The Kaunas Photograph Series includes photographs of members of Jewish clubs, societies and organisations, most of which were taken in 1925. These group photographs range from educational organisations such as the ORT, to athletics/sports clubs, to conference attendees, and to unions of Jewish workers. Jewish community members would often form their own organisations, schools, banks, clubs, and unions, which served as meeting points for Jews who were largely excluded in other realms of society and therefore unable to join mainstream organisations of a similar kind. This exclusion was primarily based on anti-Semitism, not only making Jewish organisations necessary if Jews were interested in taking part in these activites, but also promoting an in-group sense of belonging in a highly community-oriented group. In the period in question, there was an increase in nationalism across the European continent, which was accompanied by increased anti-Semitism, adding to the need for Jewish-specific organisations.
The chaotic pattern in Eastern Europe and nearby regions in the first half of the 20th century – mostly as a result of the two World Wars – consisted of sporadic occupation, independence, and reoccupation of territories. Kaunas formed part of the Russian Empire before World War I, but notably had significant internal Lithuanian nationalists, who even established the main office of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania when the original capital (Vilnius) was captured by Bolsheviks in 1919. It makes sense that the Lithuanian nationalist coup occurred in Kaunas in 1926, as this was a hub of national activity, and the location of a coup that saw the election of President Kazys Grinius alongwith a government led by Antanas Smetoona (who would later become president). Kaunas remained an important town for the Lithuanian Armed Forces, who kept an arsenal and training camp here between the two World Wars. In June 1940, the Soviet Union occupied Lithuania, including Kaunas, as part of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. This rule was deemed oppressive, leading to nationalist activity and a coup which included rebel groups and coordination with German troops to annex Lithuania, which many Lithuanians thought would better their situation compared to Soviet occupation. Of course, for Jews, neither Lithuanian occupation nor independence were favourable, but Soviet occupation seemed less of a threat than general anti-Semitic Lithuanian nationalists and murderously anti-Semitic Nazis. Germans occupied on June 26th 1941, and remained until the end of World War II. Jewish people in Kaunas are credited with contributing meaningfully to the culture and business of the city in the early 20th century, including schooling and cultural gatherings that were established by the community. The pictures in this Series are evidence of these congregations of Jewish organisational activity.
The town of Kaunas is named as such in Lithuanian, as Kovno in Russian, as Kowno in Polish, as Kovne in Yiddish, and as Kovna in Hebrew.
