How did Russification affect Lithuanian schools and publications after the 1863 uprising?

Following the 1863 uprising, the tsarist government intensified its policy of Russification across all areas of public life in Lithuania, treating the region as an integral part of Russia.12

The impact on education and publications was severe:

• Education: The Russian language became the only language sanctioned for public use, making it mandatory in all educational settings. In response, Lithuanians organized an informal, clandestine system of "schools of the hearth" in villages to preserve their language and culture.132
• Publications: The government mandated that any books or magazines printed in the Lithuanian language could only use the Cyrillic alphabet. This cultural imperialism was met with widespread resistance; the public boycotted Cyrillic-printed materials, while publications in the traditional Latin script were printed in neighboring East Prussia and smuggled into the country in large numbers.132

This period of repression ultimately fueled a national renaissance, which persisted until the press prohibition was finally annulled in 1904.12