Rytas

The Lithuanian Education Society Rytas (Lithuanian: Lietuvių švietimo draugija „Rytas“; "rytas" means morning or dawn) was a Roman Catholic society fostering education in the Lithuanian language mostly in the Vilnius Region, then fiercely contested between Lithuania and the Second Polish Republic, now split between Lithuania and Belarus. Established in 1913, the society maintained some 100 primary schools (mostly one-room schools), 50 evening classes, Vytautas the Great Gymnasium and Teacher's Seminary in Vilnius (Wilno, Vilna) in 1927. Due to political tensions between Poland and Lithuania as well as wider Polonization policies, Rytas faced increasing difficulties and restrictions in maintaining its schools. Similar situation existed with Polish schools in Lithuania (see Lithuanization). The situation continued to worsen as both sides increased restrictions in retribution. As schools were closed, Rytas shifted its focus to maintaining community reading rooms. After the death of Józef Piłsudski in 1935, the rooms were often raided by police and closed. Eventually, the society was abolished by Polish authorities in February 1938. Only the Vytautas the Great Gymnasium was allowed to operate. After the Polish ultimatum of March 1938, diplomatic relations were established between Poland and Lithuania and Rytas was allowed to operate again in May 1939. It could not resume its activities due to World War II and was abolished again soon after the occupation of Lithuania by the Soviet Union in June 1940. The society, with the same mission of promoting Lithuanian-language education, was reestablished in 2004.