LETTER OF THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA MR. AUDRONIUS AŽUBALIS AT THE EVENT DEDICATED TO THE REMEMBRANCE OF THE VICTIMS OF THE HOLOCAUST (SEPTEMBER 22, 2011, THE YIVO INSTITUTE FOR JEWISH RESEARCH)
Updated 2011-09-23
New York, September 22nd, 2011
Dear Mr. Jonathan Brent,
Dear Litvaks, our friends and the guests of this evening,
I am touched to be invited here to join you on this special evening in listening together to the Jewish songs and poetry. By hearing these melodies and words we are to look into the very souls of Jews, who loved their lives, their families and home, but who were condemned to suffer the cruelty of which the history of mankind had never seen and heard before. We are here to remember those who died during the Holocaust, but remain alive eternally in our cherished memories.
Tomorrow, on the 23th of September my country, Lithuania, will commemorate one of the darkest days in its history – the Destruction of the Vilnius Ghetto. This day has been proclaimed the National Holocaust Victims Remembrance day in Lithuania. The special commemoration ceremony will be held in Paneriai, one of the most terrible killing sites of Jews during the Nazi occupation.
I invite you to pay your respect to those who lost the life in the catastrophic fire of Holocaust by a minute of silence.
My nation knows directly what it means to suffer from the horrors of totalitarian dictates, exile and executions. On the other hand, it understands how important it is to stay true to oneself and to admit the shared guilt for the shameful acts and moments of national history. Lithuania will never run away from the uncomfortable memories of its past. Instead, we are determined to stay by your side and take the necessary responsibilities. We have undertaken a serious commitment to commemorate the history of more than six hundred years of Lithuanian Jewry, the history of traditional Jewish scholarship, culture and traditions as well the tragic history of Shoah.
2011 is proclaimed by the Parliament of Lithuania as the Year of Remembrance of Holocaust Victims. The special program comprising 25 National Holocaust Victims Remembrance projects was prepared and is being implemented through-out Lithuania. The Government has recently passed a decision to appropriate almost 200 000 Euros for setting up the Jewish library in Vilnius. We have also adopted a special resolution for restoring the historic Jewish Quarter in the Old City of Vilnius and protecting the famous Jewish Shnipiskes cemetery in the Center of Vilnius.
Just a few months ago, in close cooperation with Yad Vashem and Washington Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Government initiated reconstruction of the Paneriai Memorial, the major site of the killings during the Shoah. By the personal initiative of the Prime Minister the excavation of the world famous Great Vilnius Synagogue has commenced with the view of the further exposition of the findings to the public.
Acknowledging the great contribution of the Jewish community of Lithuania to Lithuania’s culture and development of society before the Second World War; recognising the occupation of Lithuania and the Holocaust as the beginning of total extermination of Jews; having regard to the fact that the Jewish communities, which had long existed in various Lithuanian localities, were destroyed during the Holocaust, and seeking to restore historical justice, the Parliament of Lithuania has recently adopted the Law on Good Will Compensation for the immovable Property of Jewish religious communities.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In 1925 leading Jewish historians gathered in Berlin and founded YIVO located in Vilna (as it called in Yiddish).
Symbolically, YIVO tradition of preserving the Yiddish culture and language is continued at Vilnius University through the activities of Vilnius Yiddish institute, and the Yiddish studies is an integral part of the Lithuanian academic curriculum.
I have a hope that the YIVO Studies Room will be established soon in the National M. Mažvydas library. This event would mark the return of the YIVO institute to its roots in Vilnius.
YIVO Board Members included Albert Einstein, Sigizmund Freud, Simon Dubnov and other brightest minds of the 20-th century. We can ask ourselves – how better our World would be today if the human society would have avoided Holocaust.
It is impossible to return 70 years back and to remake the history without crimes, atrocities and mistakes. But I am sure that such institutes as YIVO are invaluable in preserving and developing the best traditions and practices, and serving for better understanding between states and nations. I think such activities are the best input for the sacred memory of Shoa.
As a member or Lithuanian Parliament, as a minister of Foreign affairs of the Republic of Lithuania and as a citizen of a nation with conscience I call for better understanding between all Jews in the world, our brothers litvaks and Lithuania.
Thank you.
Dear Litvaks, our friends and the guests of this evening,
I am touched to be invited here to join you on this special evening in listening together to the Jewish songs and poetry. By hearing these melodies and words we are to look into the very souls of Jews, who loved their lives, their families and home, but who were condemned to suffer the cruelty of which the history of mankind had never seen and heard before. We are here to remember those who died during the Holocaust, but remain alive eternally in our cherished memories.
Tomorrow, on the 23th of September my country, Lithuania, will commemorate one of the darkest days in its history – the Destruction of the Vilnius Ghetto. This day has been proclaimed the National Holocaust Victims Remembrance day in Lithuania. The special commemoration ceremony will be held in Paneriai, one of the most terrible killing sites of Jews during the Nazi occupation.
I invite you to pay your respect to those who lost the life in the catastrophic fire of Holocaust by a minute of silence.
My nation knows directly what it means to suffer from the horrors of totalitarian dictates, exile and executions. On the other hand, it understands how important it is to stay true to oneself and to admit the shared guilt for the shameful acts and moments of national history. Lithuania will never run away from the uncomfortable memories of its past. Instead, we are determined to stay by your side and take the necessary responsibilities. We have undertaken a serious commitment to commemorate the history of more than six hundred years of Lithuanian Jewry, the history of traditional Jewish scholarship, culture and traditions as well the tragic history of Shoah.
2011 is proclaimed by the Parliament of Lithuania as the Year of Remembrance of Holocaust Victims. The special program comprising 25 National Holocaust Victims Remembrance projects was prepared and is being implemented through-out Lithuania. The Government has recently passed a decision to appropriate almost 200 000 Euros for setting up the Jewish library in Vilnius. We have also adopted a special resolution for restoring the historic Jewish Quarter in the Old City of Vilnius and protecting the famous Jewish Shnipiskes cemetery in the Center of Vilnius.
Just a few months ago, in close cooperation with Yad Vashem and Washington Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Government initiated reconstruction of the Paneriai Memorial, the major site of the killings during the Shoah. By the personal initiative of the Prime Minister the excavation of the world famous Great Vilnius Synagogue has commenced with the view of the further exposition of the findings to the public.
Acknowledging the great contribution of the Jewish community of Lithuania to Lithuania’s culture and development of society before the Second World War; recognising the occupation of Lithuania and the Holocaust as the beginning of total extermination of Jews; having regard to the fact that the Jewish communities, which had long existed in various Lithuanian localities, were destroyed during the Holocaust, and seeking to restore historical justice, the Parliament of Lithuania has recently adopted the Law on Good Will Compensation for the immovable Property of Jewish religious communities.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In 1925 leading Jewish historians gathered in Berlin and founded YIVO located in Vilna (as it called in Yiddish).
Symbolically, YIVO tradition of preserving the Yiddish culture and language is continued at Vilnius University through the activities of Vilnius Yiddish institute, and the Yiddish studies is an integral part of the Lithuanian academic curriculum.
I have a hope that the YIVO Studies Room will be established soon in the National M. Mažvydas library. This event would mark the return of the YIVO institute to its roots in Vilnius.
YIVO Board Members included Albert Einstein, Sigizmund Freud, Simon Dubnov and other brightest minds of the 20-th century. We can ask ourselves – how better our World would be today if the human society would have avoided Holocaust.
It is impossible to return 70 years back and to remake the history without crimes, atrocities and mistakes. But I am sure that such institutes as YIVO are invaluable in preserving and developing the best traditions and practices, and serving for better understanding between states and nations. I think such activities are the best input for the sacred memory of Shoa.
As a member or Lithuanian Parliament, as a minister of Foreign affairs of the Republic of Lithuania and as a citizen of a nation with conscience I call for better understanding between all Jews in the world, our brothers litvaks and Lithuania.
Thank you.
Audronius Ažubalis
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania
