Reconstruction of Lithuanian Cities and Towns in 1918–1925

The KTU Center for Architecture and Urbanism is launching a project entitled “Reconstruction of Lithuanian Cities and Towns in 1918–1925.” The main goal of the project is to prepare a monograph, which analyzes the preconditions and modernization of Lithuanian cities and towns in 1918-1925 rebuilding and rehabilitation contexts.

It is always worth turn attention to historical events, researching them in order to know the regularities and tendencies of the development of society, not to repeat mistakes, and to predict the processes of the present and the future more correctly.

Lithuania after the First World War in 1918 regained its independence (for over a hundred years it was part of the Russian Empire). The network of institutions that implemented the functions of rehabilitation Lithuanian cities and towns was formed, the legal framework inherited from the Russian Empire was changed, and specialists responsible for the rebuilding process were mobilized. In this way, the foundation for the rehabilitation process of Lithuanian cities and towns and the implementation of modernization ideas had to be laid.

Panorama of Lithuanian town

The liquidation of the consequences of the war posed certain obstacles to modernization: the chaotic planning process of cities and towns and the development of construction, the lack of living space and the unequal development of the necessary infrastructure for urban life. Taking this into account, the project “Reconstruction of Lithuanian cities and towns in 1918-1925” is designed to evaluate the preconditions and process of Lithuanian modernization, in the context of the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Lithuanian cities and towns in 1918-1925.

Based on the general features of modernization that emerged after the First World War, such as urbanization, industrialization, education and others, we could say that Lithuania has merged into global modernization processes. In the 1920s, the Baltic States experienced a period of relative stability, modernization and impressive economic growth. The adoption of the Western model of social and political system in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe has created favourable conditions for modernization processes in the fields of social, economic, political and cultural processes.

Panoramas of Lithuanian towns

This research is funded by a grant from the Lithuanian Science Council (02/02/2021 No. S-MOD-21-1 / SV3-1667).

Author: Rasa Bertasiute (KTU)