The Commemorative Bas-Relief Plaque, Dedicated to Julius Janonis

A commemorative plaque was unveiled on the wall of the building at 2 J. Janonio st., which is dedicated to Julius Janonis, who was a Lithuanian poet and revolutionary. J. Janonio st. (former Pievų st.) was constructed between Liepojos st. (currently, Herkaus Manto st.) and the sand damn, which was to the north of the city. It was decided upon the current name of the street, i.e. J. Janonio st., in 1960. Janonis was born on April 4th, 1896, in Beržiniai, which is in the Biržai district. In 1913, he graduated from the Biržai School (4 forms).
When he was studying in Biržai, he collected folklore and sent it to the Lithuanian Science Fellowship. In 1913, Janonis began his studies in the Šiauliai Gymnasium for Boys and collaborated with periodicals Aušrinė, Vilnis, and Naujoji Gadynė. He later joined the worker’s movement and became a Marxist.
At the dawn of World War I, he and his entire gymnasium moved to Russia. In 1915, he continued his studies in the Lithuanian Voronezh Gymnasium, and later, in 1916 – in Petrograd. There he joined the Lithuanian Social Democrat Party. Janonis was jailed for his political activity in 1916 in the Petrograd jail (presently, Saint Petersburgh jail), in Vitebsk. In 1917, after the February Revolution, he was released from jail.
He also cooperated with Tiesa, Nauji takai, and Atžalos. Janonis fell ill with phthisis and, not wanting to be a burden to his friends, he committed suicide by jumping in front of a train. He was buried in the Carskoje Selo (present Pushkin) cemetery. In 1965, a memorial store was placed in Beržiniai with the poet’s bas-relief, made by sculptor, Konstantinas Bogdanas.