Tadas Ivanauskas

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Tadas Ivanauskas (December 16, 1882 - June 1, 1971) was a famous Lithuanian zoologist and biologist, and one of the founders of Vytautas Magnus University. He was a professor there from 1922 until 1940, and in 1929, became the head of the Zoology Department. He became a professor at the re-established Vilnius University between 1940 and 1941. He returned to this position in 1944, which he held until 1956. He simultaneously held a professorship at the Kaunas Medical Institute from 1954 until 1970.

Together with another early twentieth century Lithuanian activist, Michał Römer, Ivanauskas gave lectures about Lithuania in Paris in 1905.

Among his other achievements, he is known for opening one of the first bird banding stations in Europe, at Cape Ventė in 1929. He also founded the Zoological Museum in 1918, the Kaunas botanical garden in 1923, and the Kaunas Zoo in 1938

[edit] Nationality

Being born as Tadeusz Iwanowski in Lebiodka, Hrodna Voblast of today's Belarus, in a Polonized Belarusian^{[citation needed]} Catholic szlachta family loyal to the heritage of Grand Duchy of Lithuania, he did not know Lithuanian language until 1905. Ivanauskas considered himself to be Lithuanian, and dedicated his life to the newly re-established country. He opened the first Lithuanian school with his wife in 1918.

The other three brothers of Ivanauskas identified themselves with the other two nationalities of former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, two chose to become Polish, and one Belarusian.