Poet Kazys Jakubėnas – the Price of Freedom

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In most countries today, the welfare of the state and the individual is inseparable from freedom of expression. However, in totalitarian states, the approach to freedom of speech is different. Totalitarianism insists there is only one truth and demands complete obedience from the individual – everyone must support the ideas of the rulers (dictator, Führer, etc.). Totalitarianism can be Nazist, fascist or communist, but its relationship to freedom of speech (and art) is always the same: freedom has to be restricted and free and courageous people have to be separated from society (put in prison or exiled) or killed. The fate of Kazys Jakubėnas, a poet persecuted by both the Nazis and the communists, shows us  that freedom of thought can cost lives.

Jakubėnas (1908–1950) was concerned about the well-being of people and the world from a young age. While studying at the Biržai Gymnasium, he joined the Aušrininkai student movement. This, the first Lithuanian youth organization was founded in 1910 and gathered around the Aušrinė [Eng. Morning Star] magazine, which published works and articles by left-wing writers and poets. Aušrininkai supported the ideas of socialism: they promoted the social good and universal education, and were against the exploitation of workers. While studying at the gymnasium, Jakubėnas also started publishing his own work.

While studying at university, the poet belonged to an organisation of socialist revolutionaries. For this he was sentenced to 10 years of katorga (heavy labour in exile) in 1929, but pardoned. He was put into jail twice in 1937, both times for encouraging workers to strike. In other words, for making exploited workers fight for their rights.

Since Jakubėnas was a socialist, when the Soviets occupied Lithuania in 1940 security officials visited him and asked him to cooperate – to provide information about friends who opposed the Soviet regime. Many Lithuanian writers and educated people received such offers – some of them agreed because they feared being hurt, but Jakubėnas refused. Then the persecution of the poet's family began – his sister Uršulė was deported in 1941 and his brother Pranas was robbed and murdered by retreating Red Army soldiers.

Jakubėnas was arrested for “anti-Soviet activities” in 1946. This means – for negative comments about the Soviet government. Two of his poems were labelled “anti-Soviet”: Laikrodėlis (‘The Clock’), where Jakubėnas accuses Soviet soldiers of robbing the Lithuanian population, and Paukštelis (‘Little Birdy’). It is said that this poem criticises the Soviets for the deportations of his fellow citizens. However, Paukštelis was actually dedicated to Ona Šimaitė (1894–1970), who rescued Jewish people from the Nazis. Jakubėnas spent more than half a year in the basement of Vilnius prison. Security officials questioned and tortured him. The poet was sentenced to five years of katorga, but spent only a couple of months in a labor camp – he was pardoned.

The Soviet government also had another way of dealing with writers – censorship. None of Jakubėnas’ poems or articles appeared in periodicals from 1947–1950, but he was actively writing and translating. The aim of the government was to destroy writers financially and morally.

Jakubėnas disappeared on 7 January 1950. His brother Alfonsas Jakubėnas was called to the Criminal Investigation Division of the Vilnius City Board, where he was informed of his brother’s death. The official story was that the poet was beaten to death by robbers, but it is believed that he was tortured and murdered by Soviet agents.