Stasė Litvinaitė
Stasė Litvinaitė (1921–) was born in Lenkimai Village, Skuodas Rural District, Kretinga County. After her parents moved to Mažeikiai, Litvinaitė attended a primary school there, graduating in 1933. From 1933 to 1941, Litvinaitė studied at the State Gymnasium in Mažeikiai. During the years of German occupation (1941-1945), she worked as a primary school teacher. From 1945 to 1950, Litvinaitė studied Lithuanian language and literature at the Faculty of History and Philology of Vilnius University. From 1950 to 1954, she was a research assistant at the Department of Lithuanian Literature. Pursuant to Order No. 560/K of the Rector, Litvinaitė was dismissed from her position as a research assistant “in connection with her appointment to follow postgraduate studies.” From 1954 to 1957, she studied at postgraduate level. In 1957, Litvinaitė applied for the position of senior research assistant, and her application was successful. In 1958, she repeatedly applied for the position of senior research assistant, and her application was successful again. In 1959, at the request of the Department of Lithuanian Literature, her term as a senior research assistant was extended. In March 1959, the Dean of the Faculty of History and Philology submitted a request to the Rector asking for temporary permission for Litvinaitė to stay in the position of a research assistant, and the request was granted. She was allowed to stay in her job until 1 April that year. Repeated requests to allow Litvinaitė to keep the position of a research assistant indirectly confirm the former political pressure to dismiss her.
The book compiled by Giedrius Viliūnas on the activities of the Department of Lithuanian Language and Literature from 1940 to 2000 contains information about Litvinaitė’s direct nature and intransigence to the authorities of that time. The author also notes that there were no official reasons for her dismissal. Based on the broader context of the so-called case of the Department of Lithuanian Literature, it can be concluded that Litvinaitė was dismissed from her job because of external pressure and her views that were not beneficial for the regime.
