{"id":243091,"date":"2026-05-25T16:26:16","date_gmt":"2026-05-25T13:26:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vuf.lt\/?post_type=subfonds&p=243091"},"modified":"2026-05-25T17:23:28","modified_gmt":"2026-05-25T14:23:28","slug":"sidzikauskas","status":"publish","type":"subfonds","link":"https:\/\/vuf.lt\/en\/subfunds\/sidzikauskas\/","title":{"rendered":"Vaclovas Sidzikauskas (1893\u20131973) Named Endowment Sub-Fund"},"content":{"rendered":"

In May 2026, Lithuanian-American philanthropist Juozas Sidas Sidzikauskas<\/strong> established a \u20ac100,000 endowment sub-fund named after Vaclovas Sidzikauskas. The investment returns of this sub-fund will ensure sustainable financing for a named award and other initiatives at the VU Faculty of History.<\/p>\n

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Philanthropist Juozas Sidas Sidzikauskas and the VU Faculty of History<\/span><\/p>\n

The patron, J. Sidas Sidzikauskas, has been supporting the VU Faculty of History since 2017, with his total philanthropic contribution exceeding \u20ac200,000<\/strong>. Through his support, he consistently honors the memory of his uncle, Vaclovas Sidzikauskas<\/strong>, a well-known interwar Lithuanian lawyer, diplomat, and public figure.<\/p>\n

Vaclovas Sidzikauskas (1893\u20131973)<\/strong> was a Lithuanian lawyer and distinguished diplomat. He studied law in Moscow and Bern. Between 1919 and 1934, he held various diplomatic posts in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, the United Kingdom, and at the League of Nations, and also represented Lithuania in cases before The Hague. In addition, he lectured, led organizations, and contributed to the press.<\/p>\n

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Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dovas Zaunius and Lithuanian Envoy to Berlin Vaclovas Sidzikauskas<\/span><\/p>\n

Following the Soviet occupation of Lithuania, he withdrew to Germany, where he was arrested by the Gestapo and imprisoned in concentration camps for \u201canti-German activities.\u201d He spent 20 months in the Soldau and Auschwitz concentration camps. The Nazi authorities targeted him in retaliation for his active role in defending Lithuania\u2019s interests in the Klaip\u0117da Region, particularly for the 1932 victory at the Permanent Court of International Justice in The Hague, where Lithuania won its case against Germany concerning the dismissal of the chairman of the Klaip\u0117da Directorate and the dissolution of the regional parliament.<\/p>\n

After the war, he remained actively engaged in Lithuanian \u00e9migr\u00e9 political activities, serving as chairman of the Supreme Committee for the Liberation of Lithuania and the Lithuanian Freedom Committee. From 1950, he lived in the United States.<\/p>\n

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THE VACLOVAS SIDZIKAUSKAS AWARD<\/strong><\/p>\n

In 2017, the Vaclovas Sidzikauskas Award<\/strong> was also established for research in the field of historical studies. The award is presented annually during the Faculty\u2019s end-of-academic-year celebration at St. John\u2019s Church. Recipients of the Vaclovas Sidzikauskas Award include:<\/p>\n