When discussing Lithuanian emigration today, Norway or the United Kingdom often come to mind. But 150 years ago, Lithuanians – and particularly Lithuanian Jews – were looking much farther afield, to America, Palestine and even South Africa.
Historians say the great migration of the 19th century was driven not only by economic need and political pressure but also by the promise of a more liberal life and the growing influence of global transportation networks.
Migration both voluntary and forced
Vilnius University historian Dovilė Čypaitė-Gilė tells LRT RADIO that while the world’s first large-scale migration for economic purposes – the forced transport of enslaved Africans to America – began in the 17th century, Lithuania’s first significant migration wave did not occur until the mid-19th century. A second wave followed during the interwar years.
Jewish migration from Eastern Europe, she said, was particularly complex, a mix of voluntary emigration for economic opportunity and forced migration prompted by pogroms, or violent attacks against Jewish communities.
“From one side, yes, we can say this was a forced migration,” Čypaitė-Gilė said. “On the other hand, people migrated voluntarily because of economic reasons and because of opportunities created by trains.”
The historian notes that the rise of railroads and steamships was crucial in enabling mass migration. Cheaper rail travel allowed more people to reach Prussia and, from there, ports in present-day Germany.
Expanding horizons
According to the historian, 19th-century migration within the Russian Empire was common. People from what is now Lithuania travelled to St Petersburg and as far as present-day Ukraine and Georgia, destinations also popular among Jews.
Still, the United States became the main destination for many Lithuanians, while a significant number of Lithuanian Jews looked toward the Union of South Africa, accessible by sea.
“Today, we think migration was somehow so complicated,” Čypaitė-Gilė said. “It wasn’t easy, but even then there was a lot of marketing. During the Industrial Revolution, many competing shipping companies emerged and invested vast sums to reach potential migrants.”
Diverging paths for Lithuanians and Jews
South Africa became a leading destination for Lithuanian Jews largely because of British shipping companies’ efforts to attract emigrants from Eastern Europe, said Čypaitė-Gilė.
“We should talk about the Royal Mail Steamship Company, a British firm that transported goods between Britain and its colony, South Africa,” she said. “In the mid-19th century, it expanded to transport people. And chose Lithuania as one of its recruitment territories.”
British companies competed with German shipping lines, she added, often advertising in Lithuanian towns and offering free or discounted passage. Early settlers then wrote letters home encouraging others to follow. Though not all reports were glowing.
“Some would write, ‘Don’t come here, there are lions walking in the streets’, while others said, ‘Come to South Africa, you can bend over and dig diamonds out of ditches’,” Čypaitė-Gilė said.
At the time, South Africa welcomed white immigrants from Eastern Europe. For many Jews, it was a place of relative safety and opportunity.
Strong networks and shared knowledge
Jewish migration was supported by robust community networks. By the mid-19th century, organisations such as HIAS, based in the United States, were helping Jewish migrants reunite with family members abroad.
Jews in Lithuania were well-informed about South Africa, thanks to newspapers, pamphlets and information distributed by rail and shipping companies.
“There were even manuals on how to get there and what to bring,” Čypaitė-Gilė said. “The Jewish community in Lithuania’s towns and cities was very close-knit, so information spread quickly.”
Over time, Lithuanian emigration to South Africa declined, while Jewish migration continued due to those enduring community networks.
Economic hardship was not the only reason for Jewish migration, Čypaitė-Gilė said. Some left in search of social freedom or a more secular life.
“The younger generation […] wanted to improve themselves,” she said. “In memoirs, many wrote things like, ‘My brother is studying in a yeshiva, but I don’t want to. I want to get a different education.’ The desire to live in a more secular environment was a powerful motivation – and Lithuania didn’t always seem like the modern place to stay.”
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