National vs. historical identity: lithuanian context

Abstract

Lithuanian history often unfolds in two different domains of identities. One is based on constant care about statehood, Lithuania’s place in the world’s knowledge, and principles of defending the homeland. Here, issues concentrate on independence, diplomacy, connections with Europe and the world. Unlike the genesis of the royals with their lineage covering centuries, the meaning of the Lithuanian identity based on language has retreated. This other type of national identity was accepted as an issue of being of the “lower quality socially” because prominent Lithuanian families became more powerful in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth Union.