A miracle in Lithuania

Astonishing things are happening in Lithuania. The tide of Holocaust distortion is receding. And genuine efforts are being made towards future Holocaust truth-telling.

It has been a tumultuous few weeks.

First, Lithuania decided NOT to reinstate the bust of mass murderer Jonas Noreika on the walls of the science institute in central Vilnius. It had been removed during renovations of the building and there was speculation that it would be reinstated. But no, it remains hidden away, no explanation given.

Then, a couple of weeks ago, some knuckle-dragging fascists erected a statue to Kazys Skirpa (possibly the most egregious of Lithuania’s mass murdering heroes) on the walls of the central library in Vilnius. The authorities hacked it down within two days. In the old days, that would have been unthinkable.

Even more dramatic was last week’s announcement that the old Soviet Sports Palace (built on an ancient Jewish cemetery by the Russians on what is probably the most important bit of real estate in Vilnius) would be turned into a huge Jewish memorial.

And on July 18th, in the most important development by far, the effective disbanding and rejection of the Genocide and Resistance Research Centre. Yes that’s right: earlier this week the Lithuanian Government announced moves to completely change the remit and function of the nefarious Genocide Centre, the lie factory of Vilnius, which has been the driver of Lithuanian Holocaust distortion.

As someone who campaigned against Lithuanian Holocaust distortion in my 2023 documentary J’Accuse!, I can barely believe what’s happening. In fact, I don’t think anybody with Lithuanian Holocaust experience could, in their wildest dreams, have imagined such an outcome.

We wish them well, of course. But where does this leave us? What should Jews do now?

Of course, we must retain skepticism and vigilance. I have little doubt that the geopolitics of Eastern Europe and NATO, and specifically the cruel Russian invasion of Ukraine, has played a very important role in these decisions. But I don’t think it’s all realpolitik.

I cannot help feeling that there is something else happening, something noble and uplifting: a sincere desire on the part of many Lithuanians to finally tell the truth and free their country from the shackles of its terrible past. Like Germany.

And if so, it is clear what we Jews have to do. We should seize this opportunity and help Lithuania in any way we can, with all our hearts.

To state the obvious, we do not accept inter-generation guilt, so no Lithuanian is guilty of anything. It is the lies told by antisemites that contaminates the innocent people with guilt. And I remember the many, many wonderful Lithuanian people I have met: the old lady in Birzai, with her granddaughter, who wept as she remembered the murdered community and my own family (“They were always so neat and beautiful,” she told me). The young Christian volunteers who cleaned Birzai’s cemetery and worked so tirelessly to retain memory of the community; the woman who blew a kiss from the heart as our bus left the murder pits of Plunge; the teacher in Birzai who wept as I explained my fear of this country; the hundreds of people who every year march to the Jewish death pits to show solidarity, sorrow, and love, and many many more. I believe these people would welcome this release.

And now we may be able to join them, hand in hand. The possibility of creating a true, redemptive friendship with Lithuanians, based on truth, may actually, incredibly, be within our grasp.