[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 125 (Tuesday, October 10, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1734]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  LITHUANIA COMMEMORATES HOLOCAUST IN MEMORIAL CONCERT AT D.C. JEWISH 
                            COMMUNITY CENTER

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 10, 2000

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, a few days ago the Embassy of Lithuania here 
in Washington held a Memorial Concert honoring the victims of the 
Holocaust in Lithuania. The event here was held in connection with the 
government of Lithuania's designation of September 23 as a National 
Mourning Day for Holocaust Victims in Lithuania. That date was chosen, 
Mr. Speaker, because on September 23, 1943, all of the Jews remaining 
in the Vilnius ghetto were killed by the Nazi forces occupying 
Lithuania at that time.
  Because of the press of Congressional business, I was not able to 
attend the Memorial Concert, but my wife Annette was there and made 
remarks in my behalf. I want to recognize Ambassador Stasys Sakalauskas 
for hosting this important event here in Washington to remember the 
Holocaust victims in Lithuania, and I want to acknowledge the effort of 
the Lithuanian government for establishing this national day of 
mourning for Holocaust victims. In Lithuania, 95% of the pre-war Jewish 
community of approximately 220,000 perished in the Holocaust. In fact, 
some say that no other nation lost a larger percentage of its Jewish 
population. Before World War II, Vilnius--``the Jerusalem of the 
North''--was an impressive cultural and intellectual center of Jewish 
life. After the war, almost all Jews were gone and everything was 
destroyed.
  Mr. Speaker, my wife and I have been to Lithuania many times. Last 
January, we visited the beautiful forest at Panarai, where serenity and 
peace now stand in stark contrast to the unimaginable horrors that took 
place in that killing field during World War II. We also visited the 
KGB museum, where we laid a wreath at the memorial for the martyrs, not 
just as a protocol procedure or diplomatic gesture, but as a deeply 
felt tribute to the many men and women who gave their lives for freedom 
and independence. As Hungarian Holocaust survivors, we both have lived 
under Communist and Fascist governments, as well as democratic ones, so 
we both identify emotionally and personally with many of the triumphs 
and tragedies of Lithuania's national past.
  Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to report to my colleagues that Lithuania 
has made significant progress since its independence a decade ago in 
remembering and making restitution for the horrors of the Holocaust. I 
welcome the many positive steps that the government of Lithuania has 
taken.
  Mr. Speaker, at the Memorial Concert here in Washington D.C., just a 
few days ago, Ambassador Sakalauskas made particularly appropriate 
remarks. I ask that his statement be place in the Record, and I urge my 
colleagues to give thoughtful attention to his comments and to the 
progress that Lithuania has made.

   Remarks at Memorial Concert at the D.C. Jewish Community Center, 
                           September 27, 2000

                     Ambassador Stasys Sakalauskas

       Ladies and Gentlemen, first, I want to thank you all for 
     joining us at this first joint event with the District of 
     Columbia Jewish Community Center. I take this opportunity to 
     express my deep appreciation to the leadership of the Jewish 
     Community Center for co-sponsoring this event. We are 
     gathered here today for a very special, meaningful and sad 
     occasion--the 23rd of September 1943, when the Vilnius Ghetto 
     was liquidated in Nazi-occupied Lithuania. In Lithuania, this 
     day is a national day for mourning, and since 1993, the 23rd 
     of September is marked as Lithuania's national day for the 
     commemoration of victims of the Holocaust.
       The absolute majority of the 220,000 strong pre-war Jewish 
     community--colorful, flourishing, full of joy and sorrows--
     vanished in Nazi-occupied Lithuania. It is shameful that the 
     hands of local collaborators were marked with the blood of 
     innocent children, elderly women and men--people killed 
     because they were Jews. No words are enough to express the 
     pain of the immeasurable loss, and we understand that. At the 
     same time we pay our highest respect to those citizens, who 
     despite the threat of death to themselves and their families 
     saved their Jewish neighbors.
       Emerging 10 years ago from the Soviet and Nazi occupations, 
     Lithuania has gone through an awakening of consciousness and 
     conscience. We, individually, and as a people, made mistakes. 
     But the fact we recognize our mistakes and try to do 
     everything to correct them is encouraging and shows our 
     resolve to do better. We are committed to continue the 
     investigation and prosecution of persons suspected in 
     collaboration with Nazi Germany and participation in the mass 
     murders of innocent people.
       One accused war criminal died yesterday. We did a lot to 
     bring Aleksandras Lileikis to justice, even resorting to 
     amending the Lithuanian criminal code. He was already on 
     trial, but, unfortunately, we were late to give him a 
     verdict. Today the Office of the Prosecutor General of 
     Lithuania has expressed its regret that due to the 
     defendant's death the course of justice was obstructed. At 
     the same time the Prosecutor strongly pledged to continue the 
     work of bringing to justice other alleged war criminals.
       We in Lithuania are committed to examine our history. The 
     Lithuanian historical commission has a mandate from His 
     Excellency Valdas Adamkus, President of Lithuania, to 
     investigate what happened in Lithuania almost 60 years ago 
     and make it public no matter how painful it is. We have to 
     come to terms with our past. We will continue the discussion 
     that went on for the last 50 years in most European countries 
     and in the United States, but was missing in Lithuania due to 
     the Soviet occupation.
       Our future depends on providing all our children the truth, 
     and knowledge of the most horrible crimes committed in the 
     20th century. Therefore, we are committed to continue our 
     efforts towards Holocaust education, remembrance and research 
     and to implement to the fullest possible extent the National 
     Holocaust Education program, as a vehicle of preventing 
     injustice, discrimination and extremism.
       We will stay alert and recognize early signs of extremism 
     and we will continue to combat racism, xenophobia and anti-
     Semitism. We are committed to secure for the small remaining 
     Lithuanian Jewish community all the possibilities to develop 
     and cherish its ethnic culture, education, traditions. 
     Lithuania must once again be built as an open society and a 
     mature democracy where the people of different cultures and 
     traditions would be always united by mutual sympathy, respect 
     and understanding.
       Next week Vilnius will host a major International Forum on 
     Holocaust-era looted cultural assets. We see the Vilnius 
     Forum as another important step in paying tribute to the lost 
     Jewish community. We cannot re-write our past. What we can do 
     is to put forth every effort to make sure that horrors like 
     those are never forgotten and never happen again on the 
     Earth.
       Now, I would like to ask everyone to stand up and honor 
     those who perished with a minute of silence.

     

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