- Jurgis Blekaitis
Jurgis Blekaitis (b.
July 8 1917 Kellomaki, Finland - diedJune 25 ,2007 Laurel, Maryland ) was aLithuanian American poet ,theater producer , and former editor for theVoice of America . cite news |first=Patricia |last=Sullivan|title= Jurgis Blekaitis; Theater Producer, Poet Was Editor of Voice of America|url= http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/25/AR2007072502215.html?nav=rss_metro/obituaries|work=The Washington Post |publisher= |date=2007-07-26 |accessdate=2007-07-27 ]Early life
Blekaitis was born in
Kellomaki, Finland , (which at the time was still part of theRussian Empire ) while his family was on vacation. His father worked in the Russianczar 's army. The Blekaitis family lived inSt. Petersburg . However, the Russian Revolution erupted just months after Blekaitis's birth.The Blekaitis family escaped the effects of the revolution in St. Petersburg by fleeing to the family's hometown of
Birstonas ,Lithuania . (Lithuania gained independence from Russia following the Russian Revolution). Blekaitis learned Polish, his mother's native tongue, as well as Russian and Lithuanian. Throughout the rest of his life Blekaitis would continue to learn new languages. He eventually also learned English, French and German. Blekaitis earned a degree in theater fromVytautas Magnus University inKaunas ,Lithuania , and began work as anactor and director.Blekaitis was nearly sent to a
concentration camp inLiepaja ,Latvia with other Lithuanianintellectuals near the end ofWorld War II . However, with the advance of theSoviet army, Blekaitis was forced to flee to a refugee camp inGermany . While in Germany, Blekaitis enrolled in aFreiburg art school. He helped organizeacting troupes and toured several refugee camps throughout Germany.Career in the United States
Blekaitis immigrated to the
United States in 1949 and settled inNew York City . He produced Russian theater inBrooklyn and otherethnic theater programs.Blekaitis joined the
Voice of America in New York in 1952. He moved to theWashington D.C. area when the Voice of America moved itsheadquarters in 1954. He worked in the VOA's Lithuanian service from 1952 until his retirement in 1987. He bcame a senior editor at the VOA.Blekaitis continued writing while in the United States. He was noted for translating works by
Ivar Ivask ,Czeslaw Milosz , andJoseph Brodsky to English.He published two books of original poetry, as well as a Lithuanian memoir.Personal life
Blekaitis married twice. His first marriage to Ausra Bendorius ended in divorce.
Blekaitis died on
June 25 ,2007 , at his home inLaurel, Maryland ofAlzheimer's disease . He was 89 years old. He was survived by his wife, Grazina Blekaitis. His surviving children included three sons from his first marriage, a daughter from a previous relationship, one grandson and two great grandchildren.External links
* [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/25/AR2007072502215.html?nav=rss_metro/obituaries Washington Post: Jurgis Blekaitis; Theater Producer, Poet Was Editor of Voice of America]
References
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