Birutė Society

The Birutė Society was the first cultural non-religious society of Prussian Lithuanians. Established in 1885 in Tilsit, East Prussia (present-day Sovetsk), the society was intermittently active until the outbreak of World War I. The society sought to preserve Lithuanian language and culture and protect them form Germanization. While it discussed linguistic and cultural subjects, the society never raised issues of social inequality or protested against the political regime of Kaiser Wilhelm II. The society prompted the division of Prussian Lithuanians into two main groups: religious conservative versus secular liberals. Birutė is best remembered for organizing festivals and celebrations that featured Lithuanian-language performances of various folk and patriotic songs as well as amateur theater performances, including the first Lithuanian-language theater performance in 1895.

The Lithuanian Literary Society was established in Tilsit in 1879, but it took more academic interest in Lithuanian language and culture. The society considered that the Lithuanian culture was dying due to Germanization and sought to record and study it but took no steps in keeping the language and culture alive. Thus Lithuanian activists began preparations for their own society. The issue was first raised by Georg Sauerwein in Lietuwißka Ceitunga in 1882. The idea was supported and further crystallized by Jonas Basanavičius, Jonas Šliūpas, and others. They decided to establish a society that would study Lithuanian culture and heritage and that would actively promote it among the Lithuanians both in Lithuania Minor and Lithuania Major. They went as far as collecting membership applications and dues and scheduling the organizational meeting for 11 January 1894, but due to various difficulties, including financial hardship faced by Aušra newspaper, such society was not established. Basanavičius established the Lithuanian Scientific Society only in 1907.

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