Departure

Kaunas, Lithuania, July 30, 1928. The American Consul to Lithuania (front row, third from left) and his wife (holding flower bouquet) leave Lithuania at the end of their diplomatic mission. The Consul wrote: 

The official waiting room at the station was open in our honor and we met the people there who had come to bid us goodbye.  All the diplomats and consuls came, including the Soviet charge d'affaires [Simon Rabinovich] with who we had never had official or social intercourse. All our other friends were of course also present ... Lily received large quantities of flowers and everybody wished us a pleasant trip. Mr. Smetona sent a beautiful bunch of roses with a young lady and one of the President's adjuncts. Photographs of the assembly with us in the center were taken. As the train pulled out, countless handkerchiefs were waving. We were deeply impressed by all these marks of affection and good will on the part of our Kovno friends. Lily broke out in tears as we crossed the Nieman railway bridge a moment later. ... We went to bed early in our two first-class compartments in the German sleeping car.

 Thanks to the Consul's Granddaughter for making this photo and narrative available to us.

Presidential Memento

Kaunas, Lithuania, July 7, 1928. The American Consul to Lithuania wrote, "At five o'clock, Lily and I called on Mrs. Smetona and played dice as usual, after having coffee. Lily bought a photograph of President Smetona a few days ago and she asked Mrs. Smetona to request the President to sign it. The adjutant went to his office and brought the picture back signed."

Thanks to the Consul's Granddaughter for making this photo available to us.

At the Opera

Kaunas, Lithuania, March 22, 1927. The American Consul to Lithuania attends the opera. The Consul wrote:

This evening we heard Carmen at the opera with Kovno's best singer, Petrauskas. At one time, he sang with the St. Petersburg opera, but somehow drifted to Kovno after the war [see here and here]. He is an excellent singer and actor. ... The orchestra did well considering its small size. ... The scenery was good, it having been painted by a Kovno artist who went to Spain to find appropriate scenes. We were in the diplomatic box with Mr. and Mrs. Balodis (the Latvian minister), Mr. Oiderman (the Estonian representative, and Mr. Balutis, who is about to be appointed Under Secretary in the Foreign Office which will give him almost the rank of a cabinet minister. ... President and Mrs. Smetona were in the box next to us. ... The theater was completely filled and the audience was most enthusiastic, calling Petrauskas and others before the curtain many times after each act.

Thanks to the Consul's Granddaughter for making this photo available to us.

Permit

Kaunas, Lithuania, August 3, 1927. The Administrator of the city of Kaunas and surrounding areas issued this permit to the American Consul to Lithuania. The document states, "PERMIT. With this I [the Kaunas Administrator] allow America's Consul Mr. [Robert Wayne] Heingartner, to keep a shooting revolver gun. This permit will be in effect until January 1, 1928."

Thanks to the Consul's Granddaughter for making this photo available to us.

Season Tickets

Kaunas, Lithuania, January 21, 1927. This is a pass to the Lithuanian National Theater. It was issued to the American Consul to Lithuania. The Consul wrote, "Today the Foreign Office sent me a season ticket to the opera good for two seats in the diplomatic box every night during the 1927 season. We have not been there yet because the opera is far back from the street in the public garden and automobiles cannot drive up to the entrance. In this cold weather Lily does not like to walk out in the cutting night air."

Thanks to the Consul's Grandaughter for making this photo available to us.

My maternal Grandmother, Jadzė, bought season tickets to the same theater. Mom remembers attending performances there. Mom also recalls how wives of the Soviet soldiers arrived at the theater after the Russians occupied Lithuania in 1941. Most of the Russian women were of peasant stock, but they had heard they should attend the opera in ballgowns. The woman appeared in the theater lobby wearing satin nightgowns.

A Bundle

Location uncertain, about 1928 or 1929. Lily, the wife of America's Consul to Lithuania, admires her son.

Thanks to Lily's Granddaughter for making this photo available to us.

Farewell Dinner

Kaunas, Lithuania, July 28, 1928. The American Consul to Lithuania wrote, "Mr. and Mrs. Moraht [the German Minister to Lithuania] gave a farewell dinner for us this evening and most of our friends were there. Mr. Moraht made a very cordial speech. After dinner there was dancing. We did not leave until about two o'clock . . . . A photograph of the party was taken just before dinner."

Thanks to the Consul's Granddaughter for making this photo available to us.

Diplomatic Spouse

Kaunas, Lithuania, about 1926. This is Lily, the wife of the man who served as America's Consul to Lithuania between 1926 and 1928.

Thanks to Lily's Granddaughter for making this photo available to us.