Abstrakt
The article is aimed at marking the 80th anniversary of a Lithuanian language studies researcher Algirdas Sabaliauskas, whose "History of Lithuanian Language Studies" published in 1979 covered the major scientific research before 1940 and introduced the major Lithuanian language scientists in Lithuania and abroad. The Baltic Studies in Prague were represented by three prominent personalities: August Schleicher (1921-1868), Leopold Geitler (1847-1885) and Josef Zubaty (1855-1931).
The book fully reveals the coherent and old tradition of Lithuanian language studies. The article reviews the contribution of the Czech professor Zubaty and the future president of Czechoslovakia professor Tomaš Garrigue Masaryk into the lifting of the ban on Lithuanian press in 1895.
The first Lithuanian language scientist of the University of Prague to personally face the ban on Lithuanian press was Zybaty's teacher Geitler, who was the first to tell about the reasons, implementation and outcomes of the ban on the Lithuanian press. The article announces extracts from Geitler's reports and articles aimed at familiarising the Czech society about the damage Lithuanians experience.
The fact that Zubaty fought for the revival of the Latin alphabet was established on the basis of his correspondence with Juozas Angrabaitis (1859-1935), the extracts of which are presented in the article. Over 20 letters by this Lithuanian book smuggler written in 1895-1899 are kept in the archive of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic.
The attachment to the article presents an article "Die Litauer in Rufsland" (Die Zeit 65, Bd. V, 28 December 1895, 194-195) and its translation into Lithuanian.