UNHAPPY LITHUANIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15998, 17 August 1915, Page 8

UNHAPPY LITHUANIA.

HATRED OF GERMANS. EMPTY PROMISE OF KINGDOM (Received August 16, 5 p m.) Petrograd, August 15. The Letts, who hate the Germans, are bitterly organising national regiments to defend their country. Prince Joachim, a son of the Kaiser, who has been appointed Governor of Lithuania, is riding about Lithuania attempting to popularise himself and promising the peasants the establishment of a kingdom.

A recent message from Rome Hated that according to refugees from Lithuania the Germans are issuing pamphlets in the Kovno region, announcing the reunion r.{ Russian Lithuania and Prussian Lithuania, under the Kaiser's son. Prince Joachim, whose portrait adorns the pamphet. The Lithuanians are a people numbering about 3.000.000 who inhabit several of the western provinces of Russia, the northeast part oi Poland, Prussia, the shores of the Baltic Sea. and the basins of the Xiemeti and the Dvma. Their territory . being clothed with thick forests, these > latter played an important part in their : history and early religion, which was main- j t-ained till the 14th century, and has left ! j many traces until now. They were divided . . then into the Borussians. or Prussians, i 1 Letts or Latvis. and Lithuanians. They I formed a powerful State under Gedymin in ' { ' 1516. and seventy-five years later the 1 j Lithuanian King, Yagello. married the , Queen of Poland. Yadviga, and was • 1 crowned King of Poland. At the begin- : * ning of the 15th century Lithuania- ex- 1 t tended her dominions as far as the Sea : -■ of Azov and Odessa. After the fall of the 1 Polish Republic Lithuania proper become j ' part of Russia. j t