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Mažvydas Martynas
(îêîëî 1520—1563)
Martynas Mažvydas was the author and the editor of the first printed book in the Lithuanian language.
Mažvydas was a prolific 16th century Lithuanian author, who is associated with the beginnings of Lithuanian literature. He was of Samogitian origin, born in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania; his parents were said to be indigent townspeople. Mažvydas spent his youth in Vilnius, where he worked together with other pioneering Lithuanian authors from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, such as Abraomas Kulvietis, Jurgis Zablockis, and possibly Stanislovas Rapolionis. Later Mažvydas would publish some of their works.
In Roman Catholic Lithuania Mažvydas was persecuted for his Protestant leanings, which motivated him to accept an invitation from Duke Albrecht of Prussia to come to Königsberg. He entered Albertina University in 1546; in 1548 he graduated from the university with a bachelor's degree. The fact that Mažvydas graduated in one-and-a-half years suggests that he had studied elsewhere before - possibly in Kraków, or at the school established by Abraomas Kulvietis in Vilnius. It has also been suggested that he was teaching at Albertina University.
In the year 1547, while a student in Königsberg, Mažvydas compiled and published the first printed Lithuanian book "Catechismusa Prasty Szadei" ("The Simple Words of Catechism"), thus launching literature and book printing in Lithuanian. This book is largely based on the Samogitian dialect of Lithuanian, with clearly visible Aukštaitian traits.[1] It was printed at about the same time as the first books in neighbouring nations' languages: Polish in 1513 or 1514, Belarusian in 1522, Estonian in 1535, and Latvian in 1585.
In 1549 Mažvydas was appointed a priest in Ragainė, in the present-day town of Neman. In the same year he wrote and published The Song of St. Ambrosy, with a dedication in Lithuanian. In 1554 Mažvydas became the Archdeacon of Ragainė. He oversaw the education of his parishioners, regulated agricultural matters, and continued his literary work in Lithuanian. He translated "The Form of Baptism" from German into Lithuanian and published it in Königsberg in 1559. Between 1558 and 1562 he published "The Prussian Agenda" into the prayer "Paraphrasis", published in Königsberg in 1589, after the death of the translator. Another of his major works is "The Christian Songs" (Gesmes Chriksczoniskas, Gedomas Baszniczosu Per Aduenta ir Kaledas ik Gramniczu) (Part I, in 1566; Part II, in 1570), printed by his cousin Baltramiejus Vilentas[2]. This book served as a basis for other Protestant books of songs that would later be published in Lithuania Minor.
Mažvydas initiated the patterns of several genres of Lithuanian literature: a primer; a Catechism; a book of songs with notes; a prayer book; a translation of Holy Writ; and original prefaces and dedications.
Lithuania, 1997, Title page of «Catechism» of Mazvydas
Lithuania, 1997, Title page of «Catechism» of Mazvydas
Lithuania, 2005, Title page of «Catechism» of Mazvydas
USSR, 1990, 
Martynas Mažvydas
