Das mythische Prinzip dargestellt an Literatur der litauischen Zwischenkriegszeit Mythos Litauen Roman Literaturwissenschaft Literatur Nationenbildung Baltistik Analyse Modell Modellierung Zwischenkriegszeit Myth is neither a way of thinking nor an ancient tale; it is a principle that appears in text as an unconscious layer unaffected by content or a story line. The three characteristics of that principle are called narrativity fictionality and functionality. Political myths contribute to nation building. Looking at Lithuania interwar literature is very appropriate for analysing political myths. This thesis considers 24 Lithuanian interwar novels by Gabriele Petkevicaite Vincas Mykolaitis Ieva Simonaityte Vladas Andriukaitis Liudas Dovydenas Jurgis Jankus Sofija Kymantaite Ciurlioniene Juozas Tumas Juozas Pauktelis Juozas Gruas Antanas ukauskas Jonas Marcinkevicius Ignas einius Kazys Puida Kazys Boruta Petronele Orintaite Janutiene atrijos Ragana Antanas Vaiciulaitis and Petras Cvirka. Political myths found in these novels refer to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania the Lithuanian country side and the resistance against opponents to Lithuanian national independence. Interesting enough the thus constructed national identity does not always match the values that led to the formation of the Lithuanian nation state.