Memorial plaque with bas relief for Antanas Venclova

In 1976 at the house in Vilties street there was nailed a commemorative plaque for the writer, teacher, public figure Antanas Venclova. Author of this commemorative plaque with bas relief –sculptor Lionginas Garla. In 1936-1939 the writer lived in this house with his family. The building is two-storey with attic, covered with hip roof, marked by a new style of architecture. At first the family of Venclova settled in Žalioji street, not far from the current Vytautas Magnus Gymnasium; later it lived in the house in Altenberg street (now – Vilties str. 4), which, immortalizing the memory of the writer, in 1976 was marked with a memorial plaque. In spring of 1939 after having torn Klaipėda from Lithuania A.Venclova went to Kaunas.
Antanas Venclova was born 07.01.1906 in Trempiai (Marijampolė region). In 1932 he graduated from Vytautas Magnus University, Faculty of Humanities. In autumn of 1934, being already well-known writer, he moved to Klaipėda. Then Klaipėda was not only a port city, a busy shopping center, but a tourism base, the resort as well. Here song festivals, sports competitions were held; sea days, teachers summer courses, theatre performances were organized as well. A.Venclova actively engaged in work: started to teach in local Lithuanian gymnasium, here lectured Lithuanian language and literature, at the proposal of the Ministry of Education translated into Lithuanian Sophocles trilogy, intensively studied German language, communicated with enlightened persons of that time, created his first novel „Draugystė“ (Friendship), wrote short stories, edited I.Simonaitytė‘s novel “Aukštujų Šimonių likimas” (The Fate of High Šimoniai).
A.Venclova published collections of poetry (in Lithuanian): „Sutemų skersgatviai” (1926), “Gatvės švinta“ (1927), “Obelis kur augalota” (1945), “Kovoti, degti, nenurimti” (1953), “Ar tu žinai tą šalį” (1964), “Vakarinė žvaigždė” (1971) and other. In books of short stories “Beržai vėtroje” (1930), “Naktis” (1939), “Kelias į Lietuvą” (1942) diverse topics dominate, whereas in novels “Draugystė” (1936), “Gimimo diena” (1959) themes of intellectuals living prevail over. He wrote books of travel impressions, memoirs trilogy “Pavasario upė” (Spring River), “Jaunystės atradimas” (The Discovery of Youth), “Vidurdienio vėtra” ”(Midday Storm) (1964-1969) as well as literary criticism studies and articles, also translated works of foreign writers. He edited the magazine “Trečias frontas” (The third front), contributed in publications “Kultūra”, “Literatūra”, “Prošvaistė”. In 1950 he wrote the Lithuanian Soviet Anthem. A. Venclova‘s books have been translated into Latvian, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian and other languages.