Lithuanians in 1825 according to S. Plater

Below are excerpts from a book (in Polish) "Jeography of the Eastern Part of Europe..." by S. Plater, published in 1825:



1) Lithuanians in the Russian Empire:

Vilno Governorate - 780,000 Lithuanians (out of 1,200,000 inhabitants)
Grodno Governorate - 100,000 Lithuanians (out of 800,000 inhabitants)

Plater said:

"(...) Lithuanians are remnants of an ancient nation (...) already in times of Mindaugas and Gediminas the true Lithuania (...) attached to much larger dominions in which foreign language was spoken, was in fact a Rusyn state. Lithuanians as we observe them today, number fewer than 1,300,000 heads; of them majority belong to the Russian Empire. (...) Lithuanians inhabit almost entire Vilno Governorate and the northern part of the Grodno Governorate. In three counties of former Samogitia, that is in Raseiniai, Telsiai and Siauliai, they preserved more of their original nationality than elsewhere; it is also there where they are in the best condition, have the best houses, the best agricultural tools and property; there they enjoy the lucky ease of selling their products, in close proximity to Konigsberg and Riga. The Lithuanian language, that is the Samogitian language, is not related to Slavic languages, but rather it is very similar to brotherly Livonian or Latvian (...) Only very few Lithuanians can read, thus no other works are being published in this language apart from several prayer books printed in Vilno: Latin letters are used in these books. Lithuanians are of Roman Catholic faith from their conversion by Władysław Jogaila at the end of the 14th century. But here and there also traces of old Pagan ceremonies have remained in customs of rural people, which can be justified only by gross illiteracy, and which not so long ago have been used in favour of poetry by picturesque imagination of Mickiewicz. In parishes where rural population consists of Lithuanians, gospels and sermons are being delivered either in Polish language or in Samogitian language. (...)"

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2) Lithuanians in the Kingdom of Prussia:

East Prussia - 200,000 Lithuanians (out of 1,080,000 inhabitants)

Plater said:

"(...) Lithuanians inhabit over 1/4 of the territory of East Prussia, the eastern part of it. What distinguishes Lithuanian peasants in East Prussia from their brothers in Samogitia and in the Kingdom of Poland, is that they are of evangelical faith, that they are more industrious, that they have better houses and agricultural tools, and that they are more educated. (...) They can read: the Bible and prayer books in Lithuanian language can be found in every house: they are being printed by print shops in Konigsberg with use of Gothic letters. (...)"

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3) Lithuanians in the Congress Kingdom of Poland:

Augustów Voivodeship - 200,000 Lithuanians (out of 450,000 inhabitants)

Plater said:

"(...) Lithuanian peasants in Augustów region, when it comes to houses, cattle and horses, are maybe among the best ones in the Kingdom. (...)"

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In total Lithuanians numbered less than 1,300,000 individuals at that time (according to S. Plater).

Hmm, that is more than I would have expected.

But he writes also this:

"(...) In parishes where rural population consists of Lithuanians, gospels and sermons are being delivered either in Polish language or in Samogitian language. (...)"

So it seems that some of Plater's "Lithuanians" were already Polish-speaking, or in the process of Polonization (if they had church services in Polish).

BTW - I will also post here what he writes about Rusyns (Rusini), after I translate it.

Among what we call Eastern Slavs (but he doesn't use this name), Plater distinguishes three groups - Russians, Rusyns and Cossacks.

It seems that Plater's "Rusyns" include Belarussians, Western & Central Ukrainians, Ruthenians, Poleshuks, etc.

It seems that Plater's "Cossacks" are Eastern Ukrainians and South-Western Russians.

There were 1 million Cossacks in 1825 according to Plater, 28 million Russians and 8 million Rusyns.

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BTW - most of those Lithuanians in East Prussia mentioned by Plater, became later Germanized between 1825 and 1918.

Hmm, that is more than I would have expected.

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His figures are estimations, but usually quite accurate ones (they are estimations based on sources, not "invented").

Here is what he writes about Rusyns of the Russian Empire:

"(...) The Rusyns, much more numerous and more widespread [than the Lithuanians], live in Grodno, Minsk, Vitebsk, Kiev, Podolia and Volhynia Governorates. They differ from Lithuanians in terms of both language and religion, because most of them are either Uniates or Greco-Orientalists**. Rusyn language, which can be considered a dialect of Polish, used to be a language of books, because some historical and teological works, and even first editions of the Statutes of Lithuania were published in this language.* But today apart from several prayer books in Pochaiv in Volhynia, published for a small number of Uniates who live there, nothing is being printed in Rusyn. It is thus not surprising that within this exclusively spoken language, which is spread across such a huge territory, from the Dvina to the Dniester, huge regional aberrations and differences can be observed. The language of Volhynian, Podolian and Kievan Rusyns, is more similar to Cossack language; while that of Belarusian, Minsk and Grodno Rusyns is closer to Polish language. Sermons and gospels for Rusyn population in northern, that is primarily Uniate*** sites, are usually being delivered in Polish language. In southern, mostly Greco-Oriental** governorates, delivering sermons to people is still not a widespread custom. (...)"

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*Further editions were in Polish

**Orthodox

***Greek-Catholic

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As for Rusyns of Austrian-controlled Eastern Galicia - he didn't write anything specific about them. He just mentioned them.

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BTW - TLO36, do you know this one?:

"Gieysmie żiemaycziu Telszu pawieta wayno metu 1831:

Dabar lenkai naprapule
Kol żemaitiai gyvi
Kad visi prie ginkło pule
Tad ir bus szczastlivi

Lenkai, lietuviai, żemaitiai draugibie
Kayp visada buvom tayp busim vyinibie

Ar maż pralijom aszaru
Kad kożnam rudyni
Rekrutams ukazai cara
Lieb imt paskutini
Wayka motinai o seserei broli

Nebe mums iau poniawosi
Prakeiktas maskoli

Kaktas musu ne bus skustas
Ney żwangins gielżiniai
O Sybiras visad pustas
Neb grażos minyai

Wysi vyrai eikim newale numesti

Neprietieli musu pakarop dawesti

Gana vieros papeykimo
Gana jau kientieti
O diel puszku atliejimo
Warpus nujemkieti

Joug ir Diewas Danguy
Te Dieva teysibie
Duos lenkams, lijtuviams,
Żemaitiams vienibie

Trisdeszimtis sekmie metu
Kayp carai czie wałda
Kam ir spakaini wieta?
Kamy Diewui małda?
Gins virus y padvadas, nubiauros
tau buta
Yr mergaytiems yr moterims siułodami
knuta

Jug żemaitis kożnas turi
Titnago striełbeli
O dieł wajska ims isz buri
Tinkama żyrgeli
Oniekie tau sako: tunkart gausi mani
Kad iszginsi ysz Żemaicziu
Neprietieli szuni

Eykim wisi jemt Pałanga
O łaywais nupłauksma
Stalicziop su walia Danga
Yr cara sugausma

Tad sugryżies namon
Kriżius pastatysma
Yr Yszganima Metus
Ant ju paraszisma."

In English:

"Song of Samogitians of Telsiai county during the war of 1831:

The Poles have not yet perished
So long as the Samogitians still live
Everyone has taken up arms
So we will be happy

Poles, Lithuanians, Samogitians
Always live in peace with each other
We have been and still are in unity

Weren't enough tears shed
When during salty years
With use of knouts
In accordance with Tsarist orders
Conscripted into the army
Were mother's last son and sister's last brother?

You are not going to rule here
You damned Muscovite

You will not shave our heads anymore
You won't hear the clang of handcuffs
And Siberia, desolated
Will be ill remembered

Come on, boys, liberate yourselves from the yoke

Our enemy
Shall be humiliated

Let's put an end to religious persecutions
Let's put an end to sufferings and dungeons

Let's put an end to recasting bells into enemy cannons

There is God in Heaven
Let the God's will cause
Poles, Lithuanians and Samogitians
To unite together in one rank

It has been thirty years
Of the occupation by Tsardom
Who and where can hide before it?
Where can we praise the God?
They will drive away our men
They will plunder our houses
And threaten with knouts
Our women and girls

But each of us, the Samogitians
Has his gun loaded
And will take with him to the army
A first class horse
The girl tells you: I will be yours
When from our Samogitia
You drive away the enemy - dog

We must march on Palanga
From which we will sail on ships
To Moscow, God's will
And we will capture the Tsar

And when we come back home
We will construct crosses
And engrave on them
The Year of Liberation

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And here a Samogitian song from 1794 - but I could not find the translation:

Dievas mumis ažurėjo
Kaip tik Kosciuška atėjo
Ant tos neščeslivos žemies
Pakialt užvalditos pliamies -
Otočies musa Tievista
Pažins kas tey do Žmonista -
Jau pakorę Kassakovską
Pakarkim ir Poniatovską.
Kaip iškarsim tuos Pagonus,
Neturėsim daugiaus ponų.

A. Klementas "Sukilėlių karo daina"

Nope, I don't.

Was it a marching song?