The Ministry of National Defense presents a seven-minute long documentary film "What are the walls of the Ministry of National Defense hiding?". The complex of buildings located in the heart of the old town of Vilnius, where the Ministry of National Defense is located, has always interested the public, so filmmakers Edvinas Česnulis and Lukas Kalvaitis tried to reveal the unique and puzzling history of the current building complex of the Ministry of National Defense. Its origins can be traced back to the XNUMXth century, when the Jesuits were established in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
"As soon as we decided to take on this project, the question arose whether we would be able to find enough material that could be interesting," said E. Česnulis, the director and scriptwriter of the film. - However, when I started to get interested and delve deeper into what age-old secrets are hidden by the walls preserved in the heart of the old town of Vilnius, it became obvious that it would not be possible to fit all the unique material into a short film. In the final stage, it was necessary to choose what to show and what to give up."
While making the film, E. Česnulis, together with the cameraman L. Kalvaičius, delved into the details of the story, searched for archival photos, tried to find filmed footage in the Lithuanian Central State Archive, the Lithuanian Cinema Center. A lot of valuable material was provided by the employees of the former Lithuanian Technical Library, architect Evaldas Purlys shared his personal archives.
E. Purlys says that the structure of the interior spaces of the old buildings of the Ministry of National Defense was formed during the period of creation and functioning of the Jesuit novitiate between 1604 and in 1773 The quarter, now bounded by St. Ignotos, Totorii and Benediktinii streets, was rich in its activities, with a huge library, modern facilities of the time, and St. Ignatius Church is considered one of the most beautiful churches in Vilnius. After the third division of the Republic of Both Nations, when Lithuania became part of the Russian Empire, the tsar's army settled in the estates of the former Jesuit novitiate and the complex of buildings went through the saddest times. The rest of the buildings passed from hand to hand to various owners, mainly various armies or military administrations were established here. During the Soviet era, a military commissariat, a school, an archive, dormitories, a printing house operated here, and the Lithuanian film studio pavilion was located in the church.
Architect E. Purlys remembers that the buildings were in a deplorable condition when in 1970 their archaeological research has begun. Since 1976, mainly due to the efforts of this architect, a long and complex restoration of the building complex began, which continued until 2002. The aim was to preserve and open the most valuable elements of the old architecture as much as possible.
in 1987 the then Lithuanian Technical Library moved into part of the renovated premises. After the restoration of Independence, part of the buildings of the ensemble became the headquarters of the Ministry of National Defense. in 2016 after the Ministry handed over the Technical Library of Lithuania, almost the entire historical ensemble was once again in the hands of one owner.
"In the entire creative and research process, the most memorable experience was when I arrived at the Central State Archives of Lithuania, where I had the opportunity to look at half a century old photos in the overcrowded document drawers. I felt like Prof. Liudas Mažylis, looking for the Lithuanian Independence Act of February 16", joked E. Česnulis, summarizing his work.
"What the Ministry of National Defense has preserved and restored should be shown and boasted more, because there is actually a lot," emphasized Darius Pocevičius, a researcher of the city of Vilnius who was interviewed in the film.
More about the history of the KAM building complex: HERE
