Stanikūnas Vytautas

Stanikūnas Vytautas (1924-2022) was born in Venslaviškiai village, Panevėžys County, to the family of Juozas Stanikūnas and Aleksandra Narkevičiūtė-Stanikūnienė. He graduated from Pajuostė Primary School in 1935. He completed his fifth and sixth form in Panevėžys Primary School. In 1937, Stanikūnas enrolled in Panevėžys Men’s Gymnasium, graduating from it in 1944 and receiving primary school teacher certification along with the diploma. In 1944, he was appointed to work as a teacher at Pajuostė Primary School. In 1945 he was teaching at Krekenava Progymnasium and the next year transferred to Rozalimas Progymnasium. In 1946, he submitted an application and was accepted to study at Vilnius University Faculty of History and Philology, majoring in Lithuanian art history. In 1949, new characteristics of the student and his parents, who were described as “strongly against the socialist regime” (they were deported), reached Vilnius University. Having almost completed the four years at Vilnius University, Stanikūnas was expelled. In 1957, he addressed the university, asking for a certificate of his studies and passed examinations. In 1953-1956, Stanikūnas studied at Vilnius Pedagogical Institute part-time. He worked at the Open-Air Museum of Lithuania for several decades (1966–2006) and was the first director of the museum (1966–1989). In 1986, he was awarded the title of a distinguished worker in the field of culture. Stanikūnas was awarded the Medal of the Founding Volunteers of the Lithuanian Armed Forces and the Cross of the Knight of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas (1996). He is the author of the book titled Rural Dwellings in Lithuania (Lietuvos kaimo trobesiai) (2016) and other publications.

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