PART 6 OF 6

The SECRETS OF TUSKULĖNAI MANOR

In the visitor center building which is located on the grounds of the Memorial Complex of Tuskulėnai Peace Park in the building marked Žirmūnų Gatvė 1N, there is an exhibition entitled “SECRETS OF TUSKULĖNAI MANOR”. While the burial place of the victims of the Soviet’s mass murders that occurred from 1944 to 1947 remained one of the secrets of the Tuskulėnai Manor until after Lithuania once again regained their freedom, there are still some other secrets of the Tuskulėnai Manor we would like to share with you along with giving you an idea of the layout of the park.

TUSKULĖNAI

16th–21st century

The territory in which the Memorial Complex of Tuskulėnai Peace Park is located has been known since the 16th century as the land of the royal manor. Its function was to serve the castles of Vilnius. The Manor featured a large homestead with orchards and ponds. It was called the Derewnictwo Manor. The founder of the Manor was the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, Sigismund II Augustus. The family of this ruler had stayed in this suburban Manor on many occasions. In the mid-17th century the Manor lost its royal status and belonged to noblemen such as Wołłowicz, Pac, and Tyzenhauz. The territory was surrounded by vast hunting grounds and crossed by a road for worshippers to Vilnius Calvary. In the second half of the 18th century, the Manor was divided into individual and independent farms. The portion of the homestead which passed to the hands of the monks of the Lateran Chapter began to be called Tuskulėnai, whereas the remaining part of the former Manor was referred to as the Derewnictwo Folwark.

In the early 19th century, Tuskulėnai Manor was managed by Elizabeth, the wife of Rogovsky, advisor to the Russian Tsar. The Manor acquired its current shape around 1825, when it was managed by Vilnius Governor-General Alexander Rimsky-Korsakov. On his instructions the prominent architect Karol Podczaszyński designed the Manor House in the classical style as well as servant quarters (the office). It was also at this time that a park with ponds was established and the central part of the Manor grounds was fenced with a brick wall.

In the 1840s, the Manor was purchased by Julian Titius, a doctor and a public figure, and the place became an important cultural centre for the residents of Vilnius. The Manor House contained a valuable collection of paintings and a rich library. Vilnius intellectuals such as the composer Stanisław Moniuszko, writer Józef Ignacy Kraszewski, and others visited the Manor.

In the second half of the 19th century Tuskulėnai Manor became a part of the city. The final owner of the Manor was the family of Tsarist Army’s general Melentyev.

In the second half of the 19th century, the Derewnictwo Folwark was acquired by General Alexander Losev, an assistant to the Governor General of Vilnius Mikhail Muravyov (known as the Hangman) in suppressing the 1863–1864 uprising in Lithuania. In 1866, he built a hunting lodge on the grounds of the folwark.

In 1928, the Derewnictwo place was purchased by Francyszek Walicki, an engineer from Vilnius, who turned a hunting lodge into a summer residence for his family. The reconstructed building was painted in bright colours and was therefore called the White Manor House. Between 1930 and 1931, the engineer erected St. Teresa’s Chapel here in memory of his parents.

In 1940, after the first Soviet occupation the Tuskulėnai Manor was nationalised. During the Nazi occupation between 1941 and 1944, the Tuskulėnai Manor House belonged to Wincenty and Jadwiga Antonowicz where they hid Jews in cellars.

In 1944, after the second Soviet occupation of Lithuania, the Tuskulėnai Manor and the White Manor House passed to the charge of the NKVD–MVD and NKGB–MGB.

After the re-establishment of independence in Lithuania, mass graves of the participants of the underground anti-Soviet movement executed at Vilnius NKGB–MGB internal prison between 1944 and 1947 or those who perished in Vilnius district were uncovered within the grounds of Tuskulėnai Manor. In order to commemorate them, following the decree of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania dated 2002, the Memorial Complex of Tuskulėnai Peace Park was established. It consists of the chapel-columbarium with the remains from the mass graves, the Tuskulėnai Manor House, the Office, and the park (where boundaries of former mass graves are designated) with the White Manor House and St. Teresa’s Chapel nearby. As objects of cultural heritage all buildings situated on the Memorial Complex of Tuskulėnai Peace Park were inscribed in the Register of Cultural Property.

The grounds of Tuskulėnai Manor

The Memorial Complex of Tuskulėnai Peace Park is located in grounds which were royal property in the 16th century. The large territory of the Manor stretched between the road to Verkiai and the River Neris and included buildings for various purposes, orchards, and ponds surrounded by vast hunting grounds.

In the course of time, the Manor lost its royal status and changed hands. The Pieglowski, governors of the Manor in the 17th century, had ponds made, built a residential house and a distillery. At the beginning of the 18th century, the Manor included agricultural land, an orchard, and utility buildings. According to written historical evidence, the Manor also had a unique floating mill. In the second half of the 18th century, the Manor was divided into independent homesteads. The portion of the homestead which passed to the hands of the monks of the Lateran Chapter began to be called Tuskulėnai. It was used for utility purposes. In the second half of the 19th century the territory of Tuskulėnai Manor became part of Vilnius city.

The old buildings of Tuskulėnai Manor sank into a state of disrepair and the functions and image of the territory changed over time. The Manor House that has survived to the present day was built around 1825 as a country-house with a cultural, entertainment, and recreational purpose. It is thought that initially this ensemble built in the classic style was surrounded by a brick wall and that development of a landscape park with small architectural structures was started on the grounds of the Manor House. Round flower beds were planted in front of the main façade of the house with paths stretching from the flower beds. On the lower terrace on the River Neris, there were ponds which later became overgrown with weeds, because the grounds were neglected after nationalisation of the Manor in 1940.

In 1944, the territory of Tuskulėnai Manor together with its buildings passed to the charge of the Soviet repression structures NKGB–MGB. Part of the grounds was only opened to the public in the 70s when the Culture and Sports Building was built for the Ministry of the Interior and a square was laid out. After the re-establishment of independence in Lithuania, mass graves as a result of Soviet executions were identified on the territory of the Manor. In 2002, the Memorial Complex of Tuskulėnai Peace Park was established by combining the grounds of the Tuskulėnai Manor House and the nearby grounds. The buildings of the complex were restored between 2005 and 2008, the chapel-columbarium was built prior to that in 2004, and in 2010 the park was tidied up.

Photo property of the archives of the Department of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania.
All rights reserved.

This photo gives you some idea of how the grounds were just an unkempt field and numerous buildings for industrial use and auto repair had been put up over the years during the Soviet occupation.

This photo from approximatly the same view shows the grounds after restorations.

The Tuskulėnai Manor House

The present Tuskulėnai Manor House was built around 1825 by order of Vilnius Governor-General Alexander Rimsky-Korsakov and is an example of a country-house built in the late classical period. Historical references state that it was designed by Karol Podczaszyński, Professor of Architecture of Vilnius University renowned as one of the proponents of the classical style in Lithuania.

The design of the Tuskulėnai Manor House located on the right bank of the River Neris is original. The house is of rectangular shape (Palladian layout), single storey, with a mezzanine and wings on either side with attic area above. The façade of the house is symmetrical of rather reserved shape, decorated with architectural elements.

The gables of the central part of the façade facing the River Neris on the east are decorated with stone ornaments with plant motifs and three statues of the mythological goddesses of antiquity, Diana, Juno, and Venus are to be found on the roof. Statues were rarely a decoration of a residential home. The walls and the ceiling of the representational halls of the Manor House were elaborately decorated with classical paintings and the floor was made from parquet panels. Stoves decorated with ornate tiles were used to heat the premises. During the reconstruction carried out at the end of the 19th century, window openings and the entrance were partially moved; the stone ornaments were destroyed together with the sculptures on the gable. After WWII, the Manor House passed into the hands of the Soviet repressive structures NKVD–MVD. It was used, but not looked after and consequently the building lost much of its original appearance.

Between 2005 and 2008, the Tuskulėnai Manor House was restored on the basis of historical, iconographic, and architectural research: the structural elements of the building were reinforced, the primary layout of the building was recreated, the classical wall and ceiling paintings were restored, and the eastern façade was decorated with stone ornaments with plant motifs and sculptures of the goddesses of antiquity.

Photos property of the archives of the Department of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania.
All rights reserved.

These photos show the sad state the Tuskulėnai Manor House was in before restoration.

Servant quarters of Tuskulėnai Manor

The construction of the servant quarters started at the same time as the construction of the Manor House – in the first half of the 19th century and was restored and extended at the end of the 19th century. The building today represents the result of the construction that continued for a century. All stages of the construction affected the external appearance of the building.

The building consists of two clearly defined blocks. The older one was built in the classical style and is thought to have been designed by Karol Podczaszyński, the architect of Tuskulėnai Manor House. The brick portion of the building is intended to accommodate servants. The same ornaments are used for this portion of the building as in the Manor House.

Photo property of the archives of the Department of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania.
All rights reserved.

Photo of the front of the Servant quarters of Tuskulėnai Manor before restoration.

At the end of the 19th century, a wooden addition was built on the back of the building. It is an original structure and features complex cornices, round semi-columns, and tall windows between the columns. The wide door on both sides of the building indicates that in addition to accommodation for servants, there might also have been premises for a coach house or stables.

Photo property of the archives of the Department of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania.
All rights reserved.

This photo shows the condition of the area behind the servant’s quarters before restoration.

In 1940, the Office was nationalised together with the Tuskulėnai Manor House and in 1944 passed into the hands of the Soviet repressive structures of the NKVD–MVD. Later, the spacious premises were divided into many small rooms, whereas the exterior of the building was dwarfed by many additions.

Between 2005 and 2008, the Office of Tuskulėnai Manor was restored, the primary layout of the building, the facades, and architectural elements were re-created. The servant’s quarters’ building now houses the administrative offices of Memorial Complex of Tuskulėnai Peace Park and its address is Žirmūnų Gatvė 1F.

The White Manor House

In 1866, the general of the Tsarist Army Alexander Losev built a hunting lodge near Tuskulėnai Manor. This was a small single storey building with a basement, no specific architectural features, a simple layout and minimal ornamentation.

Photo property of the archives of the Department of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania.
All rights reserved.

Photo of the White Manor House before restoration

In 1928, the dilapidated hunting lodge together with the adjacent utility buildings was purchased by Francyszek Walicki, a geodetic engineer and the head of Vilnius Geodetic Agency, from the then owner, Lydia Minakowa. The engineer turned it into a summer residence for his family. The building was reconstructed by replacing the windows, installing a wooden veranda, and connecting water and electricity. A veranda with ornate carvings was built on the eastern side of the building which was painted in bright colours and was therefore referred to by local residents as the White Manor House.

The area owned by the Walicki family, a well maintained orchard, flower beds, and a kitchen garden were planted. An oval flower bed of complex composition was planted on the terrace that was formed on the slope. Specially designed steps for descending to the flower bed were built.

In 1944, after the second Soviet occupation of Lithuania, the White Manor House was nationalised and turned into a summer residence for Soviet Communist Party officials. The building was subsequently used to house a kindergarten for the children of KGB officers and then as apartments for KGB officers.

The White Manor House, address Žirmūnų Gatvė 1N, now serves the function of the park’s information center and also houses the exhibition “The Secrets of Tuskulėnai Manor”.

The White Manor House was restored between 2005 and 2008. During the restoration, a valuable 17th century pottery kiln was uncovered.

KILN

In the course of the reconstruction of the White Manor House (the villa of Francyszek Walicki), archaeologists (supervisor Vytautas Urbonavičius) discovered a unique structure – fragments of a kiln. This discovery unveiled the little known world of old pottery craft in medieval Vilnius.

The kiln was used in the second half of the 17th century for firing building materials such as bricks, tiles, floor tiles, and lime. The kiln was square in shape, 6 x 6 m in size. The bottom part of the exhibited kiln – the flame port (flue) – was buried in the ground. Pottery was stacked on the remaining arches. The kiln was used for a long time. After each firing it was thoroughly cleaned and repaired. It has been estimated that 18,000 bricks could be fired at one single time in the kiln. During this period, there were several such kilns in the environs of the White Manor House. The possibility that this brickyard supplied products for the construction of St Peter and Paul Church and the monastery in the vicinity cannot be excluded. Written chronicles state that a ferry across the River Neris was built in 1671 to transport building materials produced by craftsmen of Šnipiškės settlement.

The brickyard operated within the grounds of the White Manor House until the late 18th century–early 19th century. A kiln for building materials from this period was identified and later conserved in the northern part of the territory of the Manor House.

The longevity of the ceramics production centre was first of all determined by the large deposits of raw material. It has been said that the Vilnius suburban settlement of Šnipiškės located along the right bank of the River Neris had good quality clay deposits since the earliest times. It is therefore no wonder that as early as the 16th century, when the demand for ceramic building materials grew rapidly, mass construction of kilns in the suburban settlement of Šnipiškės followed.

St. Teresa’s Chapel

Between 1930 and 1931, F. Walicki erected St. Teresa’s Chapel, in memory of his parents, on the grounds of Tuskulėnai Manor, next to the White Manor House. The famous Vilnius sculptor, Piotr Hermanowicz was the building consultant and the interior designer of the chapel. This well-proportioned and very compact chapel is made of the unique pre-war monolith reinforced concrete with decorative elements. A belfry with a gilded cross was erected on the roof of the chapel and covered with ceramic tiles. Inside the chapel, there used to be an oil painting of St. Teresa by Marian Kulesza above the altar and an elaborate chandelier. A recreation area with a bench was erected next to the chapel.

Photo property of the archives of the Department of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania.
All rights reserved.

St. Teresa’s Chapel before restoration

On 31 September 1931, after obtaining a permit from the Roman Catholic Archbishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Vilnius, the chapel was consecrated and inaugurated. Catholics from neighbouring settlements attended Mass here at the weekends.

One of two Angel sculptures on the walls of the Chapel

In 1944, the White Manor House was nationalised, the St. Teresa’s Chapel was abolished and lost its sacral function.

Between 2005 and 2008, the chapel was restored by rebuilding the altar.

The Exposition

“The SECRETS of TUSKULĖNAI MANOR”

Located in the White Manor House is not only the Information Center but also the Exposition
“The Secrets of Tuskulėnai Manor”. The exposition is comprised of four areas.

In the first hall you will find the exposition

“TUSKULĖNAI 16^th- 21^st CENTURY”

Here you will find archeological and iconographic material that illustrates the history of Tuskulėnai Manor.

You will also find a restored 17^th century kiln exhibited along with an interactive screen that will walk you through the history of Tuskulėnai from the 16^th to 21^st century. Great information along with some really incredible photographs.

In the second hall you will find the exposition

“TUSKULĖNAI MASS GRAVES”

Here the process of sentencing to death by the courts of the Soviet Occupation Regime is explained along with copies of actual Russian language documents that were the part of the execution process. The place of burial which the Soviets kept a closely guarded secret is also presented.

In this hall you will also find exhibits of the personal belongings of the executed donated by their relatives. You will also find in this hall four interactive screens. The screens display in alphabetical order the victims. As you press each victim’s name the screen shows all available information for that person including photos and the actual Russian documents for their execution.

In the third hall you will find the exposition

“BISHOP VINCENTAS BORISEVIČIUS”

Here you will learn of the spiritual strength and great courage of Bishop Borisevičius in the face of the cruelty of the totalitarian Soviet regime. Included are archival documents from the Bishop’s criminal record, his liturgical clothing, personal belongings and photographs.

There is also a video presentation of his reburial ceremony conducted September 1999.

In the fourth hall you will find the exposition

“EXECUTIONS BETWEEN 1944 AND 1947”

Here is a presentation showing the brutal ways those sentenced were killed. There are

archival documents about the executioners and the awards they received for their “good service” are displayed. There is also a video presentation which presents how the Soviet executioners carried out mass executions.

I would also like to point out one very striking feature of the exposition. In halls 2, 3 and 4 there are glass floors (please note the photos). Underneath the glass are the shoes of many of the victims illuminated in a soft light. The exposition is excellent. It provides a wealth of knowledge in addition to evoking a wealth of emotions and I can honestly tell you that the shoes of these people, silently sitting in their soft glow, reach out to you and connect to your inner feelings. They are a constant and very sombre reminder of what happened here on the grounds of Tuskulėnai Manor during the years of Soviet oppression.

KGB – rus. КГБ, Комитет Государственной Безопасности – Lith. Valstybės saugumo komitetas – Committee for State Security [of the USSR]
MGB – rus. МГБ, Министерство государственной безопасности – Lith. Valstybės saugumo ministerija – Ministry of State Security [of the USSR]
MVD – rus. МВД, Министерство внутренних дел – Lith. Vidaus reikalų ministerija – Ministry of Internal Affairs [of the USSR]
NKGB – rus. НКГБ, Народный Комиссариат Государственной Безопасности – Lith. Valstybės saugumo liaudies komisariatas – People’s Commissariat for Internal Affairs [of the USSR]
NKVD – rus. НКВД, Народный комиссариат внутренних дел – Lith. Vidaus reikalų liaudies komisariatas – People’s Commissariat of Internal Affairs [of the USSR]

VISITOR INFORMATION

Here is some information that will help when you are planning your visit to The Memorial Complex of Tuskulėnai Peace Park.

Opening hours are:

Wednesday to Saturday 10 am to 6 pm
Sunday 10 am to 5 pm
Closed on Monday and Tuesday

If you want to telephone the Information and Exposition Center at Žirmūnų Gatve 1N their number is +370 5 275 2547

The telephone numbers of the administrative offices located at Žirmūnų Gatve 1F are end_of_the_skype_highlighting
+370 5 275 07 04 and +370 5 275 12 23

Their Email address is
tuskulenai@genocid.lt

They invite you to check out their web site for additional visitor information
www.tuskulenumemorialas.lt/en/

For additional information about the Memorial Complex of Tuskulėnai Peace Park
www.genocid.lt/tuskulenai/en/

NOW IT’S TIME TO SAY THANK YOU

There is quite a long list of people to thank. These are all the people that did so much to help me assemble all this information so that it could be shared with all of you. One thing that I would like to point out is that all of these people, with the exception of one, work for offices of the Republic of Lithuania. Based on the level of professionalism and knowledge these people displayed along with their dedication, ambition and willingness to assist and help, the government of Lithuania should be not only proud but honored to have people like this in their service. I can not remember ever having this much qualified help and assistance with anything. I would also like to add that all of this was combined with wonderful friendly personalities. It was an absolute pleasure to meet all of you.

Now the difficult part is to decide where to begin. I should probably begin with some of the people that helped me so much in the archives.

In the Central Archives of Lithuania there is an incredible lady. I have never seen any one with so much energy and with so much attention to detail. Ramutė I thank you for helping me find all the beautiful photos of Bishop Borisevičius. I also thank you for showing me all those other photos that will be helpful for future stories. In fact those photos are a story in themselves.

I want to thank the Vice Director of the Lithuanian Special Archives, Kęstas Remeika, for his cooperation and his assitance. Dear readers, you have no idea how difficult it was to get much of this information and photos in fact in some cases it was virtually impossible. Mr. Remieka‘s cooperation made the impossible possible.

Also at the Lithuanian Special Archives is Inga. Dear readers please keep in mind that most every document in the Lithuanian Special Archives is written in the Russian cryptic alphabet and I understand absolutely nothing in the Russian cryptic alphabet. It was Inga that came to my rescue. After sorting through document after document, when I came across something that looked like what I needed Inga was person that did all the translating for me. In addition, after she got a better idea of what I was looking for she also helped look for some of the information. Inga I sincerely thank you. I do not know what I would have done if you were not there to help.

I want to thank all the members of the staff of the Museum of Genocide Victims (KGB Museum) for the time they spent with me. The information they provided was most helpful and it allowed me to better understand the events that were taking place during this tragic time in Lithuanian history which allowed me to be better able to organize all the information for these articles. I must also tell you that the staff here at the Museum of Genocide Victims, just like the staff at the Memorial Complex of Tuskulėnai Peace Park, are wonderful people. Every one of them are dedicated to the principle of the museum and are always more than happy to share information.

A big thank you goes to the people at the Castle Research Center “Lietuvos pilys” for allowing us to use their diagram of the excavation sites and I am sure that we would all want to thank them also for their ongoing work at Tuskulėnai.

The photos of the buildings and grounds of the Memorial Complex of Tuskulėnai Peace Park before restorations are courtesy of the Department of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania and we greatly appreciate them allowing us to show them to you.

We would again like to give Dr. Rimantas Jankauskas, Senior researcher for the State Forensic Medicine Service under the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Lithuania, a Professor in the Faculty of Medicine, Anatomy, Histology and Anthropology Department, at Vilnius University and Senior researcher and Head of Department of Mykolas Romeris University Forensic Institute in Vilnius, our sincere thanks for allowing us to use the photographs of the head wounds and we would also like to say thank you for all the work you have done over the years in an effort to identify the victims and reunite them with their families.

As I said before, all the people on this long thank you list are in one way or another associated with an office of the Republic of Lithuania except one and this is Cate Bird from the Department of Anthropology of Michigan State University in the U.S.A. Cate, I really don’t know how to thank you for all your work at Tuskulėnai. In fact Lithuanians all over the world thank you for what you are doing. Your research to ultimately demonstrate how Soviet-sponsored violence fits within broader narratives of global state-sponsored violence during the twentieth century is truly an honourable endeavour.

Now I have saved for last the people that with out their help this story would have probably been impossible to put together. For all the people at the Memorial Complex of Tuskulėnai Peace Park

Thank you – Ačiū labai - Padėkokite jums – Aitäh – Paldies – Дякую – Dakujem – Dziękujemy

I have said many times in these articles how great the staff is at Tuskulėnai and I need to say it again. They are GREAT. I can honestly say that after every time I met with them or talked with them on the phone I would say to myself that I can’t believe how wonderful and helpful these people are. Please keep in mind that much of the text for these articles was originated by the Tuskulėnai staff. Much of my work was just getting all the material together and organizing it into a story.

I would like to begin by thanking the director of the Memorial Complex of Tuskulėnai Peace Park, Dovilė Lauraitienė, for all her help and support and for allowing me to work with her wonderful staff.

When I first visited Tuskulėnai, the first person I talked to was a very helpful and charming lady by the name of Solveiga Steponavičienė. I told her that I wanted to do a story about Tuskulėnai and she immediately started making phone calls to get people to come to talk with me. She then took me around and started to give me information. It was Solveiga that took me for the first time into the Chapel-columbarium. This first visit to the Chapel-columbarium a most moving and emotional experience and I thank you for taking me there. So as you can see, it was Solveiga that really got the process started for this story to be put together – Ačiū labai Solveiga

There are two historians in the staff at Tuskulėnai, Vytautas Starikovičius and the senior historian Remigijus Černius. These two men are amazing. I have no idea how you two can remember so many details. Not only do they know so much but they also know where everything is. They are like walking computers. Vytautas and Remigijus thank you. Every time I talked with you for ten minutes you probably saved me ten weeks of work.

Now let me tell you about Martynas Striūkas.

The best way to tell you about Martynas is that in spite of all the help I received from so many people, if it was not for Martynas I can honestly say that this story would have never been completed. I have mentioned a number of times that you have no idea how difficult it was to get all this material together and the primary person responsible for helping me get everything was Martynas. He was my contact man with everything and everybody and 24/7 he was my “go to guy”.

Martynas - Nuo mano širdies LABAI AČIŪ

Please look for the conclusion to The Mass Graves of Tuskulėnai

The SUMMARY

Dear readers please keep in mind that we still

WE NEED YOUR HELP

Dear VilNews readers, we need your help. As we have said, the victims that were executed in the NKGB–MGB internal prison in between 28 September 1944 and 16 April 1947 were buried in secret mass graves in the territory of the Tuskulėnai Manor. These victims have been found, their bodies recovered, given the dignified burial they never received and their souls have been blessed by a Holy person of the religion the worshipped.

26 May 1947, following the order of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR, the death penalty was abolished.

On 12 January 1950, the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR passed a decree re-instating the death penalty. Between October 1950 and July 1952, 182 people sentenced to death were executed at Vilnius NKGB–MGB internal prison.
Their place of burial is still not known.

After July 1952 to 1961 executions continued pursuant to the 1926 Criminal Code Article 58 of RSFSR.
The burial place of these victims is still unknown.

The 1926 Criminal Code Article 58 of RSFSR was terminated in 1961 but executions continued.
The burial place of these victims is still unknown

Dear readers we would like to find where these people are buried, recover their bodies, give them the dignified burial they never received and have them blessed by a Holy person of the Religion they worshipped.

This is where we need your help. The NKVD and NKGB–MGB officers that oversaw these executions are now all dead. What ever records and documents which still exist are most likely locked away in a vault somewhere in the Russian Federation and it would seem highly unlikely that anyone in the Russian Federation would be kind enough allow access to these documents and records so that we could find out the location of the burial sites or simply tell us where these people are buried.

We know that there are people out there that know the location of some of these burial sites. Maybe it is a person that processed the documents, maybe it is some one that was just a rank and file soldier that was ordered to drive the truck that transported the bodies or was ordered to dig the trenches for the graves, maybe it is a colleague of one of these people or maybe it is the bartender that heard some of these people talk of it one night. The possibilities are endless.

Maybe none of these people with first hand knowledge of the burial sites are still alive. In that case we are sure that there are people out there with second hand or even third hand information. To have first hand knowledge of these executions would weigh very heavily on any civilized person’s heart and it is very possible that after carrying this weight inside them for many years they finally felt the need to free themselves from this burden they carried inside and told some one.

If you have any information at all, any information of any kind – Please tell us.

It is not important to us how you know, who it was, what they did or who told you.

None of this is important.

The only thing that is important is that we find where the executed people are buried.

This is all we care about.

What we want to do is best explained in the words from Bronius Eiva’s farewell letter he wrote to his wife while waiting his execution while in the prison of Ukmergės Peoples Commissariat for Internal Affairs.

“Please find out when I was shot or hanged and where they bury me.
Dig me up and take me to Šeta cemetary.”

This is all we want to do – Find where they are buried, dig them up and then give them a proper burial but we can only do this with your help.

All information will be kept strictly confidential
We are not concerned with who or what
We are only concerned with where these people are buried

If you have any information of any kind please contact:

The Memorial Complex of Tuskulenai Peace Park
Žirmūnų Gatvė 1F,
LT-09239, Vilnius
Lithuania

Telephone: +370 5 275 1223
E-mail. tuskulenai@genocid.lt

You can also contact me at vkvilnius-tuskulenai@yahoo.com

We sincerely thank you for your help.

Su pagarbe
Vincas Karnila

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