Other events in Baltic States

On February 16 morning, the foremost poet of Lithuania, playwright, translator, prominent public figure, academician Justinas Marcinkevicius passed away. The 80-year-old poet died in a hospital from a severe head injury he suffered in his home on December 7, informs LETA/ELTA.

Being an author of a dozens of books of poetry, Marcinkevicius also distinguished himself in Lithuanian literature by a rhymed trilogy of dramas "Mindaugas" (1968), "Katedra" (The Cathedral) (1971), "Mazvydas" (1977), which was a refreshing breath of nationality to Lithuania in the Soviet times. The poet also wrote books for children. His translations of Polish, Russian classics, Estonian and Finnish epics made an invaluable contribution to Lithuanian culture. Having grown up during the post-war period, Marcinkevicius evoked in his poetry a romanticized version of childhood spent in the Lithuanian countryside, of first love, of man's relationship with nature.

Marcinkevicius was awarded with the Lithuanian National Prize and National Advancement Prize in Culture. The poet also received the First Class and Third Class Orders of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas and the Order of Vytautas the Great.