Lithuanian Literary Society and archaeology.

The Lithuanian Literary Society (Litauische litterarische Gesellschaft — LLG), founded in Tilsit in 1879, was engaged in a recording and saving the Prussian-Lithuanian (language, folklore, ethnography) and the culture of northern regions of Eastern Prussia for future science. The collection of archaeological antiquities also took place among the many interests of its members. Undoubtedly the grammar school teacher in Tilsit E. Gisevius (1798-1880) was one of main inspirations behind the creation of such a society. His interests in collecting archaeological items also must have influenced the passions of his pupils and colleagues in the same direction. Gisevius bequeathed his archaeological collection to the PrussiaMuseum in Königsberg (fig. 1). Many efforts to form a collection of archaeological items in Tilsit once again had been made since the beginning of activity of Lithuanian Literary Society. As far as the archaeological interests of Society the period 1879-1896 went may be associated with the activity of F. Siemering, a teacher who discussed finds from the region and Society’s collection in his classes; he kept antiquities in his flat and provided public access to them. The amateur archaeologists and collectors of finds were welcome to present their archaeological antiquities in the meetings of Society as well. Timber merchant E. H. Ancker from Rusnė/Russ and the apothecary B. T. Settegast from Silokarcema/Heydekrug also presented their valuable finds from around Šilutė/Heydekrug. Thanks to the meetings of the society they obtained professional consultations from professional archaeologists from Königsberg who also took part also in the Society’s activities. G. Bujack undoubtedly was interested in Adi. Heydekrug and Weszeiten finds from E. H. Ancker’s collection and published them in 1888 after Ancker donated them to the Prussia-Museum. B.T. Settegast was heartilly attached to the Society in Tilsit and left his archaeological collection to it (fig. 2; 3). There were more members of the Society in the regions of Memel, Heydekrug, Tilsit, Ragnit and Niederung who were engaged also in archaeological interests. W. Frentzel-Beyme a manor owner in Aukštkiemiai/Oberhof near Memel also donated finds to LLG from the famous cemetery on his lands. It is also recorded that pupils of Tilsit grammar school took part in excavations. The death of Dr. F. Siemering in 1896 was a great loss for the Society because thereby it was deprived of the keeper of its collection. The head of the Society accepted the advice of Prof. A. Bezzenberger, who was also a leading member, to donate the LLG archaeological artefacts to the Prussia-Museum in Königsberg. Nevertheless interest in archaeology did not subside enterely after 1896. Prof Bezzenberger presented a lecture about his research in the region and members of the Society from the localities took care to bring accidental archaeological finds to Tilsit preservation. Probably some archaeological items were displayed to the general public in the ethnographic Lithuanian house built by the Society in Jacobusruh Park (Litauer Heimathäuscheu von Jakobsruh) in 1905. In 1927 when the Society (LLG) was closed its whole collection most probably was transferred via the Ostdeutschen Heimatdienst to Tilsiter Heimatmuseum (or Grenzlandmuseum). The contribution of the LLG to the archaeology of Eastern Prussia and especially its northern areas was very important at the time. Somehow it is disappointing that we have only scant records about the Society’s archeological activity in the press. Nevertheless, it is worth further research