THE BALTIC UNIVERSITY Prof. Yladas Stanka Three Nations Struggling for Spiritual Freedom 1. OR]GINS OF THE BALTIC UNTI'ERSITY Thewar eventsand the occupationof the Baltic thenby the Germans Statesfirstby the Communists, and finally again by the Communistsforced about three hundred thousand Estonians, Latvians and ofprofessors and amongthemhundreds Lithuanians, to l€avetheirnativecountries thousands ofstudeDts, andto fleeto the West.Underthe piotectionof the Western Demociacies they are carfng on their questof spiritualfreedom.The Baltic University, now officiallycalled"StudyCenter",has taken the lead in advadcingdemocratichigher education amongthe Balticstudents. The idea o{ orgaDizinga University in Exile originatedimmediatelyafter he Allied Forceshad occupiedGermany.Thank to the goodwill and the generous assistance ofthe BritishForeignOfficeand the Bdtish authorities in Germatry,the University could start orgadzing its activitiesin January 1946, and the first lectules were given in March of the sameyear. The all-timehigh of the teachingstaff reached 200 professors,lectures and instructors. The peak eDrolmentof the studeDtswas 1200,as mmpared with a normal averageof 1000.Lack of accommodation and other reasonspreventedmore than 150 Baltic academicteachersand more than 1500students.fron joining the Univeftity. Although students of all nationalties were eligible,the $ert majority of ihem were Balts.
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The Universitystartedon its educationalactivitiesin Hamburg.ln 1947 it was transferredto Pinneberg, a suburbof Hamburg,whereit hasbeen carrying on its work up to the present. 2. ORGANIZATION OF THE I'NN'ERSITY Eight Facultieswith 17 Departmentshavebeen organized:the Faculliesof Philolosr,of Economic's and Mathematics, of ard Law, of NaturalSciences Agriculture, of Architecture atrd Engineering of Chemistry of MechaoicalEngineerhg, and of Medicine. Each Faculty is headed by a Dean ard trvo DeputyDeans,representingthree nations.All Deans andDeputyDeanstogetherwiththe membe$ofthe Rectoratemnstitute the Senate.The eight Deans with the membersoftheRectorateform the Council of Deans.The Rectorateconsistsof a Presidentand Vice-President, both electedby the Senate,aDdof three nationalReclorschosenby nationalsections. The first membersof the Rectorat€weretProfessot Fr. Gulbis, President:Prol vladas Stanka,VicePresident:Prol E Oepik,EstonianRector;Prof. E. Dunsdorfs,LatvianRcctor, and Prof. V. Manelis, Lithuanian Rector. The presentmembercof th€ Rectorcteare:Prof.\4adasStanka,Presidertihof. E. Sturms,Vice-President; Prof.A. Raun,Estonian Rector;Prol M. Eglitis,LaMan Rector,alldProf.J. Puzinas,Lithuaoian Recto!. The Baltic University owesa debt of gatitude to the energeticco-operation of the 6rst UNRRA represeDtativeMr. Robe C. Riggle.