Above: Dviracio Kortos, Lithuanian Satirical Playing Cards see more →
Above: Lithuanian ‘Gironda’ Political Playing Cards see more →
Playing Cards in Lithuania
Lithuania is the largest and most southerly of the three Baltic republics. The history of Lithuania has close ties with that of Poland, its neighbour to the southwest. By the end of the 18th century most of the country came under the Russian empire. During the periods of Soviet rule, Lithuanians relied on Catholic tradition and memories of independence to preserve their national identity, a skill mastered through centuries of foreign domination. Pagan traditions with roots stretching back centuries have been kept alive too. But these 50 years of soviet occupation did a lot of harm to our country in the cultural area too...
Acknowledgements: images of cards and information kindly supplied by Albinas Borisevičius.
