Leonas Gudaitis – creative editor, who compiled a unique collection of Lithuanian scientific works

Abstract

The editor Leonas Gudaitis had an excellent knowledge of the language, but in the preparation of the articles he had also set his own principles of management, including technical ones, which he followed in order to create a unique encyclopedic publication, which was very much needed in the restored Lithuania as a new, fresh breath of fresh air after the long years of occupation. An examination of his revised manuscripts reveals that Gudaitis had some words that he did not like, which he always corrected or erased. He was particularly creative in his approach to the thematic headings of volumes and the titles of articles, which show that, as a creative personality, he simply avoided dry scholarship and excessive academia, preferring to use his literary imagination, thus underlining the importance of creativity in the editing of what were sometimes rather dull scholarly texts. (This summary translated by DeepL.)