Karaim in Lithuania

The Trakai dialect of the Karaim language (karaj tili) is a Turkic language with Hebrew influences, in a similar manner to Yiddish or Judaeo-Spanish. The three main dialects are those of Crimea, Trakai-Vilnius and Lutsk-Halych all of which are critically endangered. The Lithuanian dialect of Karaim is spoken mainly in VIlnius and town of Trakai by a small community living there since the 14th century.

The history of Karaims is connected with Lithuania since 1397-1398. According to the tradition, The Great Prince of Lithuania Vytautas, after one of the marches to the Golden Horde steppes, had to bring from Crimea several hundreds of Karaims and settle them in the Great Duchy of Lithuania.

Initially, Karaims were settled in Trakai between two castles of The Great Duke, present Karaim Street. Later they were found living in Biržai, Naujamiestis, Pasvalys, Panevėžys, however, Trakai has always been the community’s administrative and spiritual centre in Lithuania. Karaims themselves began to hold it not only a homeland, but as fatherland, too. Throughout the centuries their ethnic and cultural relations with the Karaims from Crimea and Galich-Luck areas were not interrupted either.