Lithuanian Argentines
Lithuanian Argentines are Argentine citizens who are fully, partially, or predominantly of Lithuanian descent, or Lithuanian-born people residing in Argentina. During the 1920s about 35,000 Lithuanians arrived in Argentina.[1]
History
Pioneers and settlements
In 1909, a group of Lithuanian immigrants from the cities of Ensenada and Berisso founded the Lithuanian Mutual Aid Society Vargdienis, whose prominent members were the Lithuanian gentlemen Rimavičius, Pavilonis, Bogužas and Baltušis.[2] With less specific dates it is known that even before the First World War there had been organisations of Lithuanian immigrants in Villa Diego, near Rosario, Santa Fe (Aušros žvaigždė) and in the city of Avellaneda (Susivienijimas lietuvių Argentinoje). The collectivity of Berisso meanwhile adopted the name of Nemunas, which retains to the present.[3] The Lithuanian diaspora in Argentina have their own radio programme called "Echoes of Lithuania" (Ecos de Lituania).
There is also a significant Lithuanian-Jewish community.[4]
Organisations
They established their own institutions: Sociedad Lituana de Socorros Mutuos Vargdienis (established 1909),[5] Aušros žvaigždė, Susivienijimas lietuvių Argentinoje, Nemunas.
Notable Lithuanian Argentines
- Héctor Adomaitis, football player
- José Alperovich, politician
- Rimas Álvarez Kairelis, rugby union player
- Ricardo Ivoskus, lawyer and politician
- Liudas Jakavicius-Grimalauskas, pianist
- Julieta Jankunas, field hockey player
- Joseph Kessel, journalist
- Antonio Krapovickas, botanist
- Fanny Mikey, actress and theatre producer
See also
References
- "Los otros inmigrantes. Historia de las colectividades menos conocidas" Diario Clarín, Fecha: 05/02/2006
- "Sociedad Cultural Lituana de Socorros Mutuos NEMUNAS. Historia" Archived 2013-10-21 at the Wayback Machine Asociación de Entidades Extranjeras (AEE) de Berisso
- Centro Lituano-Argentinos lietuvių centras. "Cómo se creó el Centro Lituano" (in Spanish).
- The New Jewish Argentina
- "Sociedad Cultural Lituana de Socorros Mutuos NEMUNAS. Historia" Archived 2013-10-21 at the Wayback Machine Asociación de Entidades Extranjeras (AEE) de Berisso