Published on the Ocean’s Waves
The untold story of refugee-published newspapers aboard ships bound for new lands after WWII.
Stranded from Native Land
At the end of WWII, many Eastern Europeans: Ukrainians, Lithuanians and other nationalities, fled to the West. However, Western Europe, where people were experiencing the shortages of food and basic goods and the threat of death from Allied bombing, was a temporary escape.
Trigonometry notebook by Rūta Jaruševičiūtė (Graužinienė) (1948) by Rūta Jaruševičiūtė (Graužinienė)National Library of Lithuania
DP: The Two All-Encompassing Letters
For many refugees the DP camps in West Germany and other countries became their temporary home. Although the living conditions were poor, the DPs established kindergartens, schools and organizations, published books and periodicals.
Finding a New Home
When it became clear that the war refugees would not be able to return to their homes, the search for a permanent home began. The USA, Australia, Israel, Canada, UK, France and Belgium accepted the largest numbers of refugees. Only a few remained in West Germany.
Bremerhaven: The Last Stop
The refugees traveled by ships. Almost all of them mention Bremerhaven and the troop transports sent by the Americans to this port city on German’s North Sea coast. It was a momentous occasion—a farewell to Europe and a hope for a new life.
Publication “Two Oceans” Page 8National Library of Lithuania
From Dancing to Publishing
As the journeys were long, the activities on the board varied: from dancing, concerts, boxing matches to publishing the newspapers. It is impossible to count how many newspapers were published on ships, as their circulation is small and only a few have reached our time.
Publication “On the Ocean’s Waves” CoverNational Library of Lithuania
The publications were published on the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean and Near Bahama Islands.
Publication “Over the Equator” Page 17National Library of Lithuania
The International Community
Depending on the ethnic composition of the passengers, the publications appeared either in one or a few ethnic languages or in English. English-language publications were also proof that the DPs did not waste time in the camps and were diligent in learning new languages.
On the Ocean’s Waves, published on the USAT General M. B. Stewart, on its way to Canada, came out in eight languages. It contains sections in English, Ukrainian, Polish, Lithuanian, Latvian and other languages.
Publication “Two Oceans” Page 2National Library of Lithuania
An Opportunity to Say Thanks
Each edition opened with a thank you to the host country and to the ship’s staff caring for the refugees. It also expressed hope that the occupied homelands would be liberated and that life abroad would be a happy one.
Publication “On the Ocean’s Waves” Page 2National Library of Lithuania
“We are only a small part of persecuted refugees on the voyage to the New World. Before us there are the shores of a great country and people, whose ancestors made it possible for us to have a place where we may work, play and worship without fear.”
Publication “The Voyage to Freedom” Page 2National Library of Lithuania
An Opportunity to Ask for Help
Publications were used by refugees to ask for help to set free their countries from Soviet terror: “We ask the United Nations, particularly the Unites[d] States, to bring help to our enslaved brethren behind the Iron Curtain, and liberate our native countries from the yoke of Soviet slavery.”
Publication “On the Ocean’s Waves” Page 9National Library of Lithuania
Learning the Ropes
Publications taught newcomers how to behave in foreign countries: leaving the workplace without the employer’s consent could be punishable by law; breaking the contract would destroy the trust and would close the door to immigration for other compatriots.
Back to One’s Roots
Aware that their homeland was under occupation, refugees took the opportunity to spread the word about their country’s history. A lot of attention was devoted to history and explaining why citizens of the Baltic States and Ukraine could not return to their homes.
Publication “The Voyage to Freedom” Page 6National Library of Lithuania
The Voyage to Freedom covered the entire history of Lithuania—from its first mention in written sources to the ban on the Lithuanian press in Latin characters, the Declaration of Independence and the Soviet occupation.
Estonia, Poland and Latvia were also mentioned. One publication noted that the Latvian language belongs to the Indo-European language family and has no close links to either Russian or German.
Publication “The Voyage to Freedom” Page 12National Library of Lithuania
Particular attention was paid to Ukraine and its struggle for independence: “The geographical location of the Ukrainian National territory made its inhabitants fight permanently for the right to live an independent life.”
Publication “The Voyage to Freedom” Page 11National Library of Lithuania
“Being located on the very border of two continents, Europe and Asia, the Ukraine had to oppose the invasion of many Asiatic hordes from the beginning of her state existence in the X century. . . . But the Ukrainian nation never ceased to struggle for its independence.”
Lithuanian organizations bid farewell to Lithuanians leaving Western Europe for good. They obliged emigrants not to forget their origins and to always remember what their true homeland is.
Publication “On the Ocean’s Waves” Page 10National Library of Lithuania
1. Remember everywhere and always that you are Lithuanians. Preserve native language and customs and pass them on to future generations.
2. Do everything in your power to open the doors of emigration to as many Lithuanians as possible, especially the unemployed and families.
Publication “On the Ocean’s Waves” Page 10National Library of Lithuania
3. Support Lithuanian brothers and sisters around the world who find themselves in a difficult material situation.
4. Devote all energy to the struggle for the restoration of the freedom of Lithuania and, if necessary, sacrifice your lives.
The Two Oceans
The publication, published in April 1948 by Lithuanians on their way to Australia, provided the statistics of the passengers: 330 Latvians, 238 Lithuanians, 113 Estonians, 35 Yugoslavs, 33 Ukrainians, 4 Russians, 3 Czechs, and 1 Romanian.
Publication “Two Oceans” Page 7National Library of Lithuania
What is Australia?
Mr. Parker, the only Australian on board, was asked about Australia. He pointed out that Australians do not tolerate differences of class, want all newcomers to their country to feel equal to others. It is an opportunity for the newcomers to start living a real Australian life.
Publication “Two Oceans” Page 7National Library of Lithuania
“Don't try to look more clever than you are, don’t work harder than your fellow worker, do work that is worth the pay you are given; on the other hand, don’t shy away from your share.”
Publication “Two Oceans” Page 9National Library of Lithuania
Land of Kangaroos and Barking Lizards
Australia has been presented to refugees as an exotic land where the kangaroo is the queen of the animals and the biggest beast is called the dingo. It is home to barking lizards and lung-breathing fish.
Publication “Two Oceans” Page 10National Library of Lithuania
The koala is a terrible sloth: “It sleeps all day in the treetops, wakes up and eats eucalyptus leaves, and is too lazy to get down on the ground to drink, so it goes a whole century without drinking.”
Publication “Two Oceans” Page 11National Library of Lithuania
A Farewell to Europe
The newspapers published on board devoted a lot of space to the creative work. The works expressed a wide range of feelings about being forced to leave one’s home, the longing for Europe and relatives, thoughts about the irony of one’s fate and the hope for a new life.
I felt the wind from the east
With storms and fire.
I left the home of my birth
With a heart pierced with pain…
The Pacific Ocean
1948.4.14
Publication “Over the Equator” Page 2National Library of Lithuania
Throughout the journey, help was sought not only from the host countries but from God too. Religion helped to survive the most difficult trials and not to lose hope even in the most difficult situations. The refugees took with them prayer books and pictures of saints.
Publication “On the Ocean’s Waves” Page 16 (1947-11-01)National Library of Lithuania
Welcome Messages
At the end of the journey, the crew of the ship shared their good wishes. The most common wishes were for happiness and every success in the new land.
Publication “On the Ocean’s Waves” Page 16 (1947-11-01)National Library of Lithuania
The DPs looked at their situation in a comical way. In On the Ocean’s Waves, they referred to themselves as modern pilgrims:
L = Lumbermen
D = Domestic workers
O = War orphans
R = Close relatives
The magazine “Owl Calendar 153“ (1905-05-06)National Library of Lithuania
From Big Cheese to Working Little Mouse
In 1953, Lithuanians in the USA published a satirical publication The Owl Calendar with Supplements. One of the cartoons shows the social metamorphosis of a refugee: from Big Cheese to Working Little Mouse.
El dipi (1945) by Leonardas ŽitkevičiusNational Library of Lithuania
K. Vasiliauskas and V. Žukauskas, two former actors of the Lithuanian State Theater, wrote sketches that made fun of the experiences and attempts to adapt to a new life of their compatriots, who have arrived in America. The melodies were borrowed from popular songs of the time.
Publication “Over the Equator” CoverNational Library of Lithuania
Unique Collection Recognized by UNESCO
The publications are part of the National Library of Lithuania‘s Lithuanian DP Publishing Collection, 1949–1952. In 2011, the Collection was included in the UNESCO’s program “World Memory” for the Lithuanian National Register.
Story created by Silvija Stankevičiūtė, translated by Dalia Cidzikaitė; designed by Vilija Astrauskienė
The project is funded by the Lithuanian Council for Culture
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