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Kaunas State Savings Banks

Kaunas, Lithuania
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Valstybes taupomosios kasos

The year 2019 marked exactly one hundred years since the first State Savings Fund was opened in 1919. During the period of independence, it was one of the most important institutions for accumulating savings for Lithuanians. The goal was officially announced: "To accept deposits to increase percentages and give the population savings to increase." It was a centralised-type State Savings Fund for which the state was responsible. They were subordinate to and supervised by the Minister of Finance and were directly headed by a board consisting of a head administrator and five members. However, initially, this fund was not very popular among the population. Such a situation lasted until 1931, after the global economic crisis and the improvement of the statutes of the association, the number of their customers began to grow rapidly. In 1939, the number of deposits reached a record high – the total amount was almost 70 million Litas. In terms of the number of deposits, only the Bank of Lithuania and commercial banks outperformed the National Savings Bank, but the lag behind them was constantly decreasing. The Bank became one of the primary custodians of savings, and the deposits and capital were used to lend to various clients: for municipalities to build schools and hospitals, to improve infrastructure, for other credit companies, for private companies and residents, and to reward artists and works of art.

Given the importance of the representation and solidity of state-owned banks and other financial institutions in the eyes of the public, it is not surprising that special attention was also paid to the construction of this bank building on a representative city street. In 1940, just before the state occupation, the building on Laisvės Avenue became one of the last bright architectural accents on the street, marking the guidelines for further urban development of the city. For the convenience of the staff in the six-storey building, even two elevators were placed, but it was no longer surprising at the time. A safe was also placed in the basement of the building. As in the case of many public buildings in Kaunas, it was shared by several institutions. In addition to the savings banks, it housed the Department of Commerce, the Statistical Office and various other state institutions. The building consists of 6- and 5-storey buildings, forming a semi-enclosed courtyard. The building is characterized by strict geometric shapes, laconic planar and compositional structure. A revolving door is installed at the main entrance to the place.

Historical circumstances have made this building a witness to the struggle for freedom on several occasions. Only a short press release of the time testifies to the first occasion today. Without it, this event would probably have been completely forgotten. On the eve of World War II, after a year-long Soviet occupation, Inspector of State Savings Bank V. Rudminas decided to raise a flag of independent Lithuania on one of the tallest buildings on Laisvės Avenue, but he was shot and soon died in hospital. After the Second World War, Kaunas Executive and Communist Party committees were placed in this building and operated here until 1990. After Lithuania regained its independence, Kaunas City Municipality was established in the building. It became one of the buildings to be defended during the events of January 1991, as the aftermath of the Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania.

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