Balys Sruoga (1896 – 1947) is a famous Lithuanian poet, writer of prose, dramatist, theatre specialist and researcher of literature and folklore.

In 1912, he started publishing his articles in Aušrinė, (The Morning Star) Rygos Naujienos (The Riga News), Lietuvos žinios (Lithuanian news), and Naujas Takas (The New Path) as well as the American-Lithuanian press and the literary magazine Vaivorykštė (The Rainbow). In 1914, B. Sruoga entered the Petrapilis Forests’ Institute. The following year, he moved to the Faculty of History and Philosophy at Petrapilis University. Besides his studies, B. Sruoga was interested in theatre and participated in Lithuanian plays. In 1916, B. Sruoga studied literature at Moscow University. In Moscow, B. Sruoga created the majority of his best lyrical works. In 1918, after returning to Lithuania, he worked for a time as a teacher in Vilnius. Later, he moved to Kaunas where he worked at the Press bureau of the Lithuanian Daily’s editorial office and wrote many published articles.

B. Sruoga was an organiser of the satiric theatre Vilkolakis (Werewolf) and wrote stage works for the theatre. Later, the writer entered politics with the group “Santara” and ran for the Lithuanian Parliament (Seimas). He also participated in the Šiauliai union’s activities as well as the activities of association of art creators, and union of journalists. In 1921, B. Sruoga studied Slavic studies and the history of theatre and art at Munich University. In 1924, he defended his thesis on Lithuanian folklore and earned a Doctorate in Philosophy. After the returning to Lithuania, B. Sruoga lectured on Russian literature and a course on the world’s theatres and he established a theatre seminar at Kaunas University’s Humanitarian Sciences faculty, and later, an academic studio of drama. B. Sruoga also published many critiques on the theatre and literature. In 1930, the first B. Sruoga’s dramas appeared.

In 1939, together with the Humanitarian Sciences faculty, the writer moved to Vilnius and continued his university work. During the Soviet occupation, he participated in the underground press. In 1943, B. Sruoga was arrested and taken to the Stuttgart concentration camp near Gdansk. In 1945, after returning to Lithuania, he again lectured at Vilnius University.

B. Sruoga died on October 16, 1947, in Vilnius. He is buried in Rasa cemetery.

In 2005, the publishing house “Versus aureus” published the translation of the famous B. Sruoga memoir about his experience at the Stuttgart concentration camp, Dievų miškas (Forest of the Gods).