PUBLICATIONS

16th Century Lithuanian Books

THE FIRST LITHUANIAN BOOKS HAVE BEEN ISSUED IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE 16TH CENTURY ALONGSIDE WITH THE SPREAD OF REFORMATION. This new approach towards the printed Lithuanian word indicated a new and qualitative change in national consciousness and culture.

The first Lithuanian book - "Catechism" by Martynas Mazvydas (1547) - did not lag far behind some of the first books published in Central and Eastern Europe in the local national languages while even preceded some others in time.
Historical conditions predetermined that most Lithuanian books of the 16th century - twelve in all, including the first one - were published in the Duchy of Prussia where the smaller part of the nation lived. Author of the first Lithuanian book in the Great Duchy of Lithuania was Mikalojus Dauksa (1595).

The value of the first Lithuanian books is inestimable: they are memorable as monuments of language and culture. The significance of Lithuanian 16th century books for linguistic studies has been witnessed by their reprints (from the end of the 19th century to this day) not only in Lithuania, but also in Germany, Poland, and the United States as well as by numerous studies belonging to scholars all over the world.

Only sixteen Lithuanian books dating back to the 16th century are extant. Several of them have been lost or their place has not yet been located. After 450 years since the publication of the first Lithuanian book, only single original copies of 16th century Lithuanian books are known. Some of them have ceased to exist. This fate befell the only copies of the first and second parts (1566, 1570) of the hymn book by Martynas Mazvydas which got lost during World War Two. Original copies of eight Lithuanian 16th century books are preserved at libraries of Lithuania. Most of them are deposited at the Vilnius University Library. The remaining six unique publications are preserved by libraries ofPoland, Germany,Sweden.

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