THE VOICE OF INTERNATIONAL LITHUANIA
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Opinions
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VilNews is like manna from heaven…
Just want you to know what a great thing VilNews is.. like manna from heaven...it’s the first thing I go to with my morning coffee..
Richard Vitkauskas
New York
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Wish to commend you on the outstanding work that you do in bringing us, amazingly interesting articles on such a variety of subjects, together with photographic masterpieces....am now more and more interested in the history of my Fatherland, which I was blessed to visit in 2009 for my first visit and to walk in the footsteps of my ancestors.
My heartfelt thanks to you for your interest and dedication..
Aldona Martin (Martusevicius)
Australia
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COMMENTS TO OUR LAST WEEK ARTICLE:
“11 March marks the
restoration of
Lithuania's
independence – how
can the authorities
allow neo-Nazis to
dominate this important
day for the nation?”
Neo-Nazis marching in Vilnius
11 March 2010.
Click HERE to read the article
_____________________________
How about a “turn your back in shame” campaign?
Richard Vitkauskas
New York
PS:
Just want you to know also what a great thing VilNews is.. like manna from heaven...it’s the first thing I go to with my morning coffee..
_____________________________
Please read the link, share it, and sign the petition
Arthur Hessel
Washington D.C.
_____________________________
I strongly protest granting neo-Nazis a permit to exploit Lithuanian Independence Day
Dr. Boris Vytautas Bakunas, PhD
Chicago
_____________________________
I object
But I strongly object to her inaccurate, inflammatory statements like “...murder of about 95% of Lithuania’s Jewry during the Holocaust, largely by local collaborators...” Her claim is not supported by facts. Murdering largely was done by German SS and Gestapo.
My father was a short-lived mayor of Palanga, and when he openly objected to German inhumanity, he was removed at gunpoint from his position.
I was an 11 year old boy and I saw with my own eyes a group of Palanga’s Jews being led on the street to their death by uniformed Germans and not by any local “collaborators”.
Vytautas Sliupas
California
_____________________________
Response to Mr. Sliupas
I would like to assure Mr. Sliupas that I do not cite facts or figures irresponsibly. I base my statements on the research findings of respected historians (Timothy Snyder, Dina Porat, to name just a few).
To address Mr. Sliupas’s assertion that “ Murdering largely was done by German SS and Gestapo,” let me refer to some events in Palanga. According to the Lithuanian Holocaust Atlas, published in Vilnius in 2011, the mass murder of 111 Palanga Jews on June 27, 1941 was indeed carried out by German units. That mass grave is at Vytauto Street (p. 94).
The mass murders of two to three hundred Palanga Jews carried out in Kunigiskiai between June 26th and October 12th was led by district police chief of Kretinga P. Jakys (Lukys) and the city police chief of Palanga J. Adomaitis in cooperation with German forces (p. 95). Please refer to the links below:
http://holocaustatlas.lt/EN/#a_atlas/search/bendri=PALANGA.vietove=.aukos=.from_year=0.from_month=0.from_day=.to_year=0.to_month=0.to_day=.killers=/page/1/item/71
http://holocaustatlas.lt/EN/#a_atlas/search/bendri=PALANGA.vietove=.aukos=.from_year=0.from_month=0.from_day=.to_year=0.to_month=0.to_day=.killers=/page/1/item/72/
While great credit is due to Vytautas Sliupas's father, there is no use being in denial about the massive level of collaboration and participation. A recent oral history project includes survivor memories of the Lithuanian "rebel" forces' actions toward the Jews as soon as war broke out in Palanga:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34RxJtf02gU&feature=channel_video_title (in Yiddish with summary in English in the description box)
Olga Zabludoff
Washington, DC
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By reading Israeli newspapers one can hear more sobering voices. I say, It is time to heal the wounds and start living in peace again, as we have done for hundreds of years
- Posted by - (5) Comment
Vytautas Sliupas
By Vytautas Sliupas, California
“The Times of Israel”, March 11, 2012, carries a news article “Nazi hunter leads criticism of Lieberman for cordially hosting Lithuanian FM”. But not everyone was happy about this warm reception Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman gave his Lithuanian Counterpart. About a dozen demonstrators were carrying signs disapproving Foreign Minister’s Audronius Azubalis visit. Protest was co-organized by Efraim Zuroff, a well known Lithuania baiter.
Efraim Zuroff
The article further quotes: ”The Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, however, seems unfazed by these accusations”.
My Kudos to both Foreign Ministers for trying to normalize the strained relations and to remove the mutual distrust.
There are Jewish voices that are more conciliatory and thoughtful. In the Comments column:
Arik Elman
Mr. Arik Elman writes “both the Nazi and Communist totalitarian regimes should be considered to be the main disasters of the 20th century. My family lost relatives to both and I really fail to see a problem to that statement… Why is that Mr. Zuroff is so fixated on a tiny Lithuania instead of looking to the West?”
Meir Rhodes
Mr. Meir Rhodes writes: …”both stalin and hitler were anti-Semitic monsters… stalin was preparing to deport and destroy the Jews in 1953…”
Zalman Lachman
Mr. Zalman Lachman writes: … “The argument who was worse, Hitler or Stalin, is just silly… While everyone is busy arguing about last generations haters, there is a fellow in Persia preparing to kill us all right now… Let’s face the present… Efraim, how about we make an effort… and let the Lithuanians deal with their own history”.
Daniel Teeboom
Mr. Daniel Teeboom writes: … “Efraim Zuroff… I think it is a mistake to allow events from 70 years ago determine who should be our friends and who should not… So really, why care about Baltic deflections and demand so much from prospective friends?”
By reading Israeli newspapers one can hear more sobering voices. I say, It is time to heal the wounds and start living in peace again, as we have done for hundreds of years.
Vytautas Sliupas
California
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Will the power of women save the world?
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Stories of Faith by Clark Eberly
According to the Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership, women are currently serving as president, prime minister or chancellor of Ireland, Finland, Germany, Liberia, India, Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Iceland, Croatia, Lithuania, Kyrgyzstan, Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago, Slovakia and Brazil.
When else in human history have so many nations been led by so many women at the same time?
In his book, As a Peace-Loving Global Citizen, Rev. S.M. Moon writes:
“Throughout history, women have been persecuted, but I predict this will change. The coming world will one of reconciliation and peace based on women’s maternal character, love, and sociability. The time is coming when the power of women will save the world.”
This is a rather wonderful and optimistic assertion. Can the motherliness and compassion for which women are often noted become effective enough to turn the world in a better direction? Are there enough women who are wise enough, capable enough and kind enough to make a difference, and can women rise in influence, not in competition with men, but working together with them to build a better earth?
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“God lives there, where people worship ladies”
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It’s very unfortunate that ladies are so maltreated. I was thinking that in our country due to lack of education ladies are mal treated but it sorry to know that educated people are also treating as illiterate ,please stop it ,in our country it is said “god lives there, where people worship ladies”
Udhir Sajwan
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I was glad to see the last issue of VilNews concentrate on 'women's issues' (a phrase which many Lithuanians would think to refer to PMS).
It is good to know something is being done to combat violence against women in Klaipeda, hopefully the other cities, towns and villages will follow its lead.
I lived in Lithuania for over 18 years and the safety issue cropped up multiple times. I am not even talking about generous amounts of everyday sexism - even though my friends and family who live in Lithuania don't see my views on equality as radical, they are sceptical as to the practical implementation of such in the current society. My friends in the UK found it deeply shocking when I revealed that at my schools in Vilnius there was a separation in lessons of Crafts - girls were sent to do sewing and embroidery, whereas boys would do woodwork. It is also still widely believed that if a woman wears a short skirt, she is asking to be sexually abused or harassed.
The whole mindset of the society has to and is bound to change, but for it to happen so the stricter enforcement of laws is necessary and the fight for women's rights should not be limited to small groups working at grassroots level. I also strongly believe that some more social awareness campaigns would not go amiss. There needs to be some real support for women who choose to challenge inequality in educational establishments, workplaces and their everyday surroundings. Maybe then voices challenging sexism and abuse would be heard, rather than ridiculed.
Agne Barysaite,
London
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Aldona Martin (Martusevicius),
Australia
Am interested to know whether you have historical info/references re Lithuania's history with India, ( with Lithuanian language being based on Sanskrit). Also met a couple from India recently who remarked that my name Aldona is the name of a suburb in the Indian City of GOA... I remember my Lithuanian father relating to me when I was a teenager that Lithuania extended south to India, some centuries ?? ago...perhaps I was not listening / interested at the time...are you able to clarify/provide info ??
Would be most grateful...
From the Editor:
Please write us with any information that could be of help for Aldona. Write to editor@VilNews.com
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Also wish to commend you on the outstanding work that you do in bringing us, amazingly interesting articles on such a variety of subjects, together with photographic masterpieces....am now more and more interested in the history of my Fatherland, which I was blessed to visit in 2009 for my first visit and to walk in the footsteps of my ancestors.
My heartfelt thanks to you for your interest and dedication..
Aldona Martin (Martusevicius)
Australia
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Michigan loves VilNews!
An avid reader of VilNews in Michigan, USA, bought a new car not long ago. This is what his new license plates look like ...
Democrat or Republican does not matter, Lithuanians in Michigan simply love VilNews!
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There are lots of Lithuanians in Michigan
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Frank Passic
There are lots of Lithuanians here in Michigan. My maternal grandfather was Nikodemas Kulikauskas and they were from Lietuva (he was born in Nevardenai near Varniai in 1890, died 1975 here in Albion). 2011 marked the 100th anniversary of my grandfather coming to the US.
Frank Passic, Albion, Michigan
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Dominican Father
David O’Rourke
As pastor of an old church, on brick foundations, in earthquake country I never go into any public building without making a mental note on how to get out – fast – if needed. I am also an opera fan, and always check on ‘what’s playing’ at the opera house before booking a flight to Vilnius. The cultural life in Vilnius is spectacular.
But, there has been – and at last look there still is – a heavy chain and padlock of one of the two sets of exit doors from the Opera House. I suppose that the old Soviet janitor who had the key has long since gone to whatever retirement. But if there were ever an emergency and everyone had to get out fast they would never make it.
But then, the man in charge of doors will say, “But there is that whole other set of doors – the entrance set – on the other side of the building.” Sure….
This locked exit door and the lack of hand rails to help going down the outside steps, by the way, has provided me with a metaphor of the Soviet system in one of my poems. Under Stalin and Co no one cared (or even wanted to think about) how you got out of a privileged place like the Opera, or how you went down after it was over. There was only going up. Going out, doing down, God forbid.
David O'Rourke
California, USA.
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Comments to our article:
Lithuania to create new airline
https://vilnews.com/?p=11928
https://vilnews.com/?p=8867
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Why not learn from others?
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Kostas Cerskus
Every nation is abandoning their National Airlines – why not learn from that!
Kostas Cerskus
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Grant Gochin
In light of this information, is that a good idea?
Grant Gochin
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OPINIONS
Have your say. Send to:
editor@VilNews.com
Ph. D., Chicago
A wave of unity sweeps the international Lithuanian community on March 11th every year as Lithuanians celebrated the anniversary of the Lithuanian Parliament's declaration of independence from the Soviet Union in 1990. However, the sense of national unity engendered by the celebration could be short-lived.
Human beings have a strong tendency to overgeneralize and succumb to stereotypical us-them distinctions that can shatter even the strongest bonds. We need only search the internet to find examples of divisive thinking at work:
- "Those who fled Lithuania during World II were cowards -- and now they come back, flaunt their wealth, and tell us 'true Lithuanians' how to live."
- "Lithuanians who work abroad have abandoned their homeland and should be deprived of their Lithuanian citizenship."
In Lithuania Christmas Eve is a family event and the New Year's Eve a great party with friends!
Lithuanian say "Kaip sutiksi naujus metus, taip juos ir praleisi" (the way you'll meet the new year is the way you will spend it). So everyone is trying to spend New Year's Eve with friend and have as much fun as possible.
Lithuanian New Year's traditions are very similar to those in other countries, and actually were similar since many years ago. Also, the traditional Lithuanian New Years Eve party was very similar to other big celebrations throughout the year.
The New Year's Eve table is quite similar to the Christmas Eve table, but without straws under the tablecloth, and now including meat dishes. A tradition that definitely hasn't changes is that everybody is trying not to fell asleep before midnight. It was said that if you oversleep the midnight point you will be lazy all the upcoming year. People were also trying to get up early on the first day of the new year, because waking up late also meant a very lazy and unfortunate year.
During the New Year celebration people were dancing, singing, playing games and doing magic to guess the future. People didn't drink much of alcohol, especially was that the case for women.
Here are some advices from elders:
- During the New Year, be very nice and listen to relatives - what you are during New Year Eve, you will be throughout the year.
- During to the New Year Eve, try not to fall, because if this happens, next year you will be unhappy.
- If in the start of the New Year, the first news are good - then the year will be successful. If not - the year will be problematic.
* If New Year's night is cold and starry - look forward to a good summer!
* If the during New Year Eve trees are covered with frost - then it will be a good year. If it is wet weather on New Year's Eve, one can expect a year where many will die and dangerous epidemics occur.
* If the first day of the new year is snowy - the upcoming year will see many young people die. If the night is snowy - mostly old people will die.
* If the New Year time is cold - then Easter will be warm.
* If during New Year there are a lot of birds in your homestead - then all year around there will be many guests and the year will be fun.
Christmas greetings
from Vilnius
and epic battle for the
future
Philosopher, political theorist, historian of
ideas, social analyst, and political
commentator
Ukraine was and continues to be perceived by the EU political class as a sort of grey zone with its immense potential and possibilities for the future, yet deeply embedded and trapped in No Man's Land with all of its troubled past, post-Soviet traumas, ambiguities, insecurities, corruption, social divisions, and despair. Why worry for what has yet to emerge as a new actor of world history in terms of nation-building, European identity, and deeper commitments to transparency and free market economy?
Right? Wrong. No matter how troubled Ukraine's economic and political reality could be, the country has already passed the point of no return. Even if Vladimir Putin retains his leverage of power to blackmail Ukraine and the West in terms of Ukraine's zero chances to accede to NATO due to the problems of territorial integrity, occupation and annexation of Crimea, and mayhem or a frozen conflict in the Donbas region, Ukraine will never return to Russia's zone of influence. It could be deprived of the chances to join NATO or the EU in the coming years or decades, yet there are no forces on earth to make present Ukraine part of the Eurasia project fostered by Putin.
want to learn about the
new, scary propaganda
war between Russia,
The West and the
Baltic States!
believe their government
is corrupt
students say no to
bribes for doctors
During Soviet times, government was administered for the people in control, not for the local population, court decisions were decreed, they were not the administration of justice, and academia was the domain of ideologues. 25 years of freedom and openness should have put those bad experiences behind Lithuania, but that is not so.
Today, it is a matter of expectation that court pronouncements will be governed by ideological dictates. Few, if any Lithuanians expect real justice to be effected. For foreign companies, doing business in Lithuania is almost impossible in a situation where business people do not expect rule of law, so, surely Government would be a refuge of competence?
Lithuanian Government has not emerged from Soviet styles. In an attempt to devolve power, Lithuania has created a myriad of fiefdoms of power, each speaking in the name of the Government, each its own centralized power base of ideology.
Chepstow, Wales
Doesn't that sound suspiciously like Lithuania? Ah, but I didn't mention the mountains of Snowdonia, which would give the game away.
I'm talking about Wales, that part of the UK which Lithuanians used to call "Valija", but later named "Velsas" (why?). Wales, the nation which has welcomed two Lithuanian heads of state to its shores - firstly Professor Vytautas Landsbergis, who has paid several visits and, more recently, President Dalia Grybauskaitė who attended the 2014 NATO summit which was held in Newport, South Wales.
ENGLISH VERSION OF THE
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF VYTAUTAS LANDSBERGIS.
Although Lithuanian activities have thinned over the decades as that postwar generation died out, the Lithuanian Martyrs' parish hall is crowded with many, many hundreds of visitors who come to the Lithuanian cemetery for All Souls' Day. Similarly, the Franciscan parish has standing room only for Christmas Eve mass.
Although I am firmly embedded in the literary culture of Canada, my themes are usually Lithuanian, and I'll be in Kaunas and Vilnius in mid-November 2015 to give talks about the Lithuanian translations of my novels and short stories, which I write in English.
If you have the Lithuanian language, come by to one of the talks listed in the links below. And if you don't, you can read more about my work at
www.anatanassileika.com
http://www.vdu.lt/lt/rasytojas-antanas-sileika-pristatys-savo-kuryba/ https://leu.lt/lt/lf/lf_naujienos/kvieciame-i-rasytojo-59hc.html
"My love and best wishes to all. As long as VilNews exists, there is hope for the future,"" she writes.
Irena Veisaite means very much for our publication, and we do hereby thank her for the support and wise commitment she always shows.
You can read our interview with her
Facing a new reality
Dear readers of VilNews,
For a number of years, the EU and Russia had assumed the existence of a strategic partnership, based on the convergence of values, economic integration and increasingly open markets and a modernisation agenda for society.
Our agenda was positive and ambitious. We looked at Russia as a country ready to converge with "European values", a country likely to embrace both the basic principles of democratic government and a liberal concept of the world order. It was believed this would bring our relations to a new level, covering the whole spectrum of the EU's strategic relationship with Russia.
The likelihood of Putin
invading Lithuania
.jpg "lithuania today")
Founding Director at Summer Literary Seminars
Are all Lithuanian energy
problems now resolved?
Lithuania as a country does not have significant energy resources. Energy consuming infrastructure after WWII was small and totally supported by energy imports from Russia.
First nuclear reactor begins power generation at Ignalina in 1983, the second reactor in 1987. Iganlina generates enough electricity to cover Lithuania's needs and about 50%.for export. As, prerequisite for membership in EU, Ignalina ceases all nuclear power generation in 2009
The Klaipėda Sea terminal begins Russia's oil export operations in 1959 and imports in 1994.
Mazeikiu Nafta (current ORLEAN Lietuva) begins operation of oil refinery in 1980.
Have Lithuanian ties across
the Baltic Sea become
stronger in recent years?
The two decades that have passed since regaining Lithuania's independence can be described as a "building boom". From the wreckage of a captive Soviet republic, a generation of Lithuanians have built a modern European state, and are now helping construct a Nordic-Baltic community replete with institutions intended to promote political coordination and foster a trans-Baltic regional identity. Indeed, a "Nordic-Baltic community" - I will explain later in my text the meaning of this catch-phrase.
Since the restoration of Lithuania's independence 25 years ago, we have continuously felt a strong support from Nordic countries. Nordics in particular were among the countries supporting Lithuania's and Baltic States' striving towards independence. Take example of Iceland, country which recognized Lithuania in February of 1991, well in advance of other countries. Yet another example - Swedish Ambassador was the first ambassador accredited to Lithuania in 1991. The other countries followed suit. When we restored our statehood, Nordic Countries became champions in promoting Baltic integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions. To large degree thanks Nordic Countries, massive transformations occurred in Lithuania since then, Lithuania became fully-fledged member of the EU and NATO, and we joined the Eurozone on 1 January 2015.
Have you heard about the
South African "Pencil Test"?
But that is exactly what happened to me when I came back from South Africa. I will tell you how.
VilNews e-magazine is published in Vilnius, Lithuania. Editor-in-Chief: Mr. Aage Myhre. Inquires to the editors: editor@VilNews.com.
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