THAT FEELS LITHUANIAN Herostrat?

This lean taciturn 62-year-old, who lives in a boarding house
in the Lithuanian town of Utena, attracts special attention
reporters around the world, but it avoids the communication, although
could earn some decent only interview. Why is he hiding from
journalists and even threatened them when his attempt
picture? Rather, it is difficult to bear the burden of the
dubious honor that fell on him June 15, 1985 and
which you can not get rid of. She is with him every day -
regardless of his wishes. Glory Herostratus.
This man's name is Bronius Maygis. This name is
shudder at critics, connoisseurs of art. He - the one
vandal, who 14 years ago almost destroyed exhibited in the Hermitage
Rembrandt masterpiece - the famous "Danae."
Maygis threw sulfuric acid on the canvas and cut it with a knife until 1997
painting was restored after long and difficult restoration work
.
A few years ago, "Lithuanian Herostrat" ​​settled in Utena .
get close to him, even local journalists
almost impossible, what these days have once again proved reporter
"Lietuvos Rytas". He ran away from them, and ran away from the other
correspondents, and even threatened that if he did not fall behind on,
he does something very terrible.
So what tormented soul B . Maygisa? Memories of the way of his hands
nearly died "Danae"? One of the key witnesses to the incident
was on duty in the hall of the Hermitage policeman. When he turned to
picture back, I heard the noise. I looked and saw,
as the man stepped over the rope fence and began to cut
canvas with a knife. In his other hand he held a bottle of sulfuric acid,
which watered the priceless painting. The policeman pulled from vandal
"Danae", Hermitage staff rushed to wash paintings sulfuric acid
but she already suffered irreparable damage.
Only by chance did not get an even bigger tragedy. On the body
B.Maygisa was attached explosives, and in his pocket
battery. But he is not in motion a bomb. Too many people
was in the hall, Maygis admitted afterwards, and he did not want to ruin
them, though he was ready to commit suicide.
August 26, 1985 the court appointed "Lithuanian Herostrat" ​​
Compulsory treatment in a psychiatric hospital because
experts came to the conclusion that the offender suffered from schizophrenia.
B.Maygis few years spent in the hospital in Chernyahiv
Kaliningrad. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, he was transferred to
Vilnius - Novovilnyaskuyu in a psychiatric hospital, but then
released, and since 1992 this lonely man lives in a boarding house
.
In the early 90's local nationalists from "Sajudis" decided
raise him on a pedestal, thinking that the attack on the "Danae" he
made that day in 1940 when the Red Army entered
Lithuania. Thus, the radicals decided, this man ... avenged
"invaders." Maygis not protest, the newspaper "Lietuvos Rytas
", but soon people figured out that Rembrandt - it
Rembrandt, and this man brought Lithuania is not fame and world
shame.
Journalists all these years trying to figure out the motives of wild
act "Lithuanian Herostratus." At first, he briefly spoke with
them. But even then he failed to convincingly explain the reasons
hardcore action. B.Maygis said that if he were hurt in
Soviet years on power because due to work in the mines
Russia lost his health before him nobody cared. He became
worse to see his sick stomach, but doctors allegedly did not want to admit
disabled and he could not get a pension. Though then
it and had the idea to take revenge authorities. He wanted to make
any act of terrorism, which would bring huge
damage. In Leningrad, where people come to be treated next Herostrat,
it saw a "given" and found its price - a few tens of millions of dollars
. It was then that his mind is clouded and wild idea.
In the pension at the strange lodger not complain, though
note that in recent years it has become even more withdrawn and irritable
.
the fall of 1997 tried to talk with him one
journalists of Russian TV channels. They "hunt" for B.Maygisom
few hours, but it was locked in the room, and then literally
escaped. Similarly done in other similar cases.
According to the "Lietuvos Rytas" B.Maygis is the most active
inmate boarding. Gets up early. Recently
engaged fishing. Almost every day, goes to the market,
buys there old radio and TV, this technique
repairs in his room and sells. He once worked for
Kaunas radio factory.
With staff and residents pension B.Maygis communicates little.
Nobody invites himself to no walks.
But never refuses to help old people living nearby. Therefore, the strange
neighbors all speak only good.
B.Maygis does not drink or smoke. It is said that he was pleased with his
life. However, the strange behavior of this man brings to other assumptions
...


Yuri STROGANOV Labor, 11/18/1999

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