Scholars from the University of Iceland participated in a conference at Vilnius University on the historical ties between Iceland and Lithuania, exploring their connections across the centuries through culture, notable individuals, and ideas. The conference was held on June 5−6 to mark the 35th anniversary of Iceland’s recognition of Lithuania’s independence and was dedicated to the memory of Jörundur G. Hilmarsson.
Representing the University of Iceland at the conference were Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, Jón Sigurðsson Professor, and Rósa Magnúsdóttir, professor of history at the Faculty of Philosophy, History and Archaeology. Guðni delivered the conference’s keynote lecture, entitled “Morality and Expediency: Icelandic–Lithuanian Relations, 1918–1988.” In his presentation, he pointed out, among other things, that Icelandic authorities never formally recognised the incorporation of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia into the Soviet Union during the Second World War. After the war, Icelanders generally sympathised with these oppressed nations. In practice, however, economic interests often carried greater weight. Members of Althingi readily accepted official invitations to visit the Baltic “Soviet republics,” accompanied by Iceland’s ambassador in Moscow. In this way, Icelandic authorities went further than other NATO member states in giving de facto recognition to Soviet rule, largely because of Iceland’s extensive trade relations with the Soviet Union. During the informative discussion following the lecture, Guðni was asked whether he would have delivered the lecture while serving as President of Iceland. He replied that he would not have done so, everything has its proper time and place.
Rósa’s lecture, entitled “From Vilnius to Reykjavík,” examined cultural exchanges between the Soviet Union and Iceland during the Cold War, with particular emphasis on the visit of Soviet writers, including the Lithuanian author Antanas Venclova, to Iceland in the summer of 1961. She also discussed how personal connections and literature could bridge divides between countries despite political tensions, and how relations between Iceland and Lithuania evolved into a lasting academic partnership after Jörundur Hilmarsson studied in Vilnius during the 1970s.
