Alfonsas Bukontas Explained

Alfonsas Bukontas (born September 11, 1941) is Lithuanian poet, translator, publicist.^{[1] [2]}

His Jewish parents were killed during the Holocaust and he was saved by the family of Marija and Jeronimas Bukontas, peasants of the village, Mažeikiai district, recognized among the Lithuianian Righteous Among the Nations in 1995. His fathr was arrested in 1945 and died in a labor camp in 1948. Alfonsas and his mother went into hiding and avoided deportation.^[3] (His collection of poems Dapšiu kelio zlatvyslės ("Bog Lights of the Dapšiai Road") is reminiscences associated with the village.^[4])

In 1964 he graduated in Lithuanian philology from the Vilnius University. After that he worked as a teacher, in various publishing outlets, and edited some magazines. His poems were translated in several languages.^[1]

Publications

• Slenkančios kopos. Vilnius: Vaga, 1967. Poems.
• Piešiniai ant vandens. Vilnius: Vaga, 1972. Poems.
• Mėnulio takas. Vilnius: Vaga, 1977. Poems.
• Пока летит стрела. Москва: Советский писатель, 1990. . Poetry.
• Penktas metų laikas. Vilnius: Vaga, 1997. A collection.
• Pirštų atspaudai. Vilnius: Tyto alba, 2011. 100 poems.
• Dapšių kelio žaltvykslės. Vilnius: Petro ofsetas, 2014. Poetry.

Awards

• 1979 S. Šimkus award (Lithuanian: Stasio Šimkaus premija) of 1st degree for the text for Salve, Alma Mater.^[1]
• 1993 Award of P. Gaučys for the best literary translation into Lithuanian.^[1]
• 2000 for poetry book Penktas metų laikas, and translations of Bhagavadgita, Lev Karsavin, Moyshe Kulbak.^[1]
• 2001 Award during Poetry Spring festival for poetry translations into Lithuanian language.^[1]
• 2018: Medal of the Order for Merits to Lithuania^[5]

Notes and References

1. https://rasytojai.lt/en/rasytojai/bukontas-alfonsas-2/ Bukontas Alfonsas
2. Donata Mitaitė, Bukontas, Alfonsas
3. Viktorija Sakaitė, Žydų gelbėjimas
4. Sara Poisson Nykstanti žmonių rūšis
5. https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/legalAct/lt/TAD/590d4723123111e88a05839ea3846d8e?positionInSearchResults=0&searchModelUUID=e723733b-94d2-49df-9aea-99388d6e65da DEKRETAS Dėl LIETUVOS RESPUBLIKOS IR UŽSIENIO VALSTYBIŲ PILIEČIŲ APDOVANOJIMO LIETUVOS VALSTYBĖS ORDINAIS IR MEDALIAIS VASARIO 16-OSIOS – LIETUVOS VALSTYBĖS ATKŪRIMO DIENOS PROGA 2018 m. vasario 13 d. Nr. 1K-1217