Antanas Škėma: I’m not a cover girl
Antanas Škėma was a prominent Lithuanian writer, stage actor and director. He was born in 1910 in Łodź, Poland, where his father was sent to work as a teacher. During World War I, he lived in Russia with his parents, but in 1921 they all returned to Lithuania.
In Lithuania, Škėma began his career as a stage actor and director, and later became a notable writer. His best known work is the novel „Balta drobulė“ (White Shroud), which was published in 1948. The novel tells the story of Lithuanian exiles who have fled to the West after the Soviet occupation of Lithuania.
In 1944, upon the second Soviet occupation of Lithuania, Škėma left for Germany, where he was involved in some artistic work with Lithuanian troupes, primarily in DP (displaced person) camps. He spent five years in Germany and was able to continue his work as a writer and stage actor.
In 1949, Škėma left Europe for the United States. He took menial jobs to make a living, but he was also eager to participate in the cultural activities of the Lithuanian exiles. He took part in the Chicago Theatre and Boston’s Drama Group performances, and staged his own plays. He also continued to write and published several more short stories, dramas, and the novel „Balta drobulė.“
In 1960-1961, he worked in the editorial office of „Vienybė“ newspaper. He also lectured, debated, and wrote articles on theatre and literature for various publications.
Tragically, Antanas Škėma died in a car accident in Pennsylvania on September 11, 1961
