Zenonas Ivinskis 1918–1940 metų istorikų bendrijos kontekste

Abstract

2008 m. gegužės 25 d. sukanka lygiai šimtas metų Zenonui Ivinskiui – vienam žymiausių Lietuvos istorikų. Šiame straipsnyje aptartas ankstyvas Z. Ivinskio kelias į mokslą, kuriame jam pavyko pasiekti aukščiausią kvalifikaciją. Kvalifikaciją ir metodologinį pasiruošimą jis įgijo nepriklausomos Lietuvos laikais. Atstovavo jaunajai Lietuvos istorikų kartai ir neretai buvo jos priešakyje tiek akademinės karjeros kelyje, tiek rengiant kolektyvinius veikalus, recenzijas, straipsnius, dalyvaujant tarptautiniuose istorijos mokslo kongresuose. Z. Ivinskio biografijos faktai, jo mokslinės karjeros etapai itin reikšmingi nepriklausomos Lietuvos istorijos mokslo raidos ir istorikų profesionalėjimo procesui atskleisti. Istoriko pasiekimai geriausiai matyti jo amžininkų kolegų kolektyvinės biografijos kontekste

Historian Zenonas Ivinskis (May 25, 1908 – December 24, 1971) is considered to be one of the most prominent historians in Lithuania. He was also one of the most productive researchers of the younger generation who had published many articles, reviews, contributed to collective studies. Z. Ivinskis was the one who expressed some critical remarks about Lithuanian historical science and its development. These reflections are interesting for the researchers of historiography, because they help to understand what was going on “behind the scenes” of Lithuanian historical science. However, Ivinskis cannot be excluded from the community of historians of his time. They all, especially the coevals collaborated among themselves. Commemoration of his 100th anniversary might be a special occasion to introduce his life and his way in reaching the career of a historian. In other words, Zenonas Ivinskis is presented in the context of the younger generation of historians. He was a student at the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy at the University of Vytautas Magnus in Kaunas and the Universities of Munich and Berlin in Germany. The Lithuanian professors of a young historian, who taught how to read and explore the historical sources, were two priests: Antanas Alekna and Jonas Totoraitis with whom he corresponded during the studies at the universities in Germany. Zenonas Ivinskis was one of those 16 Lithuanian historians, who during the period of independent Lithuania defended their doctoral degrees abroad. He was only 24 years old at that time. He was also one of the 4 Lithuanian historians who received the habilitated doctoral degree and the only representative of the young generation of historians who received the professorship and the title of an academician. It is known that this title had only a symbolic value