Petras Cvirka is one of the most talented and controvesial figures in Lithuanian literature.
P. Cvirka was born in a peasants family. His father died while P. Cvirka was still very young, leaving his family very poor. Poverty and social injustice had formed Cvirka‘s political views since the very young age.
While still at school Petras Cvirka wrote his first poetry book – „The First Mass“. The book was seen as anti-clerical and insulting the whole catholic community. Due to Kaunas Archbishop pressure most of the copies were confiscated and destroyed.
In 1930 Petras Cvirka wrote a compilation of novels –„Sunset in the Community of Nyka“. It was well acclaimed by both critics and readers. Unfortunately at the same time the writer had joined the socialist underground, where he became one of the publishers of the marxist newspaper - „ The Third Front“. Immediately the newspaper caught attention of the State Security Department (SSD). Right after the fifth issue „The Third Front“ was closed.
After Closing „The Third Front“ Petras Cvirka started to publish in non-communist media, causing confrontation with his communist colleagues. Probably because of that in the SSD report Cvirka was described as unharmful, non active communist, maybe provocateur.
Little attention of the SSD had helped P. Cvirka to stay active in the literature. In 1934 he released his masterpiece „Frank Kruk“ – a satirical story about Lithuanian immigrants in the USA, inspired by Upton Sinclaire‘s „Jungle“. In 1935 he released socialistic novel „Land the Nourisher“ and year after the compilation of short novels – „The Daily stories“. For his contribution to Lithuanian literature, he received a national award. But not only Lithuania was interested in his works, for his novel „Land the Nourisher“ he received a prize in Moscow.
In 1940, at the beginning of the soviet occupation, P. Cvirka had joined the communist party and was „elected“ in the fictive Peoples Parliament. Together with the other collaborators, he went to Moscow to bring „ Stalin‘s Sun“. After the Second World War he did not get any high state position, instead he started working as a chairman in „The Lithuanian Association for Writers“ and remain active communist.
In 1947 after a casual „The Lithuanian Association for Writers“ party he felt sick and the next morning he was found dead under mysterious circumstances. Petras Cvirka died at the age of 38.
Until Lithuanian independence in 1990 Petras Cvirka had remained popular figure in soviet society. Schools, streets and parks were named after him, some of his novels were mandatory at schools. After independance everything have changed. P. Cvirka‘s legacy was being erased. The only memento is a park with P. Cvirka's statue in the hart of Vilnius.
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