Student Life in the Photographs of Konstantinas Sasnauskas 1956–1958

Student Life in the Photographs of Konstantinas Sasnauskas 1956–1958

Doctor of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor Konstantinas Sasnauskas, a graduate of Kaunas University of Technology and a technological engineer donated his archive of photographs and negatives taken during his studies at Kaunas Polytechnic Institute to the Museum of Kaunas University of Technology. The virtual exhibition “Student Life in the Photographs of Konstantinas Sasnauskas 1956-1958” presents a small part of the photographs that caption the photographer, his fellow students in classrooms and laboratories, at work, in leisure time, etc. The Soviet occupation enforced censorship, ideological and moral coercion which is reflected in some photographs: ideological slogans are recorded in the classrooms and during KPI festivals. The virtual exhibition also includes a historical photograph discussed by the Komsomol Committee. The exhibition is prepared by the Head of KTU Museum Dr. Audronė Veilentienė and Museologist-Curator of Collections Karina Lazauskienė.

The Photographer and His Historical Photography

Doctor of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor Konstantinas Sasnauskas graduated from the Faculty of Chemical Technology at Kaunas Polytechnic Institute (KPI) in 1959 where he acquired a technological engineer qualification. From 1959 to 1961, he worked in manufacturing, followed by pedagogical work at KPI and Vilnius Engineering Construction Institute. From 1969 to 1970, he did a fellowship in economics at the University of Budapest (Hungary), and from 1977 to 1978, he deepened his knowledge of management at Case Western Reserve University and Stanford University (USA). This field became the area of his scientific interest. In 1991-1993, he was an assistant for management affairs to the general director of VĮ Rimeda and in 1993-1994, he was a deputy director for education of the Civil Servants Development Centre under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania. From 1994 to 2000, K. Sasnauskas was an associate professor at the Department of Management of Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, and from 2000 to 2006, he was an associate professor at the Department of Management Theory of Mykolas Romeris University. He is the creator and one of the initiators of the practical application of the universal methodology “Management Innovation Forums”, which has been applied to solve problems of strategy formation, maintenance and implementation in various organisations.

For many years, photography was the hobby of Assoc. Prof. K. Sasnauskas. He started taking photographs during his studies when he was the chairman of the KPI photo club, and his photographs were published in the Institute’s newspaper “For Soviet Science”. One genre-specific photograph named “Interesting Activity” was exhibited at the KPI Student Photography Exhibition and was awarded first prize by the professional photography committee headed by the chairman Povilas Karpavičius. K. Sasnauskas was called out of a lecture, discussed at a joint meeting of the Komsomol Committee and the Culture Club, and accused of “humiliating the name of a Soviet student”. The photograph captured a student holding a cigarette in one hand behind his back and the other hand in his pocket. K. Sasnauskas was told to write a written explanation. K. Sasnauskas used his watch and a student ID to borrow the book “Leniniana” from the library. He brought this book that contained illustrations of Lenin’s sculptures and paintings to the hearing. One of the illustrations showed a sculpture of Lenin holding his hand in his pocket. When the participants of the meeting saw this illustration, the discussion ended.

K. Sasnauskas – KPI student, 1956. (photograph by Konstantinas Sasnauskas, KTU museum)

Self-portrait with a camera, 1956. (photograph by Konstantinas Sasnauskas, KTU museum)

K. Sasnauskas with fellow students at the collective farm in Seredžius, 1956. (photograph by Konstantinas Sasnauskas, KTU museum)

K. Sasnauskas in Seredžius, 1956. (photograph by Konstantinas Sasnauskas, KTU museum)

K. Sasnauskas with fellow students after voluntary work at the collective farm, 1956. (photograph by Konstantinas Sasnauskas, KTU museum)

Konstantinas Sasnauskas, 1957 (KTU museum)

Chairman of the KPI photo club K. Sasnauskas gives a speech at KPI photographers' evening, 1956 (KTU museum)

A moment of KPI photographers' evening, 1956. (photograph by Konstantinas Sasnauskas, KTU museum)

At Rubikiai Lake, 1957. (photograph by Konstantinas Sasnauskas, KTU museum)

K. Sasnauskas at the military camp in Gaižiūnai, 1958 (KTU museum)

Historical photograph “Interesting Activity” for which K. Sasnauskas was discussed by the KPI Komsomol Committee, 1957. (photograph by Konstantinas Sasnauskas, KTU museum)

Academic Environment

From 1955 to 1959, Konstantinas Sasnauskas studied at the Faculty of Chemical Technology of Kaunas Polytechnic Institute, so his photographs captured his study environment and fellow students. The Faculty of Chemical Technology was located in the buildings of the former Research Laboratory of the Armaments Board of the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence. The photographs by K. Sasnauskas captured his fellow students in the academic environment: classrooms, laboratories and during breaks.

During the lecture at KPI Faculty of Chemical Technology, 1957. (photograph by Konstantinas Sasnauskas, KTU museum)

Before the lecture, 1957. (photograph by Konstantinas Sasnauskas, KTU museum)

“Duel” at the faculty, 1957. (photograph by Konstantinas Sasnauskas, KTU museum)

In the footwear sewing laboratory, 1957. (photograph by Konstantinas Sasnauskas, KTU museum)

Fellow students prepare for the lecture, 1957. (photograph by Konstantinas Sasnauskas, KTU museum)

In the laboratory of the Faculty of Chemical Technology, 1957. (photograph by Konstantinas Sasnauskas, KTU museum)

Girl students, 1957 (photograph by Konstantinas Sasnauskas, KTU museum)

Towers of the faculty, 1957. (photograph by Konstantinas Sasnauskas, KTU museum)

Student Leisure Time

Photographs by K. Sasnauskas also capture student leisure time: museum visits, excursions and festivals. During the Soviet occupation, the established traditions of religious festivals and commemorations were broken and Soviet traditions were introduced aiming to instil a communist worldview. During the Soviet occupation, the authorities of Kaunas Polytechnic Institute used to organise dances for the students on the Day of the Dead, Christmas Eve or before Easter. At that time, the Institute began to celebrate the New Year.

Journey to Riga, 1956. (photograph by Konstantinas Sasnauskas, KTU museum)

Girls from the group in Raudondvaris, 1957. (photograph by Konstantinas Sasnauskas, KTU museum)

Fishing in Rubikiai Lake, 1957 (photograph by Konstantinas Sasnauskas, KTU museum)

At the Puntukas Stone, 1957. (photograph by Konstantinas Sasnauskas, KTU museum)

At Kaunas State History Museum, 1957 (photograph by Konstantinas Sasnauskas, KTU museum)

In M. K. Čiurlionis Art Museum, 1957 (photograph by Konstantinas Sasnauskas, KTU museum)

New Year celebration with the group, 1958. (photograph by Konstantinas Sasnauskas, KTU museum)

Voluntary Work

During the Soviet occupation, voluntary work at collective farms was compulsory for university students. K. Sasnauskas photographed his fellow students working in the collective farm fields.

Voluntary work at the collective farm, 1957. (photograph by Konstantinas Sasnauskas, KTU museum)

At Ariogala collective farm, 1957 (photograph by Konstantinas Sasnauskas, KTU museum)

KPI Festivals

After Stalin’s death, during the political thaw, the 1^st KPI Festival took place on 5-6 May 1956. It was the first major event in the post-war period. The festival started with a procession from the Central Building and a relay race through the city to the territory of the Faculty of Chemical Technology, where the celebration took place. Here the flag was raised, the festival fire lit, the student folk ensemble, the academic choir and the brass band performed, and for several days there were competitive performances by amateur groups, sports competitions, dance competitions in the evenings, followed by bonfires, fireworks, dances and games. Festivals were also organised in 1957, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1965, 1967, 1971, 1975, 1980 and 1985.