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They glorified Palanga
In 1874 a famous Lithuanian traveller Konstantinas Aris (1874-1941) was born in Palanga. He explored the Middle East and published two volumes of his book ,,My Journey to the Middle East.
In 1885 Vladas Jurgutis (1885-1966) was born in Palanga district. He was a priest, the economics professor, the organizer of Lithuanian Bank, ,,the father of Lithuanian national currency and the head of Lithuanian Science Academy. There is a memorial sign on the house where Vladas Jurgutis was born, Piktuizio street 17 in Palanga. V.Jurgutis was buried in Palanga graveyard.
In 1909 Jonas Zemaitis-Vytautas (1909-1954) was born in Palanga. He was the chairman of the Lithuanian Freedom Movement board and was killed in Moscow Butirky prison.
Palanga was a birth place for many writers, such as Aleksandra Silgalyte (1904-1997), Ignas Pikturna, Ramute Skucaite, Laimonas Tapinas and Raimundas Dauksas.
At the turn of the century many well-known Lithuanian people studied in Palanga progymnasium: a professor Steponas Kairys (1879-1964), a general lieutenant Pranas Liatukas, a lawyer Liudas Noreika (1884-1928), a lawyer and a member of the II and III Seimas, 1920 - 1922 m. the Minister of Interior Rapolas Skipitis (1887-1976), the president of Lithuania Antanas Smetona (1874-1944), a doctor of phisolophy, a Lithuanian diplomat, ambassador in Vatikan, Germany, Poland and Switserland Jurgis Saulys (1879-1948) and his brother, a professor of church law, a vicar of Kaunas arcbishopric Kazimieras Saulys (1872-1964), a professor of Lithuanian University Jonas Simkus (1873-1944), a lawyer Petras Sniuksta (1877-1952), a special ambassador of Lithuania and authorized minister in the USA Povilas Zadeikis (1887-1957), a journalist and editor of ,,Karys magazine Stanislovas Kuizinas, a composer and opera conductor Juozas Tallat-Kelpsa. Four of these people, Antanas Smetona, Steponas Kairys, brothers Jurgis and Kazimieras Sauliai, signed the Declaration of Lithuanian Independence Restoration on February 16, 1918.
Artist and composer Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis worked and spent one summer in Palanga together with his fiance, a writer Sofija Kymantaite - Ciurlioniene. Composers Eduardas Balsys and Balys Dvarionas also lived and worked in Palanga (In Palanga graveyard Balys Dvarionas, Aldona Smilgaite - Dvarioniene and Aldona Dvarionaite are buried).
Palanga name was well-known in the end of XIX c after the first Lithuanian play ,,Amerika pirtyje by Keturakis was performed here. The organizers of the play were a writer Gabriele Petkevicaite - Bite and a doctor Liudas Vaineikis. Palanga was mentioned in the works of dr.Jonas Sliupas, dr. Jonas Basanavicius, professor Ignas Koncius, writers Motiejus Valancius, Juozas Tumas-Vaizgantas and Stase Vaineikiene. Palanga was glorified in verses of poets Silvestras Valiunas (1789-1831), Jonas Maciulis-Maironis (1862-1932), Vincas Mykolaitis-Putinas (1893-1967) and Salomeja Neris (1904- 1945).
Palanga is decorated with works of sculptors Robertas Antinis (,,Egle, the Queen of Grass-snakes), Stasys Zirgulis (revived a sculpture ,,The Blessing Crist in Palanga Park), Nijole Gaigalaite (,,Jurate and Kastytis), Konstancija Petrikaite-Tuliene (,,Birute). A Lithuanian exile sculptor Antanas Moncys, a samogitian, who lived and worked in Paris, left many of his works to Palanga. He is buried in Gruslauke, Kretinga district.
Palanga attracted many well-known Lithuanians: a linguist Jonas Jablonskis used to spend all his summer holidays here, as well as Lithuanian presidents Antanas Smetona and Aleksandras Stulginskis. World-known people also visited Palanga: poet Adomas Mickevicius (in 1824), the founder of scout movement sir Robert Baden-Powell (in 1933), poet, a 1992 Nobel literature prise laureate Josif Brodskisj (in1967).
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