Užsienio valstybių diplomatinis korpusas Kauno kultūriniame gyvenime 1923-1940 metais

Abstract

Kaunas was a provisional capital of Lithuania in 1918-1940. Foreign embassies were located in the centre of the town and acted as representatives of cultural and political life of their own countries. The embassies of France, the USSR, Italy and Great Britain were especially noted for their cultural work. The French diplomats J. H. G. Padovani, R. Ristelhueber and G. F. C. Dulong had very close ties with the Lithuanian-French Society. These diplomats were honorary members of the Society; in addition, many other famous people belonged to the Society, A. de Bastard, B. Biržiškienė, L. Bour, V. Daugirdaitė-Sruogienė, S. Girdvainis, A. Giuntz, V. Gustainis, L. Karsavinas, A. Merkys, L. Prou, M. Riomeris, R. Schmittlein, and R. Vincent among them. The diplomatic corps and the members of the Lithuanian-French Society gave lectures and concerts and organized exhibitions and balls. The English diplomat T. H. Preston staged two ballet performances at the Musical Theatre of Kaunas. The Embassy of the USSR organized exhibitions and reviews of Soviet films; sometimes the Embassy gave private concerts and organized film reviews for selected groups of society. No doubt, the work of foreign embassies and cultural societies was very important for the history of Kaunas.