1 Litas 1994, Lithuania
| in Krause book | Number: 53 |
| Years of issue: | 1994 |
| Edition: | -- |
| Signatures: | Lietuvos Banko Valdybos Pirmininkas: Kazys Ratkevicius (in office 17 November 1993 – 23 January 1996), Finansu Ministras: Eduardas Vilkelis (in office 1992 -1995) |
| Serie: | 1993 Issue |
| Specimen of: | 1994 |
| Material: | Cotton fiber |
| Size (mm): | 134 х 64 |
| Printer: | TDLR (Thomas de la Rue & Company), London |
* All pictures marked 
are increased partially by magnifying glass, the remaining open in full size by clicking on the image.
** The word "Specimen" is present only on some of electronic pictures, in accordance with banknote images publication rules of appropriate banks.
Description
Watermark:
Lithuanian coat of arms, under it is a diamond with black center.
Avers:
The engraving is made after this photo of Žemaitė by Aleksandras Jurašaitis, circa 1914.
Žemaitė (literally female Samogitian) - a pen name of Julija Beniuševičiūtė-Žymantienė, 4 June [Old Style 23 May] 1845 - 7 December 1921) was a Lithuanian/Samogitian writer. Born to impoverished gentry, she became one of the major participants in the Lithuanian National Revival. She wrote about peasant life in the style best described as realism.
Žemaitė was born in the distant manor house in the Kovno Governorate of the Russian Empire. As a child, she was forbidden by her parents to play with the children of serfs or learn the Lithuanian language. Like many of the Lithuanian gentry, her parents had become Polonized, and were of the belief that speaking Lithuanian was a step backward socially. Nevertheless, she did learn the language and gained a deep affection for the common people. She understood the burden of serfdom, and the resulting misery that came from poverty. This perspective would later form the basis for much of her creative work. Žemaitė did not receive a formal education and was largely self-taught from the many books she read.
She strongly supported the uprising of 1863, and few years later married an active participant of the uprising, Laurynas Žymantas. They met on the Džiuginėnai estate, where they were both employed. For the next twenty years, Žemaitė worked on their farm, raised their children, and battled poverty. In 1883, the family moved to a village near Užventis. She came in contact with Povilas Višinskis who gave her various Lithuanian periodicals (Aušra, Varpas, Apžvalga), and encouraged her to write and participate in the national awakening of Lithuania. Her first work, Autumn Evening (Lithuanian: Rudens vakaras), was published in a calendar in 1895. Višinskis and Jonas Jablonskis helped her and edited her works and gave her advice, and thus a talent was awakened.
In 1912, she moved to Vilnius where she worked as administrator and on the editorial staff of several publications. During World War I, she first emigrated to Russia and subsequently to the United States, where her son Antanas had been living for several years. There she gave lectures to various Lithuanian-American organizations, collected funds for the victims of the war, and wrote articles for the local press. In 1921, she returned to Lithuania, and died the same year. 
The historian, associate professor Anele Butkuvene, who in 2008 published the book "Famous Women of Lithuania", claims that the lit could be decorated with images of such women as Gabrele Petkevicha-Bite, Šatrijos Ragana, Eva Simonaityte, despite the fact that their services not as significant as V. Kudirka or Jonas Basanavičius. The main reason why only one woman is depicted on the banknote is the patriarchal approach: in the XIX-XX centuries, in Lithuania men ruled, women in public and political life participated very rarely, therefore, historical figures were, mostly, men (and this is reflected in banknotes as well). On the other hand, after analyzing the banknotes of the interwar period, it can be argued that through them an attempt was made to preserve a kind of balance in the depiction of women and men: if a sower was depicted, the woman-spinner was also depicted, an unmarried girl was compared to the rafting worker.
Practically on all banknotes there is an image of a woman, although abstract. The image on the reverse side, connected with religion (wooden church in Palūšė, located in Aukštaitija, a monument of national architecture of the middle of the XVIII century), was not a good option for an atheist Žemaitė, but the mistake was understood too late. Another thing was missed - next to the pseudonym "Zhemaite" also appeared the first the letter "Yu" (J) of the real name of the writer, Julia. (Asta Ravaityte-Kuchinskene, Chief Specialist of the Bank of Lithuania Money Museum).
Denominations in numerals are in top left and bottom left corners, also on the right side. In words lower, centered.
Revers:
Palūšė St. Joseph's Church is in Palūšė village, 4 km. to the southwest of Ignalina, on a eastern bank of the Lūšiai lake (Lynx lake), in the village Palūšė. Stands along with the octagonal bell tower (one of a kind in Lithuania) and it is an architectural monument.
History.
1747-1757 years. Built the present wooden church. The construction was funded by the priest Juozas Baziliauskas on his own, the finance came from his parents inheritance. In 1771 the church belonged to the 3 villages and 2 districts. From 1782 mentioned in the parish school book.
1815-1830 years. Church renovated in 1841 (planked).
1886-1894 years. Painted inside, built the altar.
1911-1939 years. Pastor Peter Prunskis (1871-1942). In 1913 he founded the "Morning" Society. In 1914 set up a library - reading room.
In 1937 Mr. Prunskis sentenced to 2 weeks in prison (refused to use Polish names instead of Lithuanian). In 1941 he was banished. Died in the Altai region, Russia, in 1942.
Architecture.
Church belongs to folk architecture and has a rectangular plan, a hall with 2 towers, three-sided apse. There are 3 altars. To the west of the church stands a wooden bell tower of 2 slots, an octagon (unique in Lithuania), bells cast in 1752 and 1772. The churchyard fence landscape orientation logs. The eastern wall of the churchyard is also an old rural cemetery. In its architectural features reflects Lithuania's oldest wooden church construction period. It was built without iron nails.
The inscription over the door of the church says: "Step in good (Įženk geras)", "Go out, the better (Išeik geresnis)."
The coat of arms of Lithuania, consisting of an armour-clad knight on horseback holding an olden sword and shield, is also known as Vytis (pronounced [ʋiːt̪ɪs], "the Chaser"). The Lithuanian coat of arms is one of the oldest national coats of arms in Europe. It is one of very few containing symbolism adopted from ducal portrait seals rather than from coats of arms of dynasties, which is the case for most European countries.
Article 15 of the Constitution of Lithuania, approved by national referendum in 1992, stipulates, "The Coat of Arms of the State shall be a white Vytis on a red field". Heraldic shield features the field Gules (red) with an armoured knight on a horse salient Argent (white). The knight is holding in his dexter hand a sword Argent above his head. A shield Azure hangs on the sinister shoulder of the knight with a double cross Or (yellow) on it. The horse saddle, straps, and belts are Azure. The hilt of the sword and the fastening of the sheath, the stirrups, the curb bits of the bridle, the horseshoes, as well as the decoration of the harness, are Or (gold).
The blazon is the following:
Gules, a knight armed cap-à-pie mounted on a horse salient argent, brandishing a sword proper and maintaining a shield azure charged with a cross of Lorraine Or.
Denominations in numerals are in bottom left and top right corners. Lower, centered, in words.
Comments:
Designer: Giedrius Jonaitis.
Since 01.03.2007 is not a mean of payment.
I got this note in Vilnius, Lithuanian capital, in the spring of 1997.
If you find my work useful I will be grateful for any help in supporting the site.
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