Simonaitite, Eve

Born in the village of Vanagai in the territory of East Prussia (now in the Klaipeda region of Lithuania ). From childhood, she lived in need and illnesses, because of which she could not study at school and therefore was engaged in self-education. In 1912-1914 she was treated in a sanatorium in Augenburg ( Germany ). Upon returning, she worked in the Lithuanian society Eglė , collaborated with the newspaper Tilžės keleivis and other Lithuanian publications in East Prussia (Lesser Lithuania). Since 1921 she lived in Memel (Klaipeda) . She graduated from typists and stenographers courses. She worked at the Lithuanian Consulate, proofreader at the Rytas publishing house, in the editorial office of Prūsų lietuvių balsas (Voice of the Prussian Lithuanians), and later - a typist and translator in the seymic ( lit. Seimelis ) of the Klaipeda Region. After the success of the novel “The Fate of the Shimonisov” and with the appointment of her state pension, from 1936 she indulged in literary work. After the return of Klaipeda to Germany (1939), she went to Kaunas . During the years of German occupation, it was persecuted. Since 1963 she lived in Vilnius . She was awarded three orders (including the Order of Lenin in 1957 ^[2] ). She was awarded the title of People’s Writer of the Lithuanian SSR (1967).

She was buried at the Antakalnis Cemetery in Vilnius. On the grave is a monument to the sculptor Danute Danite-Varnauskene . In the town of Prekul (21 km south of Klaipeda), where the writer spent the summer months in 1961-1978, a memorial museum has been operating since 1984.

It was printed in periodicals since 1914; Until 1935, her name as a writer was not known. The main theme of her stories, novels and novels is the daily life of the “Letuvninki”, that is, the Lithuanians of East Prussia and the Klaipeda Territory. The novel “The Fate of the Shimonisov” (1935, State Prize of Lithuania, 1936; Russian translation, 1966), which brought her wide fame, is devoted to this topic. In the novella Picchurnene (1953, in the Russian translation of Bush and Her Sisters, 1954), the essence of the kulaks is exposed. The novel “Vilius Karalius” (parts 1–2, 1939–1956, State Prize of the Lithuanian SSR, 1958; Russian translation, 1961) gives a broad picture of the life of Lithuanians at the beginning of the 20th century and is still considered to be a model of Lithuanian realistic novel. The autobiographical trilogy “... But It Was” (1960, Russian translation, 1963), “In a strange house” (1962, Russian translation, 1965), “Unfinished book” (1965, Russian translation, 1968) covers the time from the beginning XX century until the end of World War II . The Near Stories (1968) adjoins the trilogy. The novel “The Last Trip of Kunyalis” depicts Lithuania of the war and post-war years (1971, Russian translation, 1974). In general, the work of Eva Simonaitite is traditionally on topics and artistic means. The works are translated into many languages.

• Raštai, t. 1-6. Vilnius, 1956-1958.
• ... But it was like that. In a strange house. Unfinished book. Moscow, 1973.

• M. Slutskis . The path that led to the main road // M. Slutskis. The beginning of all beginnings. Moscow, 1975.
• R. Dambiauskaite. Ieva Simonaitytė. Vilnius, 1968.

•   Wikimedia Commons has media related to Eva Simonaitite
• Anthology of the Lithuanian classic literature: Ieva Simonaitytė
• Ieva Simonaityte Memorial Museum