F-YEAH HISTORY!

Crimean Karaites men from Сrimea in traditional dress, 1837
The Crimean Karaites or Karaims, also known as Karaim and Qarays, are ethnic group derived from Turkic-speaking adherents of Karaism in Eastern Europe (especially former Russian Empire). “Qaray” is a Romanized spelling of the original name “къарай”, while “Karaim” is a Russian, Ukrainian, Lithuanian, and Polish name for the community. Defined themselves as originally centered in Crimea, Karaim were established in Trakai (Troki), Lithuania and Eastern Galicia from late medieval times.

“The Battle” from the cycle of paintings “Polonia” dedicated to January Uprising of 1863 and painted by contemporary Artur Grottger
The January Uprising was an uprising in the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (present-day Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, Latvia, parts of Ukraine, and western Russia) against the Russian Empire. It began on 22 January 1863 and lasted until the last insurgents were captured in 1865.

The Treaty of Dovydiškės
The Treaty of Dovydiškės, Daudiske, or Daudisken was a secret treaty signed on May 31, 1380 between Jogaila, the Grand Duke of Lithuania, and Winrich von Kniprode, the Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights. The treaty was directed against Jogaila’s uncle Kęstutis and its effect was to precipitate the Lithuanian Civil War (1381–1384).

Abraham Cahan, (1860–1951), half-length portrait, looking down at printed material on desk / World Telegram & Sun photo, 1937
Abraham Cahan was a Lithuanian-born American author, socialist leader and editor of the Yiddish newspaper the Jewish Daily Forward.

Lithuanian policeman with Jewish Prisoners in July 1941

Vytautas the Great, Grand Duke of Lithuania
Vytautas styled “the Great” from the 15th century onwards; c. 1350 – October 27, 1430) was one of the most famous rulers of medieval Lithuania. Vytautas was the ruler (1392–1430) of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania which chiefly encompassed the Lithuanians and Ruthenians. He was also the Prince of Hrodna (1370–1382) and the Prince of Lutsk (1387–1389), postulated king of Hussites.

Pope Innocent IV’s bull regarding Lithuania’s placement under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, Mindaugas’ baptism and coronation, 1251

Arkadi Kremer (1865–1935), also known as Aleksandr Kremer or Solomon Kremer
A.S. Kremer was a Russian socialist leader known as the ‘Father of the Bund’ (the General Jewish Workers’ Union in Lithuania, Poland and Russia. This organisation was instrumental in the development of Russian Marxism, the Jewish labour movement and Jewish nationalism.

Kościuszko Uprising began with Tadeusz Kościuszko taking the oath, Kraków 1794
The Kościuszko Uprising was an uprising against Imperial Russia and the Kingdom of Prussia led by Tadeusz Kościuszko in Poland, Belarus and Lithuania in 1794. It was a failed attempt to liberate Poland and Lithuania from Russian influence after the Second Partition of Poland (1793) and the creation of the Targowica Confederation.

German soldiers and locals watch a Lithuanian synagogue burn, 1941