Demonstration opposite the Lithuanian Embassy in 2020 — Association of Jews of Vilna and vicinity in Israel

In January 2020, the day after the heads and leaders of countries of the world had gathered together at Yad Vashem to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day, proclaiming “We remember the Holocaust and fight anti-Semitism”, Lithuanian Holocaust survivors and the next generations gathered together to demonstrate opposite the Lithuanian Embassy in Ramat Gan.

The Holocaust survivors’ anger was ignited by the proposed resolution of the Lithuanian MP Arūnas Gumuliauskas, Chairman of the Lithuanian History and Remembrance Committee, that Lithuania is not responsible for the murder and extermination of Lithuanian Jews during World War II, since Lithuania had been occupied first by the Soviets and then by Nazi Germany.

The demonstration was organized by: the Association of Lithuanian Jews in Israel and the Association of Jews from Vilna and the Vicinity in Israel.

The demonstrators called on the President and the Prime Minister of Lithuania to stop the MP’s initiative and dismiss it before it could be officially presented to Parliament.

At the end of the demonstration, the Association’s representatives submitted a joint petition to the Lithuanian Embassy.

24 January 2020

Honorable President of the Republic of Lithuania Gintara Nauseda

Honorable Speaker of the Parliament, Republic of Lithuania, Viktoras Pranckietis.

We, the participants in today’s demonstration across the street from the Republic of Lithuania’s Embassy in Israel, are the surviving Lithuanian Jews in Israel, their families and next generations, members and friends of the Association of Lithuanian Jews in Israel and the Association of Jews from Vilna and Vicinity in Israel

We request that President of the Republic of Lithuania Gintaras Nauseda and the Speaker of the Parliament, Republic of Lithuania, Viktoras Pranckietis to stop the initiative of MP Arunas Gumuliauskas to propose a resolution declaring that Lithuania has no responsibility for the Holocaust, for the annihilation of Lithuanian Jews

A proposal to absolve Lithuanian’s involvement in the Holocaust, absolve Lithuanians who participated in annihilating 95% of the Jewish community in Lithuania who lived in more than 215 places in Lithuania is an absurd distortion of history and an attempt to whitewash the horrors of the past

We request that you denounce MP Gumuliaskas suggestions and intentions and dismiss it before it is added to the Parliament’s agenda. We trust you to act responsibly and in good conscience in acting immediately to reject this proposal.

Respectfully,

Participants in the demonstration:

Association of Lithuanian Jews in Israel

Association of Jews from Vilna and Vicinity in Israel

The letter sent by the Association of Jews from Vilna and the Vicinity in Israel:

H.E Gitanas Nauseda

President of The Republic of Lithuania

Dear Mr. Nauseda,

Will Lithuania's Parliament stand alongside those seeking a legal way to exempt thousands of Lithuanian collaborators from being responsible for their horrific crimes

The Lithuanian media recently announced the intention of MP Gumuliauskas to ask the Parliament to make a formal statement confirming that Lithuania was not responsible for events that occurred during the Holocaust, since Lithuania was under Soviet and Nazi occupation in the years 1940-1945.  It is an attempt to whitewash facts and in fact absolve Lithuania and Lithuanians, of the terrible murders of its Jewish citizens during the Holocaust, claiming that Lithuania took no part in their extermination

Gumuliauskas seeks to eliminate the part thousands of Lithuanian collaborators took in the unprecedented murders of their Jewish neighbors, and by doing so, clear Lithuania of its historical responsibility for the annihilation of the centuries-old Jewish Lithuanian community

The directors of the Association of Vilna and Vicinity in Israel, the surviving Lithuanian Jews, their families and the future generations, address the leaders of Lithuania and its government with the demand to stop this outrageous idea before it is even born.

We require you and your leadership position, to boldly confront the historical facts, which have been proven by the thousands of testimonies of our surviving parents and relatives.

We demand that you denounce that Gumuliauskas’ suggestions and intentions as published, and dismiss it even before bringing it up to the Parliament's agenda.

We honor the activities of many hundreds of citizens of Lithuanua, Righteous Among the Nations who risked their lives to save the innocent, and we appreciate the efforts being invested by your official representatives to promote the ties between Israel and Lithuania. We also appreciate the important emphasis you put on enhancing tolerance and educating the youths in Holocaust History, but at the same time, we expect you to act courageously and resolutely to uproot this dark and despicable idea and prevent it from surfacing in the enlightened Lithuania of the 21st century

Respectfully yours

Mickey Kantor, Chair

The Association of Jews from Vilna and vicinity in Israel

Ms. Lina Antanaviciene, Ambassador of The Republic of Lithuania to The State of Israel.

24 January 2020

Honorable President of the Republic of Lithuania Gintara Nauseda

Honorable Speaker of the Parliament, Republic of Lithuania, Viktoras Pranckietis

We, the participants in today’s demonstration across the street from the Republic of Lithuania’s Embassy in Israel, are the surviving Lithuanian Jews in Israel, their families and next generations, members and friends of the Association of Lithuanian Jews in Israel and the Association of Jews from Vilna and Vicinity in Israel

We request that President of the Republic of Lithuania Gintaras Nauseda and the Speaker of the Parliament, Republic of Lithuania, Viktoras Pranckietis to stop the initiative of MP Arunas Gumuliauskas to propose a resolution declaring that Lithuania has no responsibility for the Holocaust, for the annihilation of Lithuanian Jews

A proposal to absolve Lithuanian’s involvement in the Holocaust, absolve Lithuanians who participated in annihilating 95% of the Jewish community in Lithuania who lived in more than 215 places in Lithuania is an absurd distortion of history and an attempt to whitewash the horrors of the past

We request that you denounce MP Gumuliaskas suggestions and intentions and dismiss it before it is added to the Parliament’s agenda. We trust you to act responsibly and in good conscience in acting immediately to reject this proposal

,Respectfully

:Participants in the demonstration

Association of Lithuanian Jews in Israel

Association of Jews from Vilna and Vicinity in Israel

המכתב שיצא מטעם איגוד יוצאי וילנה והסביבה

H.E Gitanas Nauseda

President of The Republic of Lithuania

,Dear Mr. Nauseda

Will Lithuania's Parliament stand alongside those seeking  a legal way to exempt thousands of Lithuanian collaborators from being responsible for their horrific crimes

The Lithuanian media recently announced the intention of MP Gumuliauskas to ask the Parliament to make a formal statement confirming that Lithuania was not responsible for events that occurred during the Holocaust, since Lithuania was under Soviet and Nazi occupation in the years 1940-1945.  It is an attempt to whitewash facts and in fact absolve Lithuania and Lithuanians, of the terrible murders of its Jewish citizens during the Holocaust, claiming that Lithuania took no part in their extermination

Gumuliauskas seeks to eliminate the part thousands of Lithuanian collaborators took in the unprecedented murders of their Jewish neighbors, and by doing so, clear Lithuania of its historical responsibilty for the annihilation of the centuries-old Jewish Lithuanian community

The directors of the Association of Vilna and Vicinity in Israel, the surviving Lithuanian Jews, their families and the future generations, address the leaders of Lithuania and its government with the demand to stop this outrageous idea before it is even born

We require you and your leadership position, to boldly confront the historical facts, which have been proven by the thousands testimonies of our surviving parents and relatives

We demand that you denounce that Gumuliauskas’ suggestions and intentions as published, and dismiss it even before bringing it up to the Parliament's agenda

We honor the activities of many hundreds of citizens of Lithuanua, Righteous Among the Nations who risked their lives to save the innocent, and we appreciate the efforts beeing invested by your official representatives to promote the ties between Israel and Lithuania. We also appreciate the important emphasis you put on enhancing tolerance and educating the youths in Holocaust History, but at the same time, we expect you to act courageously and resolutly to uproot this dark and despicable idea and prevent it from surfacing in the enlightened Lithuania of the 21st century

Respectfully yours

Mickey Kantor, Chair, The Association of Jews from Vilna and vicinity in Israel.

Ms. Lina Antanaviciene, Ambassador of The Republic of Lithuania to The State of Israel