Lithuania commemorates 140th birth anniversary of physicist Ignas Končius

The 140th birth anniversary of Lithuanian physicist, ethnographer and museum curator Ignas Končius (1886‑1975) was marked in Plungė, Lithuania. The Plungė public library organized a series of commemorative events, including a public walking trail and exhibitions highlighting his scientific and cultural contributions. Končius, born in the village of Purvaičiai, studied at St. Petersburg University, became one of the founders of Vytautas Magnus University’s physics department, taught at the Dotnuva Agricultural Academy, and authored the first Lithuanian‑language physics and meteorology textbooks. After World II he emigrated to the United States, worked on the 36‑volume Lithuanian Encyclopedia, and died in Boston in 1975. His legacy includes extensive photographic archives of Žemaitija, ethnographic publications, and involvement in establishing the Kaunas museum of M. K. Čiurlionis. The library’s programme aims to revive public awareness of his work and regional heritage.