How did the Lithuanian patriarch Jonas Basanavičius inspire the nation with his scientific research? The idea as a movement and development of science fits into the problem of nationalism in the history of the Russian Empire and European science. My aim is to analyse Basanavičius' studies, ideas and research into the Lithuanian nation in the fields of anthropology, ethnology and ethnography from 1879 to 1927. I argue that German ethnology may have influenced Basanavičius' theoretical concept of

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... nation studies. In my analysis, I focus on the following issues: (1) the projects of the Science Society in Lietuviška Ceitunga, Aušra, Varpas and other publications; (2) research in biological anthropology; (3) studies of ethnology and ethnography; (4) collecting antiques; (5) 'ethnographic' fellowship; (6) the national research programme; and (7) studies of the Lithuanian nation. Key words: cultural nationalism, Europe, Jonas Basanavičius, Lithuanian Science Society, Russian Empire, Völkerkunde.