Rescuers of Jews
Grinius Kazys
Kazys GRINIUS
Kristina GRINIUVIENĖ
In 1942, the implementation of the Reich's policy of the assimilation of “the Eastern territories” was started in Lithuania. K. Grinius, M. Krupavičius and J. Aleksa, the most prominent Lithuanian politicians who had stayed in Lithuania, in November 1942 presented the German commissar general in Kaunas and the accessors general with a memorandum regarding the German colonization, persecution of persons of other nationalities, killings of the Jews. It was an extremely brave and risky step.
Having described people's hardships and injustice, the authors of the memorandum declare that they consider such bringing back of the Germans to Lithuania “the start of Lithuania's colonization by Germans”. The memorandum cites the German press, which asserts that the nations other than the Germans are “just separate drops on a hot stone”. The authors say that “the Lithuanian people cannot approve of such measures just as it does not approve of measures applied to the Jews.” The memorandum was discussed not only in towns but in villages as well. Everybody was astounded by the courage of these people, because everybody had by then experienced the cruelty of the Germans. To write a document like that meant a single thing death. While they were defending not only their own people, but also the Jews. It needed extraordinary courage, patriotism, love to any man.”
The reaction of the Germans was prompt: the Gestapo arrested those who had signed the memorandum. J.Aleksa and M.Krupavičius were taken to Germany, K. Grinius was sent from Kaunas to his native place. Accompanied by the Gestapo, K.Grinius came to his native village of Selema Būda.
The more daring public figures attempted to stand up for the arrested. On behalf of the Lithuanian mutual aid organization, Professor I.Končius addressed the German authorities declaring that the thoughts expressed in the memorandum represented 'a clear standpoint of the whole of the Lithuanian people. We are deeply convinced that the exile of the best people in Lithuania, of high merit to the whole Lithuanian nation (...), deeply shattered the Lithuanian public and raised a strong wave of disillusionment.
From Hands Bringing Life and Bread, Volume 1,
The Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum. Vilnius, 1997
Kristina GRINIUVIENĖ
In 1942, the implementation of the Reich's policy of the assimilation of “the Eastern territories” was started in Lithuania. K. Grinius, M. Krupavičius and J. Aleksa, the most prominent Lithuanian politicians who had stayed in Lithuania, in November 1942 presented the German commissar general in Kaunas and the accessors general with a memorandum regarding the German colonization, persecution of persons of other nationalities, killings of the Jews. It was an extremely brave and risky step.
Having described people's hardships and injustice, the authors of the memorandum declare that they consider such bringing back of the Germans to Lithuania “the start of Lithuania's colonization by Germans”. The memorandum cites the German press, which asserts that the nations other than the Germans are “just separate drops on a hot stone”. The authors say that “the Lithuanian people cannot approve of such measures just as it does not approve of measures applied to the Jews.” The memorandum was discussed not only in towns but in villages as well. Everybody was astounded by the courage of these people, because everybody had by then experienced the cruelty of the Germans. To write a document like that meant a single thing death. While they were defending not only their own people, but also the Jews. It needed extraordinary courage, patriotism, love to any man.”
The reaction of the Germans was prompt: the Gestapo arrested those who had signed the memorandum. J.Aleksa and M.Krupavičius were taken to Germany, K. Grinius was sent from Kaunas to his native place. Accompanied by the Gestapo, K.Grinius came to his native village of Selema Būda.
The more daring public figures attempted to stand up for the arrested. On behalf of the Lithuanian mutual aid organization, Professor I.Končius addressed the German authorities declaring that the thoughts expressed in the memorandum represented 'a clear standpoint of the whole of the Lithuanian people. We are deeply convinced that the exile of the best people in Lithuania, of high merit to the whole Lithuanian nation (...), deeply shattered the Lithuanian public and raised a strong wave of disillusionment.
From Hands Bringing Life and Bread, Volume 1,
The Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum. Vilnius, 1997