Exhibition “Martin Ludwik Rhesa”

The exhibition was created on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the birth of Martin Ludwig Rhesa and was officially inscribed in the celebration of the Year of Rhesa in Lithuania.

The exhibition consists mainly of documents from the Olsztyn archival resource - among them materials hitherto unpublished and unknown to researchers and scientists predominate. They reveal to visitors a history written from the perspective of university offices — showing the development of M. L. Rhesy's academic career at the Albrecht University in Königsberg. This is the story of his journey from a student and a much-loved teacher, through a professor, to taking up the post of vice-rector and organizer of the Lithuanian Seminary. At the exhibition you will be able to see, among others: the testimony of Rhesa's maturity, a fragment of the history of the Lithuanian Seminary written by a scholar in his own hand, or the testament of Prof. Rhesa.

For Lithuanian culture M. L. Rhes is the absolute foundation of the national revival of the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, while for the Polish public this figure remains little known.

This outstanding professor, theologian, philologist and poet went far beyond the boundaries of his era.

It was thanks to him that the world became acquainted with Donelaitis's epic “Seasons” and Lithuanian folk songs (Dainos), which J. W. Goethe himself admired.

His activities also contributed to Polish culture — the materials and songs he collected inspired Adam Mickiewicz to create the poem “Grażyna”.

At the Royal University, he worked side by side with Polish linguist Krzysztof Celestyn Mrongowiusz, supporting Polish and Masurian students.