Zenono Ivinskio visuomeninė veikla išeivijoje
THE PUBLIC ACTIVITY OF ZENONAS IVINSKIS IN EXILE

Summary/Abstract: The name of Zenonas Ivinskis associates with a huge amount of his work as a historian - articles, books. However, Zenonas Ivinskis was not only a historian. Archival documents, memoirs reveal the fact, that he took an active part in social and political life of the country. It should be mentioned that historians still pay little attention to this aspect of Zenonas Ivinskis life. Zenonas Ivinskis public activity can be divided into three stages. The first one: his experience during the years of the First Lithuanian Republic (1918-1940). The second one is related to the resistance to the first Soviet (1940-1941) and Nazi (1941-1944) occupations; and the last stage: the public activity of Zenonas Ivinskis in exile (1944-1971). The engagement of a future famous Lithuanian historian into public life is related to his childhood and youth. In his memoirs, Z. Ivinskis confesses that religiousness of his parents and membership of Lithuanian youth Catholic organization "Ateitis" were the crucial factors that had shaped his world-view. The activity of “Ateitis” is based on five principles: Catholic and Lithuanian identity, the values of intelligentsia, family and social activity. As a member of “Ateitis”, Zenonas Ivinskis gained basic skills in public activity. He practiced writing articles which were published in the press of “Ateitis” Federation; took part in various debates, gave lectures, and arranged different meetings and conferences. The years of occupations reinforced the commitment of Zenonas Ivinskis to the Lithuanian state and its society and he became an active member of Lithuanian resistance movement against the Soviet and Nazi regimes. Zenonas Ivinskis contributed to the work of Provisional Government of Lithuania, initiated the publishing of an underground newspaper "Į laisvę" (Toward Freedom); by communicating with Lithuanian officers who collaborated with the Nazi he warned Lithuanian students about the danger of being mobilized to the German army. The resistance movement against the Soviet and Nazi occupations formed the ties of friendship and solidarity between the members of this movement. These ties were crucial in the future public activity of Zenonas Ivinskis. Z. Ivinskis thought about exile (or emigration) as a significant part of Lithuanian nation in the metaphysical terms. He reflected exile as a purgatory, where the sins of Lithuanians could be cleansed. Such a hopeful world-view reinforced active work in the sociopolitical sphere. During the first years of exile Zenonas Ivinskis continued the work he started in the pre-emigration period. It should be mentioned, that at the beginning of the emigrational period Zenonas Ivinskis was more active as a public man or a politician than a historian. He worked in the spheres of charity, education, public and political work. Historical knowledge of Zenonas Ivinskis was used to design the borders of future independent Lithuania. As a member of "Ateitis" Federation in exile Zenonas Ivinsk

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