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The article is devoted to the history of the Yiddish language and the reasons for establishing the YIVO scientific institute - the institution which cherished the language and fulfilled an important role in conducting Yiddish research as well as raising the national self-awareness of the Jewish folk. The article briefly discusses the origin and formation of Yiddish that helped to spread it and transform it into a literary language with a higher cultural and social status. Special attention is given to the importance of Yiddish in Eastern Europe with an emphasis on the founding and functioning of the Jewish cultural research center in Vilnius and its role in the history of Jewish culture as a unique development for furthering national consciousness and education. The article takes a critical look at some of the centers academic, cultural, and educational work; portrays the growth of the institutes scholarly potential as well as the expansion of research fields in the institutes activities. Besides the institutes particular role in the development of Yiddish literature, including scholarly publications and essays, the article also looks at the tragic fate of the institute and its employees during the Nazi and Soviet reigns, uncovering some little known facts about the history of Lithuanian Jews. |
