(Author: Rasa Jankauskaite, Vol. 79, #2, Summer 2024)
Every year we in Lithuania commemorate an important and painful anniversary – ZYDU GENOCIDO DIENA, REMEMBRANCE DAY OF THE LITHUANIAN JEWISH GENOCIDE. This is the day on which, on 23 September 1943, the Vilnius ghetto was liquidated.
The Holocaust stands as the most horrific human tragedy of the 20th Century. It traumatized the entire world, and Lithuania was no exception. It is the most painful and bloodiest chapter in our country’s history. Only after Lithuania restored its independence in 1990 did we have the opportunity of exploring the hidden pages of our past, including the Holocaust, which was organized and carried out by the Nazi’s military and police forces, with the tragic involvement of local collaborators.
In the heart of Europe, in the middle of the 20th Century, many people — driven by fear, prejudice, and the circumstances of the time — submitted to the brutal roles imposed on them. Whether as executioners, accomplices, or silent observers, they became part of a horrific system. We must dare to admit: some Lithuanians also collaborated with the Nazis in these atrocities. Research has revealed the shocking, incomprehensible scale of the Holocaust — a horror beyond words. This truth is painful. But it is necessary.
As we mourn the thousands upon thousands of Lithuanian Jews who perished, we continue to remember. We must continue to reflect — on what happened, and why it happened.
Sadly, we must also reflect on more recent tragedies. Just one year ago, the world witnessed a brutal terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas. Hundreds of civilians, including women, children, and the elderly, were killed in cold blood. In addition to these horrific killings, many innocent people were taken hostage and are still being held in inhumane conditions to this day, leaving their loved ones in anguish and uncertainty.
These attacks are not only a direct assault on Israel but on the values of humanity, democracy, and peace. Hamas’ actions deliberately target civilians, using them as pawns in their quest to incite fear and chaos. The international community must stand united in condemning such acts of terror and demanding the immediate release of the hostages. We must not forget that, just like the Holocaust, such violence is born from hatred, extremism, and intolerance. We must never allow these ideologies to take root again.
We also mark other anniversaries of violence and terror. Ten years ago, Russia illegally occupied and annexed part of Ukraine – Crimea. Nearly three years ago, Russia launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine. It is unacceptable that, in its attempt to justify this brutal aggression, Russia resorts to false claims of “Nazism,” “neo-Nazism,” and “genocide.” We must confront these lies. We must defend the truth. This rhetoric from the Kremlin is not only a distortion of the Holocaust but also a dangerous incitement to hatred. It is profoundly offensive to all victims and survivors of the Holocaust.
This year we decided to stand here in South Africa, to where many Lithuanian Jews came, to bear witness to our nation’s painful history by showing a film on the life of world-renowned Lithuanian-Jewish artist and Holocaust survivor Samuel Bak. It is accompanied by a lecture by art historian Dr Ute ben Yosef, who has published a book on his life and also met him both in Switzerland and in Cape Town. Bak’s thought-provoking paintings reflect the deep trauma of his experiences during the Holocaust. Through his art, he challenges us to remember the past while urging us to keep hope alive, encouraging us never to give up and never to give in.
Today, we must stand united — not just in remembering those who have suffered and been killed, but also in confronting the forces of evil that still exist in the world. We must be resolute. We must be courageous. We must stand in solidarity.
This is our duty to the past. This is our duty to the future.
We will never forget.
- Rasa Jankauskaite is Ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania to South Africa. This article has been adapted from her address given on Remembrance Day of the Lithuanian Jewish Genocide, 23 September 2024.
