Petras Cvirka | |
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 A 1959 USSR stamp dedicated to Petras Cvirka | |
| Born | (1909-03-12)March 12, 1909 Klangiai [lt],Kovno Governorate |
| Died | May 2, 1947(1947-05-02) (aged 38) Vilnius,Lithuanian SSR |
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Petras Cvirka (March 12, 1909 – May 2, 1947) was aLithuanian writer of several novels, children's books, and short story collections. He wrote under a variety ofpen names: A. Cvingelis, Cezaris Petrėnas, J. K. Pavilionis, K. Cvirka, Kanapeikus, Kazys Gerutis, Klangis, Klangis Petras, Klangių Petras, L. P. Cvirka, Laumakys, P. Cvinglis, P. Cvirka-Rymantas, P. Gelmė, P. Veliuoniškis, Petras Serapinas, and S. Laumakys.[1] His works have been translated into Belarusian, Bulgarian, Chinese, Czech, English, Estonian, Hungarian, Latvian, Polish, Romanian, and Uzbek.[2]
Cvirka attended an art school in Kaunas between 1926 and 1930. However, after graduation he drifted away from visual arts to literature.[3] He began publishing poetry in 1924 and studied literature inParis during 1931 and 1932. He translated 9 books and 34 shorter works from French into Lithuanian.[4] Later in the decade he travelled toMoscow,Leningrad, and western Europe. He published works in the magazineTrečias frontas (Third Front), which was financially supported by the undergroundCommunist Party of Lithuania (LCP) and later collaborated with the magazineLiteratūra (Literature), also organized and financed by the LCP.
He joined the Communist Party in 1940 and supported Lithuania's incorporation into the Soviet Union.[2]
In 1941, following theoutbreak of war between Germany and the Soviet Union, he moved toAlma-Ata and thenMoscow, joining theUnion of Writers of the USSR. Returning to Lithuania in 1944, he went on to serve as chairman of theLithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic's Writer's Union and as editor of the journalPergalė (Victory).
After Cvirka's death in 1947, the Soviet authorities erected a monument to his memory inVilnius. This monument became the object of controversy after therestoration of independence in 1990 due to Cvirka's pro-communist activities. On November 19, 2021 the statue was removed.[5] In 2025, as part of ongoingdesovietization of public spaces, Vilnius municipality decided to rename a square named after Petras Cvirka.[6]
Cvirka's works combine biting commentary on social issues with keen feelings for the natural world.[7] His works are also known for their wit and strong dialogue.[8] The novelMeisteris ir sūnūs depicts the folk art of Lithuania in a new way. It incorporates plentifulfolkloric andethnographic details of Lithuanian village life and attempts to translate rich oral traditions into the written medium.[9] A prominent example ofsocialist realism, the novelŽemė maitintoja depicts an idealnew socialist man.[10] The protagonist is a young, non-religious, determined farmer, who received his land as a result of the land reform when estates offormer nobility were divided among the poor. He has no emotional attachment to his land, rather perceiving the economic benefits ofcollective farming. This is an example of a person who needs to be created by communism.[10] The two-volumeFrank Kruk is a satirical novel about Pranas Krukelis, a Lithuanian immigrant to the United States who Americanizes his name to Frank Kruk. Krukelis engages in criminal activity and exploits other Lithuanian immigrants.[11] A theatrical adaptation was staged inKlaipėda in 2003;Vytautas Paukštė received theLithuanian National Prize for his portrayal of Kruk.[12][13] Cvirka was the first writer to address theLithuanian partisans – anti-Soviet guerrilla fighters – in the short storyPabučiavimas, one of his last works.[14]
Vilnius will rename several streets named after pro-Soviet authors,Salomėja Nėris andLiudas Gira, the city's authorities decided on Wednesday. The city council also decided to rename the square named after another pro-Soviet author, Petras Cvirka. [...] The name change is part of the ongoing "desovietisation" of public spaces.
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