Deltiology

Anthem of Lithuania

Published by Ona Vitkauskytė’s bookshop. Kaunas, circa 1906. “National Hymn” by Vincas Kudirka

Where the Šešupė runs, where the Nemunas flows...

Published by Ona Vitkauskytė’s bookshop. Kaunas, circa 1906. Poem by Maironis

It’s amusing to observe nature! ... (Juozas Margalis)

Published by Edmundas Navickis’s printing house. St Petersburg, circa 1904. Poem by the Reverend Juozas Šnapštys

Stars are twinkling in the sky... (A. Žalvarnis)

Published by Ona Vitkauskytė’s bookshop. Kaunas, circa 1910. Poem by the Reverend Jurgis Tilvytis

Celebration of St John’s Day in Tilsit in 1908. With participation of “Birutė” Society and Tauragė Choristers’ Society

Photo by A. Weiman. Publisher Jonas Vanagaitis and “Birutė” Society. Tilsit, circa 1908. Fourth from the left, sitting – Jonas Vanagaitis

Vytis. Whatever might happen, Lithuania will survive!

Designer Antanas Žmuidzinavičius. Published by Marija Šlapelienė’s bookshop. Vilnius, 1918

Lithuanian Girl at Rambynas (Panemunės Jonas)

Publisher Jonas Vanagaitis. Tilžė, circa 1908. Poem by Jonas Vanagaitis

Long Live Independent Lithuania! ... (Panemunės Jonas)

Publisher Jonas Vanagaitis. Tilžė, 1918. Poem by Jonas Vanagaitis

Vilnius. Green Bridge

Publisher Leizer Arkin. Vilnius, circa 1900

Vilnius. Churches of St Anne and Bernardines

Publisher Leizer Arkin. Vilnius, circa 1900

View of the city of Kaunas

Publishers I. H. Ossowski (Kaunas) and Granbergs K. A. (Stockholm), circa 1900

Kaunas. Railway station

Publishers I. H. Ossowski (Kaunas) and Granbergs K. A. (Stockholm), circa 1900

Druskininkai. Open-air stage

Publishers A. Syrkin (Druskininkai) and “Viktorija” (Siedlce), circa 1902

Druskininkai. Kurhaus and library

Publishers A. Syrkin (Druskininkai) and “Viktorija” (Siedlce), circa 1902

View of the city of Panevėžys

Photographer and publisher Leiba Slonimski. Panevėžys, circa 1902

Panevėžys. Market Square

Photographer and publisher Leiba Slonimski. Panevėžys, circa 1902

View of the city of Šiauliai

Publisher Bronisław Zatorski. Šiauliai, circa 1902

Šiauliai. Girls’ gymnasium

Publisher Bronisław Zatorski. Šiauliai, circa 1902

Palanga. Tyszkiewicz Palace

Publisher Paulina Mongirdaitė. Palanga, circa 1900

Palanga. Park of the Tyszkiewicz Palace

Publisher Paulina Mongirdaitė. Palanga, circa 1900

The basis of the collection consists of Lithuanian postcards published from the late 19th century until today. The collection also includes postcards published in other countries, and separate groups of prayer book cards and postcards published by post offices of the Lithuanian state in 1924–1940 and 1960–1991.

The collection of Lithuanian postcards is formed in view of the periods of Lithuanian history: the earliest postcards published before 1915 (the first postcards in the Lithuanian language constitute a particularly valuable part), in the years of World War I, and in the period of independent Lithuania represent a large variety of publishers and themes and cover almost all fields of public life – from the building of the state and the struggle for the consolidation of independence, a wide representation of social and cultural life and new constructions, to caricatures and greeting cards. A considerable part of the collection is Lithuanian postcards from the Soviet period. They were for the most part published by several large state-owned publishing houses that published postcards on concrete themes. Postcards representing urban themes, architectural buildings, nature, historic locations, and artworks as well as occasional greetings were the most frequent. In the first years of the restored independent state postcards on patriotic and religious themes appeared, and today, postcards with views of Lithuania are often published by photographic artists themselves.