Diskusijos apie butų nuomą Kaune XX a. 4 dešimtmečio Lietuvos spaudoje
Discusions on the Apartment Rent in Kaunas in the Lithuanian Pres of the Fourth Decade of the 20th Century

Summary/Abstract: The article analyses the discussions about the apartment rent in Kaunas, the provisional capital of Lithuania, in the fourth decade of the 20th century as portrayed in the Lithuanian press of the time. The focus is on the reasons and development of this complicated social phenomenon, with a specific emphasis on the different positions of the interested sides. The interests of the tenants were most often defended by the leftist oppositional press. Especially common were complaint articles: evaluative, ironic or critical of the authoritarian government. The tenants spoke of the hopelessness of their situation, unreasonable rent prices and blamed the apartment owners for extortion. In their own turn, the owners tried to defend their reputation as businessmen in press; neglected the reproaches on high tariffs by giving particular numbers; protested against the government’s regulation of the conditions and prices of apartment rent, and demanded to facilitate the burden of profit, credit interest and other taxes or municipal commitments. The owners’ side was supported in the articles published in Lietuvos aidas. The public discussions and the articles of the representatives of the organizations of both parties showed their competence, high level of sociality, and ability to influence the government. Both parties were aware of the situation in the European countries, maintained connections with corresponding organizations and supported their claims in press with the examples from foreign countries. With respect to the government’s decisions on the issues of apartment rent, the public opinion was taken into account.

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