The building of Central Post was built instead of Hotel Varšuva, which was destroyed during the war. The first Varpininkai Congress took place in the Hotel Varšuva, there a decision to publish the newspaper was made on June 29th, 1888.
The sign of remembrance was attached to the wall: „In this house a secret meeting of Lithuanian intellectuals together with V. Kudirka took place and decision to publish newspaper Varpas was made in 1888.VI.29”. On December 4th, 1988 smaller memorial plaque to commemorate the 130th anniversary of the birth of V. Kudirka was attached under first plaque; it bears an inscription: „This memorial plaque was found in the building destroyed during the war”.
On June 29th, 1937 the plaque was unveiled for the first time (on the building located Vytauto St., which belonged to Jews Amsterdamskis and Rozentalienė at that time). After the Second World War it was found in ruins and used as a porch step. Viktoras Gulmanas, an ethnographer and photographer, by a mere chance noticed the plaque being incorporated in the stairs of one of the houses at Šiauliai Street. Thus the memorial board has survived until today.
In 1881 Petras Kriaučiūnas (1850-1916), an educator and pioneer of Lithuanian national revival of Sūduva region, came to live in Marijampolė. In order not to attract an unwanted attention Kriaučiūnas chose Hotel Warsaw to stay in, reasoning the hotel would be a perfect hideout. The apartment became a distribution centre of Lithuanian press and like-minded personalities. The first Varpininkai Congress took place in Kriaučiūnas’s apartment at Hotel Warsaw; a decision to publish the newspaper was initiated on June 29th, 1888. The first issue of Varpas (“Bell”) saw the light in January, 1889.
Inscription on the heritage object
“This memorial plaque was found in the building destroyed during the war”.
- Address9, J. Basanavičiaus Square, Marijampolė; Marijampolė central post office.
- Date1988 -
- Statusunregistered, cultural heritage site
- Not staying
Persons related to the object
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Related documents and other publications
Literature and resources
1. Mašalaitis B. „Varpo“ steigėjams pagerbti // Literatūra ir menas. - 1989, saus. 7.
2. Atidengta paminklinė lenta…: [1937-06-29]. - Marijampolės kronika // Šaltinis. - 1937, liep. 3, Nr. 27 (1077), p. 428.
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