The Tailor
A rare piece of family heritage donated to LMAC
Antanas Viniarskis was originally from the Kražiai district in Lithuania. While himself a World War II refugee, he served as a tailor for other refugees in the Göttingen Lithuanian camp in Germany in 1947. His personal SEWING BOOKLET, records client orders and what he sewed for them: coats, trousers, suits, blazers, blouses, fur coats, etc.
From 1945 to 1948, he served a total of 193 refugee clients. In 1945, he had 22 clients in the Braunschweig-Sophienschule area. In 1946, he served 52 clients in Blomberg. In 1947, he served 51 clients in Blomberg and in 1948 he had 57 clients and 11 clients in Göttingen.
The price list notes that sewing short pants cost 20 RU, long pants 40 RU, a jacket 30 RU, a vest 20 RU, a coat 110 RU, a suit 130 RU, and repairs cost 2 RU per hour of work.
Viniarskis's work was guided by instructions in J. Bernotas's book "A GUIDE TO MEN'S CLOTHING CUTTING AND SEWING." The book was printed in 1937 in Kaunas in Independent Lithuania and cost 22 litas.
Tailoring was one of the major trades in interwar Lithuania. It was an important part of Lithuania’s economy, employment and business, education and cultural life. Most tailoring was carried out by independent master tailors, small family workshops, apprentices and journeymen working under a master and vocational schools teaching cutting, fitting and sewing. Most clothing at the time was custom-made. Clothing was repaired, altered and remade, rather than discarded. A skilled tailor occupied an important economic and social position.
Antanas completed his studies and acquired a tailor's specialty (theory and practice of men's clothing cutting) in 1940 in Kaunas. In his personal book of clothing measurements and cutting projects that he created himself, we find a whole series of interesting, carefully measured sewing patterns.
The text book, diplomas, notebook and sewing patterns needed for tailoring and other unique materials by Antanas Vinerskis were donated to the Lithuanian Museum/Archive of Canada by Antanas Vinerskis's relatives in Canada. We thank them for providing the opportunity to share with the wider public a piece of this refugee tailor's life.
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