PRESS KIT - Kempinski Hotels

attracted numerous visitors to the buffet to discuss the news, and to the billiard hall.
Until 1940, it was hired by staff of a few newspapers, Gabetner Wolff’s bookstore,
“Pac” chocolate manufacture and store, “Prospiešnia” publishing house, commerce
courses,“Znicz” publishing house that the biggest in Vilnius at that time, and a
pawnshop that used to take in different stuff including gold money and fur. A Jewish
gymnasium, font foundry, bindery and the “Hermitage” hotel worked there.
At the time of World War
II, Lithuanian state was
occupied by the Soviet
Union. The building had to
survive in the new
circumstances. Activities
of organizations were
interrupted, newspapers
closed, publishing houses
destroyed, and the people
who lived had to leave.
From 1940, the building
became a national property, and from 1942 it was managed by the governors. It does not
reminded of that old magnificent building in front of the Cathedral as in the post-war
years it became restructured in order to use for central Vilnius city telegraph.
During the World War II and German
occupation, the telegraph network was
nearly destroyed in the country. When in
1948 the telegraph was established anew,
it started from a few pieces of equipment
in the same building and had to be
developed. In a few decades, there became
more of equipment as the new
technologies were created. The number of
inventive specialists also grew, and they
attempted to restructure and renovate
communication system in Vilnius and
Lithuania’s territory. Local engineers and
technicians implemented new equipment,
and the telegraph employees got numerous
awards as a team. The building was open
for all who wanted to send some message
to family or friends to any destination
point in the Soviet Union comprising
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