithuanian economist, diplomat, and politician, and one of the twenty signatories to the 1918 Act of Independence of Lithuania.

Antanas Bataitis (13 June 1854 – 12 March 1932) was a Lithuanian book smuggler during the time of the Lithuanian press ban in the area around the Smilgiai. He also worked as a bookbinder.

The Garšviai Book Smuggling Society was an illegal society of Lithuanian book smugglers during the Lithuanian press ban enacted in 1864. It was one of the oldest book smuggler societies. Active from around 1883 to 1895, it was also one of the longest operating societies. It was based in at the home of Kazys Ūdra in the Garšviai village near Naujamiestis, Panevėžys. Led by Ūdra and Jurgis Bielinis, the society organized a network of trusted associates who would purchase the publications in East Prussia, smuggle them across the Prussia–Russia border, and distribute them in central Lithuania (mainly area around Panevėžys and Biržai). In total, historian Antanas Tyla registered 54 people as members or collaborators. The society smuggled both books and periodicals, delivering them to subscribers, though they were particularly dangerous – they needed to be smuggled frequently and they were deemed to be anti-Tsarist political texts bringing much stricter sentences than smuggling of "innocent" texts with religious prayers or agricultural advice. For almost a decade, the society avoided more serious legal troubles. In February and April 1894, the society suffered financial losses due to confiscated property but managed to avoid a wider police investigation. In November 1894 and April 1895, two members of the society – Antanas Bružas and Andrius Bielinis – were arrested and sentenced to time in prison and exile, but the police did not uncover their connections to the Garšviai Society. The society unraveled when the police arrested Ūdra and found his notebook with names and addresses of his associates in June 1895. After a wide investigation, six men were put on trial while Jurgis Bielinis evaded capture. Ūdra and two others received two years in prison and five years in exile. Individual members of the society continued book smuggling, but the loss of the organized society disrupted the spread of the ideas of the Lithuanian National Revival in central Lithuania.

Jonas Krikščiūnas known by his pen name Jovaras (13 January [O.S. 1 January] 1880 – 21 January 1967) was a Lithuanian poet. From around 1896 to 1904, he was a book smuggler helping distribute the banned Lithuanian books. A son of poor peasants, he never received any formal education. He learned to read at home and with financial support from Žiburėlis studied privately in 1907–1910. In 1901, he met with Povilas Višinskis who taught him the basics of poetry. Krikščiūnas wrote most of his works in 1904–1910. Eight different poetry collections were published before World War I. His poetry built on the traditions of the Lithuanian folk songs. Two of his best known poems were adapted into folk songs. During the Russian Revolution of 1905, his works reflected struggles and suffering of the common people and socialist ideology. His later poems repeated socialist–communist slogans.

Liudvikas Jakavičius (22 June 1871 – 20 August 1941) was a writer, journalist, publisher, theatre director, banker and nobleman. He was born in Akmenė (Lithuania) and died in Anykščiai (Lithuania).

Juozas Adomaitis known by his pen name Šernas (1859–1922) was a Lithuanian non-fiction writer. He contributed to the Lithuanian-language newspapers Aušra and briefly served as editor of Varpas. In 1895, he moved to the United States where he worked as editor of the Lithuanian weekly Lietuva [lt]. He published about 20 popular science books about biology, ethnology, geography, history of writing.

Martynas Jankus or Martin Jankus (7 August 1858 in Bittehnen (Lit.: Bitėnai), near Ragnit – 23 May 1946 in Flensburg, Germany, reburied in Bitėnai cemetery on 30 May 1993) was a Prussian-Lithuanian printer, social activist and publisher in East Prussia, called the Patriarch of Lithuania Minor. He was one of the publishers of Aušra, the first Lithuanian-language newspaper for both Lithuania Minor and Lithuania Major. Jankus used various pen names, including V. Giedris, Martyneitis, Bitėnų Merčius, and Gyvoleitis.

Juozas Tumas also known by the pen name Vaižgantas (20 September 1869 – 29 April 1933) was a Lithuanian Roman Catholic priest and an activist during the Lithuanian National Revival. He was a prolific writer, editor of nine periodicals, university professor, and member of numerous societies and organizations. His most notable works of fiction include the novel Pragiedruliai (Cloud Clearing) and the narrative Dėdės ir dėdienės (Uncles and Aunts) about the ordinary village folk.

Justinas Staugaitis (14 November 1866 near Šakiai – 8 July 1943, Telšiai) was a Lithuanian Roman Catholic bishop, politician, educator, and author. He was one of the twenty signatories to the Act of Independence of Lithuania.

Donatas Malinauskas (pronunciation ; 1877 in Krāslava, Latvia – November 30, 1942 in Altai Krai, Russia) was a Lithuanian politician and diplomat, and one of twenty signatories to the Act of Independence of Lithuania.