Geda, Sigitas

Geda, Sigitas Image 1

Sigitas Geda © Vladas Braziūnas

In 1966 Geda graduated from Vilnius University majoring in Lithuanian linguistics and literature. For a while he edited the weekly „Kalba Vilnius“ and the magazine „Mūsų gamta“, yet he was dismissed for taking an active political posture. His first poems book „Footprints“ was published in 1966. Since 1967 he was the member of Lithuanian Writers Union. In the times of „perestroika“, he was awarded with the State Award of the 1985 for his poetry book „A Starling under the Moon“. In 1995 he received the National Award for the books of poetry „Seven Summer Chants“ and „Rebuilding of Babylon“. In 1998 Geda was decorated with the Order of Duke Gediminas and became recipient of the Baltic Assembly Award the same year. Same year he was nominated for the Prize of the Baltic Assembly. In 2002 he recieved the Award of the Lithuanian Writers Union for the best book of the year 2001. In 1988-1990 he was the Secretary of the Writers Union, an active member of „Sąjūdis“ Movement and an MP. Sigitas Geda died in December 2008 in Vilnius.