Konstancija ir Jonas Jablonskiai

e. Lukėnaitė-Griciuvienė. Konstancija and Jonas Jablonski 9 John Jablonski's Life and Work EGLĖ LUKĖNAITĖ-GRICIUVIENĖ Lithuanian National Museum Konstancija and Jonas JabLonskiai Janusz Jablonski was born on 30 December 1860 (18 December in the old style). Father Juozapas Jablonskis, a widow with three young children, married Agnė Šipailiūte for the second time. In addition to the eldest son, John, Agnieszka and Juozapas Jablonskii had three more children: Anton – in 1867, George – in 1870 and Mary – in 1875. Then Jablonskii farmed in kubilliai*, near their home town, later the family with all seven children moved to Rỹgiškiai, Grš ka būdžio parish. Jonas Jablonskis started attending the elementary school in Naumiestis in 1869, and from 1872 the gymnasium in Marijampolė. his studies at the gymnasium were supported by his mother’s uncle, priest Juozapas Šipaila. His parents also dreamed of his son becoming a priest, but John was far from inclined to the priesthood. The further, the more evident his talents for philology and especially classical languages. Jablonski graduated from the high school with a gold medal in 1881. Having decided to study classical philology at the university of moskva, the young man lost the support of his benefactor uncle shipailas and went to moskva with little travel money. In the first year he earned his bread by teaching others, and in the second year he got a scholarship. In Moscow, something happened that was too familiar and familiar at home – love, interest in his native Lithuanian language, the national awareness of Jonas Jablonskis himself. He was greatly influenced by professors of philology who taught at the university: the classical language expert Fjodor Korsh and the Baltic and Slavist * The Lithuanian Language Encyclopedia (2008) states that Jonas Jablonskis was born in Kubėliai. about the fact that J. Jablonski’s native village is Kubileliai, write Šiauliai University linguists Giedrė Čepaitienė and Algirdas Malakauskas „where was Jonas Jablonskis really born?“ – see. Science Lithuania, no. 3, 2011 02 03. Red. note. 10 Language Culture | 83 Philip Fortunato. In Lithuania at that time, the official policy of Russianization in some schools was counterbalanced by leanness and vulgarism – allegedly the intelligentsia should be ashamed to speak “mužikiškai”. needed a breakthrough in the consciousness of science youth. the students, gathered in a heap among strangers, began to get rid of their “pony” Polishness by chatting to each other. In 1885, Jan Jablonski graduated from the Moscow University in classical philology. When he returned to Lithuania, disappointments awaited him – he was a humanitarian, not an Orthodox, and therefore inappropriate. there was no place neither in vilnius nor in warsaw scientific district, even in the gymnasiums of Kazan, Kharkov and Transcaucasia. The graduated philologist had to work as a tutor. Having started teaching the children of the landlord Tom Zane in Lower Panemunė, Jonas Jablonskis met with success – Zane recommended him as a clerk of the Mariampol court. He proved to be a hard-working man, and was recommended to the curator of the Riga district of education, who appointed him assistant to the “chairman of the desk” of the office in Mintauja (now Jelgava), and in November 1889 – teacher of ancient languages at the Mintauja boys’ gymnasium. when the gymnasium teacher Jonas Jablonskis mentioned to his friend Gabrielis Landsbergis-Žemkalnis that he was looking for a wife who would speak Lithuanian at home, the latter reminded him of the sister of an acquaintance from Moscow time of Adam Sketer from Joniškėlis. Gabrielius said that Konstancija Sketerytė was more Lithuanian than a Lithuanian girl and very educated. There was only one problem – the groom was Catholic and the bride was an evangelical Reformed. in those days it was a serious obstacle to starting a family. Konstancja Sketerytė married Jonas Jablonskis the same summer they met. The union took place on the wife’s side – in the Evangelical Reformed Church of Švobiškis on July 24, 1890, after receiving all canonical and civil permissions. The journey of the joint life of Konstancija and Jonas Jablonskis began in the village of Mintauja, where the young family spent, perhaps, the most beautiful and happiest six years. The eldest children of the Jablonskis were born there: son Konstantin – in 1892, daughters: Ona – in 1894 and Julia – in 1896. at the time there was a third, later even half of the students Lithuanian. “we, the students of the lower classes, felt that J. Jablonskis was different from the other teachers of the high school. He invites the older students to stay with him. those who come back full of some serious secret often gather and closely discuss something. [...] from afar we all loved Jablonskis and were proud of him.” (deceased e. Lukėnaitė-Griciuvienė. Konstancija and Jonas Jablonskiai 11 1921: 536–537). of the youngest J. Jablonskis wrote intensively for Varpai, took care of language issues, corrected articles of other authors, because not everyone was able to write well in Lithuanian. In the summer of 1894, under the cover of a newborn girl’s baptism (godparents Vincas Kudirka and Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-bitė), a bell-bearers’ convention was held in the Jablonski family’s apartment. in those only houses Lithuanian students could gather and have fun. together celebrated weddings, baptisms, name days, marked other events. there were organized evenings with performances, songs, lectures. antanas smetona, J. Jablonski’s pupil in the mintauja, wrote: “On Sundays we would walk to the Jablonski’s house [...]. kvėpterėjo all sensitive Lithuanian spirit, family warmth [...]“ (smetona 1921: 534). The Jablonski family house was a meeting place for active Lithuanian intelligentsia, united by one ideal – the homeland. „in the above mentioned place they would hold secret meetings, hitting during indulgences, when there are many people everywhere, so that the police would not notice, for a supply of beer snacks on the table. gathered kriščiukaitis, bulota, mašiotas, Liandsbergis-Žemkalnis, kun. tumas, and others. It was a long time since they had been together, because it was too late. manuscripts, letters, packed in the mail were carried by John’s brother Jurgis and sister marijona, with whom he taught.” (strimaitis 1921: 522). especially in the years of the press ban. Janusz Jablonski also included his wife Konstancja in his educational work. Mrs. Jablonskienė wrote herself, rewritten her husband’s edited texts. The persecution of the Lithuanian national movement, the press and its collaborators attracted the attention of the authorities to the activities of the gymnasium teacher J. Jablonskis. In 1896 the Jablonskii had to leave Mintau, the teacher was moved to another place, much more remote in relation to Lithuanianness – Reval (present-day Tallinn). J. Jablonski’s moods in the revelry can be better understood from the memories of his contemporaries. His former pupil in the monastery, Casimir Jokantas, wrote: “When we started to visit more often, we had to talk about this and that. the one thing that caught my eye was the constant sadness. stand by the stove, think and remain silent for a long hour without saying anything, without seeing anything that is happening around. was a lump, that everything here is foreign to him, that nobody loves, nobody attracts. The removal from the minnow was regarded as exile.” (Jokantas 1921: 542). It should be noted that the activity of the clerk, especially the teacher, was extremely closely monitored in the tsarist times. His closest friend in the revelry, Jonas Bulota, wrote: “Jablonski’s work in the revelry was strictly divided into two parts: as a teacher of the Russian authorities and as a Lithuanian actor. [...] He was the magnet, the courses drew to themselves all the Lithuanian intelligentsia at that time. all the victims or afflicted in one way or another sought and found with him a special heart- 12 kaLbos kuLtūra | 83 gos sympathy and useful advice, and very often also material support, especially the students with lessons: when they came, they usually just stayed with him.” (Bulletin 1921: 544–546). Peter Avižonis, studying medicine at Dorpat University, often visited Jablonski. „there was no holiday that a few students from Dorpat, his former students from the Mintau school, would not come to him [...] we were happy to be able to meet in such a cordial atmosphere between our studies. and Jablonskis, after a week or so of treating us, would still “on the way” throw us in the hand, apologizing that he had no more.” (Oatmeal 1921: 532–533). The Jablonski family always spent summers in Lithuania, usually with relatives or friends. J. Jablonskis himself would go to Lithuania to study dialects, he would transport his family, “so that the children, as he used to say, would love Lithuania and, when they grew up, would feel Lithuanian everywhere.” (Bulota 1921: 554). On February 16, 1899, another son, Vytautas, was born to the Jablonski family. In 1900, J. Jablonskis prepared one of his most important works – Lithuanian Grammar, which was published in Tilžė in 1901 under the pseudonym Petro kriaušaitis. In 1900, near Palanga, Lithuanian press carriers were caught, later also distributors, a large number of suspects were identified, searches were carried out, which reached the revelry, of course, J. Jablonskis was also arrested, “evidence” was found. It was full of Lithuanian books, words written for the dictionary, collected folklore, and also found out who is hidden under the pseudonym of the obelisk writer Varpai. For exactly a year, J. Jablonskis was without official employment, and the family was left without any income. and a year later even more unpleasant news – J. Jablonskis is exiled to Pskov. In 1902 the family was separated for the first time, the eldest son, a ten-year-old kastukas, left with his father. Following his release from prison, Jablonski returned to Poland, where he served for a year in prison. The family began an endless wandering, only a few years later settling in one place. In 1903–1904, the Jablonski family lived in Šiauliai. J. Jablonski had no governmental job, only occasional jobs. In the autumn of 1904 the whole family moved to Vilnius. J. Jablonskis started working in the editorial offices of the first Lithuanian daily newspaper Vilnius žinios, as well as Lietuvos ūkininkas, in the book publishing company „aušros“, corrected the language of various published booklets, edited translations. After the Lithuanian press was restored, there was endless joy and disappointment that everything was not as it should have been. Vilnius was bursting with political and social life. Jablonski was a democrat, showing civic courage and principledness in his writings or by signing collective protest letters. After the Lithuanian language was allowed to be taught in schools, the Lithuanian Language Teaching Committee was established on the initiative of G. Landsbergis-Žemkalnis. Constance and John Jablonski 13 who took care of the matter. After great efforts, J. Jablonskis began to teach Lithuanian as an optional subject in several Vilnius schools, but there were problems with the payment of lessons. In the summer of 1906 the Jablonskies had another child – a son Jonukas was born. From the autumn of 1906 J. Jablonskis was appointed a non-ethnic teacher at the Panevėžys Teachers’ Seminary and moved with his family to Panevėžys. a linguist and educator, interested in literature in the mother tongue, gathered young people to translate. He involved not only his wife and children, but also his pupils in this activity. wherever J. Jablonskis lived, he was accompanied by work, and his wife was his closest helper. In Panevėžys, the family was struck by a new disaster – J. Jablonskis fell ill with a kidney disease. The illness prolonged, and, apparently, its insidious consequences determined his further state of health. In 1908, the family split again. With great effort, J. Jablonski got a full-time teacher's position in Brest. His wife and five children remained in Panevėžys. so separately survived for two years. They met in the summers, although his father devoted his free time to Lithuanian language subjects or went for medical treatment. The eldest son, Konstantin, graduated from the gymnasium in Panevėžys in the spring of 1909 and went to study in St. Petersburg. At the end of the summer of 1910, Constance and her children moved to their husband's house in Brest. Living in a new place also brought new worries. even for children in a foreign environment was not easy to adapt. From his mother’s letters to his son, the deteriorating health of J. Jablonski becomes apparent: “Dad is still working a lot, now he is preparing an article on language subjects. legs are apparently weak, this year much worse than last year at this time.” (Lukėnaitė2009: 91. In 1911 J. Jablonskis published his second important work, Syntax of the Lithuanian language, and a year later another booklet, Subjects of the written language. In 1912, after Jablonski was appointed a teacher at the Grodno Boys’ Gymnasium, the family moved closer to Lithuania. Julia Žymantienė-Žemaitė visited the Jablonski family in Grodno on several occasions. at that time Žemaitės writings were published, and J. Jablonskis edited them. A linguist has said: “from the scripts of Žemaitija I myself will learn the most vivid, beautiful language of the most beautiful people.” (rimantas 1956: 127). The most worrying was the noticeably deteriorating health of J. Jablonski: "[...] Dad should start some strengthening exercises, because he is obviously already very tired, even food does not go anywhere and sleeps badly [...]. When he doesn’t write any articles, it’s all right, but if he starts writing something, it’s both food and sleep.” (Groove 2009: 97). 14 Language Culture | 83 In the autumn of 1914, J. Jablonski was transferred to a prison. The family moved to a remote corner of Vitebsk Governorate, far from the railway, far from their own. no matter what hardships the Jablonski family faced, they always found money for charity or some noble national cause. In this, Mr. Jablonski was not rude. in the father's letters to the son constantin we read: "child! I send 25 rb. tau, 5 rb. alkanai day and 10 rb. for the affairs of your society." (Graeber 2009: 122). She's only been there for a year. After the outbreak of World War I and the German occupation of Lithuania, many Lithuanians retreated to the depths of Russia. The committee of the Lithuanian Society to help the victims of the war sent many Lithuanian youths to Voronezh. At the initiative of martynas yčo, with the support of tsar nikolai's daughter tatyjana, in autumn 1915 in Voronež were opened two Lithuanian gymnasiums: for boys and girls, the director was appointed Pranas mašiotas. J. Jablonskis is officially invited to teach Lithuanian language. Although he was severely ill, Jablonski's activities in Voronezh were very significant and necessary. “His work among his people, teaching pupils and teachers the native language, where so many young people gathered, was simply invaluably fruitful. Teachers, literates, linguists, student clubs began to gather around him. were set deadlines, textbooks were prepared for schools, books were published. every important matter was discussed in Jablonski’s presence, every major paper or book was published only after he had edited it. In the gymnasium itself, among pupils and teachers, his authority as an experienced teacher stood very high...“ (yčas 1921: 570). In 1917, Jablonski had to give up his position as a gymnasium teacher because of his health, but he remained a member of the board of guardians of the men's gymnasium, edited textbooks and corrected the language. In the summer, the first “sun” courses for Lithuanian teachers were organized, and J. Jablonskis was invited as a lecturer. In Voronezh he prepared and published Lithuanian language numerals for Vargo school (1916), textbook Aritmetika. The Beginning of Science and Terms (1917), Our Dictionary (1918). The Jablonski family returned to Lithuania with the whole Lithuanian colony in June 1918. the whole Voronezh high school fitted into goods or third-class passenger cars (due to the illness of the husband, the Jablonski family traveled in second class). the journey was long and tiring. Vilnius reached in two weeks. J. Jablonskis did not get out of his wheels. After returning to Vilnius, he published Lithuanian Grammar (1919). In April of the same year, when Vilnius was occupied by the Poles, some of the Lithuanian intelligentsia withdrew. Konstancija and Jonas Jablonskiai 15 in Kaunas. Only a few months later Jablonski and his family were allowed to move to the temporary capital. in kaune Jablonskis life was modest, had to continue moving from one apartment to another. Jablonski's health had already deteriorated so much that he was not only unable to walk, but also not always able to write with his own hand. In the autumn of 1919, he was invited to lead and teach the higher courses of Lithuanian language for teachers of the „Saulės“ society. When the University of Lithuania was founded in Kaunas in 1922, J. Jablonskis was elected its honorary member and professor. He lectured in his apartment (now Jablonskio g.), where a larger room was converted into an auditorium. so at the university he worked until the autumn of 1926. Even the Faculty Council meetings, consultations, and meetings of the spelling and terminology commissions were held in that home auditorium. In the last decade of his life, Jablonski worked very intensively. In 1922 he published a new edition of his Lithuanian Grammar, in 1925 a textbook of Lithuanian language, and in 1928 a collection of poems. at that time he wrote as many as 234 articles on language issues. he no longer wrote his articles himself, he dictated them to his wife, son or students. such volunteer scribes were not one. “Jablonski usually worked from morning to noon. He would eat lunch in the adjacent room, where he was brought to the table by his wife or a student (a student clerk was often invited to lunch with him). After resting, the professor would again work intensively until evening, sometimes until late.” (Masiliūnas 1974: 21–22). The last decade together with her half-paralyzed husband was particularly difficult for Konstancja Jablonskiene. After spending some time in a. mickevičiaus street, in 1928 they moved to their daughter, an ophthalmologist, Ona Landsbergienė, in kėstučio street. although the mind remained clear and the spirit unbroken, but the body J. Jablonskis completely left. In the summer, Mrs. Jablonskienė took her husband to Palanga every year. The journey was difficult, he took a medical train to Klaipeda, then a car. needed strong help, a maid was hired, and later a nurse. In February 1930, Jan Jablonski fell ill with the flu. February 23 in the hospital "he fell asleep peacefully and forever, surrounded by his family members" (vaičiūnas 1930: 67). Three years later, after the burial of one of John Jablonski’s colleagues, Juozas Tumas-Vaižgantas, the composer John Nabazas wrote in his diary: “the beloved man of all gathered the greatest crowds and all the organizations, but nevertheless Jablonski’s funeral in independent Lithuania 16 kaLbos kuLtūra | 83 one has not yet passed, because, in addition to Kaunas, the province also participated in them” (nabažas 2007: 118). has not been celebrated so far.” By the way, after a decade the remains of the Jablonski had to be moved to Petrašiūnai cemetery. The Jablonski’s daughter Julia wrote in a letter to brother Vytautas in Cleveland: “I think you should know that we had to move our grandparents from the city cemetery to Petrašiūnai. make a park in the old cemetery." (Groove 2009: 42). 1921: Jablonskis mintaujoj, revely, Pskove. – Lithuanian school bulota J. 1921: Jablonskis mintaujoj, revely, Pskove. – Lithuanian school in 1921: again 12, 530–533. outside the borders of Lithuania: Brest, Grodno, Velizy, Voronezh. – 12, 544–547, 554. Lie tu vos mokykla 12, 565–573. 1921: Jablonskis mintaujoj, revely, Pskov. – Lietuvos mo kykė la 12, 540–543. Lukėnaitė-Griciuvienė e. 2009: The family of Konstancija and Jonas Jablonski, Vilnius: Lithuanian National Museum. masiliūnas k. 1974: memories. – Our Language 7, 21–22. mironas v. 1921: Jablonskis minds, revely, Pskov. – Lithuanian school nabažas J. 2007: Diary 1922-1945, vilnius: typoart. rimantas 12, 536–537. J. 1956: Žemaitė in life and work, vilnius: valst. grožinės lit. l-cla. smetona a. 1921: Jablonskis mintaujoj, revely, Pskove. – Lithuanian school 12, 533–536. strimaitis J. 1921: from youth, school and first years of work. – University of California Press. pp. 516–522. vaičiūnas v. 1930: a. a. Jablonski remembered. – Language 1 (2), 67. Received 05/11/2010 e. Lukėnaitė-Griciuvienė. Konstancija and Jonas Jablonski 17 tHe FamiLy of Konstancija and Jonas Jablonski Summary Jonas Jablonskis was born on 30 December 1860 in kubilėliai near naumiestis. besides their eldest son Jonas, agnieška and Juozapas Jablonskiai had another three children: antanas, Jurgis and marytė. Shortly after his birth, the family moved to Riga. Jonas Jablonskis attended the naumiestis elementary school, then continued his schooling in the marijampolė gymnasium which he finished in 1881 with distinction and was awarded a gold medal. His interest in languages encouraged him to choose classical Philology for studies at the university of moscow. Professors Fiodor korsh and Filip Fortunatov had a major influence on Jablonskis’ growing interest in his native Lithuanian language. in 1885, J. Jablonskis graduated from the university but it took him another four years to get a teacher’s position in the mintauja boys’ gymnasium where he started teaching ancient languages. In 1890 Jonas Jablonskis, a Catholic, married a very well-educated Konstancija Sketerytė who belonged to the Reformed Church. their first children were born in mintauja: son konstantinas (1892) and two daughters, ona (1894) and Julija (1896). the other two sons, vytautas (1899) and Jonas (1906), were born in other places to which the family moved from mintauja. J. Jablonskis was extensively writing on language. His articles were published in the Varpas and the liberal russian press. the Jablonskis’ family home was frequented by the activists of the Lithuanian intelligentsia who shared a common future vision of their motherland. in 1896, teacher J. Jablonskis was transfered to revel (currently tallinn) which was far away from Lithuania and the ideas of freedom. the Jablonskis family could only visit their homeland during summers. In 1900, J. Jablonskis completed one of his most significant works, Lietuviškos kalbos gramatika (Grammar of the Lithuanian Language), which came out in 1901. as a consequence, in 1902 Jablonskis was deported to Pskov in russia. On his return, Jablonskis lived in Šiauliai (1903–1904), Vilnius (1904–1906), taught part-time in the Panevėžys teachers’ seminary (1906–1908). His second major work, Lietuvių kalbos sintaksė (Syntax of the Lithuanian Language), came out in 1911 and a year later Rašomosios kalbos dalykai (On the Written Language) appeared. When two Lithuanian gymnasia in voronezh for war immigrants were opened in 1915, J. Jablonskis was officially invited to teach Lithuanian. it was during this period that he prepared and published a reader in Lithuanian titled Vargo mokyklai