Mykolo Römerio akiračiai

Abstract

Analysing relations between nation and state, Mykolas Römeris (1880-1945) distinguished two typical groups of people forming the state. The first group consists of the inhabitants of a certain territory, or the so-called ’’populus”; the second group is the ’’natio”, which embraces a specific socio-national formation. He pointed out that in such a state there might exist a danger for national minorities to be subordinated to the needs of the dominant nation. However, Römeris showed that Lithuanians are not inclined to build a nationalistic state, and his arguments rested on the resolutions passed by the Great Vilnius Diet in 1905. The position taken by Mykolas Römeris, one of the leading figures in ’’krajowcy” (ie ’’kraštiečiai”) stream, deary shows the efforts of the stream to bring the aspirations of Poles and Lithuanians closer. He understood better than anyone else that at the beginning of the 20th century the Lithuanians already satisfied the requirements for the state nation, having formed their own nation, territory and state power. Römeris admitted that Vilnius is a Lithuanian territory; however, he considered Vilnius and the Vilnius region to be Polish from a cultural point of view. His awareness of the living conditions of Lithuanians in Prussia made him believe that they were ’’lost” as Lithuanians despite their efforts to follow national traditions. Romeris came to a conclusion that the process of formation of the Lithuanian nation was hindered by the banning of the Lithuanian press and the severe russification of the people. The first Lithuanian news paper ’’Aušra” accelerated the Lithuanian national revival, while ’’Varpas” became the cradle of political parties and movements. Just before World War I, Romeris based his vision about the future of Lithuania on the cooperation of Lithuanian and Polish democratic movements. However, Römeris was not able to discern the real intentions of the Polish democrats, which became apparent after the occupation of Vilnius and the Vilnius region. This historical fact induced Römeris to change his attitudes, and he readily embraced the idea of the Lithuanian national state.