Lithuania is a country which always saw its borders be modified, disappeared then reappeared.

From 1863 till 1904, Lithuania was under the control of the Russian Empire and the Latin alphabet was banished and replaced by the Cyrillic one. Publications at that time were to be drafted and published in Russian and not in Lithuanian language. So by proceeding on that way, the Empire of Russia wanted to protect its control over the Lithuanian population of the Polish influence. This measure was intended to proceed to the strategic Russianization of Alexandre III, and taken back by Nicolas II in 1894.

Obviously, the Lithuanian population had secret networks which managed to make pass these lithuanian books illegally. These books passed in transit for the most part of the Empire of Prussia, and some others by the United States. If a rebel was set with a book in Lithuanian language, he was exterminated on fields.

Generally, to make the Russification, diverse ways were set up:

Settle the orthodox religion to keep control on the population

Make of the Russian language the « national » mother tongue

Encourage the Russians to settle down in Lithuanian

Banish the Lithuanian definitively

During all this period, 3,047 people among whom 829 smugglers, 859 distributors, and 1 359 people who possessed books in Lithuanian were arrested and sanctioned. Also, this period had a fatal consequence in an educational way. Indeed, it contributed to the increase of analphabetism because the schools of parishes were closed. There was also a lack of professors while the population was increased.

In memory of this historic period, the 16th March is dedicated to this event which is still in the spirit of most of the population.