What is a City? When and how does it begin existence? What are the main characteristics which make a city a unique phenomenon? It seems so easy to say that a city is a place containing lots of buildings and lots of people which have thronged together.
A peasant looking down the hill could say even more precisely: that a city is a place where people do not plough the land and do not grow ryes; early in the morning they are bothered neither by the rising sun nor the cock’s crow; inhabitants of the city must produce and sell things too. On the other hand, an urban historian could say that a city is a square with a church or a City Hall in the center.
What do historians say about a cities? Where and when do they discover cities as a proof and sign of civilisation? There is no direct and unanimous answer...
Searching for the Kaunas ancient image in the mists of history, we most probably imagine the confluence of Neris and Nemunas with a castle, surrounded by the crusaders. Strategically this important place was a good target for all the nations participating in the War of Crosses on the land of Lithuanians. The fall of the Kaunas castle in 1361 was one of the greatest losses of Lithuanians in the whole period of wars against the German Order of the Knights of the Cross. But this is not the main statement or argument to prove that Kaunas has the typical city characteristics. Much more important was the event that took place just before the Žalgiris (Grunwald-Tanenberg) battle. In 1408, under Vytautas goodwill Kaunas was granted the status of municipal autonomy (Magdeburg Charter). After the crusaders fall in Žalgiris battle in 1410, new opportunities to use strategic and geographic position become obvious, mainly not for war purpose, but for business and trade.
Pointing out Kaunas significance and its role in the Grand Duchess of Lithuania, it is necessary to mention one important fact the historians usually try to single out. That is the amount of taxes Kaunas City used to pay for the Treasury of Grand Duchess of Lithuania. Being about ten times smaller than Vilnius, Kaunas was the second largest tax payer for the Treasury.
One more important feature about Kaunas is that it has always been a multicultural city, as many Polish and Czech cities were and are at present. Foreigners were always an important element of the city life. Taking into account all cultural and political influences, the Russian influence was one of the strongest. It is obviously seen even today in architecture, geographical names, and oral stories. The Russian regime that lasted rather a long time was unfavourable for the city and the city inhabitants. This period could be compared to the poorest order typical for the rule of the Grand Duchess of Lithuania during its last decades of existence. According to the existing order every Russian official was superior to an ordinary city inhabitant: artisan, trader or owner of the house.
In the first three decades of the 19th century Vilnius became culturally flourishing, autonomous city, an intellectual centre with the largest and the best university in the whole Empire, while Kaunas at that time had just started climbing up from the most desperate period in the history of its existence.
The significance of Kaunas for the Lithuanian speaking population started to increase in the 19th century, but its development was limited by the comparatively closed and strong fortification ring around the city. This fact influenced the symbiosis of the modern and conservative. The very beginning of the 20 century was known as the period of increasing and strengthening the Lithuanian Catholic and young nationalistic movement in Kaunas. The first time the role of the two competing cities - Kaunas and Vilnius - becomes important in building of the new Lithuania.
The events after the First World War were prosperous for Kaunas, especially when it became the capital of Lithuania. It was a remarkable period, when Kaunas, and not Vilnius, started to play the main role in the development of the whole nation.
After the Second World War Kaunas became the symbol of Lithuania’s statehood. The Lithuanian liberation movement was much stronger in Kaunas than in any other place in the country. The events of 1956 and 1972 made the Kaunas famous no less than the Žalgiris victories in basketball a few decades later on. For majority of Lithuanians Kaunas will remain the city where Romas Kalanta burned himself in 1972 protesting against the Soviet regime. A famous European democrat, President of the Check Republic Vaclav Havel during his visit in Kaunas about 25 years after that tragic event, made diplomats and officials visit the site where Kalanta burned to death.
At present many changes are taking place in the country, especially when Lithuania became independent country again. Kaunas is losing its modern independence development role, because the main statehood rituals are taking place in Vilnius. Kaunas is becoming a normal city, having less brilliance and official glitter. Kaunas is a city which is still interested in its traditions. That is why we celebrate Kaunas Day today. Traditions help us to follow the main road, sometimes it helps to see the future.