Russian minority in Lithuania

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Russian ensemble “Treščiotki” in Lentvaris

The Russian minority in Lithuania is an autochthonous in Lithuania resident population and the second largest ethnic minority of the largest Baltic state. From 1959 to 1990 they were the largest minority in Lithuania. According to censuses, 176,913 inhabitants identify themselves as Russians , which corresponds to a percentage of 5.81% of the total Lithuanian population (as of 2011). 16,070 Russians (9%) speak Lithuanian as the only mother tongue. 4,137 Russians speak two mother tongues.

The Russian-speaking population in Lithuania is concentrated in the capital Vilnius ( Naujoji Vilnia district ), the port city of Klaipėda, and industrial locations such as Elektrėnai and Visaginas . In the municipality of Visaginas , ethnic Russians still make up the majority (52.4%). Other places of residence are the capital Vilnius (14.0%), Klaipėda (21.3%), Kaunas (4.4%). Many old Orthodox live in the Lithuanian villages ( Rajonggeminde Jonava , Zarasai , Molėtai , Švenčionys ). 83,281 Russians live in Vilnius District and 35,265 in Klaipėda District .

Russian language in Lithuania

St. Michael and Constantine (Vilnius)

Russian is still the lingua franca for older Lithuanians (> 35 years) . According to Eurostat , 87.2% of Lithuanian residents over the age of 25 can communicate in Russian. According to these figures, Lithuania ranks at the top of the EU ( Latvia comes second with 25% less). 81% of students in Lithuanian schools choose Russian as a second foreign language .

There are around 50 schools in Lithuania that teach Russian as a mother tongue . This can be the only language of education or a secondary language besides Polish and / or Lithuanian, ie in a school you only teach Russian, Russian and Polish or Russian, Polish and Lithuanian . There was great demand for Russian schools, especially in Soviet Lithuania . In some Russian schools they even taught in three shifts.

history

Bobriškis Church , oldest wooden Orthodox church in Lithuania (built before 1819)

1795 after several partitions, the territory of Lithuania belonged to the Russian Empire until 1917 and only gained independence in 1918. In the 17th-18th centuries, the Old Orthodox came because they were persecuted in Russia . At the beginning of the 20th century, the Pomors founded their own parishes (Russian община ). Old Orthodox built many wooden churches and later also wall churches, and cemeteries were set up at these. Before the Second World War, the Russian parishes belonged to thousands of Old Believers.

On June 15, 1940, the Red Army entered Lithuania. Russians mostly came to Lithuania during and after World War II when the country was occupied by the Soviet Union . In 1989 there were 344,455 Russians (9.37% population) in Lithuania. After the collapse of the Soviet Union , Lithuania regained its independence, with the Russian minority diminishing with the return of Soviet soldiers and their family members to their original homeland.

present

Russian Drama Theater in Vilnius

There are many Russian organizations and companies in Lithuania. Russian Drama Theater has been operating in Vilnius since 1946 and employs 116 people (as of 2016). The other theaters are "Tatjanos Rinkevičienės Rusų Teatras" and Rusų mėgėjų teatras "ANTREPRIZĖ" . The Russian Cultural Center ( Rusų kultūros centras ) has existed since 1988, offering language courses and organizing various events (festivals, exhibitions, plays).

The political parties are Lietuvos rusų sąjunga and Rusų aljansas . There are always Russian-speaking representatives in the Lithuanian parliament Seimas .

Many Russians are famous artists and athletes abroad. Many come from Visaginas .

Known members of the minority

Entrepreneur and politician Viktoras Uspaskich
Singer Alina Orlova
Vladimir Prudnikov
Vladimir Chekassin

Politician

athlete

Soccer player

Chess player

Entrepreneur

Singer

Artist

See also

Web links

Commons : Russian minority in Lithuania  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Lithuanian census 2011
  2. ↑ Population statistics 2011
  3. ↑ Užaugo rusiškai nekalbanti karta ( Veidas magazine )
  4. ↑ Profesorė: nors lietuviai mokiniai nenori mokytis rusų kalbos, dažnai neturi pasirinkimo
  5. ↑ History of the Aitvaras High School ( Klaipėda )
  6. ↑ Register data and statistics ( Lietuvos rusų dramos teatras )