Sigitas Geda

Sigitas Geda (full name - Sigitas Zigmas Geda; 4 February 1943 – 12 December 2008) was a Lithuanian poet, translator, playwright, essayist, critic and a member of the Lithuanian independence movement, Sąjūdis, and of the Lithuanian parliament, Seimas.

Biography

Sigitas Geda was born in the village of , in the Lazdijai district of Lithuania during the German occupation of Lithuania, to Zigmas Geda and Aleksandra Gedienė. He was the fourth of seven children.

Geda studied history and philology at Vilnius University. His collection Pėdos (Footprints) was published in 1966. He was also a leading figure in the Movement for the Support of Perestroika or Sąjūdis. For a time Geda withdrew from public life in the independent Lithuania because of his dislike of corruption and infighting.

Geda's poetry has been translated into English by Kerry Shawn Keys.

Awards 1994 Lithuanian National Prize 1998 Baltic Assembly Prize for Literature, the Arts and Science