(Expanded Preview: Vol. 1, No. 1)

Historical Background for Lithuanian Research by Jonathan D. Shea -
This article, excerpted from Professor Shea's Introduction to Address List of Roman Catholic Churches in Lithuania, provides a lot of help with the changing borders and governments of Lithuania over the last centuries. It includes maps, addresses of main archives, county divisions under Russian rule, the ethnic composition of various regions - in short, a quick introduction to the facts you have to know to find what you want, and make sense of it once you've got it.

Letter from the Editor by William F. Hoffman - A short hello and welcome, this article explains what Proteviai is all about.

Jewish Genealogical Resources at the Kaunas State Archives by Vitalija Gircyte, Chief Archivist of the Kaunas State Archives - Here, the director of the Kaunas' archive clarifies its holdings and the historical circumstances behind what it has and why. Written for the Jewish genealogical periodical Avotaynu, it offers particular emphasis on Jewish records, but don't be fooled - two-thirds of the information given is just as applicable to non-Jews. You need to know what the Kaunas Archive can and cannot offer you, and here you get this information straight from the person best qualified to tell you.

Lithuanian Patriotic Names, 1878-1991 by Professors Edwin D. Lawson and Alvydas Butkus - This is a scholarly paper, an abridged version of an article to appear in the journal Onoma. It focuses on Lithuanian naming trends over the last century and shows that Lithuanians under foreign rule had few ways to express their patriotism, but one of those ways was to give their children names of purely Lithuanian origin. The article uses hard data to demonstrate how Lithuanians have moved away from names of foreign origin (Polish and Belarusian, names of saints and Biblical figures) toward names rich in Lithuanian heritage. An appendix lists 74 common Lithuanian names and gives brief notes on their origins. The article is not light reading, but it is clear, comprehensible, and very informative.

Catholic Parish and Cemetery Records, Diocese of Pittsburgh by Robert Medonis -
Reprinted from the Summer 1997 issue of the Lithuanian Genealogical Committee Newsletter, this article gives information on the Diocese of Pittsburgh's Records Policy, and tells where Pittsburgh parish and cemetery records are kept. The many Lithuanian-Americans with roots in the Pittsburgh area will find useful information here.